A long, productive run for Carol Stream’s top engineer

When Bill Cleveland started with Carol Stream as assistant village engineer in 1990, he figured after about five years he’d move on.

But he stayed.

“Five turned into 34, and it’s because of the stability that Carol Stream has,” Cleveland said during the village’s Dec. 16 board meeting.

On Jan. 3, Cleveland, 66, finally will retire, having served the last five years as Carol Stream’s director of engineering.

“The political structure has been very supportive,” said Cleveland noting, there have been only two mayors during his tenure, Ross Ferraro and 18-year incumbent Frank Saverino Sr.

“A lot of towns have turnover and everybody comes in with their new ideas. That can sometimes throw a wrench in the works,” Cleveland said.

Instead Cleveland and his predecessor as director, Jim Knudsen, aligned with the village leadership on major projects.

Notably, a five-year reconstruction of the original footprint founder Jay Stream created, an area bounded roughly by Kuhn Road, Gary Avenue, Armstrong Park and the Carol Stream Water Reclamation Center, 245 Kuhn Road.

The 1993-98 project, costing $20 million — about $38 million in today’s dollars — included a new water main, roads, street lighting, and storm sewers.

“It was a big deal,” said Cleveland, who earned degrees at the Milwaukee School of Engineering and the University of Illinois-Chicago.

Tackling flooding was another big deal. A main item was a $12.5 million flood relief project of the village, park district, and DuPage County.

Completed in 2015, it created the Armstrong Park Reservoirs within the Klein Creek Watershed. The dual reservoirs’ capacity of 37 million gallons alleviated flooding of 60 neighborhood homes, and siphoned water back into Klein Creek.

Klein Creek bank stabilization and a Gary Avenue improvement project also came under Cleveland’s tenure.

“Building all the bike trails all over town seemed to be very popular,” he added.

Cleveland’s proudest accomplishment?

“I think everything,” he said. “All the things that got built for the residents and the businesses.”

At the Dec. 16 village board meeting, Saverino, Village Attorney John Rhodes and trustees praised Cleveland’s skill in writing grants, his plain explanations of complicated projects, and his and his staff’s professionalism.

“You’ve made Carol Stream a much better place, without a doubt,” said Saverino, who read a resolution commending Cleveland’s 34-year career.

“More than anything you’ll be missed,” said Trustee Matt McCarthy. “Your expertise, what you do, but also just you — you’ll be missed.”

An Algonquin resident and 1976 graduate of the former Dundee Community High School, Cleveland and his wife of 30 years, Kim, have three grown children, Karyssa, Bradley and Matthew.

A veteran ski instructor, Cleveland likes Frisbee golf and pickleball, introduced to the latter by his 85-year-old mother, Sharon.

“I’m going to teach skiing lessons up at Wilmot Mountain this winter, play some pickleball, and scratch some things off the ‘honey-do’ list,” Cleveland said.