City Council Planning Sessions

Monday, April 13, 2026 I. Call to Order The Wheaton City Council Planning Session was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Mayor Suess. The following were: Physically Present: Mayor Suess Councilwoman Bray-Parker Councilwoman Brice Councilman Clousing Councilwoman Robbins Councilman Weller Absent: Councilman Brown City Staff Present: Michael G. Dzugan, City Manager William Kolschowsky, Assistant City Manager Joseph Tebrugge, Director of Engineering Vincent Laoang, Director of Public Works Sean Walsh, Assistant Director of Public Works Al McMillen, Water Superintendent Farin Azim, Traffic Engineer Erik Berg, Management Analyst Halie Cardinal, Public Relations Coordinator II. Approval of Planning Session Minutes – March 9, 2026 The Council approved the March 9, 2026, Planning Session minutes. III. Risk-Based Water Analysis City Manager Dzugan introduced the risk-based analysis report of the City’s water infrastructure, the goal of which is to identify how to allocate infrastructure investments to reduce the likelihood and consequences of infrastructure failure while operating within the constraints of the Water Fund. Arcadis served as a consulting partner, assessing both the City’s horizontal and vertical water infrastructure and updating the City’s hydraulic water model. City staff then developed a capital improvement plan based on these findings. Nicholas Kallmyer, Senior Water/Wastewater Engineer for Arcadis, reviewed the report. Arcadis evaluated the assets using a matrix based on likelihood of failure and consequence of failure to prioritize capital investment. He proposed the City replace a large-diameter transmission main on Roosevelt Road, where the water mains are approaching the end of their useful service life, including areas with suspected lead service lines. He also recommended that the City assess potential vulnerabilities in the SCADA system to mitigate the risk of a cybersecurity attack. In response to a Council question, Mr. Kallmyer stated that the report additionally recommends the assessment of the City’s emergency wells, since these assets tend to degrade over time without use.  CITY COUNCIL PLANNING SESSION MINUTES Monday, April 13, 2026 Assistant Director of Public Works Walsh reviewed future capital improvement projects, which reflect a proactive approach to risk mitigation. He identified the top priorities for future capital investment. First, replace all lead service lines; this project is anticipated to be completed in 2031. Second, accelerate replacement of high-risk water mains (Category 4 and 5). Third, assess and rehabilitate the City’s emergency wells in case of a key supplier outage from the DuPage Water Commission (DWC). Finally, implement SCADA upgrades to prevent cybersecurity attacks from disrupting water operations. In response to a Council question, Assistant Director of Public Works Walsh stated that the City has six wells, two of which could supply the City of Wheaton in the event of a supplier outage. City Manager Dzugan cautioned that, due to their inactivity, there are concerns with water quality and widespread regional well use could deplete the groundwater supply. Assistant Director of Public Works Walsh stated that lower-risk water mains – those identified as Category 3 or below – would eventually become higher-risk mains with age and further breaks; many of these mains would also need to be resized. Additionally, he added that staff could begin replacing the water main under Roosevelt Road as the lead service line replacement project concludes or nears conclusion. City Manager Dzugan stated that balancing these projects and operating within the constraints of the Water Fund remains challenging and added that staff will continue to seek grant support for projects. Councilmembers discussed potential countermeasures in the event of a total supply loss from the DWC, and measures the DWC has taken to reduce risk. Councilmembers thanked Arcadis and City staff for their efforts in developing the framework and capital improvement plan. IV. Washington and Harrison Traffic Calming Traffic Engineer Azim provided an overview of the four-way intersection of Washington Street and Harrison Avenue. Since 2022, there have been sixteen crashes at the intersection; resident concerns prompted analysis by the Engineering Department. The City’s consultant, HLR, provided six options to improve the intersection’s safety: sight distance enhancement, LED signage, pavement markings, all- way stop control, pedestrian bump-outs, and a roundabout. Traffic Engineer Azim reviewed each of the options. While vehicles traveling on Harrison Avenue require a greater sight distance, there are few obstacles that pose a concern, particularly for vehicles traveling on Washington Street. LED signage, which would draw attention to the stop sign, currently does not have enough data to demonstrate its effectiveness. Pavement markings, which subtly alter the driver’s perception, were installed in summer 2024, but did not result in significant reduction in speed; installing a flush median per HLR’s recommendation would require widening the intersection. An all-way stop intersection, as the intersection has currently been since winter 2026, has a wide range of effectiveness based on Crash Mitigation Factors (CMF). Installing pedestrian bump outs, which would decrease the crossing distance for pedestrians, would have a limited effect on vehicle safety and is not recommended for a roadway requiring full driving lane widths. Finally, a roundabout could improve safety by reducing conflict points and could fit within the intersection with only minor accommodations, but this option would be the most expensive. Staff recommended conducting further analysis on the feasibility and cost of a roundabout. In response to a Council question, Traffic Engineer Azim stated that crash patterns were not consistent in aspects such as time of day or surface conditions, but many crashes resulted from turning  CITY COUNCIL PLANNING SESSION MINUTES Monday, April 13, 2026 movements. Director of Engineering Tebrugge stated that CMF varies widely for an all-way stop intersection but there is less variation for a traffic circle. In response to a Council question, Director of Engineering Tebrugge stated that a roundabout encompasses multiple factors besides vehicle crashes such as traffic flow and speed. He added that the federal Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices specifies certain requirements for stop sign installation, depending on the classification and traffic volume of the streets, meaning that similar four-way intersections may not meet the requirements for all-way stop signs. He stated that, currently, there are no plans to install a marked crosswalk at this intersection, but this could be studied in the future to verify if it meets the City’s policy for marked crosswalks. Councilmembers discussed the efficacy and cost of a roundabout versus the four-way stop intersection currently in place. Council directed the staff to maintain the all-way stop and continue collecting data at the intersection. V. Public Comment There was no public comment. VI. Council/Staff Comment. Councilman Weller expressed his excitement for the upcoming spring weather, highlighting his attendance at the French Market. VII. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 8:24 p.m. Respectfully, Erik Berg