As of April 27th Chief Martin was back in the hospital and until more is known his duties within CWL are being covered by our other very competent officers. As we head into the busy summer season additional Public Safety patrol officers are being interviewed to assist with coverage in Chief Martin’s absence.
Submitted by Bonnie Marron
Those are some of the items I picked up this morning during the clean-up. Unfortunately no one hundred dollar bills as I had hoped. Just a word of advice, be sure to wear boots. These ditches are really soggy and some have standing water. The water made the newspaper and other materials as heavy as lead in the trash bags.
I saw others out doing the same thing. I understand many simply do not have the time with family and jobs. There was a time in my life I did none of this. Anyone who can spare even a half hour to do your own block would be a real help. It is so rewarding knowing you did something to make our community an even better place in which to live. If not today, consider just a short time Saturday. It really matters.
Ken Dillenburg
This is very rough figuring due to the odd way one has to back into the proposed rate structure but it would appear the AQUA bill at our home would increase by about $3.70 this month if the proposal passes. One thing that must be remembered is we are low water users. Last month our usage was 3800 gallons. Those who water their yards or have swimming pools or a large family will get different results than just Fran and I in our home.
How did I come up with my numbers? Our current water usage of 3800 gallons times $00.013 per gallon equals $49.40. Our current sewer charge is $73.75 and using their number of a 17.9% reduction in that charge it nets down to a decrease of $13.20, or a new cost of $60.55. Add the $60.55 to the water usage of $49.40 and it totals $109.95. Our current bill was $106.25. Increase would be $3.70 (3.5%).
This is based on only one bill and it is a low usage month and a 29 day cycle. This is far from a guarantee of accuracy and is based somewhat upon assumptions. I didn’t bother with the tiny icc tax. Their estimated cost in the filing is .01 per water gallon but if you net it down I believe it is closer to .013 per gallon.
Anyone coming up with better estimates or corrections to my calculations is more than welcome to email us to correct me. I gave it my best shot for what it’s worth.
Ken Dillenburg
The first meeting was Tuesday evening. Approximately a dozen people were in attendance. Basic plans were set for the operation of the programs after the “Y” leaves June 30th. Options for fee structures were discussed as well as possible program additions or deletions. The commission members were selected as well as the secretary.
Sandy Morse heads the commission and has had meetings with Sherri, who has been in charge of running the rec center. Program costs and participation were discussed and there will be little change on the outset with programs added as necessary participants sign up.
The current employees of the rec center will stay in place and become Candlewick employees. This is again a good thing to avoid any serious changeover problem. Plans are taking shape.
Ken Dillenburg
I am not going to pretend I understand the ramifications of this regarding our Aqua bills. They have asked for a rate increase but it is more usage based with portions of your bill going up and others declining. It appears the overall rate increase is going to be 6% but that doesn’t mean that will be the change in your individual bill. I will post the notice from the Boone County Journal below. Good luck figuring it out. You don’t suppose that is why it is stated as it is do you??? Hmmm.
Ken Dillenburg
PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice of Proposed Change in Schedule of Rates to
customers of the Candlewick Division of Aqua Illinois, Inc.
April 6, 2011
Dear Customer:
Aqua Illinois, Inc. hereby gives notice to the public that it has filed with
the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) a proposed change in its rate
schedules for water and wastewater service in all areas served by the
Candlewick Division, which includes all subdivisions within the gates
of the Candlewick Lakes comunity.
Aqua has not filed water and wastewater requests for rate increases
for Candlewick customers in 11 and 14 years since 2000 and 1997,
respectively. Additionally, Aqua is not raising availability fees for
water or wastewater.
RATE REQUEST
The changes for all classes of wastewater service, if approved by the
ICC, would result in an overall revenue decrease of 17.9 percent. Aqua
has also proposed volumetric rates for Candlewick wastewater customers,
eliminating the existing flat rate structure for customers that share Aqua
water service. The $73.82 flat rate will decrease to a $36 basic rate and
charges will be consumption based. The proposed decrease in wastewater
rates is set out in Tariff ILL. C.C. No. 50, Section 2 filed with the ICC.
The changes for all classes of water service, if approved by the ICC,
would result in an overall revenue increase of 56.7 percent, a portion
of which is fire protection charges. If the water rate request is granted
in full as filed, an average monthly residential water bill (4,284 gallons)
would increase by $20.95, ($.69 cents per day) to $55.60. At the new rate,
customers would have a full day’s worth of water (141 gallons) for $1.83
per day – approximately a penny per gallon. The proposed increase in
water rates is set out in Tariff ILL. C.C. No. 49, Section 2 filed with the
ICC.
Due to increased efficiency, Aqua was able to hold costs down and request
a combined water and wastewater rate increase of only 6 percent. This
request will undergo a review by the ICC for up to 11 months.
Since the last general rate order issued in 2000 through the applicable
period covered by this rate filing (2012), Aqua will have put into service
more than $1.85 million in water system improvements, including:
upgrades and enhancements to the water plant and distribution system
to improve efficiency, reliability, safety, security and compliance
with Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) standards;
the addition of an interconnect with the Poplar Grove water system
to be used in the case of an emergency; installation of new state-ofthe-art meters to ensure accurate readings, decrease estimated bills
and decrease the need for Aqua employees to enter customers’ homes;
and vehicle replacements to increase staff reliability and efficiency
and ensure prompt responses to emergency situations – representing
improvements of approximately $1,012 per water customer.
In addition, Aqua will have put into service more than $3.37 million
in wastewater system improvements since 1997, including: upgrades,
additions and new equipment installations at lift stations and the
treatment plant to improve overall efficiency, reliability, security and
compliance with IEPA standards; these enhancements also reduced
complications caused by power outages and improved response time
– representing improvements of approximately $1,844 per wastewater
customer.
ICC ROLE
Customers should be advised that the ICC may alter or amend the
rates or conditions of service after hearings held pursuant to 83 Ill.
Adm. Code 200 and may increase or decrease individual rates in
amounts other than those requested by the company.
ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE
Any interested party may file a petition to intervene in the hearings
pursuant to 83 Ill. Adm. Code 200. A copy of the proposed change in
rate schedules may be inspected by any interested party at the business
office of the company at 1000 S. Schuyler Avenue, Kankakee, Illinois.
All parties interested in the matter may obtain information with
respect thereto either directly from Aqua Illinois or by addressing the
Chief Clerk of the Illinois Commerce Commission, 527 East Capitol
Avenue, Springfield, Illinois 62701.
Paul A. Wright
Division Manager, Candlewick
Aqua Illinois, Inc.
Published in the Boone County Journal 4/15/2011
Our situation with the road repair and rebuilding plan is costing me sleep. Myself and others have been working on a way to pay for the project from existing and future revenue from the reserve funds. Now the new numbers arrive and they are substantially higher even using the original plan for differing type overlays and complete re-basing of some areas. One surfacing type for the less traveled areas actually more than doubled in estimate as well as the expected life being substantially lowered. All this is troubling. Spreading the project over a longer time frame ( 5 years) can be done but then even with continued maintenance there will be a lesser time frame before the major work will need to be started again.
Another factor in this is the continuing issue of maintaining our existing physical assets. We have a document (reserve study) detailing the projected time frame and monetary requirements for maintaining our physical assets going forward. In my personal opinion some items are necessary and some can be postponed but this will still take a toll on our reserves.
When the road project starts in 2012 we should have around three million in reserves for roads and general non-operating use. Conservatively we will get $550,000 per year from existing assessments to place in reserves. We must remember we must not spend down the reserves completely. My opinion is we should maintain at least $750,000 for any possible unforeseen necessity. The last road estimate we received was $4,100,000 but that is not going to be a final figure and it will go higher.
Everything I am covering here has been discussed in open meetings of the finance commission as well as to a degree in roads. Anyone is welcome to attend these meetings to keep up on developments. This post is getting too long so I will end here but do not be surprised to see further posts on the subject. I am so tight I will squeeze a penny until Lincoln screams but this is really getting tough. Until later………
Ken Dillenburg
