Lisle Mayor Touts Municipal Highlights in State of the Village Address

Editor's note: The following is a press release from the village of Lisle.

Lisle Mayor Joe Broda delivered the annual State of the Village address last Thursday during a Chamber luncheon held at the Hilton Lisle.

Speaking to a crowd of more than100 people, Broda reviewed the municipal highlights of the year 2012. The theme of the address was “Rising to Meet the Challenge.”

Broda said multipe new developments have transformed vacant land into productive use. He referenced now open on the I-88 Corporate Corridor. DuPage Medical Group also leased an additional 55,000 square feet on Ogden Avenue and will employ a total of 610 people, making it one of Lisle’s larger businesses.

Broda also referenced Arboretum Landmark, a residential development adjacent to the DuPage Medical Group location, which will feature 310 upscale apartments with attractive amenities. Construction on the new 185,000 square feet Universal Technical Institute Midwest Campus is also underway. Arbor Trails, one of the largest new residential developments in the area, will soon break ground on a site that has been owned by Meijer for more than thirteen years.

Broda was pleased with the village’s low debt ($5.8 million versus an $87 million debt limit) and high bond rating of Aa2 by Moody’s. To navigate the current economic climate, the village has used volunteers and grants to extend its budget and continually seeks ways to operate more efficiently. Broda was especially pleased about recent changes made at the Lisle Police Department, which allows the village to share local emergency service resources while a new Community Service Unit will handle non-emergency calls.

During the year, the village has focused on expanding its communications. A quarterly Coffee with the Village Board enables the community to connect with local officials more conveniently. Village related information is now included in the new Neighbors of Lisle publication, which is sent to the community bi-monthly. The village also expanded its use of social media and is encouraging people to “Shop Local” in Lisle.

Sustainability continues to be important for Lisle. Electrical aggregation provides residents with a source of sustainable energy and an estimated cost savings of $300 per year. New larger carts encourage residential recycling. Lisle electronics recycling events have diverted 182,000 pounds of material from landfills.

Broda was pleased that award-winning PrairieWalk Pond continues to attract people into downtown Lisle. An increasing number of groups are touring the pond to learn about sustainability, enjoying the site’s amenities and visiting downtown Lisle shops and restaurants.

The village received a number of awards and accolades during 2012 in areas such as quality of life, financial reporting, public works projects and sustainability. Mayor Broda was pleased independent sources acknowledged the quality focus the Village strives to achieve.

Broda voiced concern about the continued challenging economic conditions and the uncertainty of revenue streams such as sales and other state-administered taxes. He was encouraged by recent interest in village-owned downtown property targeted for redevelopment. He would like to begin implementation of the Ogden Avenue Master Plan, however, that is dependent on financial resources.

Finally, Broda announced the winners of the 2012 Community Spirit Award, the Lisle Teens with Character. This youth and adult partnership promotes character development through service projects in Lisle and surrounding communities utilizing the six pillars of CHARACTER COUNTS: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship. Mayor Broda cited numerous projects the group has completed throughout the past years and was proud of their volunteer efforts.

The State of Village address will soon be available on the Village’s website, and rebroadcast on the Village’s cable TV channel.