Fiction
You have to be a lifelong resident to serve on the Village Board.
Fact
The makeup of the current board is 3 individuals who have lived in Itasca for their entire lives and 5 individuals who have not. How long you have lived in the Village is not a requirement and should not be confused with an individual’s desire to serve their community.
Fiction
There has been no economic development in the Village.
Fact
In the last five years
- Itasca’s tax base has grown by nearly $500 million
- Itasca has attracted nearly 2 million square feet of new development to the Village
For example
- Bridge Development — WBBM tower site
- Hamilton Lakes Apartments
- Raging Wire/NTT Data Center
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- A Fueling station, Hotel and Restaurant on the corner of Devon & Rohlwing
- A Dunkin Donuts in the old Burger King on Rohlwing Road
- In 2018 the Village approved partnering with the Regional Transportation Authority to create a downtown redevelopment plan which is scheduled to be completed this year. As part of the plan a committee made up of Residents and Business leaders will assist in developing the recommendations for the plan.
Fiction
The Village has done little to relieve flooding issues in town.
Fact
Over the last 20 years, Village has expended nearly $21 million in upgrades to its stormwater system. The projects listed below were completed in the last 10 years
- South Side Drainage Investigation — Completed 2013
- “Crossings” project to increase storm capacity along Catalpa Ave & San Lift Station
- Completed in 2014 — $1,374,715 ($806,000 Storm Related)
- South Side Drainage Improvements — Phase 1 completed in 2016 — $723,396
- Willow Street Storm Sewer $281,203 — Completed 2017
- Upsizing and lowering of Thorndale Culvert @ I-390 — Completed in 2018 — Part of EOWA
- Contacted ~108 residents after 2018 flooding events
- North Side Drainage Investigation — Completed 2019
- Received 75 calls in 2020 and Contacted ~147 residents after 2020 flooding events
- Based on reported flooding, 79 homes throughout the community had reported water in their home (Could be from overland or sump pump failure) — Equates to ~3% of all residential addresses.
- Based on reported flooding, 33 homes throughout the community had reported sanitary sewer backup — Equates to ~1.3% of all residential addresses.
- Financial Assistance for 11 Residential Properties through the Rear Yard Drainage Assistance Program
- Invested $40,000 in Interim Drainage Improvements in 2020
- Currently ~$4-6 million of storm sewer projects identified in multi-year capital improvement program — Elm Street Storm Sewer — Slated to start 2021/2022
Notable Projects prior to 2010
- Happy Acres detention pond -Completed in 2001 — $1,500,000 Storm related
- Schiller Street detention pond — Completed in 2007 — $425,000 Storm related
- Urbanization (1999-2006) — $14,900 Storm related
