Westchester

Weekly E-News

9/11 Remembrance Ceremony

Help Shape Westchester's Future! Strategic Plan & Energy Plan

The Village of Westchester is developing a Strategic Plan, and we want your input.

• Take the Community Survey: Your feedback will help set priorities for the next three to five years, and it only takes a couple minutes. Click here to take the community survey. 

• Join the Resident Focus Group: Sign up to participate in a small-group conversation about Westchester’s future. Click here to sign up for the resident focus group.

The Village is also creating its first Energy Plan - tell us what your environmental priorities are! Click here to take the survey.

Reuse-A-Palooza Community Garage Sale - Register by September 12

On September 20–21, we’re back for year FOUR of Westchester’s community-wide garage sale! Dozens of neighbors are joining in to declutter, connect, and give great stuff a second life.

Want to host a sale? Here’s how to join:

• Click here to sign up
• Within a few days, you’ll receive an email from GSALR.com with the subject: “Pending invitation to join: Reuse-A-Palooza from [email protected]”
• Click "Yes, Approve my listing!" to confirm your spot
• Customize your sale by adding photos and descriptions of what you're selling
• Remember to also promote your own sale - posting about it on Facebook always helps!

Didn’t get the email? Check your spam or contact [email protected].

Questions? Reach out to [email protected]

Let’s make this our biggest and best Reuse-A-Palooza yet! Register by September 12 to be featured on the map.

September Utility Bills Reflect New Rates — Explore Tools & Assistance Programs

New Rates Effective July 1, 2025:

• Water usage: $19.21 per 1,000 gallons
• Sewer usage: $4.03 per 1,000 gallons
• Water infrastructure fee: $22 per month
• Sewer infrastructure fee: $15 per month

These rates will appear on the September 2025 utility bills. Click here to learn more.

Water-Related Resource Programs:

• Water Usage Portal: We’re excited to announce the launch of Westchester’s new Water Usage Portal! This new tool will allow residents to view real-time water usage, receive automated alerts for leaks or unusual activity, access billing information, and more — all in one convenient place. Don’t miss this opportunity to take control of your water usage, avoid surprises on your bill, and help us build a more efficient, responsive utility system. Click here to register.

• Water Fixture Efficiency Reimbursement Grant: This grant assists low-income residents in reducing water usage and offsetting the cost of high-efficiency fixtures. Eligible residents can receive up to 90% reimbursement on the purchase and installation of lead-free toilets, faucets, and showerheads—with a lifetime household maximum of $500. Click here to learn more.

• Utility Bill Hardship Program: This program assists residents who are experiencing financial difficulty in keeping up with their water and sewer bill. This program allows eligible account holders to apply for a payment arrangement through a formal hardship hearing. Click here to learn more.

Appeals Are Open

Properties in the City of Chicago and south & west suburbs are not scheduled to be reassessed this year, but property owners still have an opportunity to file an appeal once a year with the Cook County Assessor's Office. Proviso Township is open for appeals until October 7, 2025.

How do assessment appeals work? Property owners are given an opportunity to appeal their assessment if the property characteristics are incorrect, or if the estimated market value of a property is significantly more than what it could sell for in the current real estate market. Filing an assessment appeal is easy and free. File an Appeal Online.

To learn more about property assessments and appeals, watch our virtual workshops, which includes information about how property owners can file assessment appeals. Virtual Workshops.

Fire Hydrant Painting

Phase 2 of the Village's hydrant painting program began this week at Boeger and Windsor. Please note a primer is applied before the final paint color.

Register for 2025 Tour De Proviso

The Villages of Oak Park, Forest Park, and River Forest are teaming up to host the Sixth Annual Tour de Proviso, a free community bike ride that promotes health, wellness, and regional connection.

Event Details:

• 📍 Start/End: Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison St.
• 📅 Date: Saturday, October 4, 2025
• 🕖 Check-In: Begins at 7:00 a.m.
• 🚴 Main Ride (20 miles): 8:00 a.m.
• 🚲 Family Ride (7 miles): ~8:30 a.m.
• 💲 Cost: FREE
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Who Can Join: All ages & skill levels
• 🔗 Register by September 14: oak-park.us/community/tour-de-proviso

Routes:

Choose between a 7-mile family ride or a 20-mile main ride. Both routes start and end at Oak Park Village Hall and have been coordinated with Oak Park Police, Public Works, and neighboring municipalities.

Community Fair:

From 9 a.m. to noon, enjoy a Community Fair on the Oak Park Village Hall lawn featuring 20+ local organizations, businesses, food vendors, music, and more.

Friendly Competition:

Each year, the town with the most registered riders takes home the traveling trophy. Let’s make sure Westchester shows up strong—register today and help bring the trophy home! oak-park.us/community/tour-de-proviso

Shape the Future of Transportation in Ten Minutes: Take the Regional Transportation Plan Questionnaire

The Village of Westchester and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) want to hear from you! Take our new questionnaire and tell us how you get from point A to point B, and how our transportation system can be improved. As CMAP leads development of the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) -- northeastern Illinois’ blueprint for future roads, rails, and trails over the next 30 years -- your feedback will shape how we improve transportation, reduce congestion, and build a more sustainable future for our region.

Responses are being accepted throughout 2025, giving everyone plenty of time to weigh in. Whether you’re a daily commuter, a cyclist, or simply passionate about the future of our community, your voice matters. Don’t miss this opportunity to make a difference!

If you have any questions about the RTP or questionnaire – or would like CMAP to present or attend a local event – please reach out to [email protected]. Together, we can create a transportation system that works for everyone. And please help us spread the word!

Presentations:

• Presentation of Fiscal Year 2024 Audit - Lauterbach & Amen, LLP 
• Swearing in of Police Officers Alexander Garcia, Henry Gresik, and Kristian Wasik

Items for Vote:

• Village of Westchester Travel Expense Policy
• The approval, confidentiality, and/or retention of certain closed session minutes and recordings
• An amendment to the Westchester Municipal Code related to the Public Safety Employee Benefits Act (PSEBA)
• An intergovernmental agreement by and between the Village of Westchester and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the Green Alley Reconstruction Project 3
• An amendment to the annual budget for a proposal from Reed Construction related to the 2025 Public Works Roof and Masonry Repairs Project
• A proposal for the 2025 Fall Concrete Program
• A proposal for the 2025 Sewer Cleaning and Televising Program

Items for Discussion:

• Responsibilities. requirements, and guidelines related to Village commissions and committees
• Proposal from St. Aubin Nursery for the 2025 Fall Tree Planting Program
• Amending the Westchester Municipal Code related to the use of low-speed electric scooters, electric bikes, and gas bikes

This is a tentative preview and is subject to change. Final agendas with details and attachments are posted on the Village website no later than 48 hours prior to each meeting. Village Board meetings are on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month in the Board Room of Village Hall at 6:00 pm, unless otherwise noted, and are immediately followed by the Committee of the Whole meeting. Can't make it in person? The meetings are livestreamed on our website: www.westchester-il.org/meetings

2022 Internal Investigation Documents

The Village of Westchester has been advised by the Illinois State Police that the internal investigation—commissioned by the Village Board in 2022 and conducted by Ackerman LLP—is now eligible for release. The Village has elected to waive attorney-client privilege for the attached legal memorandum and report that were originally marked “Attorney-Client Privileged.” These documents were prepared by an attorney to provide legal advice to the corporate authorities and was originally intended to remain confidential. The release of these records is a limited and intentional waiver of privilege with respect to these specific documents only. These documents were submitted to the Illinois State Police in December of 2022, and a criminal investigation was initiated.

A formal request for the Illinois State Police investigative documents was submitted on July 17, 2025, through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

On July 31, 2025, the Illinois State Police issued the following statement to the Village:

"ISP is unable to provide any records involving this incident in the statutorily allotted timeframe without disproportionately burdening our operations. Additional time is needed to continue processing your request. A supplemental response will be forthcoming.”

We understand the public’s interest in this matter and appreciate your continued patience. Once the FOIA documents are received, they will be immediately posted for public review on the Village website.

Free CPR Training

VILLAGE HALL OFFICES CLOSED ONCE A MONTH FOR IN-SERVICE WORK

The Village Hall Administrative and Public Works Offices will be closed to the public (employees will be at work) on the following Wednesdays due to staff training, record retention work, in-service work, and overall cleaning of all office spaces: October 1, November 5, December 3

VILLAGE HALL RETURNS TO REGULAR HOURS

Summer hours have ended, and regular hours have resumed: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

COMED TREE TRIMMING

Click here to report a concern, ask a question or submit a service request!

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Click here to provide additional details to assist emergency dispatch in the event you ever have to call 911!