Warrenville mayor: We’re weathering economic storm

With Warrenville continuing to feel the effects of the sluggish economy, Mayor David Brummel says a “new normal” has settled in for the city.

“Today, nothing appears to be easy,” Brummel said Thursday during his State of the City address. “Little is guaranteed in this new normal, save perhaps stress, struggle and uncertainty, salted with small, hard-earned victories here and there.”

Still, he assured the crowd attending the Western DuPage Chamber of Commerce luncheon that the city is doing “remarkably well” adapting. Unlike other municipalities, Warrenville hasn’t had to cut services, lay off employees or require furlough days, he said.

“Nothing is guaranteed,” Brummel said, “but for the moment, Warrenville is just fine.”

During the 2011-12 fiscal year, Warrenville will benefit from an estimated $1.75 million jump in property tax revenue now that the mixed-used Cantera development is no longer part of a tax increment financing district.

In the meantime, the city has had to dip into its cash reserves. But even after using an anticipated $1 million to balance the current budget, Brummel said the city still will have a reserve total of roughly $6.5 million — about three times the minimum required by city ordinance.

“I shudder to think what our situation today might be had we not planned ahead for a tight spot that, as it turns out, was exacerbated by a severe economic downturn,” Brummel said. “As it is, we maintain a balanced budget without debt.”

Brummel also said there were plenty of highlights for the city in 2010, including the opening of both Hyatt Place and Hyatt Summerfield Suites, the city’s fifth and sixth hotels. The city also issued 589 building permits — 167 more than in 2009.

In October, Central DuPage Hospital and Procure Treatment Centers opened the first cancer proton therapy center in the state. The $140 million facility gives patients battling some forms of cancer a new option for combating the disease.

The CDH Cancer Center also opened next to the proton therapy center. That $35 million facility offers a variety of outpatient diagnostics, treatment and support services.

Looking ahead, Brummel said the DuPage County Forest Preserve District is nearing completion of an urban stream research center at Blackwell Forest Preserve. This facility “should be up and running” in the spring, he said.

The city also approved the forest preserve’s plans for a new $500,000 archery range at Blackwell. But that complex won’t be open to the public for another year to allow new plantings to take hold and mature, Brummel said.

Warrenville also received roughly $994,000 in federal grant money to help pay for landscaping and other improvements when IDOT widens Butterfield Road through the city. The reconstruction and widening of Butterfield from Naperville Road in Wheaton to Route 59 in Warrenville is expected start in the spring.

So while 2010 was “a trying and disappointing year” because of the slow economy recovery, Brummel said, “we have much to celebrate in Warrenville.”