DOWNERS GROVE
Village told to brace for water rate raises
A countywide rate increase will force village residents to pay more for their water starting early next year.
The village announced at its Tuesday Village Council meeting that the DuPage Water Commission would raise the rate it charges to municipalities by 15 percent starting in October.
In the village, there will be a 5 percent increase in January and about a 6 percent increase in May. An average water bill is $43.52. With the increase, it would be about $45.82 in January and $48.68 in May.
“This is not an increase to offset a revenue shortfall,” said Commissioner Martin Tully.
Village residents get their water from Lake Michigan, which is pumped in by Chicago to a distribution center in DuPage County.
Also Tuesday, the village announced it is earmarking its share of a $3.1 million settlement agreement from a telecommunications lawsuit to enhance its public safety resources.
In 2001, the state Supreme Court ruled that the Telecommunications Municipal Infrastructure Maintenance Fee Act, which imposed a franchise fee on telecommunications retailers who used municipal infrastructure, was unconstitutional. The lawsuit named several DuPage County municipalities as defendants, including Downers Grove.
In January 2006, a settlement agreement was reached with the retailers where the village would get $328,758.68 of the $3.1 million agreement, on condition that the money had to be used for public safety expenditures.
More Top Picks Best Aerial Silks For The Money
“It’s a ‘use it or lose it’ situation,” said Mayor Ron Sandack.
By far, the biggest purchase for the village from its share of the settlement is a communitywide notification system. Village officials say the estimated $150,000 system will allow the village to reach all residents and businesses with emergency and non-emergency announcements through cell phones, pagers and land line telephones.
— Matthew Rogina
– – –
OAK PARK
Board mulls loosening ordinance on liquor
In a town that was dry for much of the last century, a proposal to relax Oak Park’s liquor ordinance to allow some package deliveries and signs that say a restaurant serves alcohol has sparked surprisingly little interest.
Only one person, a local restaurateur, attended Tuesday’s public hearing before the village’s Liquor Control Review Board.
“I guess we got it right,” said review board chairman Jerry Ostergaard.
The ordinance would make it easier for a restaurant to sell wine to customers to take home.
It also would allow stores that sell gift baskets with various goodies and a bottle of wine to deliver them in Oak Park, which had previously been restricted.
Patrons who don’t finish a bottle of wine while dining out also would be allowed to take it home in a specially sealed bag — as long as they tuck it in the trunk or back cargo area of their car. That proposal matches state law.
And residents may see a few more signs touting sales of wine and beer. In the past, the ordinance didn’t even allow restaurateurs to publicize the fact that they had a bar or lounge area, board member John Martin said.
The changes also would allow some businesses, such as those that cater meals, to deliver alcohol to their clients.
The Village Board is expected to address the proposed liquor ordinance changes Oct. 6.
— Victoria Pierce
– – –
BLOOMINGDALE
Board approves raise in water, sewer costs
Village officials on Monday night approved water, sewer and capital-improvement increases that will cost an average homeowner $5.40 more every two months because of rising costs passed on from Chicago to the DuPage Water Commission.
The increases will be phased in.
Water rates will increase by 20 cents from $3.36 per 1,000 gallons, effective Nov. 1 of this year. Sewer costs will increase by 10 cents from $3.94 per 1,000 gallons on the same date.
In May 2009, residents will see another water rate increase of 23 cents, followed by a 25-cent increase in May 2010. Sewer rates will increase by 10 cents in November 2009. A new capital improvements rate of 7 cents per 1,000 gallons will take effect May 1, followed by another 20-cent increase in November 2009.
— David Sharos
– – –
OSWEGO
School district OKs $134 million budget
It took an extra round of cuts, but School District 308 will have a balanced 2008-09 budget after all.
More Top Picks Privacy Policy
School board members Monday unanimously approved a $134 million operating budget that includes an $84,014 surplus.
“After receiving feedback … we have balanced the budget by making across-the-board reductions,” said Kris Monn, assistant superintendent for finance/treasurer. “Certain accounts were not practical to reduce, such as salary, benefit and mandated service accounts.”
Monn said $409,000 in cuts were made with trims coming from the education, operations and transportation funds.
But there are no guarantees that the District 308 budget won’t go into deficit later in the school year.
The $134 million budget covers day-to-day costs for education, operations, transportation and working cash funds. Another $84 million is accounted for separately and is allocated to debt service and capital projects.
Those funds show a collective $2.4 million surplus.
— Jack McCarthy