Update January 29, 2008
Fischer’s Excavating caused the problems with the underground wiring at 10th and Jefferson Street, when they installed storm sewers at that location. They had gouged the cables and then covered them with a board and buried them. Commonwealth Edison has now run the wiring overhead and the one pump motor that was damaged is now being repaired at an estimated cost of $1,500. The damage to the cables happened two years ago and I doubt that the City has any recourse but to pay for the repair. These problems continue to happen and I have no idea of what to do about it.
The City experienced a water main break January 2nd. On East Jefferson Street and it was a freezing 5 degrees. Marty Bush of Ehmen Industries did an excellent job of making the necessary repair.
The water and wastewater rate handout I have provided to you shows the results of a study by MSA Professional Services, about Northern Illinois water and wastewater rates. Please note that the annual water and wastewater rates for Oregon are below the average for surrounding communities. With the last rate increase, the City should be able to run our department and meet the obligations necessary to upgrade our system.
There has been considerable activity with the IEPA this last two weeks. Our Facilities Planning Area Boundary Modification has been approved and accepted by the IEPA for the City of Oregon Water Quality Management Plan.
In the last six years, the City has increased our planned area by one third.
The City of Oregon Facilities Planning Report has been completed and submitted to the IEPA. All of our requirements have been met for the loan application to the IEPA for the wastewater upgrade.
I have been informed by Bryan Davis of Congressman Don Manzullo’s office, the City of Oregon Wastewater Department will receive a $500,000 grant for the Wastewater Upgrade. The grant will save the City an additional $150,000 in interest over 20 years.
Our engineers CMT will complete the documentation for the USEPA and the IEPA for the $500,000 grant for our wastewater upgrade. CMT has considerable experience handling this type grant, and those responsible from all three entities know one another personally and have worked on this type grant previously. The grant is a 60/40 matching funds and our IEPA loan will cover what is necessary for the Cities participation.
The City has sent a reply to the IEPA about our remaining CSO into the Rock River, and we have a plan that will be implemented over the next two years to eliminate all discharges into the Rock River.
The City has also sent a letter to the IEPA verifying that requirements have been met for the completion of the sewer separation project. The EPA continues to find questions as they complete and close their files.
John Warthenbe our new department manager from EMC is in training and is in St Louis this week. Once John is settled in, I will be working with him to bring him up to speed on what the City expects from the department and what we intend to accomplish in the next few years.
