ELMHURST, IL – An Elmhurst City Council majority this week rejected putting more money in the budget for concrete streets, with the mayor calling a decade-old city report “debunked.”
In the last two years, the city zeroed out money for concrete streets, most of which are in the city’s northeast Ward 3.
A year ago, Ward 3 Alderman Michael Bram fought to put money in the concrete budget, but his colleagues voted down his idea.
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This year’s proposed city budget includes $621,000 for concrete streets, which make up about 10 percent of the network.
The city plans to spend $4.5 million next year in its main account for asphalt street resurfacing, not including projects that are paid for through other income sources.
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At Monday’s City Council meeting, Bram proposed the city increase the concrete budget to $822,000, which he said would have taken into account increases had the city put in money every year.
The other Ward 3 alderman, Chris Jensen, agreed with Bram. Michigan Street, in particular, was taking a beating because of cut-through traffic, he said.
“Let’s not lose sight of the fact that the streets up there are without sidewalks as well,” Jensen said. “Where a street may be in decent repair for a vehicle, it may not be in decent repair for a pedestrian or a cyclist.”
However, Mayor Scott Levin said the aldermen had no basis for seeking an increase. The city staff, he said, bases its recommendations on the current condition of streets.
Doing otherwise, he said, was not responsible budgeting.
As he did last year, Bram pointed to a decade-old report recommended by city staff and approved by the council that created a 12-year plan to replace all the northeastern concrete streets.
The city is already late with the plan by six years, he said. Meanwhile, he said, the concrete streets are in disrepair.
“I myself had an accident due to a large pothole on these concrete streets,” Bram said. “I took a spill on my motorcycle due to a large hole in the street.”
Levin labeled the old report “kind of debunked.”
“I would be very disappointed if staff wasn’t looking at the condition of streets,” the mayor said. “I can point to a ton of asphalt streets that need repairs too.”
Bram disagreed the report was debunked.
“In all due respect, Mr. Mayor … there was a plan that was put in place that we should try to achieve,” he said. “Otherwise, what are we doing here creating plans and procedures if we aren’t going to even attempt to follow them?”
Ward 4 Alderwoman Noel Talluto asked where the city would cut spending to allow more money for concrete streets.
Bram responded that he sees plenty of money added to capital projects without aldermen asking about offsetting cuts. He said that later in the meeting, he was planning to question a $700,000 increase to a line item.
After about 25 minutes, Talluto called to end the debate. In a council vote, only Bram and Jensen wanted to continue it.
The council voted 8-2 against the proposed increase for concrete streets, with Jensen and Bram dissenting.
Absent were aldermen Marti Deuter, Brian Cahill, Tina Park and Rex Irby.
In a Facebook post a few hours after the meeting, Bram said he was “disappointed” in the decision.
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