Dear Neighbor,
I’m deeply thankful for your support over the past months!
Like you, I believe strongly that we need change at City Hall. It is not working for the residents of our city. It has lost credibility here and in surrounding areas due to years of domineering behavior and unhelpfulness. My research has led me to believe that the most powerful person in West Chicago is an unelected leader; our city administrator Michael Gutmann. I don’t believe one person (especially one who is unelected) should be given so much power. I do not think his priorities align with the community of West Chicago. West Chicago’s residents deserve to have a downtown that attracts visitors and becomes a destination for community members to spend time together. We deserve … more.
Over the last several years I’ve done quite a bit of research on the city, its revenues, and the way the current administration is spending its money. As a close supporter, I wanted to reach out and share some of this research with you. Here’s the bottom line:
West Chicagoans want:
1) A thriving downtown with shopping and eating options.
2) A City Hall which serves and helps the people.
3) Streets which are safe for drivers, bikers or our children walking to school.
4) Celebrations for the things which unite us: parades and events.
5) Representatives in City Hall who speak for them and tell the truth.
Here’s what West Chicagoans do not want:
1) A $23 million City Hall that will drive up already high taxes.
2) Businesses driven away by a draconian and petty Building Department.
3) People fined $1000 for being late on their water bill.
4) A city which sacrifices transparency for public relations.
5) A city hall which operates to the benefit of a few.
For those of you who would like to dig in and do your own research, I’ll share more details in this letter. In the next pages, you’ll find detailed information on all these issues. I encourage you to dig deeper with me and share these important details with our community. Often, government officials aren’t proactive with providing residents with this information, because they know that an informed citizenry will hold them accountable. That is what we need right now for our city–accountability, transparency, and leadership that listens.
Please vote starting March 17 through April 1 and join me in building the better city government that our community deserves.
Daniel Bovey
(630) 473-8285
www.votedanielbovey.com
Digging Deeper into West Chicago’s Government
First, some background. Mayor Ruben Pineda was first appointed as an alderman in 1998. He was then appointed mayor in 2012, after then-Mayor Michael Kwasman passed away unexpectedly. Michael Guttman, the city administrator, executes leadership on a day to day level, also started working for the city in 1998.
His annual compensation, obtained from the city website, is $286,591.90—before pension. This is more than similar positions in all other cities/villages nearby. It’s even more disproportionate considering the relative population of West Chicago. Cities whose administrators get paid similarly, like Wheaton and Naperville, manage much larger populations, and even they earn less than West Chicago’s City Administrator.
With pension, Mr. Guttman’s annual compensation is at least $325,000 (a figure obtained via a Freedom of Information, FOIA, request).
Highest effective tax rate in DuPage County
West Chicago has the highest effective tax rate in DuPage (Source: Dupage Policy Journal, April 14, 2024). In a comparative study we conducted of 12 surrounding towns, West Chicago ranks tenth in operating budget, last in median income but first in compensation of ten common staff positions (totalling $1.77 million). We should hire the best people, but that doesn’t require outspending surrounding communities like Wheaton by 16.5% on average for comparable roles.
The city’s plans to spend $20-$25 million on a new City Hall while it budgets only $125,000 per year for its downtown revitalization program. These priorities are out of touch. A fraction of the City Hall money, invested responsibly in incubator programs for new businesses and grants to existing small businesses, would bring life to the community and raise tax revenues.
Water bill fiascos
Between 2013-2016, water bills were withheld from residents for two years. At the end of that time, residents received bills of thousands of dollars. The city’s own lawyer stated in a letter that the failure “caused a significant breakdown in the confidence that the residents of the city have in their government.” The city was the defendant in a class action lawsuit regarding this failure but prevailed in court and had the case dismissed. I have personally spoken with multiple families who have been penalized or had liens placed on their houses when they were not able to pay their bills on time. One family paid $100 per month though they were not receiving a bill so that they would not fall behind. At the end of the two year period, they received a $25,000 water bill. When they inquired with the city they were told, “You must have had a leak. Call a plumber.” A lien was placed on their house which exists to this day. They continue to pay $200 per month above their current bill to pay this debt down. And they did call a plumber. There was no leak.
Starting in late 2022, the city began raising water and sewer rates until they are now almost double rates in 2021. This has caused significant financial stress on residents. I want to explore ways to more effectively manage the water and other city departments so that city operations do not cause unnecessary financial burdens for our hard working residents. It is believed that during the 2 year period where the city did not send water bills, they were forced to take out high interest loans which may have been one of the drivers for the water rate increases.
A community member recently submitted a FOIA request for “detailed annual profit and loss statements for the City of West Chicago’s water department between the years of 2021-2023,” seeking insight into the water department finances. The response they received was, “There are no documents responsive to your request.” This response underscores the unwillingness of city employees to address resident concerns and the urgent need for greater transparency into our government operations, which taxpayers fund. Again, we deserve better than this.
Lead pipes and transparency
There’s a difference between meeting the state guidelines of transparency and actually being proactive about transparency. One ongoing example of this is our lead pipe situation.
City officials have known for years that nearly 800 homes have lead water service lines that are potentially dangerous to human health, particularly children. Some of our surrounding communities, like Wheaton, had policies and processes in place to replace their lead pipes several years back. Unfortunately, West Chicago didn’t start addressing it until it was mandated by the Illinois EPA. That’s not transparency. A plan is now finally in place, but it will take up to 14 years to fully implement throughout the community. That means some neighborhoods are looking at up to 14 years of drinking water from unsafe pipes.
By comparison, Batavia has secured $4.5 million for their second phase of lead pipe replacement. The first phase (2023) was paid for by the EPA and included around 300 service lines. The IEPA has awarded over $122 million in lead pipe replacement funding since 2017.
54 city-owned downtown buildings
Our downtown area has been languishing for years. That’s because the city has been following an unrealistic strategy laid out at least 25 years ago, which has not worked. The idea was to buy up downtown properties, consolidate them and bring in a $50 million type development, developing huge swaths of property in one go. But that development has never come. It does not appear likely to happen any time soon unless West Chicago gives away the property for free and helps pay for the development. This would financially hamstring us in the long term.
West Chicago now owns 54 properties in the downtown area, the majority of which are vacant, or have buildings that have been torn down. These properties are off the tax rolls, creating an additional burden for taxpayers. We are paying to purchase and maintain them with little visible benefit to the community. One perfect example: 200 Main St., a building the city has put at least $2 million into, currently sits vacant. The strategy seems to have been based on a desire to be like Naperville or St. Charles or Wheaton. But we are not those cities and we don’t need to be. There is an alternative.
Another problem is that West Chicago has earned a reputation of having a building department that is very hard to work with. I’ve spoken with at least 8 small business owners who have tried to purchase property in West Chicago and said something like, “Eventually I spent thousands of dollars and threw up my hands. It’s such an odious process with community development.”
Here’s the alternative. Let’s invest in “Small.” It’s time to abandon the pie in the sky idea that our downtown should look like Wheaton, Naperville, or St. Charles’ downtowns. We need to stop shooting ourselves in the foot by making it hard for small businesses to function in West Chicago, and start with who we are and the assets we have: lots of hard working small business people. West Chicago is full of them. But most small business owners can rarely afford $700K to buy a new building and another $200K to bring it up to code, including the historic elements.
Second, let’s get creative, listen to what our own high priced consultants have told us for years and let’s learn from what has worked in other cities.
Downtown Elgin has a space which they repurposed as a Food Hall. Food Halls, popularized in Denver, typically have around 8-14k K sq. ft. and 10-15 small establishments with their own food prep areas but which share an eating space. Food Halls serve as small business incubators. If a small business owner can’t afford $1 million for a historic building, they could probably afford to lease a small space like that. This “micro” concept can also be applied in other areas of industry such as retail, professional offices or even construction trades and landscapers. One of my dreams for West Chicago is to implement microbusiness markets which will incubate small enterprises, drive traffic to West Chicago and bring vibrancy to our community. Imagine listening to mariachi music while browsing through a train themed “mercado” (market) with both permanent and pop up retailers selling anything from candy and toys to handcrafted Mexican goods and clothing. Let’s build unique experiences that people will want to come to West Chicago for.
I’d also like to work with the library, the historical preservation committee, the arts commission, and more to make a strategic triangle between Main St., Washington St. and the railroad tracks, connected with businesses and public access places—full of beautiful gardens and landscaping. Let’s put in a railroad themed park with a miniature track and hand powered railroad cars. Let’s have outdoor art installations and a reading garden. (We are the home of Ball Seed. Where are all the flowers?) Let’s have an outdoor museum installation which tells the story of West Chicago through the railroads. Along with our food hall, this would make our downtown a can’t-miss stop for families and visitors—and showcase our strengths as a city.
Administrative Adjudication
The Administrative law judge (John Toscas) is paid by the city of West Chicago to judge cases brought by the city of West Chicago. Specifically, the city administrator (Michael Gutmann) appoints the judge, the lawyers and the city inspectors. The judge is also a political contributor of Mayor Pineda and the two city law firms are also political contributors of Judge Toscas. Not surprisingly, between January, 2023 and December, 2024, there were 487 code violation cases brought to the Administrative Adjudication (city court). Of those 479 cases, 98.36% were found liable (guilty). This can be compared to a national average of 60% liable verdicts in civil cases. Though translation services are legally required, I have personally witnessed people denied translation and people given incorrect translations resulting in a liable verdict.
Ultimately it is city staff (under the city administrator) who determines which cases to bring before the adjudication court. The mayor has the power to direct the city administrator to use the adjudication system as it is intended, as a last resort for compliance.
I believe a complete transformation of the public facing elements of city hall are necessary. Rather than treating the community as adversaries, it should be the goal of every city hall worker to help the residents achieve their goals and dreams in a way which does not create unsafe conditions or impinge on the rights of their neighbors.
Recently someone asked me if I was running to get back at the city for my treatment over the greenhouse. I explained to him how the greenhouse was a wake up call and the reason why so many West Chicago residents came to us with their own stories of injustice. No, it is not the reason I am running for mayor. It did, however, start me on the path of researching and asking questions. The more I learn about how the West Chicago government is functioning, the more I am motivated by justice, a desire to improve our local government and see every West Chicago resident meaningfully represented by their elected leaders.
Sometimes it can be overwhelming looking at the issues which face us nationally and globally. We are tempted to believe that our vote doesn’t matter. City elections show us just how much our vote does matter. In the 2021 consolidated election we had an alderperson elected with 49 votes. Your vote can change the outcome of these elections. Between now and April 1st you have an opportunity to use your voice and help shape the way our city is run. Use that voice. Help us get out the vote.
