Welcome!

The ECHO board meets on the second Monday of every month in the Dining Room of the Harold and Eva White Activities Center of NCC (located at the intersection of Benton and Loomis) except where otherwise marked (*).
Members are welcome to join the board at 8:00PM for public forum.

Meeting Dates:

• 14th January 2013
  
• 11th February 2013
  
• 11th March 2013
  
• 8th April 2013
  
• 13th May 2013
  
• 10th June 2013
  
• 8th July 2013
  
• 12th August 2013
  
• 9th September 2013
  
• 14th October 2013
  
• 11th November 2013
  
• 9th December 2013
  

Current Board Members:

• Craig Kiefer (President)
  
• Tim Messer (Treasurer)
  
• Steve Grosskopf
  
• Lisa Goolik
  

Email the ECHO Board

The ECHO board members love to hear from you!

Board Member Login

• 2013 ECHO garage sale! Saturday, June 8, 8am-2pm
  Please email board@naperville-echo.org if you are planning to hold your garage sale on this date. We will have a map posted on this site, distribute paper maps to participants, and place an ad in local newspapers.

• 2012 ECHO garage sale! Saturday, June 9, 8am-2pm
  An ad has been placed in west suburban newspapers and on their websites referring readers to this map.

  View ECHO 2012 garage sale in a larger map

  Sue & Jimmy Llende 15 N Columbia St Pete & Amy Ditmars 8 S Columbia St Furniture -- Home decor Women's and children's clothing Children's bicycles Electronics -- Books, CDs, DVDs Jen Eveslage 9 S Columbia St Ed Halpern 21 S Columbia St Melinda Creasy 214 N Julian St Almost new TV and stand, rocking chair, Halloween costumes of all sizes April Horner 16 N Wright St Heiden 215 N Wright St Lots of furniture, household goods, dolls and toys & books

• ECHO annual meeting The ECHO annual meeting will be held on Monday, April 9 at 7 p.m. at North Central College's Meiley-Swallow Hall, 31 S. Ellsworth St.

• 2012 ECHO dues Dues for 2012 are still a bargain at $20! A membership form can be found in the most recent newsletter.

• Bus depot feasibility study UPDATE:The bus depot feasibility study recommendations went before the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) on Monday, January 7. City staff are recommending the Parkview Lot option, detailed on the City's website. TAB continued the agenda item to the March 3 meeting at 8AM

  Old info:On November 14th, the City of Naperville held a public open house for the Naperville Metra Station Bus Depot. The City is now evaluating several site plan alternatives and they want to know what you think! Learn more about the study, view the bus depot options, and submit your comments at the City's website. Comments will be accepted through Friday, December 2.

  You can also contact the project manager Rory Fancler at fanclerr@naperville.il.us or (630) 305-3430.

• City of Naperville proposed districts The City of Naperville has begun the process of drawing district maps for City Council representation, in accordance with the referendum approved by voters in November 2010. A proposed map is available ion the City's website. Under the proposed map, the entire ECHO neighborhood would be in District 2. Residents are encouraged to submit comments via the website or at a series of upcoming open houses scheduled for March through June.

• D203 enrollment study District 203 posted the latest school boundary proposals to the district website on Friday, January 13. Questions about the process or general comments about the reports should be sent to capacity@naperville203.org.

  The next District 203 Business Meeting is Monday, January 23rd. Check district website for location.

  The February Ellsworth Home & School Meeting is Thursday, February 9th, with Superintendent Mark Mitrovich as a guest. He will likely discuss much of this information as it pertains district-wide.

• Historic Preservation Commission meeting The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) is scheduled to meet on Thursday, January 26 at 7pm in meeting rooms B & C at the Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St. The Board will be considering approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness in order to allow a tear-down and new construction at 30 S. Ellsworth St

• Parking ticket fine increase The Naperville City Council is considering increasing the amount of a standard parking ticket from $30 ($15 if paid within 15 days) to $50 ($25 if paid within 15 days). The Council first discussed the issue at its November 1 meeting. The agenda item stated, "The level of a fine can have an impact on voluntary community compliance. Staff has reviewed other municipal parking fines, which reveal that Naperville fines are among the lowest." Action is expected to be taken on this issue at the December 6 meeting. You can provide input by speaking on the agenda item at the meeting, or by emailing the City Council at council@naperville.il.us.

• Like us on Facebook! ECHO now has a Facebook page! "Like" us on Facebook to keep up with neighborhood events. If you have a Facebook account, go to Friend on Facebook, and then click "Like" at the top of the ECHO page.

• Saturday, January 21: Winter event Saturday, January 21: Winter event at Two Brothers Roundhouse, Aurora

• ECHO and CUMC join forces for National Night Out

  On August 2nd, Naperville celebrates National Night Out and ECHO have joined forces with CUMC (Community United Methodist Church) to bring you the summer block party you'll not forget!!

  Watch this space for more details as they are confirmed - but rumors indicate there will be a band, a big bouncy thing (and a little one), a cookie bake-off and ice cream!!!

• ECHO 2011 Garage Sale!! June 4th (8AM-2PM)

  View ECHO 2011 Garage Sale in a larger map

  Cassandra Fransen 222 E. 4th Ave Martens & Kiefer 224 E. 4th Ave Jim & Lee Wills 18 S. Loomis St Paul Brandt 27 N. Sleight St Nancy and Mike Kett 16 N. Sleight St. Dawn Bray 107 N. Wright St.

  Roy & Heidi Schoeneck 5 N. Columbia St. Mike & Karen Tatman 5 S. Columbia St. Tim Messer 6 N. Huffman St Brenda McDowell 20 S. Julian Weaver Residence 56 S. Julian Todra Oken 400 E. Chicago Ave. Jeff & Debbie Keating 724 Highland Ave

• North Central College Sesquicentennial Anniversary
  North Central College marks its Sesquicentennial anniversary this year. Visit the Sesquicentennial web page to learn more about special events and watch the trailer for a new five-part documentary capturing North Central's 150-year history, produced in conjunction with Naperville Community Television and released on DVD.

  Also, take a look at the NCC Presentation at the ECHO Annual Meeting this month

  NCC Cornerstone Celebration : May 20!

  Meet the ECHO board and other residents at Quigleys after!

• Pfeiffer Hall Design & Resident Letter
  Design for Pfeiffer Hall Drop Off

• City of Naperville Election Candidate Statements
  The ECHO Board asked candidates: "Within the context of Naperville as a whole, what city issues do you believe are likely to have the greatest impact on the ECHO/Historic District neighborhood at this time; and what resolution of these issues would you work toward and vote for as a City Councilman or Mayor?". We thank the candidates who have responded and you can meet candidates at the "Election Meet & Greet" on March 14th. The candidate responses were:

  Candidate Name: Kenneth “Kenn” D. Miller Office Being Sought: Mayor of Naperville The economy is the biggest issue regardless where one lives in Naperville as the City has reduced the workforce, cut services and delayed projects to balance the budget. The forecast for the next five years illustrate the economic struggles will continue in the near-term. The underlying problem in Naperville is the struggling housing market. The 2010 Census shows a decline in population! This coupled with the housing debacle will continue to plague the City as it is dependent on property tax and sales tax receipts for a major portion of its revenue. With a reduce population, depressed housing values and stagnant sales tax receipts, we have a five year struggle to balance the budget. So, the historic district will also be plagued with homes that are not completed, reduced values so one cannot move or sell the home and fewer renovations or upgrades by current owners. Another concern is tied to the housing market conditions. Some may try to take advantage of the down market to buy property for a tear down or nearly a tear down and challenge ECHO and the City Historic District guidelines. I will be vigilant to keep construction within the Historic District guidelines and City ordinances to keep the desirable and important heritage. On March 1, I voted FOR Option A: No New Historic district if 51% or more of the owner’s opposition to a new district designation.	Candidate Name: A. George Pradel Office Being Sought: Mayor of Naperville I believe the East Central Homeowners are going to feel the greatest impact from the Historic Preservation Ordinance. In my opinion it will have a positive impact on the Historic District. The collaboration that went into the ordinance allowed many voices to be heard and many practical issues to be addressed. As a result, I think ECHO residents will be pleased with the flexibility it provides homeowners and the voice it gives the entire neighborhood going forward. The 2030 plan will also have an effect on the Historic District. As city leaders plan for future re-development and improvement of our downtown, we need to continue to work closely with our residents, including both ECHO and WHOA. As we identify issues during the planning process I will try to find the win-win solutions. I will look for compromises and will be understanding of the need to preserve the surrounding neighborhoods as we try to create more enterprise and business activity in the downtown area. The downtown business district is essential to Naperville as a whole and I support an active downtown. However, safety, a neighborhood lifestyle and access to the roads and sidewalks is also very important and must be provided to the residents. As a nearby homeowner, I am aware of the issues of traffic congestion and parking that uniquely impact the ECHO residents. I will vote in ways that look for balance of the various interests in the ECHO neighborhood. I believe the business district and the Historic District have been, and can continue to be, good neighbors. Lastly, I will support the ECHO and North Central College efforts to maintain their positive, neighborly relationship, I think it works because both parties work hard to keep the lines of communication open.
  Candidate Name: Steve Chirico Office Being Sought: City Council During the past 20 years your organization has had its share of issues and concerns. As I look at your community today I am impressed with the resolution of so many concerns and potential risks. So much so that the question you have given has led me to only one answer. At one time I believe the expansion of Central Park would have been a likely topic to choose, but that subject now has a well thought out plan that seems to have met ECHO’s needs while at the same time meeting the needs of the community as a whole. One would think that the expansion of North Central College is the most obvious risk to the neighborhood, but here again, it appears through responsible and thoughtful relationship building and consistent communication between the college and ECHO, your community has proven that the two entities can live together harmoniously. I suspect that at some point in the future NCC will consider expanding into perhaps the Little Friends land and based on the successful working relationship you have established, I believe ECHO will find a solution that everyone can live with. More recently the city approved the historic districts Historic Preservation Ordinance which provides protections for the historical preservation of the area and yet allows for the homeowners to make sensible improvements to their homes. Once again ECHO participated in finding a solution that everyone seems to be happy with. Currently the City of Naperville is working on the approval of the 2030 Plan. This plan provides a clear direction of the northerly expansion of downtown and a clear line drawn to protect the ECHO residential district. Echo’s representation on this commission did a good job of delivering a plan that adequately protects the district. The one ongoing concern that I believe is a risk to ECHO is traffic. Traffic has continued to worsen over the years and there is no single answer to solving the problem. As our City and the college continue to grow and as a larger percentage of the population uses public transportation there will be increased traffic in the east central district. Already with limited parking this will become more of an issue. There is no simple answer to the traffic problem, but it may become necessary to study it and form a committee to repeat what the ECHO district has done in the past and map out the best possible solution. As a councilman I would support this effort and encourage all parties to work together to find a responsible solution to this problem.	Candidate Name: Richard R. "Dick" Furstenau Office Being Sought: City Council ECHO and the Historic District comprise a unique facet of our community and are challenged by municipal decisions in unmatched ways. I believe that the rules and regulations that have been instituted for teardowns located in other areas of our community should be specifically crafted to our community's ECHO neighborhood and Historic District. It is unfortunate that some "construction creep" has taken place throughout ECHO and its surrounding neighborhoods; I believe a more disciplined gauge and enforcement that hold high the standards of the board are required to maintain the integrity of the area, and will prevent the piece by piece destruction of history. Although I have found that the National Park Service's Department of the Interior, the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, and the rules, regulations and guidelines implemented by the City of Naperville will provide a cohesive and clear process that supports protecting our unique neighborhood; I believe that a detailed review that would assure the property owners and the city's governing boards that ECHO and any Historical District, existing or new, will be protected from any further "construction creep". Carefully drafted municipal code/Historic District Guidelines that addresses height, size/bulk, and set-backs, in my opinion, is the means to stopping and further preventing "construction creep" that is not in the character of the Historic District.
  Candidate Name: Joe McElroy Office Being Sought: City Council It's the darndest thing. Ask somebody why they moved to Naperville and they almost always mention the RiverWalk, the downtown and "the nice old houses." Sometimes they know they're talking about the Historic District/ECHO area, but usually not. Then, when asked where they live, they mention some subdivision miles away from the central part of the city. My brother lives in a new neighborhood in Franklin, TN, a town much like Naperville, with a lovely downtown flanked by gracious, century-old homes. He once said, "I wouldn't want to live in one of them (the old homes), but I'm glad they're there." He should be; those older homes help his property values by giving Franklin its character. Naperville is the same way. The older neighborhoods are special and should be treated differently. Between the train station, the college and the downtown, we put a lot of strain on your neighborhood. Your homes are irreplaceable assets; as such, the city should help you nurture them. This should be done by traffic control and improvementsI'm looking at you, Pace buses, when you stack up in front of homesaggressive code enforcement and financial incentives for rehab efforts that enhance the neighborhood. The current budget crunch makes financial incentivesfor which I've lobbied for yearsdifficult right now, although we might look at fee waiver or reductions to enhance renovation efforts. Also, the City could use Community Development Block Grant money to purchase, save and then sell homes that go into foreclosure and then sit half finished for years. Recently the City once again allocated its block grant funding for various groups and projects that have little to do with the federal legislation's original intent. Having designed and administered historic preservation policies funded by block grants, I know how to get scare resources to right places. My background in historic preservation and economic redevelopment planning make me an ideal candidate to represent your neighborhood's interests. I'm glad to hear you are expecting a good turnout on March 14, but please remember who has been going to bat for you for years. I welcome your comments or questions and would love to meet with as many residents as possible. You can reach me at 717-1067 or JoeVote6@gmail.com. Thanks for your time and attention.

• The snow is melting - Spring is nearly Here!

• ECHO Winter event moved from the Roundhouse to Quigleys. Closer to home, easier to get to more fun to be had!

• ECHO Christmas Fun: Experience some "Holiday Magic" with your family, friends and neighbors Saturday, December 4th as ECHO visits the Brookfield Zoo for our annual holiday event. Each year Brookfield Zoo illuminates more than one millions twinkling lights and over 100 animated displays. Enjoy cookies and cocoa as we travel by train to view one of Chicagoland's most festive displays!

  Join us at the Naperville station to depart on the 2:33PM train to the Zoo Stop. Brookfield Zoo's event lasts from 4:00-7:00PM, and trains depart for Naperville at 5:01, 6:01 and 7:01PM. Tickets to the Brookfield Zoo can be purchased in advance from www.brookfieldzoo.org.

• ECHO Winter Event: We'll be repeating the January Winter event this year, but now it will be at Quigleys! More details to follow. Mark your calendar January 22nd!

• Maximize our use of North Central College : See North Central College Services for ECHO Residents

• ECHO Annual Picnic - Postponed to Saturday 25th September due to storms The rain date is on September 25th.

• A.A. Smith House Tour - Monday 16th August A. A. SMITH HOUSE TOUR
  When: Monday, August 16, 2010, 6-8 p.m.
  Where: Northeast corner of Loomis and Van Buren Streets
  Learn a little history while you socialize. ECHO residents are invited to tour the historic A. A. Smith House on Monday, August 16, from 6-8 pm. Get a glimpse into this beautiful old Naperville home, gifted to and now in the care of North Central College. Light refreshments will be served. The tour will be of the downstairs only; no pictures, please.

• Current ECHO 2010 Garage Sale Participants
  

  Add your name/address to the map!
  Jim/Lee Wills 18 South Loomis St. Laura Nolan 5 S. Brainard St. Becky Heusner 132 N Sleight St. Lightning McQueen toddler bed, high chair, and toddler toys/videos Lynn A. Johnson 106 N. Sleight St. Basket collection, baker’s rack, Super Nintendo, stereo system, games, crafts, books David Donaldson 5 N. Sleight St. Toys and clothes for younger girls The D'Angelo Family 29 S. Sleight St.	Robert/Catherine Koch 216 N. Wright St. Horner Residence 16 N. Wright St. Gleeson/Bell household 15 S Wright St A bicycle, lots of books, and many other items of interest to the discerning buyer Rob/Heather Simmelink 16 S. Wright St. The Austins 132 S. Wright St. Ed & Leslie Poole 221 S. Wright St. Cheryl Talac 23 N. Columbia St. Melinda Creasy 214 N Julian