Sanitary district wants to deannex

Tired of hearing complaints about snow removal, Island Lake's sanitary district is attempting to deannex itself from the village.

Northern Moraine Wastewater Reclamation District officials have asked their attorney to prepare a petition for deannexation.

If the village agrees, Timber Trail, where the sanitary district is located, will become part of unincorporated Lake County.

"This has been a tremendous waste of time, money and resources," said Ken Michaels, district president. "We would rather deannex than continue a relationship with people who haven't taken the time to learn basic principles of civil government."

The sanitary district has been in the village since the 1970s. The district serves Island Lake, Port Barrington, most of Lakemoor and unincorporated McHenry and Lake counties.

Deannexation would not affect service to Island Lake customers, Michaels said.

Michaels said if the district deannexes, Port Barrington has offered to plow Timber Trail. Two homes are also located off the road.

The district has had a hostile relationship with Island Lake for some time, which culminated earlier this year when Trustee Don Saville objected to plowing Timber Trail, a private road that connects to Roberts Road, just south of Route 176.

"I'm amazed that this whole thing has turned out the way it has," Saville said. "We're not in the feel -good business. We're in business to be friendly and do what is right."

Island Lake Mayor Thomas Hyde said Saville has put so much pressure on the sanitary district that the deannexation is the only way the group can retaliate.

Michaels said if Island Lake does not agree to the deannexation petition, the district is prepared to go to court.

So far, Saville is opposing the move.

"I would love to say to them, bye-bye, but I won't because if I do say bye-bye then it lets them off the hook," Saville said, adding that in addition to plowing its own road, the district should be forced to hook up to the village's water system.

"The sanitary district has not stood up to their obligation."