Hi neighbors,

With the weather warming up a bit, it’s finally starting to feel like spring is around the corner. Around here that usually means a few things all at once: construction projects picking back up, people getting back out into their yards, and the start of storm season.

In this newsletter, I’m sharing an update on the Ogden Avenue construction as it moves back into the First Ward, along with an important update about the future of the former Berwyn State Bank building in the Depot District. There are also a few reminders about city programs that can help residents this time of year, including flood mitigation assistance, free parkway trees, and the simple but important reminder to call 811 before digging.

I’m also sharing a quick recap from our recent First Ward meeting. Those gatherings are always one of the best parts of this job. Hearing directly from residents helps me understand what people are concerned about and what they want to see in the neighborhood.

As always, thanks for taking the time to stay informed about what’s happening around the ward.

Let’s get into it.

Thank you to everyone who joined me for the First Ward meeting at the Berwyn Senior Center on January 22nd! It was great to see neighbors coming together and making use of this new community space. If you weren’t able to attend, here’s a quick recap of what we talked about.

We started with a quick promotion of this newsletter that you’re now reading, then talked about the results of our Community Project Survey, which I’ve already written about at length here, so I’ll save you from another repeat.

We talked about a few major projects happening around the city as well. One topic was the former Berwyn State Bank building in the Depot District. A developer has requested permission to allow live-work units on the ground floor, but I’ve been clear that I strongly believe this site should have fully commercial storefronts to keep the district active (more on the Berwyn State Bank building later in the newsletter). We also discussed the ongoing Ogden Avenue water main project, which continued through the winter and has now moved back toward the First Ward.

On the policy side, I explained why I voted no on the 2026 city budget. We also talked about the upcoming ballot question on term limits for local elected officials, which would limit officials to three consecutive terms in the same role.

I also gave updates on several issues currently in progress, including the new Pool Feasibility and Design Exploration Committee (more on this later in the newsletter). I also talked about filling a seat on the revived Tree Board, the possible changes to the video gaming ordinances, and gathered feedback from residents about whether a small plastic bag fee might make sense for Berwyn. I’m also drafting a proposed sidewalk snow clearance ordinance to improve accessibility and safety during the winter months.

We talked about the recent concerns surrounding Flock Safety after state regulators found the company shared Illinois license plate data with federal immigration agencies. This is an issue I’m continuing to push on, and I believe the city needs to take community trust and privacy concerns seriously.

Before wrapping up, we shared some reminders about preparing for the extreme cold that was expected that week and the importance of checking on neighbors during dangerous winter weather.

We finished the meeting with an open discussion where residents raised a number of concerns about recent ICE activity in the region and a desire for the city to be prepared for ongoing enforcement. Many neighbors expressed a strong interest in making sure Berwyn continues to stand by its Welcoming City values and that residents know their rights and feel safe in our community. I’ll continue working with city leadership and community partners to make sure we’re prepared and that residents have access to clear information and support.

Thank you again to everyone who came out, asked thoughtful questions, and helped make it a productive conversation!

The Ogden Avenue water main and sewer project is still underway, and construction has crept back into the First Ward. Last year, crews focused on the south side of the street. They are now looping back and will continue working west along the north side of Ogden.

Work is progressing steadily. The contractor reports that the project is about 50% complete and still on schedule. Recently, crews installed more than 600 feet of new water main in a single week, roughly the length of two football fields. In the coming weeks, crews will continue moving west along Ogden Avenue, installing new 12-inch ductile iron water main and replacing sections of sewer where needed.

Last summer we saw a string of multiple water main breaks that may have been related to pressure changes during construction. While I believe we are at less risk now due to other infrastructure changes (e.g. the water tower is back to full operation) and systems in place that are intended to prevent drastic pressure changes, there is still a high likelihood that breaks could occur again. As such, I want to share a general PSA.

If you notice any of the following, please report it right away:

Public Works Department
(Monday to Friday, 7am–3pm)
708-749-4700

After Hours
(Berwyn Police non-emergency line)
708-795-5600

If you call the after hours phone number, they will contact the on-call Public Works crew.

I know infrastructure work like this can be disruptive. The hope is that replacing the Ogden water main will make our water infrastructure more reliable in the long term, so I appreciate everyone’s patience as the work continues.

At the City Council meeting on February 24th, the agenda included requests for zoning variances that would have allowed live/work units on the first floor of the former Berwyn State Bank building. I made the motion to defer those items so we could take a step back and have more discussion, and the Council voted unanimously to do so.

Residents have been very clear with me about this building. Over and over again, people have said they want commercial businesses on the first floor, not live/work units. As your representative, I take that feedback seriously, and I have consistently communicated that position from the beginning.

I do not support live/work units on the ground floor of this building. The Depot District works best when the street level is active and open to the public with storefronts, restaurants, shops, and other businesses people can walk into. That kind of activity helps the district grow and keeps the area vibrant.

This building sits in one of the most visible and important locations in the Depot District. What happens here will shape the character of the neighborhood for decades, so it is important that we get it right.

Here is where I need your help.

If you know of a business (or if you are a business owner yourself) that might be interested in space in this building, please reach out to me directly.

Finding strong commercial tenants will make it much easier to keep the first floor of this building focused on public-facing businesses. I want to making sure this building strengthens the Depot District and serves the community well for years to come, and doing this kind of legwork is how we will make that happen.

Spring storms are here (how bout that hail yesterday?). And if you’ve lived in Berwyn for a while, you know that heavy spring storms can sometimes mean basement flooding. If your basement has flooded before, now is the time to prepare. Berwyn residents are eligible for partial reimbursement if you install certain flood mitigation systems in your home, including overhead sewers and backflow prevention devices. Just make sure you get approved for reimbursement before you start any work, otherwise you will not be eligible for the reimbursement.

If you would like to learn more, please click this link and look at the documents under Residential Flood Mitigation Shared Cost Program (Sewer Backup Prevention)

The City also offers a Downspout Disconnection Program to help homeowners disconnect downspouts that are still tied directly into the sewer system. When downspouts send rainwater into the sewer, it adds a large amount of extra water during storms and increases the risk of basement backups across the neighborhood.

For that reason, downspouts have not been permitted to connect directly to the sewer since 2015. However, many homes still have these connections in place. The City created this program to help residents correct them and reduce flooding pressure on the system. If you are unsure whether your downspouts are connected to the sewer, it’s worth taking a few minutes to check around your home.

And if you’d like to take advantage of that program, please click this link and look at the documents under Residential Downspout Disconnection Assistance Program

If you have questions about eligibility, the application process, or anything else related to flood prevention, contact the Building Department at 708-749-6424.

If you’ve ever thought about planting a tree in your parkway, the City of Berwyn will plant a tree for you, 100% free!

Trees do a lot for our neighborhoods. They provide shade that lowers summer cooling costs, make our streets more comfortable to walk on, absorb stormwater that would otherwise strain our sewer system, improve air quality, and support birds and other wildlife among many, many other benefits. They also make our blocks more beautiful and can increase property values.

If you apply, the City’s forestry staff will determine the appropriate tree species and placement based on the space, nearby utilities, and safety considerations. Once the tree is planted, it becomes part of the city’s urban forest and will be maintained by the City over time.

Interested? Apply here for your free tree!

The application only takes a minute to complete. If you have space in your parkway, I encourage you to do it. It’s a simple way to help grow Berwyn’s tree canopy and make our neighborhoods greener and more comfortable for everyone.

After such a cold winter, I’d guess most of us are looking forward to spending more time outside. And so if you’re planning a new garden, starting some landscaping, or doing any sort of digging this spring, make sure you call 811 before you dig.

It’s free, it’s fast, and it prevents you from accidentally hitting underground utility lines. A quick call can prevent major headaches (and major repair bills), so it’s always worth doing before you start digging.

On March 5th, the Pool Feasibility and Design Exploration Ad Hoc Committee met to appoint the six residents who will serve as community members on the committee. We received 40 applications, which was honestly great to see! It shows how much people in Berwyn care about the future of the pool.

Each of the three alderpersons on the committee appointed two residents from different parts of the city. The group includes people with a mix of experience, including aquatics programming, capital planning, healthcare, and community involvement. I’m really grateful to everyone who applied. It wasn’t easy to narrow it down, and I hope that everyone, not just the people who were selected, stay involved as this process moves forward.

With those appointments made, the committee is now fully seated!

Our first meeting with the full committee will take place on March 19th. That meeting will mostly be about getting everyone up to speed, reviewing background information about the pool, and talking about how we want to organize the work ahead. A big part of the process will be listening sessions with residents so we can hear what people want to see and what concerns they have.

Over the coming months, the committee will be gathering information, hearing from residents, and looking at different possibilities for the future of Berwyn’s pool. Eventually, we’ll bring recommendations to the City Council. There’s not a ton more to report at this point, but I’ll continue sharing updates as the process moves forward!

During the March 10 Committee of the Whole meeting, the City Attorney raised the possibility of banning the sale of substances such as kratom and hemp-derived THC products like Delta-8 and Delta-9 within Berwyn. The request came after concerns from the Police Department about these products being sold in gas stations, smoke shops, and other retail locations, often outside of the state’s regulated cannabis system.

Because the item came up late in the meeting, we only had about ten minutes to talk about it and did not receive much background information in advance. Some of the concerns raised included youth access, inconsistent labeling, and the lack of clear oversight for many of these products.

At this point, nothing has been decided. The conversation was mostly about whether the City should consider a ban or dig into the issue more and look at other options.

For what it’s worth, my instinct is usually to regulate things like this rather than ban them outright. The reason for that is because local bans often do not actually stop access. They just push sales to nearby towns or online, where there may be even fewer safeguards. Regulation can sometimes be a better way to reduce harm and keep these products away from young people.

That said, I want to know where residents stand on this topic. I have my own views, but I represent all of you. I put together a very short survey just to get a quick pulse check from you on this. If you’re willing to take it, it only takes two minutes and I’d be extremely grateful!

Now that we’re getting closer to spring, things are slowly starting to pick up again around the city. The calendar is still fairly light, but that tends to change quickly once the weather improves and people start spending more time out and about.

Calendars:
Berwyn Community Calendar (city events)
WeLoveBerwyn.org (community events)

Thanks for taking the time to read through these updates. I know these newsletters can get long, but my goal is to make sure you know what’s happening in the ward and how decisions are being made.

As always, if you have questions, ideas, or concerns about something happening in the neighborhood, please don’t hesitate to reach out. A lot of the things I work on come directly from conversations with residents. You can reply directly to this email anytime.

Thanks again and don’t forget to take the survey!

Best,
Micah