New Bensenville water bill charge is all wet, residents say
For years, Allan Devitt knew how to budget for his monthly water bill - between $60 and $80.
Imagine his surprise when Bensenville tacked a new $103 monthly charge onto his August bill - and told him it would stay there for the next 20 years.
Village officials notified residents in unincorporated areas two days before sending the bills that they'd voted in July to solve long-standing problems with the White Pines subdivision's water mains. While the work affects 282 residences, all 375 unincorporated properties in the area would pay.
Residents say they weren't alerted before officials discussed the matter.
Nor were they invited to join in the planning.
Instead, they argue, Bensenville gave them a $4.7 million bill without input - throwing fuel on a long-simmering bonfire of tension built over the years. Hoping to take control of their water destiny, residents met Thursday night to ask DuPage County to explore building the water system instead.
The effect is the same - White Pines residents would pay for the work. But the result, they hope, is subverting Bensenville's plans to decide their fate unwillingly and to acquire a better price.
Bensenville Village Manager Jim Johnson did not return calls Wednesday seeking comment on the issue and he hung up on a reporter Thursday.
The one thing that's actually not in dispute is that the entire 50-year-old water distribution system needs replacing. It's construction is outdated, it frequently breaks, and it runs through yards rather than the road where it's harder to fix, said Allan Devitt, president of the White Pines Civic Association.
DuPage County Board Member Paul Fichtner told more than 200 people who gathered Thursday that he talked to Bensenville officials, who said they are willing to listen to a new proposal.
Fichtner said the county could create a special service, or taxing, area that would pay for work the county public works department would complete. White Pines residents then would repay the loan through a once-annual fee added to residential property taxes, which should be tax deductible, he said.
The monthly fee now charged by Bensenville cannot be deducted on taxes.
The water system work only would occur within White Pines, but because it eliminates the need for Bensenville to borrow the $4.7 million, it should alleviate any need to charge the other unincorporated residents the 20-year-long monthly fee, Fichtner said.
"It's worthwhile enough to show Bensenville we're serious," he said of the plan.
Residents representing 160 properties signed the petition Thursday and the association plans to go door-to-door to gather more. Once the county gets the formal request, engineering cost estimates should only take a few weeks. Fichtner said they can then get back to the residents and let them know the estimated annual cost. Residents then can decide how to proceed.
He said there's a "good chance the county can do the project cheaper" than Bensenville because it has the benefit of economies of scale on bidding and a better bond rating, which would result in lower interest rates on the loan.
Fichtner said he plans to ask Bensenville officials to put a 30 to 60 day moratorium on payment of the new monthly fee until the issue can be resolved.