Tag: berwyn

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Online Candidate Forum: February 2025

As we approach the City of Berwyn municipal elections on February 25 (and traditional early voting February 10-24), the Berwyn Tree Canopy Initiative (BTCI) has asked the candidates to share their vision and plans to improve the health and well-being of Berwyn’s residents and neighborhoods. We invited the candidates for Mayor and for Alderman of each of the eight Wards, as well as the candidates for City Clerk and City Treasurer to participate in our “Online Candidate Forum” by answering three questions:

  1. What is your vision for a healthy Berwyn? What are the key components of your vision and how would you support them? You may want to address people, neighborhoods, and the environment, as well as the role of equity, communication, and education and how you plan to respond to input from residents.
  2. The City of Berwyn’s Urban Forestry Management Plan sets a goal of increasing tree canopy coverage from 20.91% (as of 2022) to 23% by 2032. If elected, what would you do to ensure this and other goals of the Plan are met?
  3. Flooding is a big concern for many residents and with a warming climate we know to expect more extreme weather events. If elected, what would you do to decrease flooding and ensure our community is ready for a changing climate?

[Disclaimer: The Berwyn Tree Canopy Initiative (BTCI) is a non-political community group. We do not support or endorse and political candidates. Any views expressed on this website by candidates are not necessarily the views of BTCI, and should not be attributed to BTCI.]

Names in bold/color link to answers from those participating candidates for each elected position:

Mayor

Alicia Maria Ruiz
No responses received from candidates Ralph Avila or Robert Lovero

Alderman

1st Ward

Micah Caldwell
No responses received from candidates Scott Lennon or Rigoberto Salazar, Jr.

2nd Ward

Joshua Bowman
No responses received from candidate James Woywod

3rd Ward

Brian Brock
No response received from candidate Richard Leja 

4th Ward

Patricia Ostaszewski
No response received from candidate Robert Fejt

5th Ward

Rob Pabon
No response received from candidate Deanna Carbajar

6th Ward

No response received from candidate Teddy Polashek 

7th Ward

Michael Bane
No response received from candidate Sara Barnett Bruckmann

8th Ward

Joe Carmichael
No response received from candidate Ruthy Ortega

City Clerk

Letty Garcia
No response received from candidate Jessica Rodriguez

City Treasurer

No responses received from candidates Libby Linares-Herrera or Lisa M. Gomez

We sent email to the candidates on January 22 inviting them to participate. We requested candidates submit their answers by January 31. On February 2, we sent follow-up emails to candidates who had not responded hoping to receive additional responses. In our email invitations we included these guidelines:

We ask that you please answer each question … in fewer than 300 words and, if possible, provide answers in both English and Spanish.

Pick one of the three questions and make and upload a 1-2 minute video version of your answer … Your answers and short video will be shared on the BTCI website, social media, and email listserv as a way to help residents come to a decision on who to vote for in the Feb election. You are of course welcome to also share the content with your networks.

[Disclaimer: The Berwyn Tree Canopy Initiative (BTCI) is a non-political community group. We do not support or endorse and political candidates. Any views expressed on this website by candidates are not necessarily the views of BTCI, and should not be attributed to BTCI.]

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Vote YES for Trees!

Help us get an extra $75,000 for Berwyn to plant trees this year—just come VOTE at the Berwyn Township annual meeting on Tuesday, April 9, 2024 at 6 p.m.!

UPDATE: This measure passed UNANIMOUSLY! Thank you for making your voice heard!

— Original Post —

All Berwyn registered voters can vote for this item on the agenda, but you have to be there IN PERSON when the vote happens.

We learned that the Berwyn Township has funds set aside that it needs to spend on city improvements. So last month BTCI members collected signatures to get this resolution added to the Township annual meeting:

Should the Berwyn Township spend $75,000 in tax revenue to purchase 150 trees for public lands?

Passing this resolution will not raise taxes, because this is money that has already been set aside. It calls for dollars to be transferred from the Township to the City. This amount will cover purchasing and planting the trees—and might even pay for more than 150 trees.

Now it’s time to put it to a vote! If you support trees in Berwyn, join us at Pav YMCA at 2947 Oak Park Ave. on April 9th at 6 p.m. We hope to SEE YOU THERE!

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Serenity Park Saved… for Now

Did you know we almost lost a Berwyn Park?

Serenity Park was slated for a 12/12/23 Berwyn City Council vote to be REMOVED and paved over for a ‘temporary’ parking lot—with only a few days notice. This would have included cutting down five trees that were planted in the last year.

But community members—including the Berwyn Tree Canopy Initiative—swiftly reached out to the Berwyn City Council, held a park rally, and the mayor removed the item from the meeting agenda.

Here is the original call for action from the Serenity Park Community Gardens:

This is a great example of why we all need to keep our eyes on the ball. YOUR VOICE MAKES A DIFFERENCE. Big props to Berwyn community members who spotted this and took quick action to make our feelings known, and save Serenity Park!