Special census fans the flames

The fight over Campton Hills' existence as a village continued Monday night after results of a special census were announced.

The census showed a 28 percent growth rate in Campton Hills - the population rose from 10,504 to 13,483 - after the U.S. Department of Commerce counted 2,979 new residents and 886 new homes in the village since the year 2000, Campton Hills Village President Patsy Smith stated in a news release Monday night. The village will receive an additional $400,000 per year as a result of the special census; the cost of the census will pay for itself in less than four months, Smith said.

Chris Baldwin, chairman of the Stop Campton Hills Public Action Committee, disagreed, "There is no new money here. These monies were a part of the appropriations ordinance that was passed just very recently," he said.

Some residents believe the issue of how many people live in the village is debatable, since several property owners have been fighting in court to secede since the village incorporated after a referendum last spring.

"There are 26 disconnection petitions still pending in court that will affect the borders of the village and the number of the residents," said William Brown, a February trustee hopeful who vowed to dissolve the municipality if elected.

"Kane County Judge (Michael) Colwell has ruled to allow the disconnection of at least seven of these areas to date so the actual size of the village will be determined when the final case is closed - the actual number of residents will be determined then," said Brown, who said he is concerned for the rural area in which he lives.

Smith pointed to the census results as a benefit of the village's incorporation.

"If Campton Hills had not become incorporated and conducted a special census, these additional residents would not have been counted until the 2010 census, and the monies generated from the special census would not have been spread throughout the state rather than 100 percent being brought back directly to serve the community that was affected by the growth of development," Smith said.

The revenue will add to the general fund and be used to support the police department and other village needs, Smith said, but Baldwin said "they'll be lucky if they see the money this year."

As it stands, residents still see two distinctly different futures for the village - er, township.

"This real estate market will turn around some day, and because our area is such a great place to live, we could easily see another 28 percent in growth by the 2020 census," Smith said.

"Of course when the referendum to dissolve the village is passed on Nov. 4 there will be no village at all," Brown countered.