Carol Stream engineers propose moving Town Center electrical controls above ground to reduce confined-space maintenance

At a Village Board meeting, John Caruso of Christopher Burke Engineering presented a proposal to relocate the Town Center’s lighting and vendor power controls from a confined underground vault to new above‑grade electrical panels, a move the firm said would reduce confined‑space maintenance and improve event access.

Caruso said the study calls for a new 400‑amp service feeding a 400‑amp panel near the trash/storage enclosure, increasing the gazebo panel from 60 amps to 200 amps, and adding receptacles along the walkway for vendors. He estimated the current concept at about $560,000 and recommended directional boring (trenchless) installation to minimize surface restoration. "This would get all of that power out of that vault and into an above‑grade enclosure that you can just walk up to and turn lights on and off," Caruso said.

The plan responds to what Caruso described as a confined‑space situation in the northeast equipment vault, which requires safety rigging and two‑person entries to troubleshoot breakers and motor control equipment. Caruso said the fountain pumps and their 480‑volt motor control center would remain in the vault; only the 120/208‑volt lighting and vendor circuits would be moved above ground.

Trustee Fruzzaloni asked whether the relocated panel would allow outside groups to access power for events when village staff were not on site; Caruso said the design can include additional receptacles and keyed or locked portions of the panel to allow controlled access. "We can add more receptacles there," Caruso said, adding that parts of the panel could be keyed so small groups could operate some circuits without accessing the whole unit.

Trustee Berger and others pressed on schedule and reliability. Caruso said long lead times on major panels remain — roughly 15–20 weeks for some equipment and 4–6 weeks for wire and conduit — and recommended bidding in spring for a fall construction start after the fountain is shut down. "A spring bid gets you into September construction," he said, noting construction should avoid summer event season. Trustees raised concerns about completing visible holiday installations (such as a Christmas tree) and about protecting receptacles from tripping hazards; Caruso said receptacles would be placed adjacent to light poles and raised about 12 inches to reduce hazards.

Board members also asked about future expansion. Caruso said the 400‑amp selection was based on existing infrastructure served by a ComEd transformer on the west side of Fountain View Road. He said upgrading to 600 or 800 amps is possible but would add cost and time and would require coordination with ComEd; he recommended budgeting roughly $50,000 for a service upgrade if the board later chose to increase capacity.

Josh Hanselman asked whether the work would extend the service life; Caruso said the new equipment should provide another 20+ years of service for the replaced downstream equipment and that contactors and other regularly cycled components are likely to be the first items to need future replacement.

Caruso said engineers expect construction to be feasible beginning after the fountain is shut down in fall and to be complete before the fountain reopens in spring, assuming equipment lead times are met. The next step, he said, would be scope approval by staff to proceed to public bidding so a contractor could order equipment and set a firm start date.

No formal action was taken during the presentation; the item will be considered as staff scopes and the village’s capital budgeting process proceed through the upcoming budget season.