No simple fixes for water commission
Negligence and incompetence put the DuPage Water Commission books out of balance by tens of millions of dollars. The finance director has been fired. The treasurer stepped down. The general manager resigned, yet is collecting $90,000 in severance.
Meanwhile, DuPage County water rates will increase significantly to cover their mistakes. And the water commission still has not released a copy of its scathing audit by Jenner & Block.
Outrage is warranted. Action is needed.
Formed in 1985 to bring Lake Michigan water to DuPage County, the commission has unfortunately operated without enough oversight. It is made up of members appointed by municipal leaders and the DuPage County Board chairman. These appointees set policy and review finances. Some are elected officials. Some are not.
According to a confidential audit obtained by the Daily Herald and detailed in an exclusive report by staff writer Jake Griffin, the errors seem to have started with a finance director, hired in 2005. They festered because the general manager failed to provide the proper leadership, even after problems were flagged by two commissioners. Audits either did not happen or failed to catch major mistakes that inflated the books.
It didn't help that DuPage County Board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom convinced state lawmakers to let him take $15 million a year for five years from the water commission. This began in 2003, and Schillerstrom said it would be used for homeland security. The money has since financed public health, public safety, the county convalescent center and other efforts.
The raid angered municipalities and conveniently allowed Schillerstrom to skirt some tax hikes while balancing the county budget. That also conveniently gave him a platform for his aborted campaign for governor of Illinois.
Schillerstrom will be replaced by Republican state Sen. Dan Cronin or Democrat Carole Cheney. As a state senator, Cronin has the power to try to change the structure of the commission before the election even occurs.
Under legislation he proposed this month, the water commission would be overseen by a panel of municipal appointees and county board members. It would undergo regular audits. Its staff members would be county employees.
This sounds like a good start. Giving oversight to elected county board members and municipal leaders could put more power in the hands of the voters. However, we have reservations about giving this much power to DuPage County, which has used the water commission's reserves as a slush fund of sorts. Cronin's legislation must provide assurances that money collected is used for only one purpose: delivering clean water from Lake Michigan to its member communities.
In the meantime, the water commission members must release that 64-page forensic audit. The people have a right to know why their water rates are rising.