Wheaton taxpayers will see two capital spending votes Monday night when the City Council takes up a $72,075 LED streetlight purchase and a $180,000 fire alarm network contract at the first regular meeting led by new City Manager Raymond Munch.
The council meets at 7 p.m. Monday, August 3, at City Hall, 303 W. Wesley St.
LED streetlights: $72,075 for 80 fixtures
Street Superintendent Nathan Plunkett is recommending the council approve 80 LED streetlight fixtures from Steiner Electric Company of Elk Grove Village at a cost not to exceed $72,075.20. The vote requires five ayes.
The purchase covers 64 replacement fixtures ($57,660 from the Capital Projects Fund) and 16 spares ($14,415 from the General Fund). Steiner submitted the lowest of four bids; Graybar Electric's quote came in highest at $82,285.
Wheaton's LED replacement program started in 2015. Of the city's 1,573 Coach Lantern-style fixtures, 1,282 have already been swapped out, leaving 291 older high-pressure sodium lights still burning. The city has also replaced 482 of 528 Cobra head fixtures. The upgrade supports the city's carbon-reduction strategy under its environmental sustainability goals, according to Plunkett's memo to the council.
Fire alarm network: $180,000 over three years
Fire Chief Robert Brill is asking the council to approve a three-year, $180,000 contract with Chicago Metropolitan Fire Prevention Company of Elmhurst to maintain the city's wireless alarm network. The deal works out to $60,000 per year, with an option to extend for a fourth year.
The wireless network, established in 2010, connects subscriber fire alarms directly to DU-COMM, DuPage County's public safety dispatch center. Chicago Metropolitan has been the sole contractor since the network launched and is the only authorized provider for the Keltron system the city uses, justifying the single-source procurement, according to Brill's memo.
The city budgeted $59,420 for the network this year. Costs are recovered from subscribers connected to the system.
Code amendments and warrants
The council will also take up an ordinance amending three chapters of the city code covering administration, special events, and streets and sidewalks. The ordinance was introduced at a prior meeting and addresses electronic attendance rules, city clerk and treasurer appointments, and insurance and bond requirements.
Warrant No. 925, totaling $2,496,528.30 in city bills, is also up for approval.
New city manager's debut
Monday marks the first regular council meeting for Munch, who joined the city July 27 after the council appointed him on July 6. He succeeds Michael Dzugan, who served as assistant city manager beginning in 1991 and as city manager from 2016 until his departure, a combined tenure of approximately 35 years.
Munch previously served as Director of Finance for the City of Naperville and has more than 24 years of local government experience. He said in the city's July 5 press release announcing his appointment that he was "honored and grateful" for the role and looked forward to working alongside the council and city staff.
How to attend
The meeting begins at 7 p.m. Monday, August 3, in the Council Chambers at 303 W. Wesley St. Residents can also watch via livestream or join by Zoom (registration required on the city agenda page) or by phone at 312-626-6799 (Meeting ID: 876 1026 0737, Password: 507658). Public comments can be submitted in person, virtually during the Citizens to Be Heard portion, or by email to [email protected] before 5 p.m. Monday, August 3.
