Mayor's Message - Summer 2013

MAYOR’S MESSAGE

 

The Village of Glenwood experienced flooding again. We need your help identifying those properties that experienced sewer backups and or water from around the foundations. To properly improve our storm and sanitary sewer system we need information from our residents.

 

  • The type of problem you encountered
  • Time of day it occurred
  • Duration you were negatively impacted

 

All of this information is vitally important to determine your individual resolution. 

Some homes in the Manor Subdivision on Park Dr. and Arquilla Dr. had diluted sewage come in their homes from the basement floor drains. This type of event can be corrected by installing overhead sewers. Some homes in the Forest Subdivision had sewer backups due to the road itself flooding and the water entered the sanitary sewers via the manholes. These manholes will be retrofitted with a bladder to prevent this from occurring again. We need to identify those areas and only those manholes based on the cost of the installation.

Each individual house will be examined independently to determine the best cost efficient manner to protect your investment by both of us if possible.

Ronald Reagan once said, "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: “I’m from the government and I'm here to help.” I am from the Government and believe me when I say this, “we are going to help you”.

I am going to propose that the Board of Trustees agree to work with the individuals flooded. Glenwood may have unintentionally compounded the magnitude of this issue to the individuals involved. I believe you have a right to expect our infrastructure to be constructed, maintained and operated in a manner to protect your investment.

Understand it is not my intent to retrofit every house in Glenwood with overhead sewers, seal every manhole and install new sanitary/storm sewers. It is my intent to identify those properties that with cooperation from the owner can be protected from this occurring again during an event like the one experienced in April.

 

Where will the money come from?

Governor Quinn has initiated a new program following the recent event and is making available money to address storm water issues. This is a first for the State of Illinois to my knowledge. We have submitted numerous projects for consideration and believe we will see some benefit of the program. Some of the money to do this work will be from the grant the Village obtained following Hurricane IKE in 2008. We will need to reach into the reserves of the Sewer and Water Fund as well as the Corporate Fund to do the rest of the improvements as funding allows.

 

The current plan is:

  • The sanitary lift station on 187th St. will have a permanently installed diesel pump to provide backup protection.
  • Homes located in the IKE Grant area will be outfitted with overhead sewers to prevent backups.
  • Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the Village will work to raise the bridges and roads from Arquilla Park to Glenwood Oaks and Landauer out of the 100 year flood plain.
  • Sanitary sewer manholes in the areas identified by staff and residents will receive flood proof covers to prevent flash flooding from entering the sanitary sewers.
  • The Storm Sewer outfall in Sweet Woods will be repaired this summer after 10 years of struggle with the Forest Preserve District of Cook County (FPDCC),
  • The homes on Park Dr. will be made safe by a berm or acquired and demolished with cooperation of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District/Illinois Department of Natural Resources (MWRD and/or IDNR).
  • Homes experiencing sanitary sewer backups will be afforded the opportunity to receive overhead sewers at a discounted price or via grants if qualified.

 

We need your help to protect your investment. Call us at 708.753.2400 and help us identify the cause of your problem.  We take this issue very seriously and will work to help resolve the cause of your distress.