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“Whenever you are to do a thing, though it can never be known but to yourself, ask yourself how you would act were all the world looking at you, and act accordingly.” —Thomas Jefferson

After two weeks of recuperating from surgery, I returned to city hall on Monday to resume my work as Darien’s Mayor. During the two weeks following surgery, I was able to participate in several Zoom conferences and checked and responded to my daily email messages. I received several dozen “get well” cards along with baked goods from office staff and friends. It was heartening to know that so many individuals took time out of their busy days to think of me and wish me well. I have always been impressed by these small acts of kindness and to those who shared their concern for my well-being, I want to say “thank you” and let you know how much I appreciate your efforts.

As a child, I grew up in a family that while not wealthy, appreciated all that we did have, especially the closeness of family and friends. I learned at an early age to have gratitude for the love of my family, our home, and for my friends. My dad used to say that the measure of your success did not lie in the wealth you accumulated, but rather in the quality of your relationships; the knowledge that you have people in your life who will always be there for you. As I have aged, I have seen the truth of my father’s statement; while achieving a good life, I developed relationships that have developed into lifelong friendships, and can truly say that my friendships, next to my family, are what sustains me in my daily life. During my two weeks of recuperation my friends let me know that if I needed anything, they would be there for me.

As I am composing this weekly message, voters in Darien are out casting their ballots for city, school board, and park district offices. Our residents are looking to elect officials who will best serve the vital interests of our community. I am fortunate to have served as your Mayor for the past four years, and I am looking forward to serving you for the next four years. I appreciate your trust and confidence in me, and I am grateful for your continued support. As John F. Kennedy states, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” Rather than make you promises, I will let my actions, over the next four years, serve as my way of saying thank you for your support, and my hope is that you will see the sincerity of my actions on your behalf. My thanks to all of you as we embark on our next four years as we work to keep Darien, “a nice place to live.”

City Hall will be closed on Friday, April 7, in observance of the Good Friday holiday. Refuse and recycling service will not be affected by this holiday and will continue as scheduled.

The Economic Development Committee meeting scheduled for April 6 has been rescheduled for Thursday, April 13, at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall. The agenda will be posted here.

As a reminder, on April 1, 2022, the City entered into a 5-year Refuse Collection contract with LRS (Lakeshore Recycling Systems) with rates increasing modestly each year, by 2.5%. Rates for senior citizens with small carts increased from $10.00 to $10.25 per month and non-senior carts increased from $20.95 to $21.48 per month. The most recent billing cycle, April 1st to June 30th, reflects these increases. If you have any questions, please contact LRS at 844-633-3577.

The City and LRS are planning to host a fall ‘curbside’ electronics recycling event. More information will be available following the April 17, 2023 City Council meeting.

The Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Darien will hold a public hearing on April 19, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 1702 Plainfield Road, Darien.

The purpose of the public hearing will be to hear testimony from interested persons and make a recommendation on CASE NO. PZC2023-02. This case involves a petition for a ground mounted sign with an electronic display at the property located within the B-1 Neighborhood Convenience Shopping District. Find the full notice here.

Springtime always brings an increase in door-to-door solicitations in our neighborhoods. For those of you who do not want solicitors to ring their doorbells, you can 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.

Charitable organizations, however, only need to provide a letter indicating the dates of solicitation, the type of solicitation, and if appropriate, the intersections where volunteers will be posted.

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. (1710 Plainfield Road). If a home solicitor fails to show you a city permit or you think the solicitation is a scam please call 911 immediately to report it.

Residents are reminded to be aware that criminals continue to make aggressive calls posing as IRS agents in hopes of stealing taxpayer money or personal information.

When in doubt, report the call. Here are some signs to help you identify scams:

The IRS will never:

Taxpayers who receive these phone calls should:

Learn more:

Nutrient pollution occurs when there is too much nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil or water. These excess nutrients are introduced into our environments by agriculture, waste water treatment, and other large scale human activities. We can contribute to nutrient pollution at home as well, depending on the fertilizers we use, how we dispose of pet waste, and the types of soap and detergents we choose. Here are some tips to help us each prevent nutrient pollution at home:

Learn more ways to make a difference here.

The City of Darien is accepting applications for summer employment for its Public Works Department. Applicants must be 18 years of age and have a valid driver’s license. Work involves manual labor and is primarily outdoors. The starting salary is $18.75. Applications can be obtained online under Employment-Opportunities. Applications can be sent to the City of Darien at 1702 Plainfield Rd., Darien, Il. 60561 or emailed to lklemm@darienil.gov.

The first Branch Pick-Up week for the 2023 year will be April 24 - 28. The City of Darien is pleased to offer FREE BRANCH PICKUP for all residents within our boundaries.

To help keep the streets clean and our crews on schedule, please stack the branches neatly by the curb on the Sunday before the pickup week. The chipper can accept branches up to 6” in diameter. Please do not tie the branches or put in garbage cans. All other yard waste such as grass clippings and flowers should be disposed of through our yard waste program with LRS. Learn more.

DuPage County Health Department staffs highly trained crisis counselors who provide free and confidential support to people in suicidal crisis or mental health-related distress 24/7. If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988, or chat at 988Lifeline.org.

This past week, the 4 of Clubs was revealed at position 10. The new pot will grow to approximately $25,300 for next week's drawing. Get your tickets for only $1 at Q Bar in Darien and join us for next week's drawing, on 4/10 at 8:00pm!!

The Darien Woman’s Club and the Darien Historical Society are holding a plant sale. All proceeds will go towards the efforts of both organizations to benefit the community. Plants must be pre-ordered by April 10 and paid for when the order is placed. Plants must be picked up on Saturday, May 6 between the hours of 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. on the grounds of Old Lace Schoolhouse and Museum (7422 Cass Ave, Darien). This is a drive-thru plant pick-up.

See the attached Plant Order Form to choose the plants you wish to purchase and complete the attached Plant Payment Form. Both forms should be mailed to the Darien Historical Society – 7422 Cass Ave., Darien, IL 60561.

The Darien Woman’s Club is holding a Glamour Gala luncheon and fashion show fundraiser. The event will take place on April 16th from 11:00am – 3:00pm at Ruth Lake County Club. All proceeds will support the club’s philanthropic efforts in Darien and the surrounding communities. Please register here.

Save the date for Darien Rotary Club’s Casino Night event on Tuesday, April 25th, from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. There will be food, drink, raffles, and casino games. All attendees have a chance to win a trip for two to the Cosmopolitan Casino in Las Vegas with airfare included!

The event will be held at Ashyana Banquets at 1620 75th St in Downers Grove. Register here.

Mayor Joe Marchese, (630) 200-2390

Bryon Vana, City Administrator,

City Hall (630) 852-5000

Police Department (630) 971-3999

Public Works Streets & Water (630) 353-8105

Community Development (630) 353-8115

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