Campton Hills says disconnection cost too high

A Campton Hills official testified Thursday the newly formed village would suffer "undue" financial harm if residents seeking to disconnect from the municipality get their wish.

But the attorney representing the residents who want out argued any revenue shortfall will be absorbed by savings the village should expect if it has fewer residents and roads to service.

The testimony came during a four-hour hearing in Kane County civil court over the first of six petitions from neighborhoods seeking to disconnect from the village.

Kathy Catalano, village treasurer, testified the village will lose $626,364 in state and local tax revenue over 10 years if the 110-acre parcel Cheval DeSalle subdivision -- the first of the six petitions to be heard in court -- is allowed to opt out.

She further estimated that the village could face revenue losses of $2.1 million during the same timeframe if the five additional neighborhoods are successful in their bids to disconnect as well.

The net result would "unduly harm the village," Catalano said.

Attorney Timothy Elliott, who is representing the petitioners, however, argued the disconnection would leave the village with fewer roads to maintain, less police protection to provide, and fewer residential issues to handle.

Elliott said that Catalano's projection failed to prove the remaining village as a whole would be unable to generate sufficient revenue without Cheval DeSalle.

"What they haven't given you is the whole pie it's being taken out of," he told Judge Michael J. Colwell of the anticipated revenue drops.

Colwell said he would not consider the potential cumulative effect of all six disconnection petitions in the Cheval DeSalle case because none of the other petitions has been decided yet.

The trial was continued to Nov. 5, when Campton Hills Village President Patsy Smith is expected to testify.

Petitioners want the court proceedings expedited because of the upcoming shift, Nov. 1, of police protection from the Kane County sheriff's office to the village's own department.