Dupage Policy Journal

City of Elmhurst Public Affairs and Safety Committee met Sept. 22

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

1. Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 P.M. by Chair Brennan

2. Roll Call

Committee Members Present: Chair Brennan, Alderman Sienko, Alderman Belanger

City Staff Present: Police Chief Michael McLean, Deputy Police Chief James Gandy, Fire Chief Dick Dufort, History Museum Director Dave Oberg, City Engineer Ted Sianis

Elected Officials: Mayor Scott Levin, Aldermen Nudera and Virgil

3. Public Comments

Residents Connie Cain, Tom Sikowski, and Christy Herbas all spoke about the placement of stop signs at the intersection of Euclid/McKinley.  

4. Receipt of Written Communication

Letters regarding the placement of stop signs at the intersection of Euclid/McKinley were provided to the committee. 

5. Business Before the Committee

A. Public Affairs & Safety Committee Meeting, September 8th,  2025, Minutes

Alderman Sienko motioned to approve the minutes; Alderman Belanger seconded. Roll call vote:  Brennan Aye, Sienko Aye, Belanger Aye, motion carried.

B. Dan Gibbons 42nd Annual Turkey Trot Request- Draft Report

Dan Gibbons spoke to the committee regarding the annual Turkey Trot and provided some historical background of the event. There was discussion regarding the value it brought to feeding the hungry and the tradition that the Turkey Trot has become. There were no changes to the plan or footprint from previous years. Alderman Sienko asked how many participants were anticipated to attend. Alderman Belanger confirmed there were no changes to the plan from previous years and he related he was in support of the report if there were no concerns from public safety. Chair Brennan commented that this event has been going on for 41 years and he has no concerns. Alderman Belanger motioned to approve the report, Aldermen Sienko seconded. Roll call vote: Brennan Aye, Sienko Aye, Belanger Aye, motioned carried. 

C. E-bike and Scooter Safety Referral- Discussion

Chair Brennan provided a summary of previous discussions and stated at the last meeting, Mike LoCicero from “Elmhurst Walk and Rollers presented data. Chair Brennan related the revised report would facilitate discussion points and he would facilitate the discussion. Chair Brennan related one of the items he had concerns with was the recommendation of kids between the ages of 12-16 years of age being allowed to use electronic scooters if they attended a city approved class. Chair Brennan related he had concerns of how that would be accomplished and had liability concerns. Chair Brennan stated he wished to keep the framework simple and make it easy for residents to comply with the ordinance. Chair Brennan continued to explain that many 16-year-olds already have taken drivers education and were more familiar with the rules of the road. Alderman Bellanger related he liked allowing 16-year-olds to use electric scooters versus 18, and while he originally liked the idea of a class for kids aged 12-16 in concept, he felt it needed more explaining and discussion. Alderman Sienko stated she liked the idea of requiring a class for younger users but did not know how the council would get there. Chair Brennan further explained that he was not sure about electric scooters not being allowed on sidewalks and requiring the use of a helmet for users. Discussion continued regarding age limitations and allowing low speed electric scooters on sidewalks. Chair Brennan  stated he felt electric bicycles should not be allowed on sidewalks, while Alderman Belanger related the use of an electric bicycle on sidewalks was tricky. Alderman Belanger sought clarifications for the age limits on the different classes of electric bicycles. Alderman Sienko asked if traditional bicycles are allowed on sidewalks and stated how difficult it was to tell what class an electric bicycle was. Chair Brennan expressed the importance of coming to a consensus and the use of an easy-to-understand grid outlining what was decided. The committee will continue to discuss this topic in future meetings. 

D. Stop Sign Placement at Northbound Euclid Avenue and McKinley Avenue- Draft Report

Chair Brennan explained there was a lot of discussion on the topic, and the report discussed the many options that were considered. City Engineer Sianis related the city took an in-depth look at the stop sign configuration and commented that the intersection was atypical. Sianis briefly explained the different options which were considered and related it was determined the current configuration was the best option. Chair Brennan related he was not an expert, but the consultants had the knowledge and expertise in traffic engineering. Chair Brennan stated the recommendations from KLOA were compelling. Alderman Belanger related he spent a lot of time monitoring the intersection and could not advocate for the removal of the stop signs.  Alderman Belanger spoke to possibly reconfiguring the intersection or drawing more attention to the stop sign. Alderman Belanger related that while the intersection could be improved, he supported the report. Alderman Sienko commented there was not a great alternative than what the current configuration offered. Alderman Virgil related that the paramount concern was safety. Alderman Nudera related he kept going back to KLOA’s recommendation regarding uniformity. Chair Brennan stated that tonight’s report tells us where we have been and where the committee was landing. There was discussion regarding other options to consider to possibly make the stop sign more visible. Alderman Nudera thanked the committee and staff for the work on this topic. Alderman Sienko motioned to approve the report, Alderman Belanger seconded. Roll call vote: Brennan Aye, Sienko Aye, Belanger Aye, motion carried. 

6. Other Business

Fire Chief Dufort explained that the Fire Department would be having their Open House on October 5th and would be handing out bicycle bells to promote safety.  

Adjournment

Motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Alderman Sienko and seconded by Alderman Belanger. Roll call vote: Brennan Aye, Sienko Aye, Belanger Aye, motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 8:42  P.M.

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