GURNEE: Sewer and/or water lines will be brought to the Hickory Haven subdivision if 40 percent of residents sign up for the nonpublic benefit costs.Last week some Hickory Haven residents appealed to the Village Board for sewer and water hookups.
Among those speaking in favor of connecting to Gurnee's water and sewer lines was Lake County Coroner Barbara Richardson, who resides in the subdivision at Route 21 and Gages Lake Road.
Hickory Haven currently is served by well water and septic fields.
At the time, Richardson said she had personal concerns after noting a high incidence of cancer in her immediate neighborhood.
She said that while the cancer incidence could be a coincidence, various types of the disease have struck six out of eight homes.
Her comments evidently hit a raw nerve among Hickory Haven residents who refused to link cancer with possible malfunctions of their septic fields and water wells.
Somewhat bewildered over the reaction, Richardson stood up Monday night at a village budget meeting and offered an apology to the offended neighbors. 'I did say it (neighborhood cancer incidence) had been discussed ... There was that concern ... We were concerned,' she said.
However, another resident suggested the fear was groundless because of the small number of homes in the subdivision.
'We're not talking about 1,000 homes, we're talking about 24,' he said.
Another Hickory Haven property owner, quite vocal about health concerns he voiced the previous week, refused to comment further Monday night, suggesting the published reports 'got him into trouble.'
Village officials explained that a great portion of the hookup costs would be absorbed by the village, since the improvement would be considered a public health benefit.
Engineer Bud Reed said his frontage cost estimates were 'conservative,' or about 10 percent to 20 percent higher than bids accepted over the past couple of years.
With that in mind, the Village Board said it would prepare a letter quoting somewhat lower front-foot costs.
After discussion, the board set a figure of $38 instead of $48 per front-foot for sanitary sewers; the $38 front-foot charge for water main connection would drop to $27.
The village survey, including costs and options, will be mailed within the next 30 days, Village Administrator James Hayner said, 'with further consideration based on a 40 percent favorable consensus.'
Lot sizes vary in the subdivision.
In addition to the front-foot water costs, fees for connection, inspection, water meter and disconnection will be approximately $4,000. For sanitary service, those extra costs were estimated at $7,300.
'If we go to bid and the costs are higher, you will pay the amount (front-foot costs) quoted here,' promised Mayor Richard Welton.
'If the costs are lower, we'll lower this price.'
Welton reminded the board that Hickory Haven residents have been good neighbors to Gurnee over the past 30 years.
'It was Hickory Haven residents who voted to come into the village so we could annex HeatherRidge.'
Hayner explained that in the past some areas connected to sewer and/or water were able to pay for the improvements through a special assessment administered through a court-ordered program.
Another option was a 10- to 20-year special services district, which would appear on residential tax bills.
Hayner said the best possible financing would come through private arrangements with a bank or credit union.
'If the court administers the financing, the added costs may be 35 to 40 percent or more.'
Some residents said they wanted the option to not tie into the expensive improvements, suggesting their current septic and well services were operating properly.
The village has a priority system set for 12 areas outside the Gurnee water and sewer system.
The first three are on the northeast side of the village, where a project has been approved.
Hickory Haven and Quality Acres, a subdivision near Six Flags Great America, Reed said, are the next highest in priority.
