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player ready...The Du Page County Board voted Tuesday night to offer $69 million in bonds to control flooding, but continued to wrangle over the fate of millions of dollars in other bonds designed to deal not only with its overflowing river banks but its overcrowded jail cells and roads as well.
Tuesday`s debate on the flood issue came exactly four years after the devastating storms of 1987, which caused millions of dollars in damage after the Des Plaines River and Salt Creek pushed over their banks and destroyed homes and businesses in the western and northwestern suburbs.
Another major issue involved the proposed expansion of the Du Page County Jail. The jail is under a federal court order to remedy overcrowding, and a $47.9 million bond issue was targeted for expansion.
But during early debate at the Tuesday night meeting, the board voted to table one proposed bond issue package, opting instead to consider its portions.
It was during that debate that the board voted to borrow $69 million for managing storm water. That figure was recommended earlier in the day by the board`s Stormwater Committee.
Another part of the package involved bond money to expand the overcrowded jail. Sheriff Richard P. Doria, who has fought an ongoing battle with the board over the expansion and security at the new $53 million courthouse, pleaded with the board to go ahead with the four-story, $48 million addition. ”I do not need to remind you that on four different occasions, a vote was taken to proceed (on the addition),” Doria told the board. ”Every month we wait costs us $200,000 to $250,000 in construction costs.”
The heated debate during back-to-back night meetings comes in the face of a state-imposed deadline involving a 5 percent tax cap in the collar counties and a mandate that most bond issues not adopted by Oct. 1 must be submitted to the voters through referendum.
The Monday night board meeting seemed to indicate that a majority of members wanted to let the voters decide on the bond questions, but political maneuvering continued through Tuesday and into the late-night meeting.
At one point Monday evening, for example, it seemed the jail bond issue had been passed, but it was subsequently reconsidered and tabled. The issue resurfaced Tuesday.
The sale of bonds is Board Chairman Aldo E. Botti`s proposed method of financing all the projects in the works, a maximum amount he estimates at $350 million. Botti also has proposed selling $33 million in bonds to recover cash paid for county parking garages and part of the new courthouse.
Some board members say all the projects should be put to referendum. Advocates of selling the bonds now say referendums would be the death knell for some crucial projects, and that opposition can initiate a back-door referendum.
Stormwater Committee Chairwoman Patricia Trowbridge said Tuesday that the panel`s recommendation for $69 million was far less than Botti`s proposed $120 million for storm water control, but she said at the time she doubted the board was willing to rush the sale of bonds.
”If I have to judge by (Monday`s) meeting, I don`t think it`s going to go any place,” Trowbridge said. ”I think it was pretty clear they wanted to go to referendum. I don`t have any problem with that.”
The referendum would not spell the end of storm water projects, Trowbridge said.
But board member Robert Schillerstrom cautioned against deferring the jail bond issue, saying ”tabling it is killing it.”
Trowbridge`s committee on Tuesday voted unanimously to have the state`s attorney ”negotiate and research the acquisition of the Elmhurst-Chicago Stone Co. quarry” in Elmhurst for flood-control use.
The committee also voted 6-3 to recommend that the County Board declare its intention to issue $69 million in bonds for unspecified storm water projects. Though this figure was not elaborated upon, the $69 million included $43 million for the quarry asking price plus $26 million to be repaid by communities for projects along Salt Creek.
Officials of those communities said in a survey last week that they were not willing to contribute that much toward the projects because they believe that solving flooding is as much a countywide responsibility as providing roads or forest preserve space.
Raymond R. Soden, a County Board and Stormwater Committee member from Wood Dale, said he doesn`t believe the committee was trying to skirt the 5 percent cap in its action.
Of the projects up for the board`s review, only bonding for the jail and the storm water projects have their committees` recommendations.
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Patricia S. Carr, County Board and committee member from Wheaton, said,
”Let the people speak,” and urged that any bond issue be put to referendum.