Village fires back at sewer project critics

From the Thursday, Sept. 18, 2008 edition of the Northwest Herald:

Village fires back at sewer project critics
By DIANA SROKA - dsroka@nwherald.com

JOHNSBURG – As the legal battle over a $10 million Johnsburg sewer project looms, both sides are taking the debate to the court of public opinion.

Opponents to SSA 23, a special taxing district to fund the village sewer project, circulated a letter to residents reiterating their position against the project last month. In response, the Johnsburg village board mailed a rebuttal last week, refuting opponents’ statements, line by line.

“It’s important that everyone in the village have the right information,” said Trustee Harry May. “There were a couple items in the coalition’s distribution that were not accurate.”

Opponents of the project, who formed the Coalition Against SSA No. 23, distributed 600 copies of their two-page statement to residents within and near the SSA boundaries in August.

In the statement, Coalition President Ron Zanko accused village president David Dominguez of “present[ing] a sky is falling scenario” for residents who use septic systems.

That line was among seven refuted by village officials in their five-page response.

Director of Village Operations Claudett Peters said 2,400 copies of the response letter were mailed to all Johnsburg residents and businesses. The mailing included a copy of the coalition’s statements and the packet distributed to residents when the project was proposed last year. The mailing cost $6,500, Peters said.

Ron Zanko, head of the coalition, said he wasn’t offended by the village’s response.

“In one respect it was good to me, because they sent mine along,” Zanko said. “It was free-mailing for me.”

The coalition's August letter stated village attorney fees are "approaching $100,000." The village's response states the village has "expended approximately $70,000 in legal fees."

The coalition's letter claimed the village said the sewer project would have "significant environmental and financial benefit to the community," and posed the question "Why isn't the entire community being asked to shoulder the cost?" In its letter, the village said "residents who will receive sewer service should be those who pay for the service."

Zanko says the coalition plans to circulate a response to the village's letter this weekend.

In June 2007, the Johnsburg Village Board proposed funding a sewer system project through a special service area, or SSA. Residents living within the boundaries of the SSA would pay either $14,800 up front or $21,600 in their property tax bills over the next 20 years to fund the project.

Residents filed a petition against the SSA in August 2007. The village disputed some signatures and deemed the petition invalid. In October, the village established the SSA. Residents opposing it formed a coalition and now are suing the village.

The trial is set for Sept. 30.