PUBLIC WORKS Annual Report May 1, 2019—April 30, 2020

Director’s Welcome Another year has come and gone in the Village, and it was definitely a year to

remember. The Village took on a number of extensive capital projects from

beginning year one of the 10 Year Roadway Resurfacing Program to

installing a new, dedicated storm sewer to help relieve flooding issues.

However, the most critical, and largest project taken on in the past year has

been the transition of water suppliers from the City of Chicago to the City of

Evanston. After years of research and design, in 2019 the Village Board

awarded a contract for the construction of the transmission main to connect

the Village to the City of Evanston’s water system. It is an exciting time for the

Village as this project will save over a million dollars per year, which will be

used to not only pay for the installation of the new transmission main, but also

fund the replacement of our aging water infrastructure.

While capital projects are important and require a lot of time and dedication,

we must also remember the work of the Public Works Staff who serve the

Village everyday. Each member of the Public Works Department is a

dedicated public servant, proudly serving the residents and businesses of our

wonderful community. This report highlights the achievements and goals of

the Department over the last year, as well as provides a look into our

operations as they relate to the needs of the Village.

I hope we have provided you with another year of exemplary service and I

cannot wait to see what the next year has in store for us. We look forward to

continue serving you.

Sincerely,

Andrew Letson

Director of Public Works

What is Public Works?

Public Works generally refers to

improvement and maintenance

of public infrastructure. The

Public Works Department

handles everything from water

distribution, street sweeping,

tree removals and trimming,

water main break repairs,

maintaining parks and public

buildings, and everything in

between. The Department is

also responsible for the long

term capital planning of the

Village including maintenance

and replacement of roadways,

water and sewer mains, street

lighting, and other major public

infrastructure. Public Works

plays a role in public health,

safety, and beautification.

Table of Contents

Meet Your Department………………………….………..….…..Page 2

Streets and Utilities Division………………….….….………....Page 3

Water Division…………....…………….……………….………..Page 4

Forestry and Alleys Division..……………….…..……………..Page 5

Parks and Buildings Division………………………………..…Page 6

Administration Division….……….…………………….…….…Page 7

Vehicle Maintenance Division……..………………….…..…...Page 8

Capital Improvements…………………………….………..Pages 9-13

1

Meet Your Department

Public Works is made up

of six divisions which

include four operating

divisions:

Streets and Utilities -

maintenance of the

roadways and

underground utilities

Water - manages the

Pump Station, water

distribution, and

testing compliance

Forestry and Alleys-

maintains all

parkways trees and

alleys

Parks and Buildings -

maintains all 13

Parks and municipal

buildings

Assisting the four

operating divisions are

two support divisions,

including:

Administration -

manages the day to

day and long term

goals of the

Department including

the budget and

capital plan

Vehicle Maintenance

- maintain the

Village’s fleet of

vehicles including

Police, Fire,

Community

Development, and

Public Works vehicles

Photo Caption

Employee Accomplishments Sergio Godinez - Promoted from Laborer to Water System Operator (7/7/2019)

Joseph Antczak - Hired as a full-time Laborer (7/26/2019)

Argyrios Paleologos - Hired as part-time Mechanic’s Assistant (2/24/2020)

Hayley Koch - Hired as part-time Clerk/Receptionist (9/30/2019)

Jesus Rivas - Retired as a Water System Operator (6/6/1985 - 6/28/2020)

Organizational Chart

2

Streets and Utilities Division

The Streets and Utilities

Division is responsible for

maintenance of the Village

roadway system, including

snow plowing, and

maintaining water and

sewer utilities and all their

associated components

such as water valves,

hydrants, sewer inlets and

catch basins.

The Division is overseen

by Foreman Ricardo Cano

and consists of three

Equipment Operators:

Manuel Banuelos

Jesus Martinez

Paul Wagner

The operators are assisted

with the help of 3 Laborers:

Lester Kindt

David Gomez

Christian Ortiz

Service Requests Did you know that if you

are experiencing or identify

a concern with the public

infrastructure you can

contact Public Works at

847-675-0888 or submit a

work order through the

Village’s Mobile App to

have your concern

immediately addressed?

The Division is responsible for much of the

commonly seen Village infrastructure, including:

662 Fire Hydrants - Flushed 1x per year

689 Water Valves - Exercised 1x per year

57 Miles of Water Mains - Repaired immediately upon

break

2,016 Catch Basins - Cleaned 1x every two years

1,119 Inlets/Curb Drains - Cleaned 1x every two

years

1,090 Sewer Manholes - Cleaned 1x every two years

67 Miles of Sewer Mains - Repair as needed

41 miles of roads - 403 tons of asphalt used for

patching potholes

Sidewalk and Curb - 356 sidewalk squares and 350

feet of curb replaced

Operational Divisions

Approximately 600 Miles of roadways are swept each year by the village’s two

Street Sweepers.

Hydrant flushing removes sediment from water mains and ensures functionality in the event of an emergency.

The winter of 2019-20 was mild with only 2 full plowing events needed, 18 salting events, and about 773 tons of salt

being used.

Crews working to repair a broken water main. The Division utilizes the Vactor to

hydro-excavate, and vacuum out debris to expose the main. The Vactor is also used to clean sewers and catch basins throughout

the Village. Over the last year, there were 11 water main breaks repaired by the Division.

3

Water Division

When residents and

businesses turn on their

faucets, they are expecting

safe, high quality water.

Maintenance and care of the

water distribution system lies

with the Water Division, which

is led by Superintendent,

Guadalupe Martinez, and two

Water System Operators:

Ramiro Silva

Sergio Godinez

The Water System Operators

are tasked with ensuring the

Village meets all regulatory

testing requirements for a

water distribution system. The

Operators routinely test for

bacteria and lead in the water

to ensure it remains safe to

consume.

The Operators also ensure the

functionality of the various

water pumps, standpipe, and

meters found throughout the

Village.

Service Requests The Water System Operators

are available to meet with

residents who have concerns

related to water quality and

metering accuracy. Over the

last fiscal year, the Division

responded to the following:

Five water meter accuracy

concerns

Six water shutoff requests

16 water quality concerns

Standpipe Facts The Pump House may be the heart of

the water distribution system, but the

standpipe plays an equally important

role. Here are some interesting facts

about the Standpipe:

Constructed in 1996

Repainted/Repaired in 2019

1.5 million gallon capacity

Pressurizes the distribution system

via gravity

Inspected via a sterilized diving

company in 2016, which required

the use of a robot as the 125’ depth

could cause a diver to get the

bends. This inspection identified the

repairs that were needed and

subsequently scheduled in 2019

Pump House Facts The Pump House is the heart of the water

distribution system. Here are some

interesting facts about the Pump House

Five pumps of varying sizes pump

water from the Pump House into the

distribution system

Additional chlorine is injected via gas

cylinders into the water before entering

the distribution system to ensure clean

drinking water is available

The underground reservoirs at the

Pump House are capable of storing up

to 3.75 million gallons of water

In 2019, the large underground reservoir was cleaned and

inspected by a sterilized diver. The Diver vacuums up sediment that collects at the bottom of the tank

while also spot repairing cracks and other areas.

4

Forestry and Alleys Division

The Forestry and Alleys

Division maintains all of the

publicly owned trees from

plantings, to trimmings, to

removals. The Division also

maintains all public alleys by

cutting back overgrown brush

and grading gravel alleyways.

Additional duties include

maintaining streetlights as

they operate the necessary

equipment to work at those

heights and picking up dead

animals.

The Division is lead by

Foreman and certified

Arborist, Federico Romero.

Federico is assisted by

Laborer, Oleg Korol, and three

Equipment Operators:

Jose Pina

John Karras

Aurieliano Montalvo

Service Requests Over the last fiscal year there

were a total of 349 service

requests which included:

191 Trimming Requests

111 Removal Requests

47 Alley Grading

Requests

61 Dead Animals

Collected

If you would like a tree

evaluated, an alley graded, or

a dead animal picked up,

contact Public Works.

Alley maintenance may include the removal or addition of stone, regarding the existing

stone, and trimming back overgrown brush in all 10.5 miles of alley in the Village.

Forestry and Alleys Facts The Division maintains all 10,624 trees in the

Village. Maintaining the Urban Forest includes the

following responsibilities and tasks:

149 Trees Planted

125 Dead/dying trees removed

Each tree is inspected/trimmed once every six years

Chip branches and logs so they can be recycled

Prune trees after storm damage

Additionally, the Division takes on the following assignments:

Maintains all alleys 2x per year

Collects dead animals within 24 hours of being reported

Over the last year, eight streetlights were knocked down by vehicles. The Division seeks to have downed lights back up and running within one week

of being struck. There are 395 total streetlights maintained by the Village.

The Village celebrated its 22nd year as a “Tree City’ for its ef-

forts in protecting and enhanc-ing the urban forest.

5

Parks and Buildings Division

The Parks and Buildings

Division is responsible for

maintaining all 13 Parks and all

six Village owned buildings.

The Division is also responsible

for preparing, maintaining, and

winterizing the Aquatic Center

each year. Additionally, the

Division is relied heavily upon

for the setup and take down of

special events from the

Memorial Day Parade to the

Holiday Lighting Ceremony and

everything in between.

The Division is led by Foreman,

Hipolito (Polo) Resendiz. Polo is

assisted by Equipment Operator

Antonio Corona. Additionally,

four laborers and a part-time

mailperson help with the daily

tasks of the Division. These

members include:

Abelardo Monarrez

Ivan Resendiz

Michael Cochrane

Joseph Antczak

Kathy Fowler

Service Requests The Division responded to 801

work order over the last year,

including:

346 Building Maintenance

Requests

134 Event Support

Requests

278 Park Maintenance

Requests

43 Aquatic Center

Maintenance Requests

To make a request of this

Division, please contact Public

Works.

Parks and Buildings Facts The Division is responsible for many tasks throughout the community. These responsibilities

include:

Inspect all buildings monthly to ensure safety

Complete high priority work orders relating to park or building maintenance within 24 hours

Complete landscaping maintenance 1x per week at each park between April and October of each year, including mowing, weeding, edging, and trimming

Set up and take down special events such as the concert park series, Turkey Trot, Lincolnwood Fest, the Holiday Lighting, and many more

Maintain sporting surfaces such as baseball fields and basketball courts

Undertake the annual plantings as directed by the Beautification Commission

Prepare the Aquatic Center and monitor it during season to ensure chemicals are stocked and pumps are working as designed

Maintain the Municipal HVAC systems

Facility Improvements The Division oversees and assists with facility improvements to each of the facilities. Improvements include:

Installed a new HVAC control system and boiler at Public Works

Replaced seven garage door openers at Public Works and Police

Refurbished the employee restrooms and break room at Village Hall

Installed new windows at Public Works

Installed Customer Service Windows at Village Hall and Community Development

Completed office safety improvements at Public Works

6

Administration Division

The Administration Division is a

support division tasked with

assisting and overseeing the

operating divisions.

Additionally, the Division is

responsible for assembling the

Department’s annual budgets

and Capital Improvement Plan.

The Director of Public Works,

Andrew Letson, is tasked with

managing the overall

Department. Nadim Badran,

Assistant to the Public Works

Director oversees the

Administration Division, which

includes:

Francheska Russo,

Coordinator

Hayley Koch, Part-time

Receptionist/Clerk

The Division also oversees the

following consultants:

Glenn Sullivan, GIS

Analyst

James Amelio, Village

Engineer

Daniel Dem, Assistant

Village Engineer

Leslie Delles, Village

Arborist (for private

property tree matters)

Service Requests Resident’s looking to make any

request of the Public Works

Department are asked to call

the main line of 847-675-0888,

so that Francheska and Hayley

may assist you. The Division

offers the highest level of

customer service and will

assist you, no matter what the

concern may be.

Support Divisions

Engineering Services In addition to design and oversight of capital projects, the Village’s consulting engineers also provide a range of services, including:

Performing residential drainage inspections - 48 calls over the last fiscal year

Residential/Commercial Development Reviews - 35 performed last fiscal year

Utility Permit Reviews - 19 performed last fiscal year

Public Information meetings are often held by the Public Works

Department in conjunction with the engineers to notify the public of

scheduled projects. Stormwater issues are a regional problem faced by many communities. The Village

Engineers look for ways to address stormwater through the use of innovative practices such as street storage, so that

water is less likely to back up into homes.

7

Vehicle Maintenance

The Vehicle Maintenance

Division is responsible for the

maintenance and care of the

municipal fleet, including

Police, Public Works,

Community Development, and

Fire Department vehicles. In

addition to maintaining the

fleet of vehicles, the Division is

also responsible for the care

and maintenance of many

pieces of equipment, from

brush chippers to tractors. The

Department also maintains the

underground fuel system and

ensures compliance with the

State Fire Marshal.

The Division is led by Chief

Mechanic, Rick Burr. Rick is

supported by Laborer, William

Eastman, and part-time

mechanic’s assistant, Argyrios

Paleologos.

The Division also assists other

departments with fabrication,

welding, and emergency

repairs.

Service Requests The Division generally handles

service requests from fellow

staff related to the

maintenance of a Village

vehicle. Over the last fiscal

year, the Division had 647

work orders broken down as:

355 Preventative

Maintenance Services

292 Emergency or

unscheduled repairs

Vehicle Maintenance Facts The Division maintains 73 total vehicles

The Division ensures all safety inspections are completed and passed as required by law, including safety lane inspections completed every six months

Completes high priority repairs within 3 days of receiving parts

Maintains the underground fuel system and ensures regulatory compliance

The repairs and scheduled maintenance undertaken by the

Vehicle Maintenance Division are critical, as emergency vehicles must be kept in good working

order. From plow trucks to Police Squad cars, the repairs

must be made in a timely manner to ensure these vehicles are ready when an emergency

strikes.

8

Capital Improvement Projects

2019 into 2020 was a year

filled with important capital

projects designed to help

protect the Village’s

investment in its

infrastructure, while also

improving the quality of life

for our residents.

Capital projects are defined

as large scale projects that

help improve, maintain, or

construct new public

infrastructure. These project

are funded through a variety

of sources and are

sometimes paid back over

the course of many years.

Large capital projects can be

intrusive to the community;

however, they are a critical

component of local

governance as it ensures

public funds are being used

to enhance and maintain the

Village’s infrastructure for the

continued service to our

residents and businesses.

Construction is the

culmination of years of design

and engineering to ensure

the best possible project is

built. For information on any

of the on-going projects,

please visit the Village’s

website or contact the Public

Works Department at 847-

675-0888.

Underground Fuel System Replacement The underground fuel system provides fuel to the fleet of municipal vehicles. In

February of 2019, a leak was discovered in the system that prompted the need for

an emergency replacement. Funds were budgeted to make the repair and in July of

2019, the system was replaced, tested, and put back into operation.

Roadway Resurfacing Program – Year One

The 2019 Roadway Resurfacing program included the resurfacing of 1.5 miles of

Village owned roadways. The program was year one of a ten year plan that calls for

all Village owned roadways to be resurfaced. The project included the removal and

replacement of several inches of asphalt, spot curb replacement, and bringing side-

walk panels at intersections into ADA compliance

Project Cost Funding Source Status

$830,700 Motor Fuel Tax/TIF Funds/

Local Gas Tax Complete

Project Cost Funding Source Status

$238,000 TIF Funds Complete

Sidewalk intersections are being brought into ADA compliance as part of the road program (left). Asphalt is brought in on semi trucks which is the placed into a paving

machine (right).

The underground fuel system is made of one split tank with a dividing wall to separate diesel and regular gasoline (right).

9

North Shore Outfall Sewer The North Shore Outfall Sewer Installation Project was

completed in May 2020. The project began in September of

2019 and called for the installation of up to a 60” diameter

dedicated storm sewer under North Shore Avenue from

Drake Avenue to the North Shore Channel. Various smaller

storm sewers were also installed on portions of Columbia,

Kimball, and Spaulding Avenues. The storm water is directed

under McCormick Boulevard where it empties into the North

Shore Channel.

Separation of the sewer, paired with the installation of in-

ground restrictors will help eliminate basement backups as

the storm water is no longer surcharging the combined sewer

system. The project was supported by the Metropolitan

Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, which funded

$1.4 million of the project cost. Restoration of the project area

included reconstruction of the roadway, and replacement of

sidewalk and curb.

Public Works Roof

Replacement

In 2019, the roof of the Public Works Facility was

replaced. The facility was constructed in 1990 and the

30 year old roof of the building was beginning to show

its age through various leaks. The 27,000 square foot

roof was replaced over the summer of 2019 and

should last for another 30 years before needing

replacement.

Project Cost Funding Source Status

$281,475 TIF Funds Complete

Project Cost Funding Source Status

$3,482,962 MWRD Cost Share/Local Sales Tax

Revenue/Motor Fuel Tax Funds Complete

The revetment mat (left) stabilizes the

bluff above the storm discharge. The pipe

was installed by using an auger with a rail system to push the

large diameter concrete pipes (right).

10

Street lighting Improvements Over the past several years, the Village has been phasing

out old, inefficient metal halide streetlights with new,

energy efficient LED lights. In 2019, the Village retrofitted

the remaining metal halide street lights on Cicero Avenue

and McCormick Boulevard with new LED heads.

Additionally, new LED streetlights were installed along

Devon Avenue from Lincoln to Longmeadow Avenues,

with the exception of the area directly adjacent to the

country club.

LED lights offer better quality lighting, require less than

half the energy to operate, and have an approximate life

span of ten years. In order to run the power to the new

lights, a directional boring machine as seen in the picture

to the right pulls piping underground to each planned pole

location.

Standpipe Rehabilitation

The Village’s 1.5 million gallon standpipe located on Central Park Avenue behind the Public Works Department is a

key component of the Village’s water infrastructure. In addition to storing water, the Standpipe maintains the

pressure of the distribution system through gravity. The standpipe was constructed in 1996 and had not been

repainted since.

In 2019, the standpipe was drained so that it could be repainted and repaired in various locations, ensuring its

continued service to the Village for decades to come.

Project Cost

$860,100

Funding Source

Water Sale Revenue/TIF Funds

Status Complete

Project Cost Funding Source Status

$1,194,587 TIF Funds/Motor Fuel Tax Funds Complete

The standpipe was sandblasted, primed, and painted with an

epoxy paint. To protect the standpipe

during painting, a curtain was hung

around the perimeter of the structure.

11

Water Transmission Main

The Village’s historical water supplier has been the City of Chicago. Though Chicago provides high quality

water, the rate at which the city charged the Village was prone to steep increases without any advanced notice

or justification. In 2019, the Village Board awarded a construction contract to switch water suppliers to the City of

Evanston, which can provide the Village with equally as high quality of water at a rate of $1.60/1,000 gallons,

versus the Chicago’s cost of $4.02/1,000 gallons. The savings equates to approximately $1,200,000/year. The

savings of which will be used to fund water main replacements throughout the community as recommended by

the Ad-Hoc Infrastructure Committee and directed by the Village Board.

Several major roadway crossings were part of the transmission main route. Boring pits, like the one seen above, were needed so that the contractor

could push the pipe underground without disrupting traffic.

The transmission main is made of ductile iron and is wrapped in a special plastic that will help prevent the acidity

from the soils from damaging the main.

The portion of the transmission main that crosses underneath the North Shore

Channel is a special, flexible high density polyethylene pipe that is fused together. The flexibility allows it to bend under the channel

to the connection point.

Project Cost Funding Source Status

$11,826,493 Wholesale water savings from

switching suppliers In Progress

Construction began in the fall of 2019, with a target completion of

August 2020. Water from the City of Evanston will begin flowing

through the Village in July 2020. After the remaining water main work

is completed, the areas where work occurred will be resurfaced and

spot curb and sidewalk will be replaced. This project required close

coordination between the Village and the City of Evanston, the

Village of Skokie, MWRD, the Skokie Park District, ComEd, and

various engineering firms and consultants, and was funded entirely

through the savings that will be obtained by switching suppliers.

12

Contact Us

The Public Works

Department is open Monday

- Friday from 8:30 a.m. to

4:30 p.m.

Public Works Department

7001 N. Lawndale Ave

Lincolnwood, IL 60712

(847)-675-0888

Visit us on the web at

www.lincolnwoodil.org

Thank you for Reading Thank you for taking time to review the Public Works Annual

Report. While the report does not cover all the accomplishments

achieved by the Department over the last year, it does provide

insight as to the important work the Department does. We look

forward to continuing to serve you for years to come.

Important Village Telephone Numbers

Village Hall……………………...……………………..…847-673-1540

Public Works……………………………………………..847-675-0888

Police Department (non-emergency)…………….....…847-673-2167

Fire Department (non-emergency)…………………....847-673-1545

Finance Department (water billing)………..…………..847-673-1540

Groot (Garbage/Recycling)…………………..….……..847-734-6400

ComEd (power outages)………….………………….1-800-334-7661

Rebate Program Information

The Public Works Department administers three rebate programs that are designed to financially assist

residents looking to make improvements to existing stormwater issues.

Private Drainage Program - for improvements to standing water issues on private property

Private Flood Control Program - for improvements related to sewer backups into basements

Sewer Line Repair Program - for improvements related to collapsed sewer lines in the parkway caused

by parkway tree roots (implemented in May 2020)

Each program offers a rebate incentive of 50%, not to exceed $2,000. Funding is based on a limited

budget each year and is distributed on a first come, first serve basis. For more information on these

programs, please contact the Public Works Department or visit the Village’s Website.

Rebates Applications Awarded

Year Flood Control Sewer Line Repair

2017 9 2

2018 3 1

2019 5 6

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