Carol Stream forms disaster preparation, response committee

Two weeks after walking out of a village board meeting while coming under fire for what residents say was a slow response to flooding in Carol Stream, Village President Frank Saverino apologized.

"I left because I was angry, and I probably shouldn't have been angry," he said during the village's board meeting Monday. "I walked out like a fool. I should have kept with the program."

At the village's Aug. 2 meeting, nearly 100 residents packed village hall to voice concerns over the Carol Stream officials' response to flooding that resulted from heavy storms the weekend of July 23.

But, despite the contentious meeting and a seemingly endless rush of anger directed at him, Saverino said Monday something good has come from it.

Trustee Pam Fenner will head a committee charged with getting residents involved in disaster preparation and response.

Members will discuss what should be done in the event of an emergency and, through the use of phone trees, will help provide assistance to those in need.

"What happened after the flood was people felt we were not responsive enough," Fenner said. "We want to find out what we can do."

Fenner said she hoped to garner interest from all residents, even those who were not affected by last month's storms.

Fenner hopes the group will be a centralized avenue for a community response.

"Residents have said, 'If someone had asked, I would have been there,'" she said. "We will be able to help immensely."

Fenner said the help could come in several ways, including delivering food and water to those stranded.

"Our job is to make sure the welfare of those people impacted is taken care of," she said. "Let's get together and find solutions."

Fenner was among several trustees to emphasize that residents also could help by keeping the pressure on county officials, who have said the results of a study on the area most affected - just south of Armstrong Park and the surrounding area - will be presented to its stormwater committee early next month.

"We have to act together to get this county moving, the state moving and get the federal government moving," Fenner said. "We can do this if we work together."

Carol Stream residents interested in helping may call village hall at (630) 665-7050 or e-mail Fenner at pfenner@carolstream.org.