What's Happening in Darien Illinois

City Hall Closed
Darien City Hall & Municipal Services Department will be closed on Wednesday, July 4th for Independence Day.  For any police response please dial 9-1-1.

Refuse & Recycling Delay
Refuse and recycling pickup will be delayed by one day July 4th thru July 6th.  Fridays pickup will be on Saturday.  Please have everything at your curb no later than 6:30 a.m., as that is when refuse pickup begins.  To contact our refuse hauler, Veolia, please call 708-409-9700.

Fourth of July Parade
The 42nd Annual Independence Day Parade will be on Wednesday, July 4th at 9:30 a.m.  This year’s theme is “HONORING OUR VETERANS”.  For more information on the parade and route, please visit the Lions Club website atwww.darienlions.org

Fireworks Safety
In 2010, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 8,600 people for fireworks-related injuries.

Every year in the United States, we celebrate the Fourth of July with community parades, picnics, barbecues, and fireworks - the things of which happy memories are made. But sadly, Independence Day also includes tragic events resulting from fireworks use.  In 2010, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 8,600 people for fireworks-related injuries. 73 percent of these injuries occurred between June 18 - July 18, and Children under 15 years old accounted for 40 percent of the estimated injuries.  In order to ensure that our community is safe during the holiday and our celebration is without incident, we are reminding you that Fireworks are illegal and local ordinances prohibiting fireworks will be strictly enforced within  our community.

So PLEASE, help the Darien Police Department and community in making this the safest 4th of July possible.   

By the Numbers: Fireworks
8,600 - Number of injuries caused by fireworks in 2010
18,000 - Number of fires caused by fireworks in 2009
$38 million - Amount of direct property loss caused by fireworks in 2009
2 out of 5 People injured by fireworks in 2010 were under 15 years of age

Sources: Consumer Product Safety Commission and National Fire Protection Association

Electric Aggregation
On March 20, 2012 residents of the City of Darien passed a referendum authorizing the City of Darien to negotiate with electric suppliers to provide electricity for the City of Darien.  The City of Darien held public hearings to discuss the program, and passed a Plan of Governance to ensure Darien followed proper procedures and gave residents an opportunity to review the governance of the plan.  These electric suppliers are different than ComEd because they provide electric generation through the use of coal, natural gas, nuclear power, wind, solar, and other sources, while ComEd is responsible only for the poles, lines, and physical infrastructure.  The City of Darien went to bid and received responses from nine different suppliers, with Direct Energy providing a bid giving Darien the lowest electric supply charge in the State of Illinois at that time.  The City of Darien entered into a contract with Direct Energy for two years at .0454 per kilowatt hour, which is approximately 40% less than the current ComEd rate.  In addition, residents can enter or leave the program individually at any time throughout the contract without a penalty or fee.

Letters have been mailed from both Direct Energy and ComEd to advise residents of the changeover.  If you would like to call and cancel, the telephone number for Direct Energy is 866-760-6040.  If you have any questions on the program, please contact Scott Coren at (630) 353-8104.

City Meeting and Committee Agendas
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:
http://www.darien.il.us/Government/Minutes/2012/MinutesOverview.html
City Council Meeting Agenda:http://www.darien.il.us/Government/Minutes/2012/Council/CityCouncilMinutesOverview.html
2012 Street Rehab
The City of Darien is beginning its street repaving project.  Our goal is to improve the streets while inconveniencing the residents as little as possible.  Residents living on these streets will receive flyers with information and timelines before the paving occurs. The Following streets are scheduled for construction the week of July 2nd .  For more information please call Municipal Services at 630-353-8105.

DarienFest 2012 “Battle of the Bands”
The Battle of the Bands will be on Saturday, June 30th at Q Billiards, 8109 South Cass Avenue beginning at 11:00 a.m.  Food & drink will be available for purchase.  Band schedule:

11:30   BELOW ZERO
12:15   JET BLACK COMEDY
1:00     SUPERSONIC SHED

The winning band will perform at DarienFest on the Main Stage.  Stop by to support these fine young musicians!

Nuisance Mosquito Alert
The City of Darien has a comprehensive mosquito abatement program run through Clarke Mosquito Control.  However, as temperatures begin to rise, you may see an increase in the mosquito population.  We ask that you assist the City of Darien and your neighbors reduce the mosquito population:

• 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 clothing to cover skin when possible or using a mosquito repellent.

Video Volunteers Wanted
The City of Darien is looking for volunteers to operate the cameras for airing and recording of city meetings.  The volunteers typically work one night every other month.  The meetings generally begin at 7:30 p.m., and last anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours. For more information please call Mary at 630-353-8115.