INSIDE
SPORTS Vogt earns top billing for Area softball team
NEWS Bolingbrook hosts Day of the Immigrant PAGE 3
PAGE 13
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Our Village, Our News
JUNE 28, 2012
Vol. 5 No. 49
Contest Winners!
Voyager Media Father’s Day Tie Coloring Contest Winners won tickets to the Joliet Slammers and a tool set from MyGofer.
Caudil Spencerer James and fath
IT’S OFFICIAL
Mia Vaughn and father Bleu
Jonathan Lina res and father Michae (Not Pictured) l
Northern Will County Water Agency removes ‘ad hoc’ status, adopts by-laws By Laura Katauskas Staff Reporter
Though meeting for years as an ad-hoc committee, the Northern Will County Water Agency has claimed official status, clearing a path to potentially take over the water system currently under the operation of Illinois American Water. According to Bolingbrook village attorney Jim Boan, the five communities, including Bolingbrook, Homer Glen, Romeoville, Woodridge and Lemont have been meeting on an “ad hoc” basis since 2008. On June 11, the five towns actually formed the agency, adopted by-laws and appointed officers. At the meeting mayors Jim Daley (Homer Glen) and Roger Claar (Bolingbrook) were appointed as co-chairs of the
Agency. Lemont Mayor Brian Reaves was appointed vice-chair; Romeoville Mayor John Noak was appointed secretary and Woodridge Mayor Bill Murphy was appointed as treasurer. The official formation of the agency now classified the group as a public entity subject and is subject to the Open Meeting Act and its requirements. For years the neighboring communities have been battling over what the village calls never-ending rate increases and the water company defends as required maintenance costs. According to Boan, the group has been working on legislation and gathering information regarding the original cost of the pipeline, operational and maintenance expenses, and reviewing water related purchase and sale
“The agency is essentially a local, government funded start-up organization that states its goal is to acquire a private company that is not for sale.” Michael Smyth, Senior Manager for Illinois American Water agreements. Upon notice of the formation of the agency, Illinois American Water Senior Manager Michael Smyth released a statement saying, “The agency is essentially a local, government funded start-up organization that states its goal is to acquire a private company that is not for sale. Eminent domain proceedings cost taxpayers millions in litigation and take years to complete…”
Boan explained that the agency will be making a “good faith” purchase offer to Illinois American Water to buy their American Lake Water subsidiary and only if the two parties can’t agree on a price would condemnation then be an alternative that the board may consider. “We are not for sale and therefore are not accepting offers,” Smyth said. See WATER, page 3