Glen Ellyn’s accomplishments, challenges touted during State of Village address

Glen Ellyn Village President Diane McGinley highlighted the village’s successes and challenges ahead during the annual State of the Village address Jan. 16.

The speech touched on everything from economic development and streetscape improvements to the fate of the historic McKee House.

McGinley said the village accomplished quite a few items over the past year.

For example, the village implemented a new automatic parking enforcement program, installed new wayfinding signage and replaced water meters.

Additionally, McGinley touted the economic growth the community has experienced. The village last year welcomed several new businesses, including Andy’s Frozen Custard, Nobel House, Innovation DuPage and Buona Beef.

“It was a very busy 2019,” McGinley said.

She said there continues to be reason to be excited for economic growth in the future. In 2020, the village is expected to become home to Bucky’s Gas Station, The Enclave and Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, she said.

McGinley acknowledged that not every action taken by the village over the past year has been popular.

“We implemented a new food and beverage tax,” she said, adding that the tax will serve the village financially moving forward.

“We’re trying to accomplish four major projects with this tax,” McGinley said.

The funds generated from the new food and beverage tax are meant to help pay for the parking garage that is proposed behind the Civic Center, Metra train station improvements, a streetscape project and access improvements along Roosevelt Road.

One challenge awaiting the village is a streetscape improvement project planned for the village’s downtown in 2021. It will consist of upgrades to streets, curbs, lighting, parkway trees and utilities.

McGinley said communication will be key to mitigating the future impact to the businesses.

The fate of the historic McKee House is another challenge the village faces.

The village, in working with the Churchill Woods Forest Preserve, has a lease agreement for the house. Last year, the village fell short of raising the funds needed to rehabilitate the McKee House or convert it into a gathering place.

“The deal was that Glen Ellyn had two-and-a-half years to come up with $400,000 of the estimated repair dollars and also find a tenant,” McGinley said. “We had to do that by Oct. 1 of 2019.”

McGinley said people have emotions and good intentions invested in the McKee House, but less than $5,000 was raised.

“The Forest Preserve and I have jointly agreed we are not making any formal vote, but we are giving them enough leeway to postpone the demolition until spring to see if they can pull this off,” she said. “The group is the American Legion Post No. 3. It’s a veterans’ group, and they would use it as their home base for their meeting space. So they are tasked with a very high challenge of raising enough money or in-kind donations to renovate this home into a gathering space. They believe they can do it.”

McGinley said she hopes the fate of the McKee House is resolved before her term is up and that “I will not let this go beyond my presidency because I don’t think it’s fair to keep pushing this off,” she said.

McGinley gave kudos to volunteers for helping the village to experience success.

“All of the commissioners and everyone on the board receives zero compensation,” she said.