City staff on July 1 briefed aldermen on project updates including Depot Pond (dam) concerns and localized traffic safety issues.

Depot Pond/dam: Staff said the pond has declined in depth and vegetation has made the shoreline and pond appear degraded. The Park District was invited to join a feasibility study examining options and costs; staff said the Park District planned a July special meeting to decide whether to participate. Council members warned that dam removal or extensive remediation can be expensive and that state funding previously discussed appears unlikely or delayed. One alderman cited recent dam-removal work in other communities that exposed buried pipes and required multimillion-dollar fixes. Staff said the city has a feasibility study ready to review and that a public presentation will be scheduled once the Park District decides whether to join.

Van Nortwick/McKee project: Staff reported the Van Nortwick/McKee street reconstruction is proceeding; crews are working on subgrade and curb work, Pulte has committed to installing sidewalks on the west side, and the contractor expects to be on schedule for the school year.

Traffic safety (Western Avenue / North Avenue area): Aldermen raised resident complaints about speed and crashes near Western and North/Thorson. Police provided crash statistics: through mid-2025 there have been three crashes at the intersection (two injury crashes and multiple property-damage incidents) and a comparative review of similar four-way stops showed Western/North is on the higher end for crash frequency. Staff listed prior engineering and enforcement steps (larger stop signs, advanced-warning signage, speed feedback signs, crosswalk striping and periodic enforcement) and recommended further short-term measures such as temporary flashing stop signs while evaluating long-term engineering or consultant review. The police chief and public-works staff agreed to provide comparative intersection data and pursue short-term traffic-calming where warranted.

Why this matters: Depot Pond and the dam involve public amenity, environmental and potentially large capital costs; the Western/North intersection has a history of crashes that council members said merits immediate and longer-term remedies.

Staff will return with the Park District’s decision on the feasibility study and a follow-up plan for traffic-calming and longer-term intersection engineering.