60185 🇺🇸

¿Te interesa postularte para un cargo público en West Chicago, Illinois? Empieza con este episodio.

LOS BÁSICOS:

* Todos estos cargos son apartidistas: no es necesario declarar afiliación política para postularse y no hay elecciones primarias.

* Se someterán a votación siete cargos del concejo municipal, uno por cada distrito electoral (más uno que fue asignado para cubrir una vacante); un cargo para el distrito de parques; cuatro cargos para la biblioteca; tres cargos para el Distrito Escolar 33 de West Chicago y tres cargos para el Distrito Escolar 94 de West Chicago.

* Ya se pueden comenzar a circular las peticiones; deben entregarse en la oficina del distrito donde se postula entre el 16 y el 23 de noviembre de 2026. Por ejemplo: las peticiones para candidatos al concejo municipal se entregan en el ayuntamiento; las de candidatos a comisionado del distrito de parques, en el centro ARC.

* Cada cargo requiere un número diferente de firmas en la petición, pero todos los firmantes deben ser votantes elegibles (es decir, personas que podrían registrarse para votar antes del 6 de abril, si aún no lo han hecho).

* El concejo municipal se reúne dos veces al mes, además de las reuniones de comités; las juntas de los distritos escolares se reúnen dos veces al mes; el distrito de parques y la biblioteca se reúnen una vez al mes.

* Puede descargar todos los formularios en línea, pero estas entidades ya han impreso los materiales necesarios para usted, ¡así que aproveche la oportunidad! Recoja los paquetes de petición en el ayuntamiento, las oficinas del distrito escolar, la oficina principal del distrito de parques (pregunte por Gina) y la biblioteca (pregunte por Ben).

* Si no puede postularse en 2027 pero desea participar o prepararse para una futura candidatura, considere ser voluntario para una comisión municipal, la fundación del distrito de parques, la fundación de la biblioteca o la asociación de padres y maestros (PTO) de su escuela.

*Foto de Mikhail Nilov: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-a-megaphone-8846029/

Curious about running for office in West Chicago, Illinois? Start with this episode.

BASICS:

* All of these seats are nonpartisan—you don’t have to declare a party affiliation in order to run, and there is no primary

* Seven city council seats will be on the ballot, one for each ward (plus one which was appointed to fill a vacancy); one seat will be on the ballot for the park district; four seats will be on the ballot for the library; three seats for West Chicago District 33, and three seats for West Chicago School District 94

* Petitions may be circulated now and must be submitted to the district office where you are seeking election, between November 16-23, 2026. Ex: city council candidate petitions go to city hall, park district commissioner candidate petitions go to the ARC center.

* Each seat has a different number of petition signatures to collect, but they all have to be eligible voters (meaning they could register to vote by April 6, if they aren’t already)

* City council meets twice per month, plus committees; school district boards meet twice per month; park district and library meet once per month

* You can download all the forms online, but these entities have already printed out all of the required materials for you, so take advantage! Pick up petition packets at city hall, school district offices, park district main office (ask for Gina), and library (ask for Ben)

* If you can’t run in 2027, but want to get involved or prepare for a run later, consider applying for a city commission, the park district foundation, library foundation, or the PTO for your school

*Photo by Tara Winstead: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-shot-of-a-text-on-a-gray-surface-8850738/

Correction: This episode and the shownotes originally stated that all petitions should be filed at the DuPage County Courthouse but they should actually be filed at the district office where the candidate is seeking election (for example, city council packets should be filed at the city hall).

BILINGUAL EPISODE. TRANSCRIPT IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH AVAILABLE.

September 15, 2025 was, for many West Chicagoans, as memorable as any national tragedy. That’s the day ICE came to town—part of Operation Midway Blitz, during which 85 percent of immigrants taken had no prior criminal conviction. Since that day, an estimated 54 people have been detained from West Chicago alone.

In this scripted, feature episode, we combine many interviews conducted over the course of one year into one piece to tell part of the story of how the community responded.

Action items:

* Call 855-435-7693 to reach the ICIRR hotline when you see any suspected ICE activity or ICE agents. That number also offers free services to families who are at risk or if a loved one is detained.

* Find public updates on confirmed ICE activity on the local West Chicago team We Go DuPage Facebook page.

* Sign up for Eyes on ICE text alerts by entering your zipcode here.

ESPAÑOL

Para muchos residentes de West Chicago, el 15 de septiembre de 2025 fue tan memorable como cualquier tragedia nacional. Ese día, el ICE llegó a la ciudad como parte de la “Operación Midway Blitz”; durante el operativo, el 85 por ciento de los inmigrantes detenidos carecía de antecedentes penales. Desde entonces, se estima que 54 personas han sido detenidas tan solo en West Chicago.

En este episodio especial, hemos reunido numerosas entrevistas realizadas a lo largo de un año para narrar parte de la historia sobre cómo respondió la comunidad.

Acciones recomendadas:

* Llame al 855-435-7693 para comunicarse con la línea directa de ICIRR si observa cualquier actividad sospechosa del ICE o presencia de agentes de dicha agencia. Este número también ofrece servicios gratuitos a familias en situación de riesgo o cuyos seres queridos hayan sido detenidos.

* Consulte las actualizaciones públicas sobre actividades confirmadas del ICE en la página de Facebook del equipo local de West Chicago, “We Go DuPage”.

* Suscríbase a las alertas por mensaje de texto de “Eyes on ICE” ingresando su código postal aquí.

On August 17, the City Council tabled a zoning amendment allowing for athletic fields on their Washington Street property. This Monday, that amendment passed. In this episode, we talk about that vote—and who voted for and against it.

Since that earlier meeting, we’ve also had a lot of questions, mainly: why hasn’t the Park District already invested in more soccer fields in the community?

The good news is: they’re coming—to the park Kress Creek Farms, south of Rt. 38/Roosevelt! (See the cover image for a rendering.) Listen to the episode to find out more about this news—which has not yet been announced anywhere else!

The further good news is: soccer fields also coming to the new 44-acre Community Park, formerly the Kerr-McGee site, located just to the west of Gary and Leman schools. We talk about the timeline and cleanup status for that.

And then there’s the bad news: the Park District Board—arguably the entity best equipped to care for athletic fields—has formally declined involvement in the Community Park project. We sat down with Frank Lenertz, Park District Board President, and Gina Radun, Executive Director of the Park District, to hear about why.

One seat on the Park District Board will be on the ballot in the April 2027 Consolidated Election. To learn more, visit the Park District website and pick up a petition packet at the ARC. As with City Council and Library Board candidacy, candidates must file petitions between November 16 and 23, 2026.

It’s been a long time coming. (The first day of school, obviously.)

And the futsal fields will have to continue to wait. On Monday night, August 17, the city council voted unanimously to table the zoning amendment that would allow the fields —which already has $300,000 pledged from private organizations, together with $50,000 pledged by the city council—in order to run it past the Historical Preservation Commission.

In this episode, we (Laura & Liuan) talk about the people who showed up to give public comment on the fields and what it shows about how much soccer means to the community.

In addition:

* an update on the Mario Garcia story that you may have missed if you’re not a D33 parent;

* recap of the August 10 data center special meeting;

* a quick library update from Laura;

* a reminder to be thinking about running for office in 2027. Candidate packets are now available at City Hall, and petitions will be due in November. All you have to do is show up.

It’s June—school is almost out—and the Big Boy is coming. For the moment, it’s all about Main Street, where the first Mosaic Market will happen this Thursday, June 4.

In celebration, here’s a feature-style episode on a topic we have long struggled to understand: why has it been so hard, over the years, to get tenants into the buildings on Main Street? What are property owners thinking, and what are developers waiting for? What is the latest on the city’s efforts to sell off city-owned property?

We took walks with Kelley Chrissee, Business & Community Relations Director for the City of West Chicago, and Dan Czuba, owner of Daniel & Associates Real Estate, down Main Street past key spots to chat and get more context on this micro-economy that means so much to us.

Grab a margarita and an outdoor table at Coco Loco, and enjoy. And for even more tea on Main Street, visit the next meeting of the Downtown Revitalization Commission on Monday, June 22, at 6:00pm.

Rick Gieser, DuPage County Forest Preserve District 6 Commissioner, shares about the timeline for the project connecting the West DuPage Woods with Blackwell. He tells us about the District’s goals to acquire 250 additional acres using increased funding from the 2024 referendum, and a little-known piece of civil rights history that took place in one of the preserves.

Plus, did you know that the Forest Preserve District owns one-seventh of the land in DuPage County? We also hear an update on the conflict over the land north of Menards that the City of West Chicago approved to be a housing development but the Forest Preserve wants to annex into Pratt’s Wayne Woods, and why Rick loves the West Chicago Prairie and the Elsen’s Hill Area of the West DuPage Woods Forest Preserve… PLUS: where to find native, wild orchids in 60185.

Email Rick with your ideas and feedback at [email protected].

UPDATE: The Tribune (and apparently the AP?) were there at the board meeting last night. They chose not to name the teacher in their story, but you can find it.

We cover a whirlwind of West Chicago news, starting with the elementary school gym teacher controversy that drew large crowds to a City Hall listening session (Jan. 26) and a school board meeting last night (Feb. 5). The board accepted the teacher’s voluntary resignation before public comment, and we reflect on the community reaction and how social media amplified the situation.

The bulk of the episode focuses on City Hall: the January 31 departure of longtime City Administrator Michael Guttman, the history of his contract dispute, and the mayor’s December disclosure of an EEOC complaint that led to a $300K+ settlement. We discuss (again) why this history matters, how residents can better engage with their alderpeople, and what comes next—including the search for a new city administrator, downtown revitalization plans, a new Ward 3 council member, and recent appointments to the Building Board of Appeals—a commission that is mandated by ordinance, but had not operated until Mayor Bovey’s tenure.

Links

Mayor’s statement on former city administrator complaint: https://westchicago.org/news-archive-2025/mayor-statement-on-former-administrator-complaint/

May 5 swearing-in ceremony recap:

July 15 Guttman settlement and Bond replacement recap:

Below is my ChatGPT-generated, Laura-approved summary of our conversation with West Chicago Chief of Police Colin Fleury.

Our biggest takeaways:

1) Angry people driving out of—or into—their driveways during a parade is one of Fleury’s bigger fears about bringing them back;

2) Despite requests, ICE has provided no list to West Chicago of who they are arresting, why, or whether targets have criminal histories.—LF

Key Topics Covered — Parade Conversation

* The chief’s background organizing large-scale events and how that shapes his safety expectations.

* Why parades create unique risks: long footprint, many uncontrolled access points, vehicle hazards, and crowd unpredictability.

* Staffing limits at the department and how manpower affects what can be safely covered.

* The need for clear participant check-in, assigned slots, and no last-minute additions.

* Insurance and alcohol-use requirements for certain participant groups (e.g., riders).

* Past incidents the chief referenced—such as animal-related injuries and drivers bypassing closures—that inform current caution.

* The role of trained volunteers (CERT/ESDA) for staging, barricades, and first aid.

* The importance of confirming dates early so the department can adjust schedules and avoid staffing conflicts.

* A collaborative but safety-first tone: supportive of the event if proper controls and planning are in place.

Key Topics Covered — ICE Conversation

1. Training & Department Procedures (how are West Chicago police officers trained to react to ICE?)

* Officers document ICE encounters and provide warnings to federal agents who are violating city resolutions that city property cannot be used from civil immigration enforcement.

* City-wide directive: any staff member encountering ICE is to alert the highest-ranking police member.

* Officers respond when residents report unknown individuals who may be ICE. Residents can always call 911 if they spot a suspicious vehicle and responders can let them know if the vehicle is a concern.

* Local law enforcement vehicles can be distinguished from ICE vehicles by their license plates, which have letters “MP” on side.

2. The TRUST Act / “CARES Act” Confusion

* Fleury frequently refers to “CARES,” but the policy he describes aligns with:

* Illinois TRUST Act (2017)

* Way Forward Act (2021)

* Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s guidance restricting cooperation with civil immigration enforcement

* Key restriction: local police cannot assist ICE in civil immigration enforcement (e.g., information sharing, detainers).

3. Chief Fleury’s Central Claims

* Communication restrictions by the state have created serious safety issues.

* ICE is operating without sufficient local intelligence, making operations chaotic.

* Local police are “caught in the middle”—unable to help ICE but unable to obstruct.

* Public misidentifies undercover units, fire vehicles, or unmarked cars as ICE.

* Community trust is eroding due to visible tensions and crowd clashes.

* ICE has provided no list of who they are arresting, why, or whether targets have criminal histories.

4. Examples Chief Fleury Shares

* ICE use of spray during Thorntons gas station encounter.

* Allegations that an undercover (non-ICE) vehicle was rammed by someone who assumed they were ICE.

* A local person was chased and harassed in an apartment complex because he was mistaken for ICE.

* Prior town hall meetings where residents expressed support for deporting violent offenders.

5. Community Reporting Options

* Tip411 system.

* Calling 911 for verification of suspicious vehicles or activity.

6. Perimeter Problems

* State law prevents local police from creating a barrier around ICE operations.

* According to Fleury, this increases likelihood of clashes between ICE and crowds.

7. Transparency Concerns

* Chief Fleury says ICE has given zero information to West Chicago about:

* who is being arrested

* whether arrests are criminal or civil

* what charges people have

* Only one confirmed case: an individual at Thorntons who filed a police report. He was a U.S. citizen.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Chief Colin Fleury

02:56 Chief Fleury’s Background and Career Path

05:51 Challenges of Organizing Parades

14:47 Police Department’s Role in Immigration Enforcement

36:23 Challenges of Communication with ICE

39:13 Public Safety and Trust Issues

40:47 The Impact of ICE Operations on Local Communities

May 6, 2025, 12:15 am

I (Liuan) received an email from Laura with the title “Hear me out.” We had just survived an epic swearing-in ceremony for West Chicago’s new mayor Daniel Bovey and several newly-elected city council members. Dan had warned us there might be some fireworks, but I don’t think anybody in the audience was ready for the level of conflict that took place.

Laura wrote:

“I just recorded a 22 minute Marco Polo for a handful of friends explaining everything that happened tonight.

“That’s… a podcast.

“I am going to start one purely for WeGo residents — possibly time limited — to process all of this stuff. I think podcasts are so much more constructive than social media. People are always asking what is going on… this is how to fill them in.”

The first recording

I sat in Laura’s dining room later that day, admiring the blue and white porcelain dishes on the wall. I thought, “No biggie, just talking with a friend over tea and sending it to a few other friends.”

Laura has podcasting experience from previous jobs, and somehow managed to drop the first episode about an hour after we recorded it.

In the first couple days, we got over 100 downloads. We were expecting, maybe, 15.

There was definitely an information gap here that people have been hungry to fill.

Since then

We’ve had Attorney Jeff Jacobson, Mayor Dan Bovey, Maria Correa and José (Pepe) Gutierrez from Casa Michoacán, Jonathan Wolfe from We Go for the People, Winfield Township Trustee Rebecca Holmes, and several aldermen on the show. When we can, we record episodes in both English and Spanish.

While social media can be a helpful place to get the latest scoop, our community needs more than hot takes and rumor mills. A podcast format gives listeners a chance to go deeper into a topic, getting past surface-level arguments that fuel an us-them mentality and truly understanding where decision-makers are coming from and the issues on the table.

It’s not us-them. It’s all of us. We all have a place here in West Chicago, and it’s time to sit down to an honest, respectful conversation.

Moving forward

We started the podcast specifically explain what happened on May 5 for our friends and neighbors, but with a larger purpose in mind: our community cares a lot—and has a lot going on. Our goal was (and is) to provide easy-to-digest updates on West Chicago’s taxing bodies, especially our city council. After overwhelming interest in our episodes so far, we’re planning to keep this up! You can expect episodes every few weeks or more frequently if we’re feeling ambitious. We’re busy working moms, so this is a side project for us. We’ll cover major city council decisions, interspersed with news on township, school district, and park district happenings, and anything else that’s of interest to West Chicago residents.

Subscribe below to get an email in your inbox every time a new episode drops. We’ll also post informative tidbits that don’t make it into an episode here on this Substack page.

Have ideas for topics? Comment below.

If you think our work is valuable, would you become a paid subscriber? We’re looking for 20 committed residents to become paid subscribers at $5 a month.

That will help us pay for our graphic designer (Joey Waltz) who made our beautiful banner and logo, as well as tech subscriptions and other costs here and there. And honestly, maybe a cup of coffee every once in a while.

And please share this with your friends and neighbors. We want everyone to be part of the conversation. You—each and every one of you—are what make West Chicago the quirky and wonderful town that we all love.

Thanks for reading 60185 Podcast! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work.

P.S. A couple of updates since we recorded this episode several months ago—

* Liuan and Matt’s children’s book, My South American Classroom, has launched!! Find it here!

* Heather Niziolek of The West Chicago Voice has concluded the platform, and Merle Burleigh’s column on the city website will not continue after this year… so we’re feeling even more committed to keeping this podcast and Substack active going forward.