Arlington Heights staff proposes flood studies

Arlington Heights will allocate money to study causes of residential flooding under a staff plan presented this week to the village board.

However, special funding would have to be found to pay for any solutions, the report said.

The staff is proposing two studies that would use flow monitors to find where the problems are in the sewer system, and to recommend cost-effective solutions.

These are preliminary recommendations for studies because trustees made it clear they wanted action after the July 23 rain caused devastating floods throughout the village, said Scott Shirley, director of public works.

Residents from a few neighborhoods, especially Westgate, attended several village board meetings to ask for system improvements to alleviate flooding.

While figures totaling $350,000 for these studies are suggested in a five-year capital plan, they are just “place holders,” said Shirley, and the actual cost of the studies is not known. Funds are available from an old bond issue, said Tom Kuehne, director of finance.

The village also has money for other minor improvements that could alleviate individual homeowners' flooding, he said.

If the board decided after the studies to pursue construction solutions, the village would need to find the money, according to the staff report.

Any extensive storm sewer improvements would require new funds. Ideas for these include a villagewide bond issue; special service area bonds paid for by residents in the flooding areas; or a fee on everyone's water and sewer bills.

Under the cutbacks caused by the bad economy, more than half the available funds for capital improvements will be spent on streets. Most of the remaining amount will go toward updating radio systems because of changes made by the Northwest Central Dispatch agency and for maintenance of the water and sewer infrastructure.

The fire department's emergency radios are budgeted at $400,000, and the police department's $500,000 is expected to come from assets seized because they were used in criminal activities.

The village is also spending $430,000 on a new roof for the police station and has budgeted $1.4 million over the next five years for more repairs, according to the staff report.

While police officials and a needs assessment study say a new police headquarters is needed, village officials have not been able to find funds for that project.

Maintenance work the station needs includes the exterior brick, windows, air conditioning and generator.