Carol Stream candidates unhappy with flood response
Both candidates for village president say Carol Stream could have done a better job dealing with flooding last July that damaged about 50 houses and left some residents angry about what they viewed as a slow municipal response.
But incumbent Frank Saverino went even further Monday, saying some administrators’ jobs may be in jeopardy if he’s re-elected.
Speaking during a Daily Herald endorsement interview, Saverino said he “lost some respect” for top village staff members who were charged with handling the storm response. And, if re-elected, he said he’s not sure what he will do when their contracts come up for renewal.
“I don’t feel as comfortable with them,” Saverino said. “I don’t like being thrown under the bus. I don’t mind sharing the blame. You take the blame when you make mistakes.”
He said he knew how bad the July 23 weekend flood was when he saw water passing barricades crews had installed. He suggested bringing in a sandbagging machine, but was told it wasn’t needed.
Saverino said Village Manager Joe Breinig and Public Works Director Phil Modaff were in charge of combating the flooding. But Saverino said he personally took all the blame when things went wrong.
“They all thought they were smarter than I was,” Saverino said. “All I knew was what I saw: the water rising.”
He said he’s beginning to regain confidence in both men, but would not renew their contracts until he’s satisfied they learned from their mistakes during the storm.
The village manager’s contract is due to expire in April and will be considered by the mayor and village board, who will be sworn in at a board meeting that month.
“We’re put in by the people. They (administrators) are put in by us. When we get tired of them, they’re gone,” Saverino said. “I’m a businessman. If I don’t like the way things are going, I fire you. We need to share responsibility.”
Saverino’s opponent in the April 5 election, Trustee Rick Gieser, reached by phone, wouldn’t comment on specific individuals, but did say he will take a hard look at every person whose contract is expiring if he’s elected.
“Any contract that comes up, we have to analyze the pluses and minuses of any group or individual,” Gieser said.
During an endorsement interview with the Daily Herald last week, Gieser said the village should have better informed residents that the flood was coming. Once the storm struck, he said the village was too slow to respond.
He didn’t place blame on anyone specifically, instead saying “all of us” were at fault.
Breinig refused to respond to Saverino’s statements and Modaff couldn’t be reached.
Since the flood, DuPage County approved a $70 million spending plan that includes $5 million for Klein Creek flood mitigation, which could include installation of a water reservoir and pumping station at Carol Stream’s Armstrong Park. Those negotiations are ongoing.
Just last month, the village hired Kramer Tree Service to clean up debris in Thunderbird and Klein creeks. Saverino said there were 180 obstructions removed, including couches, grills and refrigerators.
The village also bought three flood-damaged houses as part of a voluntary buyout program that uses a combination of federal, county and village money to purchase houses in flood-prone areas.
Gieser said the village’s response to the flood is one example of the need for better communication. As a solution, he proposes using both traditional and newer technologies, such as social media and text messaging, to inform residents and businesses about events affecting the village.
Saverino said communication with residents has improved and noted the creation of an emergency notification system that uses telephones. Implementing newer methods of sending out information, he said, depends on what the village can afford.
“A lot of people don’t understand how to tweet or Facebook. We still have people who only have (Channels) 2, 5, 7 and 9. They don’t want Comcast,” Saverino said. “They’d still have rotary phones if they could. People don’t like change.”