60185 🇺🇸

Laura Finch & Liuan Huska
  • 5.0 (14)
  • Politics
  • Weekly

You don't have time to attend every board meeting, but you care about West Chicago and the entities we love: the park district, library, schools, and city council. This is for you. Hosts: Laura Finch and Liuan Huska. 60185.substack.com

  1. 4h ago

    Who Guards the City Election Process? Meet the New City Clerk, David Carlson

    After four years without a city clerk, West Chicago finally has someone in the position to act as an independent city record-keeper, accountable to voters. Over the summer, corporate counsel Ancel Glink detailed how the previous city council had inappropriately terminated the clerk position in 2022, a move which cannot legally take place without a referendum. David Carlson was sworn in as city clerk on Sept. 21, 2026, appointed by Mayor Daniel Bovey for the remainder of the vacancy, until the April 2029 elections. David shares about his career at Fermilab, his 20 years living in West Chicago and doing independent Geiger counter readings of the former Kerr-McGee property, his role on the city’s environmental commission - including informal nighttime surveys of his neighborhood’s recycling! - and why he showed up in person to 35 council meetings in the past year and a half. Why is it important that an elected official carry out city clerk duties? How will he handle processing alderman candidate packets for the upcoming 2027 consolidated elections? Why doesn’t everything that is said in council meetings show up in the meeting minutes? We cover these and other burning questions as well. Get full access to 60185 Podcast at 60185.substack.com/subscribe

    Who Guards the City Election Process? Meet the New City Clerk, David Carlson

  2. Oct 7

    Cómo postularse a un cargo público

    ¿Te interesa postularte para un cargo público en West Chicago, Illinois? Empieza con este episodio. LOS BÁSICOS: * Todos estos cargos son apartidistas: no es necesario declarar afiliación política para postularse y no hay elecciones primarias. * Se someterán a votación siete cargos del concejo municipal, uno por cada distrito electoral (más uno que fue asignado para cubrir una vacante); un cargo para el distrito de parques; cuatro cargos para la biblioteca; tres cargos para el Distrito Escolar 33 de West Chicago y tres cargos para el Distrito Escolar 94 de West Chicago. * Ya se pueden comenzar a circular las peticiones; deben entregarse en la oficina del distrito donde se postula entre el 16 y el 23 de noviembre de 2026. Por ejemplo: las peticiones para candidatos al concejo municipal se entregan en el ayuntamiento; las de candidatos a comisionado del distrito de parques, en el centro ARC. * Cada cargo requiere un número diferente de firmas en la petición, pero todos los firmantes deben ser votantes elegibles (es decir, personas que podrían registrarse para votar antes del 6 de abril, si aún no lo han hecho). * El concejo municipal se reúne dos veces al mes, además de las reuniones de comités; las juntas de los distritos escolares se reúnen dos veces al mes; el distrito de parques y la biblioteca se reúnen una vez al mes. * Puede descargar todos los formularios en línea, pero estas entidades ya han impreso los materiales necesarios para usted, ¡así que aproveche la oportunidad! Recoja los paquetes de petición en el ayuntamiento, las oficinas del distrito escolar, la oficina principal del distrito de parques (pregunte por Gina) y la biblioteca (pregunte por Ben). * Si no puede postularse en 2027 pero desea participar o prepararse para una futura candidatura, considere ser voluntario para una comisión municipal, la fundación del distrito de parques, la fundación de la biblioteca o la asociación de padres y maestros (PTO) de su escuela. *Foto de Mikhail Nilov: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-a-megaphone-8846029/ Get full access to 60185 Podcast at 60185.substack.com/subscribe

    Cómo postularse a un cargo público

  3. Sep 25

    Running for Office 101

    Curious about running for office in West Chicago, Illinois? Start with this episode. BASICS: * All of these seats are nonpartisan—you don’t have to declare a party affiliation in order to run, and there is no primary * Seven city council seats will be on the ballot, one for each ward (plus one which was appointed to fill a vacancy); one seat will be on the ballot for the park district; four seats will be on the ballot for the library; three seats for West Chicago District 33, and three seats for West Chicago School District 94 * Petitions may be circulated now and must be submitted to the district office where you are seeking election, between November 16-23, 2026. Ex: city council candidate petitions go to city hall, park district commissioner candidate petitions go to the ARC center. * Each seat has a different number of petition signatures to collect, but they all have to be eligible voters (meaning they could register to vote by April 6, if they aren’t already) * City council meets twice per month, plus committees; school district boards meet twice per month; park district and library meet once per month * You can download all the forms online, but these entities have already printed out all of the required materials for you, so take advantage! Pick up petition packets at city hall, school district offices, park district main office (ask for Gina), and library (ask for Ben) * If you can’t run in 2027, but want to get involved or prepare for a run later, consider applying for a city commission, the park district foundation, library foundation, or the PTO for your school *Photo by Tara Winstead: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-shot-of-a-text-on-a-gray-surface-8850738/ Correction: This episode and the shownotes originally stated that all petitions should be filed at the DuPage County Courthouse but they should actually be filed at the district office where the candidate is seeking election (for example, city council packets should be filed at the city hall). Get full access to 60185 Podcast at 60185.substack.com/subscribe

    Running for Office 101

  4. Sep 16

    One Year of ICE in West Chicago: Stories of Heartbreak, Community, and Strength / Un Año de ICE en West Chicago: Historias de Dolor, Comunidad y Resiliencia

    BILINGUAL EPISODE. TRANSCRIPT IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH AVAILABLE. September 15, 2025 was, for many West Chicagoans, as memorable as any national tragedy. That’s the day ICE came to town—part of Operation Midway Blitz, during which 85 percent of immigrants taken had no prior criminal conviction. Since that day, an estimated 54 people have been detained from West Chicago alone. In this scripted, feature episode, we combine many interviews conducted over the course of one year into one piece to tell part of the story of how the community responded. Action items: * Call 855-435-7693 to reach the ICIRR hotline when you see any suspected ICE activity or ICE agents. That number also offers free services to families who are at risk or if a loved one is detained. * Find public updates on confirmed ICE activity on the local West Chicago team We Go DuPage Facebook page. * Sign up for Eyes on ICE text alerts by entering your zipcode here. ESPAÑOL Para muchos residentes de West Chicago, el 15 de septiembre de 2025 fue tan memorable como cualquier tragedia nacional. Ese día, el ICE llegó a la ciudad como parte de la “Operación Midway Blitz”; durante el operativo, el 85 por ciento de los inmigrantes detenidos carecía de antecedentes penales. Desde entonces, se estima que 54 personas han sido detenidas tan solo en West Chicago. En este episodio especial, hemos reunido numerosas entrevistas realizadas a lo largo de un año para narrar parte de la historia sobre cómo respondió la comunidad. Acciones recomendadas: * Llame al 855-435-7693 para comunicarse con la línea directa de ICIRR si observa cualquier actividad sospechosa del ICE o presencia de agentes de dicha agencia. Este número también ofrece servicios gratuitos a familias en situación de riesgo o cuyos seres queridos hayan sido detenidos. * Consulte las actualizaciones públicas sobre actividades confirmadas del ICE en la página de Facebook del equipo local de West Chicago, “We Go DuPage”. * Suscríbase a las alertas por mensaje de texto de “Eyes on ICE” ingresando su código postal aquí. Get full access to 60185 Podcast at 60185.substack.com/subscribe

    One Year of ICE in West Chicago: Stories of Heartbreak, Community, and Strength / Un Año de ICE en West Chicago: Historias de Dolor, Comunidad y Resiliencia

  5. Sep 11

    Why Doesn’t West Chicago Already Have More Soccer Fields?

    On August 17, the City Council tabled a zoning amendment allowing for athletic fields on their Washington Street property. This Monday, that amendment passed. In this episode, we talk about that vote—and who voted for and against it. Since that earlier meeting, we’ve also had a lot of questions, mainly: why hasn’t the Park District already invested in more soccer fields in the community? The good news is: they’re coming—to the park Kress Creek Farms, south of Rt. 38/Roosevelt! (See the cover image for a rendering.) Listen to the episode to find out more about this news—which has not yet been announced anywhere else! The further good news is: soccer fields also coming to the new 44-acre Community Park, formerly the Kerr-McGee site, located just to the west of Gary and Leman schools. We talk about the timeline and cleanup status for that. And then there’s the bad news: the Park District Board—arguably the entity best equipped to care for athletic fields—has formally declined involvement in the Community Park project. We sat down with Frank Lenertz, Park District Board President, and Gina Radun, Executive Director of the Park District, to hear about why. One seat on the Park District Board will be on the ballot in the April 2027 Consolidated Election. To learn more, visit the Park District website and pick up a petition packet at the ARC. As with City Council and Library Board candidacy, candidates must file petitions between November 16 and 23, 2026. Get full access to 60185 Podcast at 60185.substack.com/subscribe

    Why Doesn’t West Chicago Already Have More Soccer Fields?

  6. Aug 20

    Kicking the Can Down the Futsal Field

    It’s been a long time coming. (The first day of school, obviously.) And the futsal fields will have to continue to wait. On Monday night, August 17, the city council voted unanimously to table the zoning amendment that would allow the fields —which already has $300,000 pledged from private organizations, together with $50,000 pledged by the city council—in order to run it past the Historical Preservation Commission. In this episode, we (Laura & Liuan) talk about the people who showed up to give public comment on the fields and what it shows about how much soccer means to the community. In addition: * an update on the Mario Garcia story that you may have missed if you’re not a D33 parent; * recap of the August 10 data center special meeting; * a quick library update from Laura; * a reminder to be thinking about running for office in 2027. Candidate packets are now available at City Hall, and petitions will be due in November. All you have to do is show up. Get full access to 60185 Podcast at 60185.substack.com/subscribe

    Kicking the Can Down the Futsal Field

  7. Jun 1

    Why is it so hard to develop Main Street?

    It’s June—school is almost out—and the Big Boy is coming. For the moment, it’s all about Main Street, where the first Mosaic Market will happen this Thursday, June 4. In celebration, here’s a feature-style episode on a topic we have long struggled to understand: why has it been so hard, over the years, to get tenants into the buildings on Main Street? What are property owners thinking, and what are developers waiting for? What is the latest on the city’s efforts to sell off city-owned property? We took walks with Kelley Chrissee, Business & Community Relations Director for the City of West Chicago, and Dan Czuba, owner of Daniel & Associates Real Estate, down Main Street past key spots to chat and get more context on this micro-economy that means so much to us. Grab a margarita and an outdoor table at Coco Loco, and enjoy. And for even more tea on Main Street, visit the next meeting of the Downtown Revitalization Commission on Monday, June 22, at 6:00pm. Get full access to 60185 Podcast at 60185.substack.com/subscribe

    Why is it so hard to develop Main Street?

  8. Apr 20

    Earth Day 2026: Big News for WeGo with Rick Gieser!

    Rick Gieser, DuPage County Forest Preserve District 6 Commissioner, shares about the timeline for the project connecting the West DuPage Woods with Blackwell. He tells us about the District’s goals to acquire 250 additional acres using increased funding from the 2024 referendum, and a little-known piece of civil rights history that took place in one of the preserves. Plus, did you know that the Forest Preserve District owns one-seventh of the land in DuPage County? We also hear an update on the conflict over the land north of Menards that the City of West Chicago approved to be a housing development but the Forest Preserve wants to annex into Pratt’s Wayne Woods, and why Rick loves the West Chicago Prairie and the Elsen’s Hill Area of the West DuPage Woods Forest Preserve… PLUS: where to find native, wild orchids in 60185. Email Rick with your ideas and feedback at rgieser@dupageforest.org. Get full access to 60185 Podcast at 60185.substack.com/subscribe

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About

You don't have time to attend every board meeting, but you care about West Chicago and the entities we love: the park district, library, schools, and city council. This is for you. Hosts: Laura Finch and Liuan Huska. 60185.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Laura Finch & Liuan Huska
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    31
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Liuan Huska
  • Show Website
    60185 🇺🇸