Not So Fast: Elmhurst Committee Will Revisit 9 Percent Rate Hike Proposal

After Elmhurst Finance Committee members Monday agreed to recommend a 9 percent increase in sewer rates, residents started asking a lot of questions—and registering their complaints. The increase also began gnawing at one of the aldermen on the committee.

Fourth Ward Alderman and Finance Committee Vice Chairman Kevin York said that even before he was out walking neighborhoods on the campaign trail Tuesday, he was "bugged" by the proposed rate hike.

"Then, when you hear about it from somebody else, it really makes you think," he said.

While more revenue is needed to fund repairs at the wastewater treatment plant and other sewer-related projects, residents told York they couldn't take that steep of a hike.

"I got to thinking about it, and I met with (Finance Director) Marilyn Gaston yesterday morning," York said Thursday. "I told her I think 9 percent is too much and I think there are some things we need to consider here."

He declined to detail his specific ideas, saying only that he'd like the committee to "look at some other financing methods for these projects."

Gaston asked Finance Committee members Steve Hipskind, Mark Mulliner and Scott Levin if they wanted to revisit the discussion, and they agreed.

So, aldermen will not be voting on a sewer rate increase at the full City Council meeting on April 1, as originally planned, York said. The matter goes back to committee April 8, and the soonest it will be on the City Council agenda is April 15.

Shouldn't the Equipment Last Longer?

York said many capital projects are underway or planned for the wastewater treatment plant, on Route 83.

"The entire plant is just aging, and it's gotten to the point that a lot of things need to be replaced," he said. "Since it was all rebuilt in the 1987-1990 time frame, after the floods of the '80s, everything is kind of happening all at once."

He said after 20 years or so, things wear out—especially heavy-duty mechanical equipment.

"There is definitely extra strain on that plant because of all the inflow and infiltration we have," he said. "During heavy rain periods, it has to process a lot of clean water. The plant doesn't know if it's clean water or dirty water. It's processing everything. It's working really hard, and there's water being processed that doesn't need to be processed."

In addition to plant projects, revenue is needed to pay for "everything related to sewers," he said.

The capital budget includes about $5 million toward the new southwest Elmhurst Wet Weather Control facility, which is designed to reduce the frequency of sewer backups in the Jackson and Sailor Street area. Other expenses involve EPA mandates, the ongoing sealing and lining of existing pipes and other projects.

York said with some of the replacement projects, operating costs should be reduced. The city will spend less on repairs, and newer, more efficient parts take less energy to run.

How Much of an Increase is Reasonable?

York said he has come up with some new ideas on how to fund these capital expenditures that are not solely dependent on rate-payers. He said he'd like to see a rate increase "more in the 3 percent range."

Looking ahead to annual increases, he said he's "hoping we can manage it and fund it so we can keep rate increases to more of a cost-of-living increase."

"If you look at city staff recommendations, it was like 9 percent a year for the next five years. That's what made me really think and work on this," he said.

York said he feels no different about rate increases than the average homeowner. When rates or taxes go up, aldermen feel it, too, he said.

"We all live here. We pay the same rates. We pay the same taxes," he said. "I was thinking about it all along. But then when I'm out walking for my campaign and I hear about it from somebody, it really makes you think.

"We're going to take another look at it."

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