Sheffield proceeds with water/sewer project

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SHEFFIELD — Sheffield Village Board members heard Ben Wilson, community development coordinator for North Central Illinois Council of Government, present an estimate for the village's water and sewer project at its meeting Monday night.

Wilson said he spoke with Jeffrey Snyder of Chamlin & Associates in Peru, who is Sheffield's village engineer. He learned the cost of the construction project with regards to the water main extension on Reed Street and water and wastewater improvements will cost the village about $491,00. If Sheffield is accepted for a Community Development Assistance Program (CDAP) grant, that could take $350,000 off that amount, leaving a balance of $141,000.

The board passed resolutions to enter into agreements with CDAP on behalf of the village of Sheffield, to begin the application of funds needed for the project. All paperwork needs to be signed and completed by Feb. 17, so NCICG can submit it before deadline. The time frame for grants to be approved varies, but the village of Sheffield is hopeful it will be approved by fall of 2010, so that construction could start as early as 2011.

Discussion continued on with regards to the increase of water, sewer and garbage rates.

While the board is continuing discussions on raising rates at its Feb. 15 board meeting, it did decide to enforce the water and sewer ordinance with regards to garbage fees.

In the past, if a resident did not ask for garbage pickup, he would not be charged. Per the ordinance, all residents within the city limits who have a water meter will be charged water, sewer and garbage fees. There will be no exceptions. While there have been exceptions in the past, the board has decided that everyone should be treated equally.

“If the city provides a service, that it is the resident’s responsibility to pay for that service,”trustee Sue Bromme said.

Inoperable water meters also came up in the discussion. Currently there are about 60 water meters in the village limits that are not working properly. Some of those meters haven't worked right for more than 10 years.

Sheffield Village Clerk Pat Stier averages out the cost of these particular bills by factoring in the residents' past bills when the meter was functioning, as well as the amount of people living in the household.

Some members of the board were surprised and upset to hear there were so many meters not working and that some have been inoperable for 10-plus years.

“This is a huge concern, and I feel that this problem has been going on too long and needs to be addressed quickly. The revenue we have lost due to inoperable meters could be substantial,” trustee Mary Ann Cernovich said.

Trustee Adrienne Ries added, “We will work with (Village Superintendent) Leif (Porter) to get the inoperable meters replaced as soon as we can.”

In other business, the board:

• Is still waiting on a response from the Bureau Valley School Board with regards to the empty school building and surrounding grounds. The deadline for a response is Feb. 3. Mayor Bill Rosenow will contact the school board, reminding them that both options are still on the table and that the village would like an answer soon.

• Approved payment of bills in the amount of $5,876.76.

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