Don't blame county for water board mess

I am writing in response to your editorial of March 21 in which you inaccurately write that DuPage County, particularly Chairman Bob Schillerstrom, is partly to blame for the mess at the DuPage County Water Commission. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

DuPage County has a proud tradition of being one of the most open and transparent units of government in Illinois, thanks to the leadership of Bob Schillerstrom. Under this commitment to transparency, the county worked with Illinois lawmakers in 2003 to allocate funds from the water commission reserves for county use. Legislators felt that since the sales tax funds were collected from all of the people of DuPage County, they should be used for the benefit of all county residents. This initiative still left the water commission in a very strong financial position.

By contrast, the recent independent audit of the water commission found: the $40 million the municipalities took from the commission; the selling of water to municipalities for less than they paid the city of Chicago for it; and bad senior staff management that essentially bankrupted the commission.

Your paper obtained the independent audit, which stated the errors "started with a finance director hired by the general manager in 2005" and that they "festered because the general manager failed to provide proper leadership." The audit further noted the general manager's hiring was supported by the municipal commission members and vehemently opposed by county members. This failure of leadership by the general manager and his municipal allies on the board are why we are now forced to borrow millions of dollars to maintain operations.

It is unfortunate your paper felt the need to take a cheap shot at DuPage County and Chairman Schillerstrom when all the facts on the real cause of this problem were in front of you.

William Maio

Member, DuPage Water Commission