Pingree Grove seeks resident input at Monday open house

Residents of Pingree Grove, who this month were hit by about 50 percent increases to their water and sewer rates, can air their views on that and the village's newly drafted comprehensive plan.

An open house to view the plan is 3 to 5:30 p.m. Monday, followed by a public hearing at 6 p.m. The village board meets at 7 p.m.

Residents' feedback will help refine the draft plan, which the village board is expected to adopt Oct. 19, Trustee Chuck Pearson said.

"The plan gives us a good basic outline of things we could and/or should do to make sure Pingree Grove grows in the way we want it to, and in the direction we want it to go," said Pearson, who chaired the plan's steering committee.

The plan, done by consultant Houseal Lavigne Associates, is funded by a grant from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.

The water and sewer increase, the first in a decade and effective July 1, showed up on September bills because water and sewer services are billed every two months. An explanatory letter dated June 30 was mailed to residents, but many complained the increase caught them off guard, Pearson said.

The village failed to gradually increase water and sewer rates in order to meet the costs of maintenance and capital repairs, he said.

"We should have been increasing the water bill more in the past, and we did not," he said. "I don't want to point any fingers. You can't undo anything that was done," Pearson said, adding the village board wants to be more proactive in the future.

Resident Rich Eckert, who frequently attends board meetings, said he's seen complaints on Facebook, but hasn't heard much from family and neighbors. "I would not say I'm unhappy, but maybe disappointed the village didn't take action sooner," he said. "From everything that I know, the increase was needed."

The water and sewer plants were built in 2005, and maintenance costs have increased for the systems that are showing signs of wear, Public Works Director Joe Caveny said. "Just like maintaining your car, when it's 10 years old, things need to be fixed."

The village has fronted several large capital expenses, including repairs to two wells and $520,000 to sandblast and repaint the water tower, both inside and outside, the latter expected to be done sometime next month, Caveny said.

Due to the low level of the water and sewer capital improvements fund, which had $526,000 as of July 31, the water tower work is being funded by money designated for general capital improvements, Finance Director Tom Walter said. The plan, he said, is to repay the general fund as the water and sewer fund is built up.

The water and sewer rate increase, based on the current 2,100 customers, is expected to yield about $100,000 per billing cycle, bringing total yearly revenues to about $1.6 million, Walter said. The number of customers is expected to grow to more than 2,500 by the end of the year, he added.

"We are not hoarding money," Walter said. "We're planning conservatively to meet the needs of the village."

"We're going to have to put money in our piggy bank before we move onto any new projects," Caveny said.