Darien Direct Connect E-Newsletter: February 20, 2025

The following email provides timely information on news and services

from the City of Darien.

Weekly eNews - February 20, 2025

Mayor's Message

We appear to live in a world where not getting your way many times leads to bullying on social media, and those of us at the local governmental level seem to be subject to the wrath of certain individuals when we rule on an issue, not in agreement with their personal mindset.

There was a time when people with differing viewpoints, while not agreeing, would at least acknowledge the other person or person’s viewpoint. Now, we live in a society where there is diminished nuance or sensibility to or ability to express subtle shadings of meaning or value. Today, many issues are seen as black or white, with no room in the middle for compromise. As a result, people take to social media to harshly critique those who they disagree with on issues. Many of these criticisms of local elected officials are misrepresented in social media posts, and unfortunately, this information becomes “reality” for those individuals who rely on social media to formulate their vision of their local government.

Unfortunately, we now find ourselves attacked and maligned by those who disagree with our decisions. Rather than work to understand the data that led to our decision, they take to social media and make statements such as “he/she is on the take” or “they are making backroom deals,” statements that only serve to misinform the public and malign an elected official or staff member. One wonders if we have lost our sense of civility; our ability to have respect for opinions or decisions that differ from ours.

Your Darien elected representatives and staff are good and honest individuals who give tremendous amounts of time in the service of our residents. Each of us works diligently to meet the needs of our residents, even when some of those decisions are not favored by individuals within and outside our city. In Darien, we value transparency; each of our public meetings are available for viewing, we send out weekly information in our Direct Connect, and our doors are always open for those residents who have concerns or questions regarding our actions or problems that exist within their neighborhoods.

Those who seek to disparage us do a disservice to our city in their efforts to separate us rather than unite us in our efforts to bring about positive change to our city. I can promise each and every Darien resident that both elected officials and staff have and always will have your needs as our main priority. If you have a concern, do not hesitate to contact staff, myself or your alderperson.

Scroll to the bottom to view Community Events

Celebrating Black History Month

The City of Darien celebrates Black History Month, an opportunity to pay tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society.

Join the Indian Prairie Public Library for these special events commemorating Black History Month.

1619: The Journey of a People, The Musical

Join the Indian Prairie Public Library for 1619: The Journey of a People, The Musical, on Thursday, Feb. 20, 6:30-8 p.m. The musical is a dynamic theatrical and lecture experience about the 20 enslaved Africans who arrived in Jamestown and their 400-year journey. Come see this one-man show, featuring Ted Williams III, by registering here.

Fruteland Jackson Presents the Blues

We invite you to attend Fruteland Jackson Presents the Blues on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2-3 p.m. Fruteland Jackson is an acoustic guitarist who specializes in pre-war and post-war blues. Don’t miss out on this concert by registering here. Sponsored by IPPL Foundation & Friends.

Black History Month Spotlight - Rosa Parks

Born in 1913, Rosa Parks was involved in the Civil Rights movement from a young age. On December 1, 1955, she refused to move from her seat at the front of the bus to make room for white passengers. This sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a social movement that Rosa Parks helped organize which eventually led to the integration of public transportation in Montgomery.

Her actions did not go unpunished, but despite being jailed and then fired from her job, Rosa Parks did not back down. Her leadership continued thorough her life, as she moved from Alabama to Virginia and then later to Detroit, Michigan. In recognition of her work, Rosa Parks has received many honors including the NAACP’s Spingarn Medal, the UAW’s Social Justice Award, and the Martin Luther King, Jr., Nonviolent Peace Prize. Learn more about her leadership, courage, and determination here.

Works Cited: Norwood, Arlisha. "Rosa Parks." National Women's History Museum. 2017. www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/rosa-parks.

2025 Citizen of the Year - John Galan

Our city’s motto is “Darien is a Nice Place to Live” and it takes many people who believe in this adage to make it so. This year, we are honoring John Galan as our 2025 Citizen of the Year.

John and his wife Helen have been residents of Darien for 40 plus years, and have been active in Darien for that same amount of time. John is a proud veteran of the United States Air Force and served as a city alderman from 2005 to 2009. John is most active with the Darien Lions Club. Having been a member for 30 years, he has served as President, in the roles as 1st, 2nd and 3rd Vice President, Tail Twister, Director/Committee Liaison and Past President - and astonishingly, he has had perfect attendance at all Lions meetings for 22 years! Read his full nomination here .

2025 Citizen of the Year John Galan was recognized by Mayor Marchese and the City Council at this week's City Council Meeting on February 18, 2025.

A Sustainable DuPage Webinar

Interested in learning how businesses and communities can manage food waste more efficiently? Check out the webinar Sustainability Made Simple: How to Reduce Food Waste on March 19 at 10:00 a.m. This webinar is free and will have great information for businesses as well as individual community members interested in green initiatives!

FY 2025-26 Budget Meeting Schedule

City budget meetings began on February 19. View the draft budget here. All scheduled meetings are scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall.

2/19 - Admin/Finance Committee-of-the-Whole

Maintenance/Discretionary and Equipment Replacement Budgets

2/26 - Admin/Finance Committee-of-the-Whole

Maintenance/Discretionary and Equipment Replacement Budgets
Municipal Services Capital Projects

3/3 - Added to end of City Council agenda

Municipal Services Capital Projects
Expansion Recommendations if Necessary
Additional Review if Necessary

3/5 - Admin/Finance Committee-of-the-Whole

Municipal Services Capital Projects
Expansion Recommendations if Necessary
Additional Review if Necessary

3/21 - Final Draft Budget distributed to Council

4/7 - Public Hearing on budget

Budget adopted by Council

Employment Opportunity -

General Utility Worker

General Utility Worker Class II performs manual labor in the maintenance and repair of City streets, storm sewers and facilities, water mains and appurtenances, and building and grounds. This position is on call, 24-hours per day -seven days per week. View job description here.

Beware of Tax Scams

Tax season is here, which means it's time to be on the lookout for tax scams. If you are feeling pressured for information or money, it could be a scam and is a sign to slow down and verify the information you are receiving. The IRS reminds us to watch for these signs when trying to spot a scammer:

A big payday - If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Bad tax advice on social media may convince you to lie on tax forms or mislead you about credits you can claim.

Demands or threats - Impersonators want you to pay “now or else.” They threaten arrest or deportation. They don’t let you question or appeal the amount of tax you owe.

Website links - Odd or misspelled web links can take you to harmful sites instead of IRS.gov.

Learn more about common tax scams and how to avoid them through IRS.gov.

Vehicle Stickers

2025 vehicle stickers are available at both City Hall and the Police Department for a $3 donation. Vehicle stickers are not required by the City, they are offered each year by community service organizations as a fundraiser for the organization.

Training for a Race

The Darien Dash is coming up in a few months and if you haven't run in a while (or ever), now is a great time to start training! Follow these tips to get started and check out the mayoclinic.org for a suggested training schedule:

Start slowly - it takes time to build endurance, speed, and strength.
Listen to your body - if you feel the beginnings of pain or strain, take a break!
Don't always run - walking, strength training, and resting are important too.

Be in the Know - Help Spread the Word

Darien’s Direct Connect E-Newsletter (DC) is the City’s primary source of information for residents and businesses. Please tell your friends and neighbors about DC, forward this email to them, and ask them to sign up. Signing up is simple and can be done here.