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CITY NEWS
Auxiliary Police Officer Opening   
The Darien Police Department is accepting applications for the position of Auxiliary Police Officer.
The Auxiliary Officer position is an unpaid, unarmed, volunteer position. There are certain details that are paid. There is no benefit package and Auxiliary Officers are considered "at will" employees.

To be an Auxiliary Police Officer, you must be over 21 years old, be in good physical condition, must have good character, and cannot have any felony convictions.

The duties of an Auxiliary Officer include, but are not limited to, assisting with traffic control, handling vehicle lockouts, animal complaints, parking enforcement, fingerprinting, and other tasks as assigned. Visit the City of Darien Website at www.darien.il.us for a complete job description.

Some weekends, nights, and special events are required (including the Fourth of July Parade and Darienfest).
A background check, driver's license history, and other exams as required by the department.

Contact Sergeant Nick Skweres at 630-353-8337 or nskweres@darienil.gov if you have any questions.

Applications will be accepted until August 1, 2016. However, hiring will be limited as manpower requirements are needed, with a minimum of 2 Auxiliary Officers being hired in 2016.

Applications can be picked up at the Darien Police Department or downloaded from the City of Darien website at www.darien.il.us.

The Darien Police Department is an equal opportunity employer.
No Solicitors Please!   
Each year at this time, we see an increase in door-to-door solicitations in our neighborhoods. Residents who do not want solicitors to ring their doorbells should post a sign on their front door indicating "No Solicitors Invited." Darien requires that solicitations from for profit organizations need to apply for a permit, which includes an application for each solicitor they employ. Once the permit application is completed and submitted including authorization from the company, a background check is conducted. Upon approval and receipt of the appropriate fee, a thirty-day permit will be issued. The hours that solicitors may knock on your door are from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday thru Saturday.  The license or registration of any peddler or solicitor shall be displayed on the outer garment of the peddler or solicitor at all times while the person is engaged in soliciting or peddling within the city. If they do not have a license displayed we ask that you call 9-1-1  so a police officer can be dispatched to stop them from soliciting until they obtain the license. 
 
The City does not have the ability to regulate or conduct background checks on solicitors who conduct missionary and political solicitation, which was decided by the Supreme Court a few years ago (Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York vs. Village of Stratton, Ohio). The constitution protects the right of solicitors such as missionaries and politicians to knock on doors without first getting permission from local authorities. In the doorstep-solicitation case, the court reasoned that the First Amendment right to free speech includes the entitlement to take a message directly to someone's door and that the right cannot be limited by a requirement to register by name ahead of time.
 
Residents who would like to deter solicitors from their home, may pick up a "No Solicitors Invited" decal for their front door at City Hall (1702 Plainfield Road) or the Darien Police Dept. (1710Plainfield Road).
Report Electric Outages 
It is very important that all outages be reported to ComEd customer service at 800-EDISON1 (800-334-7661) or text "OUT" to 2-6-6-3-3.  An outage can also be reported online through the ComEd website at https://www.comed.com/customer-service/outage-information/Pages/report-an-outage.aspx. 

Residents should still report an outage themselves, regardless of whether or not they believe a neighbor may have already done so.  They should also ask for the Outage Ticket Number in order to track the progress of the report
Television Recycling thru Advanced Disposal  
With free electronic recycling becoming harder to find, the City of Darien refuse hauler, Advanced Disposal, will be accepting televisions for recycling. 

You must place 5 refuse stickers on each, and call Advanced to let them know you will be placing the TV at the curb on your normal refuse collection day.  If you would like the TV collected outside of your normal refuse day, you can schedule
a special pickup for an additional $25.00 trip charge.

All televisions will be properly disposed of by Advanced Disposal.  Advanced can be reached at 708-409-9700. 
New Phone Scam Targeting College Students  
The FBI has issued an alert about a new type of phone scam. This new scam primarily targets college students.

A scammer calls a student and claims to be a government official or federal agent, feigning legitimacy by "spoofing" or mimicking a local FBI phone number on the receiving caller I.D. The student is told that they owe money for overdue student loans, unpaid taxes or outstanding parking tickets. The scammer threatens the student with arrest or failure to graduate, unless they immediately settle the fees via MoneyGram.

The public should be aware that the FBI does not call private citizens requesting money and to never give out personal information to callers you do not know.
 City Administrator
(630) 353-8114
(630) 852-5000
(630) 971-3999
(630) 852-5000
Mayor
City Clerk
Treasurer
Ward 1
Ward 2
Ward 3
Ward 4
Thomas Chlystek
Ward 5
Joseph Marchese
Ward 6
Ward 7

City Council Meetings 

Monday, August 1
 7:30 p.m.

Monday, August 15
7:30 p.m.

Official Social Media Links

FACEBOOK: There are several Facebook pages that come up when doing a search for our City page.  Please use this link to "Like" us for city contact information and current city news on the City of Darien Official Facebook Page

TWITTER: The City of Darien Now "Tweets"!  Please follow us on twitter  at  Cityofdarien. 
 
NIXLE: The Nixle  text alert system provides for the City to send out urgent and emergency alerts via text messages.  This a FREE service.  To sign up for Nixle, visit our website and click on the nixle icon.

SMART PHONE APP: The City of Darien smart phone app is now available!  The app will allow easy, mobile access to city information, services and request.  There is also a direct link on this app to Commonwealth Edison website, which is a great source of information during power outages. This FREE app is called Darien Connect, and is available in the Apple Store and the Google Play Store.

Agendas for City and Committee Meetings

The following links will direct you to the City Meeting and Committee agendas and packet information on our website.  Stay informed on City issues and upcoming projects!    

All Agendas

City Meeting info / Minutes on website 
As a reminder to residents, the City's website includes City Council, and various other city committee, meeting agendas, background materials, staff memos/reports, city expenses, monthly financial and meeting minutes. This allows residents to closely follow all of the business conducted by the City.

If you wish to review the Council and committee meeting information simply use the following link:

View Darien Meetings on YouTube!

You may now view city meetings on YouTube by clickng here.

 

Our user name is DarienCableChannel.  You may still access meetings from the links on  our website.

Meet & Greet Mayor Weaver! The third Monday of every month at Darien City Hall from 6 - 7pm
 Find out the latest city updates - Share your thoughts and suggestions. Get involved - Meet  other residents!
View Darien Police Department Weekly Incident Report
You may view the Darien Police Department weekly incident report by  clicking here

View Police Chief   

Monthly Police Report 

You may view the Police Chief's monthly press release by  
 clicking here 

Submit an article for Direct Connect 

You may submit an article for Direct Connect by emailing  mwintermute@darienil.gov
Don't Become an Easy Target - Lock Your Car Doors!
Darien Police responded to multiple car burglaries this past weekend (7-16-16 & 7-17-16). All were reported after the vehicle owners discovered they had been the victim of a crime.
1.The first area affected was between Rt. 83 and Bentley Ave. from the 6700 Block to the 7000 Block. All of the vehicles entered were left with their car doors unlocked.

2.The second area affected was between Parkview Dr. and Drover Ln. from 83rd St. and 87th Street. All of the vehicles entered were left with their car doors unlocked.

Last year the Darien Police Department began the Lock It or Lose It campaign. This is a nationwide campaign to address a problem experienced across the Country. Some tips we would like to pass along:
  • Don't leave valuables in your car.
  • If you must leave valuable items in your car while out and about, place items out of sight.
  • Once home, unload your valuables immediately. Do not store valuables in your car any longer than necessary, and certainly never overnight.
  • If possible leave no trace. Don't leave any sign that there might be valuables "out of sight" in your vehicle, such as docking stations or connector cables.
  • Lock ALL your vehicle's doors, even if you plan to be gone for only a brief time. Every month, there are items stolen from unlocked vehicles where the owner was only going to be gone "just for a second."
  • Set any alarm or anti-theft device. If you have one, use it! Many people believe that car-alarms no longer make a difference, but they can be an effective deterrent to an auto-burglar, who most often chooses the easiest target.
Residents are requested to call "911" immediately if they see anything suspicious including people or vehicles.
Please contact us at (630) 971-3999 if you would like more information on this program. 
Sprinkling Restrictions 
Beginning May 15th through September 15th of each year the City of Darien restricts the watering of trees, gardens, lawns, shrubs, or other outdoor plants. Residents may not water between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Watering is not permitted on consecutive days, odd number addresses may water on odd numbered days and even numbered address may water on even numbered days. These restrictions do not prohibit the watering of newly planted seed or sod less than 3 months old. New / replacement sprinkler systems shall be equipped with a WaterSence labeled irrigation controller and shall be in compliance with section 2.5(g) of the Illinois plumbing license law.
Mosquito abatement  
The City of Darien has a comprehensive mosquito abatement program run through Clarke Mosquito Control that includes ongoing monitoring of standing bodies of water and catch basin treatments. The program focus is on larviciding activities to kill larvae before they become adults, including applications in standing bodies of water and stocking retention ponds with mosquito eating fish. However, as temperatures rise and with heavy rainfall, you may see an increase in the mosquito population.  We ask that you assist the City of Darien and your neighbors to reduce the mosquito population by:
  • Reporting standing water areas on public property, especially backyard catchbasins, to Clarke Mosquito at 800-942-2555.  The City of Darien treats storm inlets on streets, ditches, retention and detention basins, and areas that generally hold stormwater areas, but if you identify a new spot we would like to get it included on our lists.
  • Getting rid of old tires, buckets, bottles or any items in your yard that may hold water
  • Changing the water in birdbaths, watering cans, plant pots and drip trays no less frequently than once per week
  • Keep grass cut short and shrubbery well trimmed around the house so adult mosquitoes will not hide there
Even with all these steps, there still may be mosquitoes in the area, as they have the ability to fly many miles.  When you are out in your yard, we would recommend wearing long sleeves and pants to cover skin when possible or using a mosquito repellent.Running a fan in your outdoor area is also know to help, as mosquitoes cannot fly in strong wind.

For a full monthy report for the City of Darien visit here.

Visit the County's website at http://www.dupagehealth.org/EnvironmentalHealth/news/WNVjune2016 
Spread the Word About Direct Connect! 
Providing important city information to Darien residents has been a priority of the Elected Officials and city staff for many years. Our most important resource to distribute information is Darien's weekly E-newsletter, Direct Connect. This provides residents with important community information that is emailed on Fridays. Direct Connect is also sent out periodically when there is important information to provide to residents.

There are approximately 2500 subscribers to Direct Connect. The City's goal is to have 5000 subscribers by the end of 2016. We ask that you please spread the word about Direct Connect and encourage your friends, neighbors, and local groups to sign up. Signing up is simple, just provide any Elected Official or staff member with your email address and we will have you registered. If you prefer to register yourself, you may use the following link: http://www.darien.il.us/Reference-Desk/DirectConnect.aspx.

Please help the City reach our goal!  
COUNTY/STATE/FEDERAL NEWS
Latex Paint Recycling - ENDING SOON!    
DuPage County Public Works is offering a latex paint recycling program this summer. This program will allow for residents to drop off their usable, unwanted latex paint, free of charge.

The hours of this program are from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, thru July 29 and specific Saturdays: June 18th and 25th, and July 9th, 16th, and 23rd. If you're interested in receiving free paint, the Public Works Department is offering free paint in 5-gallon containers during the above dates and times. The drop-off / pick-up location is 7900 S. Route 53 in Woodridge.

Additional information can be found here
Lisle Electronic Recycling    
In order to assist DuPage County residents with collecting unwanted electronics and to ensure environmentally-responsible recycling of these devices, DuPage County and the Village of Lisle have partnered with eWorks Electronics Recycling Services, Inc.  to develop an electronics recycling drop-off program to collect electronics on a regular basis.

The Village of Lisle offers a site for electronic recycling the third Saturday of every month, from 8am to 12pm at 925 Burlington Avenue.  Televisions will be collected for a fee that ranges from $25 to $35..  For a complete list of accepted items visit  here. 
I-55 Expansion "Managed Lane" Project   
The "Managed Lane" project would cover the Stevenson between the Veterans Tollway (I-355) and the Dan Ryan Expressway (I-90/94), a 25-mile stretch that handles 170,000 vehicles daily and is prone to long delays, especially during peak travel times. Under a 2011 state law, IDOT can pursue projects using public-private partnerships, as long as the General Assembly approves a resolution supporting the project.

The Illinois Tollway Authority manages a vast network of toll roads in greater Chicago, but the concept of "managed lanes" -- in which motorists have a choice of free or paid lanes -- is new to Illinois. Illinois Transportation Secretary Randy Blankenhorn described it as "an expressway within an expressway."

For more information please visit the IDOT Managed Lane Website.
DuPage County encourages residents to sign up for Smart911
As the new year draws near, DuPage County officials are asking residents to "resolve to be safe" and sign up for Smart911. Smart911 is a free, confidential service that allows users to create a profile that is activated in participating dispatch centers when a person dials 911. The electronic safety profile provides essential household information about family members, your home, pets and vehicles. This information will display automatically on the 911 call taker's screen when users make an emergency call. It's private and secure, and users control what information is in their profile.
 
Smart 911 is a valuable tool when searching for missing children, assisting unresponsive callers who are unable to speak due to a medical condition, or in a house fire when first responders need to locate and account for family members, pets and essential documents.

Learn more on the DuPage ETSB webpage at www.dupageco.org/smart911 and register at www.smart911.com.
Electronic Recycling Information 
The State of Illinois has banned computers, monitors, printers, televisions, and other electronics from landfills. If any of these items are left curbside, they will not be picked up.  There are many options to responsibly recycle your electronics throughout DuPage County. Residents are encouraged to visit the DuPage County  website or SCARCE for information on how to recycle electronics.
COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS
Darien Park District Movie Under the Stars TONIGHT
Darien Park District Movie Under the Stars TONIGHT Friday, July 22, will be "The Good Dinosaur"   The movies starts at 8:30pm at the Darien Community Center, 7301 Fairview. Concessions will be available.

For more info call: 630.968.6400

Darien School District #61 Meetings
Darien Public Schools, District #61 Board of Education Meeting will be on Tuesday, July 26, at 7:00 P.M at Lace School, 7414 S. Cass Avenue Darien, IL 60561

Darien Public Schools, District #61 Board of Education Committee of the Whole Closed Session Meeting to discuss Superintendent's Evaluation will be held on Tuesday, August 9, - 7:00 P.M at Lace School, (District Office) 7414 S. Cass Avenue Darien, IL 60561
Free Document Shred Day
First Merchants Bank at 8301 Cass Avenue will be hosting a document shredding event on Saturday, August 27 from 10:00am to noon.  Bring up to 3 boxes of documents per car and the shredding truck wil shred them on the spot!  This event is free and open to the public  
Darien Park District Farmers Market
The Darien Park District is hosting a Farmers Market every Wednesday thru September 9.  The Market runs from 3:00p.m. to 7:00p.m at Westwood Park, 75th Street and Fairview Ave.
 
The Farmers Market / Flea Market features a wide variety of seasonally fresh vegetables and fruits, and other fine offerings from local vendors.    
DarienFest Information
  DarienFest is a fundraiser sponsored by the Darien Chamber of Commerce and the largest community event in the City of Darien. This EPIC event is held in beautiful Darien Community Park which includes Food, Beer Tent including Darien's own Miskatonic Brewing Company, Live Entertainment, Thrilling Carnival Rides, Business Expo featuring Darien Chamber Businesses, Free Pet Parade, Darien Chamber Women in Business "Paint the Town Pink" Adirondack Chair Silent Auction and 50/50 Raffle hosted by Darien VFW Post 2838.

One-day DarienFest: Saturday, September 10 from 1:00pm-10:30pm with Food, Beer, Wine, Music & Business Expo

Windy City Amusements Carnival: All Weekend September 9 thru 11 ~ Friday 6:00pm-10:30pm, Saturday 1:00pm-10:30pm, Sunday 1:00pm-8:00pm
 
For updates visit www.darienchamber.com
Shop Local - Shop Darien
The Darien Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce their Shop Local Shop Darien Campaign. We encourage residents to support Darien Chamber businesses that display the Shop Local Shop Darien decal posted in their window. Shop Darien Shop Local Preferred Cards are now on sale for $5 at the Darien Chamber of Commerce office in City Hall or at local Darien Chamber member businesses.  Visit the Chamber at www.darienchamber.com  for all the Shop Local Shop Darien Preferred Offers and Discounts! 

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