National Argonne Funding Cuts Would Have Local Impact

Driving down Cass Avenue toward Darien, one might notice a large black sign standing guard at the edge of a dense wood. ARGONNE NATIONAL LABORATORY, it reads, giving visitors a clue as to what is behind all those trees. Founded in 1946, the lab and its occupants have been a consistent presence in the community for decades.

Now, a proposed federal spending cut could force Argonne to lay off more than 1,000 employees and shut down some of its facilities.

Many, including Sen. Dick Durbin, D-IL, and Argonne Laboratory Director Eric Isaacs, have pointed to the  and the energy industry, as well as the effect cuts could have on Argonne's .

However, the impact would be most personal for the Argonne employees who live and do business in the Darien area.

According to its website, Argonne employs more than 3,200 people. While only 83 of those employees live in Darien, even those who reside in surrounding communities patronize local businesses during their nonworking hours.

Assistant City Administrator Scott Coren said he believes that the federal budget cut could have an impact on local businesses.  

"It would have a definite economic impact," Coren said. "A lot of very educated and intelligent people (work) at Argonne … and (they) definitely come to businesses in the neighboring Darien area.”

Kevin Beyer, an Argonne employee, is one of those people. “I eat in the Darien area,” Beyer said. “My chiropractor is in Darien.”

Beyer, who lives in Aurora, also operates the Argonne Pool League, which meets weekly at . Beyer said with so many employees in one place, many commuting far from home, it's common for them to buy food, gasoline and other necessities in Darien. If they leave town or stop spending locally, that source of revenue for small businesses disappears.

"Proximity," Beyer noted, "is key."

Colleague Paul Paulikas said he agrees. He moved to Darien from Lisle to be closer to work. "I enjoy what I do," Paulikas said. He enjoys where he lives too. "I'm not in a hurry to move," he said, laughing.

The cut would not only affect Darien economically, but perhaps culturally as well. Argonne attracts scientists and engineers from around the world. Former employee Markus Bleuel, from Germany, lived in Darien while at Argonne, and recalls the community as "a culture that is very open to foreigners."

Bleuel left when Argonne closed his division. With more closures possibly coming, international talent might go elsewhere in the U.S., or the world, to find work in their fields.  

Beyer said it's a tough balance.

"It's a challenge ... you're not going to find a lot of places that do what we do," he said.