Eight days after an EF-0 tornado tore through Wheaton and heavy rains caused flooding across DuPage County, the county's Stormwater Management Committee approved $31,000 to cover overtime for the crews who responded.
The committee met Tuesday, Aug. 4, at 7:30 a.m. and wrapped up in 15 minutes. But the short agenda packed in nearly half a million dollars in grant acceptances, a handful of engineering contracts and a forward-looking proposal on countywide detention pond maintenance.
Overtime and flood response
The $31,000 budget transfer covers overtime and temporary salaries for field crew members who worked flood response operations and projected snow plowing, according to committee minutes. Specifically, $20,000 shifts from Part Time Help and $11,000 from Engineering & Architectural into Overtime and Temporary Salaries accounts. Member Dawn DeSart moved the transfer; Member Paul Hinterlong seconded. It passed unanimously.
Director Sarah Hunn told the committee that between storms, staff have been inspecting inlets and outlets to prepare for the next event.
FEMA grant for Glen Ellyn flooding
The committee accepted a $257,745 FEMA grant for the Glen Ellyn Countryside Flood Reduction Project, moved by Member Lucy Evans and seconded by DeSart. That item now goes to the Finance Committee and then the full County Board for final approval.
A separate $114,117 Illinois EPA grant will fund development of a watershed plan for the Lower West Branch of the DuPage River. Member David Brummel moved that item; Hinterlong seconded.
Detention pond dredging proposal
Chair Jim Zay floated what could become the biggest item for Wheaton-area homeowners near retention basins. He said detention ponds "need to be maintained to optimize flood control capacity and to prevent obstruction at the inlets and outlets," and proposed exploring a joint program with municipalities to assess detention areas countywide and dredge where appropriate.
No vote was taken. The proposal remains in discussion.
Tornado cleanup update
Zay reported that several county-owned lots sustained tree damage from the July 27 tornado. The National Weather Service confirmed the Wheaton twister started just south of Wheaton College, stayed on the ground for two minutes or less and reached peak winds of 75 mph, according to CBS News Chicago. Seven tornadoes were confirmed across the Chicago area that day.
Hunn said staff arborist Luke Engel took immediate action to assess two lots in the tornado's path, coordinating tree trimming and removal with contractors. Several trees have been trimmed or taken down, and debris cleanup will continue as scheduling permits.
Other approvals
The committee also approved:
- A $95,000 contract with V3 Companies for engineering design of grant-funded capital projects countywide (Aug. 11, 2026, through Nov. 30, 2027).
- A $90,000 contract with Trotter & Associates for on-call inspection and design engineering for stormwater facilities (same period).
- A $48,400 contract with Hoerr Construction for the Prairie Avenue Pipe Rehabilitation Project (Aug. 11 through Nov. 30, 2026).
- A $100,000 intergovernmental agreement with the Village of Itasca for roadway and infrastructure improvements (Aug. 11, 2026, through June 30, 2028).
All items were sent to Finance for full board consideration.
The DuPage County Board meets next on Tuesday, Aug. 11, at 10 a.m. in the County Board Room, where these items could come up for final approval.
