Behind every successful community are city officials who care and take a deep interest in the welfare of their residents and businesses. The mayor of Berwyn, along with eight aldermen, develop and set the policies to run the city smoothly and effectively. The mayor is also the top administrator and is responsible for appointing department heads who direct the daily operations, providing efficient public services to local residents.

Highly skilled police, fire personnel, and paramedics protect Berwyn’s residents with the most modern technology available. The enhanced 911 system ensures that emergency services are able to locate residents in the event they are unable to communicate. Innovative, computerized alarm monitoring systems pinpoint exact problem locations and assist police and firefighters in their investigations. A new public safety building opened in 2001, houses state-of-the-art equipment for these services.

A modern public works complex symbolizes the top caliber of the city’s water and waste management systems, as well as its carefully maintained streets and alleys. Public works employees often work round-the-clock in snow emergencies to keep streets clear and passable.

Knowledgeable building department employees advise and consult with residents and business owners regarding all construction and repair work to make certain that applicable building codes are satisfied. They issue permits to licensed and bonded contractors to guarantee compliance with local codes. Inspectors also regularly check contractors’ work in progress at job sites to ensure code compliance.

Berwyn’s state-of-the-art Public Library, located in the Thomas G. Shaughnessy Center at the northeast corner of Harlem Avenue and Riverside Drive, opened in June of 1996. The library occupies three floors, is 33,000 sq. ft. in size and contains 150,000 books and other publications. Reference, nonfiction, foreign language and the electronic resources areas are housed in the lower level of the building.