As reported last week, we have to explore the intricacies of sanitary sewer programs once again. Not because most of us are particularly interested in such sewer repair, nor do we have time for it, but because the Mayor, City Councilmen and the City Manager have not been doing their job of looking out for us on the Sewer Program.

So, as we get into the muck once again, let’s see what's new since we met at the Public Works building in 2008...

It shouldn’t be a surprise to learn that Highland Park isn't the only city to have an aging infrastructure. We asked for information about this at the meeting at the Public Works but no one could provide an answer then about comparisons with other communities. According to a report submitted to City Management in JULY 2009 by AECOM:

"many municipalities in Northern Illinois and the rest of the county are reducing inflow and infiltration (I/I) by implementing programs to repair sanitary laterals along with sanitary sewer mains. These programs vary from I/I identification only to full repair programs on private property. Determining factors for implementing a program includes lateral ownership and funding sources."

So let's look at Downer's Grove, today's example of how another community handles the sanitary lateral line infrastructure needs per the AECOM report:

"property owner owns sanitary lateral up to the mainline sewer. The Village targets selective neighborhoods for lateral inspections and repair if necessary. The Village then pays for any lateral repairs…”

Hmmm. Downers Grove Village management knows where to place the financial burden for infrastructure. The City of Highland Park doesn’t. Amazing!

AECOM provided other examples of communities who pay for repairs to laterals or who develop other funding mechanisms for it. Yes, they also point out other communities that require individual residents to pay for sanitary lateral line repairs, but let's just say for now that if you want to move to a community that forces individual residents to pay for repairs, you can move to Austin, Texas.

A couple of other thoughts today…

• The AECOM report was issued to the City in July 2009. Why is the Sewer Program "on hiatus" until an undetermined time in 2011 for budget discussions? There is enough in this report to know that many other communities do NOT require individual residents to pay. How much time does it take for the City Council to say "we'll fix the sewers but without targeting individual residents to pay"? That’s a 15 minute agenda item, especially when so many HP Councilman sought our votes based on their opposition to the Sewer Program. It is is nearly two years later and they have done nothing but put the program on a hiatus!!!
  

o City Council can leave the budget discussions to 2011 to determine how the CITY is going to budget for these improvements, but the Councilmen should go on record now and vote to eliminate the provision requiring individual residents to pay and to reimburse the residents who were previously coerced into paying.

• If the City had the AECOM report in July 2009, why didn't they provide it directly to residents who had complained? Even if they didn't know everyone who attended the SRO only meetings at the Public Works building, they certainly should have provided this info, in a timely way, to the people whom they knew and who were easily accessible and we could shared with others.
  

Finally, this blog allows for comments. The Mayor (who had previously posted a comment prior to this second round on the Sanitary Sewer Program - thank you, Mayor Mike!), Councilmen, and City management are especially encouraged to provide comments and go on record with where you stand. All readers, whether you agree or disagree are encouraged to join in the dialogue.

Withhold Your Support for a New Mayor Until...

Did you know that we’re still down the drain in HP? News to you?

Many of us, especially those in the Ravinia neighborhood, believed that the “Neighborhood Sanitary Sewer Repair Program (‘the Sewer Program’)”was D-E-A-D. Seems we were misinformed, misled. It is very much alive and Mayor Belsky has reinforced that the program has “merit and benefit” to the City. He has indicated that the Sewer program is merely on “hiatus during the economic downturn” and that is will be “discussed in the 2011 budget workshops.” Not dead at all. Alive, kicking and waiting to impolitely knock on your door to demand $5,000-$20,000 of your own savings. If you don’t have any savings, you can either get a loan for it (assuming you are credit worthy in this fine economy) or the City will place an enforceable lien on your property. If you just bought your house in HP, or are just about to sell it, that doesn’t matter (except you better disclose this liability as a seller). That’s the way it is going to be, for sure, if you don’t take action now to stop it.

We now have a unique and strategic opportunity to make things right and conclusively. Mayor Michael Belsky has decided not to run for mayor of HP again. I’m sure we’d all like to thank Mike for his dedication throughout his years of service to this community and some of the extraordinary achievements of the City during his leadership – but this would not include his continued support of the Sewer Program.

With Mayor Belsky’s decision not to run for re-election, we have an opportunity to draw a line in the sand and to tell our mayoral and City Council candidates that we will simply not support or vote for any candidate unless he or she takes a firm and vocal stand against the Sewer Program in its present form that requires individual residents to pay (in any proportion, in whole or in part) for work on their own private property sanitary lines to correct and/or compensate for HP infrastructure problems.

This City must find another way to pay for the infrastructure improvements. The burden simply should not have been placed directly on certain individual residents. From the outset, this was an awful recommendation by the City Manager in complete and total disregard of the impact on the individual residents. It was inexplicably adopted by City Council compounding the error in judgment.

Additionally, you should require your candidate to officially support and deliver reimbursement to the HP residents who have been treated so inequitably by the City and the Program and who have already been coerced to pay sums of approximately $5000-$20,000 during the worst economic environment most can recall.

By the way, if you have ever had your sanitary sewer line rodded, that is considered by the City to be prima facie evidence that you will be liable to pay for “repair” of the line under this Sewer Program (and don’t you think you need to disclose this to any home buyers?). They will knock on your door.

If you haven’t been already, you’ll be contacted soon by candidates to seek support. Don’t give it until you receive a firm commitment to correct this problem and terminate the Sewer Program with regard to individual resident payments. So far, according to the Pioneer Press, the only declared candidates are already in City Council, so require them to take action now. No need to ask for commitments and wait for the election. Seeing is believing. Tell them to put the matter to a vote now. See who votes, how they vote, and what their leadership talents are. Let’s not forget that in the last City Council election certain candidates represented to us that they were opposed the Sewer Program – and you know who they are. What action have they taken? None. Zip. Zero. Remember this for future elections.

Indeed, only former City Councilman Michael Brenner responded diligently, respectfully and with interest to my brother’s complaints to City Hall from the outset. Virtually all of the other City Councilmen ignored my brother’s complaints to City Council about the Sewer Program in 2007 and to date. We don’t even know how many other resident complaints they ignored as well. It was unfortunate that Councilman Brenner lost the last election, especially in light of the fact of the unfounded claims made by other candidates. Still, it is not too late for everyone on City Council to step up and do the right thing now, before the election, to prove their good faith. And we need to encourage them and to keep them focused on getting it done.

Please join me in drawing a line in the sand, No support, no vote for any candidate that does not fix the Sewer Program by terminating the requirement that it be paid for by individual residents. No support, no vote for any candidate that does not immediately call for the reimbursement to HP residents for the considerable sums they paid for work on their own private property to address a City of HP infrastructure problem.

Questions? Comments?

PS Please subscribe to this blog. I don’t have time to write much or often but I will be providing additional information on this issue from time to time. Please stay in touch!

Tearing down the concrete wall...

It's always great to share good news! While I wasn't able to attend today's meeting at the City of Highland Park, Adair Fell provided me with an initial brief report on the meeting. The signal tower will not be built at the original location on the east side of the tracks. Instead, according to Adair,

"the tower structure location is to be moved from the head of Cherokee and replaced with a much smaller foot print on the east side of the tracks. The metal shed can be placed about two feet off the ground next to the underpass. Best materials available will be used to hide the shed and make it blend in with surroundings. There will be signal poles at the track level. There are poles there now that will be removed, and a pole on each side of the tracks will take their place.

The present concrete structure will be removed and everything that has been cleared will be replaced, planting, sodding , etc."

Adair also shared with various residents that at the meeting today, Tom Zaplar, Director of Public Affairs & Metra Relations said they had made a "grievous mistake."

It's good to know that a group of residents can get together and make a difference!

While I'm happy to know that the signal tower won't be in the Fell's and Fishhaut's side yard, I am concerned about it being flopped over to the other side of the underpass. There are residents across the street and, yes, there are still children and families using the underpass. According to Adair, Nancy Rotering, Councilman, sees things the same way and told the group that she did not feel that having the shed anywhere near the underpass would be safe for children.

The report is that the Union Pacific said they would take another look at the plans for the project to see how much leeway there was for moving to another site. One of the Union Pacific engineers said that if the Braeside Station Parking Lot could accommodate their requirements, they would move the site there. I still don't have a clue why they can't move the tower in to Cook County. I'd encourage everyone to write Mr. Zaplar and confirm that this signal tower needs to be moved south, as in Cook County.

In any event, even if the outcome is not completely known yet, there was an important victory today with regard to maintaining the lovely Braeside neighborhood just west of the underpass. While the Metra wasn't respectful of HP residential property at the outset, it has demonstrated good faith by stating it will take down the existing concrete that was just erected and that they will clean up the site with appropriate landscaping. I'm looking forward to seeing these improvements soon, especially since that area has looked so bad for so long. Thank you to the Metra for responding to the neighborhood complaints.

Congratulations to Adair for her extraordinary and successful efforts to eliminate the signal tower at the west side of the overpass. Well done!

A City of HP eyesore...why does it need federal assistance?

"When one has to go to a U.S. Congressman to seek relief from something going on in one's own backyard, it tells you something is really wrong with our fair town, HP."

This response to my blog and the extraordinary efforts of Adair and Happy Fell says it all.

Our City manager didn't take up the issue in the first place, and now our Mayor assures the neighbors that he'll place a call to Congressman Kirk, or that David Limardi will. I know that Congressman Kirk is always responsive to our local needs, but he has an important job to do at another level. Shouldn't HP be able to handle this on its own? Where is the strength of the City?

Yes, the railroad has certain federal rights but cooperating with the neighbors is nothing new for them. The City worked with the railroad to move the train station south. The City worked with the railroad to improve the station at Braeside. Why now is the City so perplexed about how to take care of this inappropriate,unsightly and potentially dangerous signal tower at the underpass on Cherokee road? The answer rests at the door of the City Manager upon whom the Mayor and the City Council rely so heavily.

A picture is worth a thousand words, so the first of a series of photos of the construction site is included today. (How would you like that mess facing you for the last several months? How disrespectful of the Metra to the neighborhood!) Just imagine, atop this very poorly constructed and unsightly concrete base, a metal signal tower, chain link fence, etc., towering over residential property and beckoning to the children who pass by to conquer it. And our City Manager thinks this can be resolved with a little landscaping...?

BTW, Adair informs me that former councilman Mike Brenner stopped by and will see what he can do to help. Still responsive to and working on behalf of residents -- that's Mike.

For those of you writing letters of support that Adair can send to "the powers that be"...please be sure to note that just south of Lake Cook Road is non-residential property much better suited for a signal tower (assuming a signal tower is really needed).

In case you haven't noticed, there is a voting poll opportunity on this blog. Please take the time to place your vote on this poll, if you're a HP resident. Also, comments are welcome. You can find the link for comments just below the end of this entry.

How would you like a new signal tower in your front yard?

Down the Drain in HP was started as blog to address the Master Plan for Storm and Sanitary Sewers and the serious lack of professionalism, consideration and responsiveness from the City Manager and his office, as well as City Council, to residents and their complaints. In a future blog, I will return to the status of the Master Sanitary Sewer Plan, specifically that the City has not taken one step to correct its mistake and to reimburse individual residents for the thousands of dollars they were coerced to pay for that ill-conceived, unnecessary and inequitable plan.

Today, there is another issue of relevance to HP residents, including the Ravinia and Braeside neighborhoods. Here, again, is another instance of residents complaining to the City Manager’s office and being treated with disregard leaving the concerned residents with no choice but to appeal to City Council.

For the last several months, at least since spring, there has been a construction mess at underpass at Cherokee Road, where so many families go to access the Ravinia Festival or Braeside School, or the Green Bay Road Trail. (Unfortunately, I don’t have a photo right now.) Throughout the spring and summer, there has been standing water to the north and south of the sidewalk as a result of some blockage of water flow. (It looks so bad, even my thirsty dog won't try to drink that water.) There is gravel and other construction material strewn about the area. It has been an eyesore and, most likely, a public health issue for months.

Adair and Harold “Happy” Fell and Tina and Rick Fishhaut live closest to this construction and have also complained to the City Manager about the Northwestern/Metra constructing a large tower at this prominent location. It appears their initial complaints fell on deaf ears, as they needed to escalate this to the City Council. Thanks to the Fells and Fishhauts, nine neighbors went to the last City Hall meeting to share their concerns and appeal for the City to oppose this construction. Turns out there will be a concrete base (in place now) with a metal shed, fencing and a signal pole to be placed on the top in the coming weeks. The concrete base is sitting at the sidewalk level adjacent to the underpass. A wire fence will enclose the upper portion. The shed on top of the base will make the overall structure 15’ high (not including the light pole) and 17’ wide. It will not be missed and, most likely, cannot be hidden by landscaping.

As Adair points out, this will be an eyesore and a potential safety hazard for curious children. It will likely have a negative impact on the neighborhood and property values. Shouldn’t the City Manager’s office have been concerned about this construction even without residents complaining? Isn't this what we expect from the City and its professional management?

Yet, it is apparent from the information distributed by these neighbors that their initial complaints to Mr. Limardi were ignored. Why does it take the mobilization of 9 neighbors to stand before City Council before the City Manager’s office does the right thing for our neighborhoods? Adair advises that Mayor Belsky asked for the Corporation Counsel to research ways to deal with the railroad on the issue. Surely this is not the first time the City of HP has had discussions and negotiations with the railroad. Why don't they just make a call first? The Council asked Mr. Limardi to contact a high level railroad official, and make it clear that this issue is relevant to the Council. Couldn’t Mr. Limardi have done this when the Fells first contacted him? Did he have an opportunity to complain about this construction from the outset? It's my understanding that no construction takes place in this city without first notifying Public Works, even for the railroad easments. Clearly this construction spilled over onto HP property.

According to Adair, Mr. Limardi’s response at the City Hall meeting was that he suggested that since the base for the structure was already in place, the best they might hope for is landscaping. Aren't you underwhelmed at Mr. Limardi’s lack of zealous representation of HP? Does he think a few trees might adequately hide a 15' by 17' structure? Is he not concerned about the children passing through this underpass every day? Perhaps Mr. Limardi could do a better job if he were the one living in this construction mess for months, and if it were his property being devalued by a large signal tower in his front yard. It’s really time for the HP residents to step up and say that it is unacceptable to have a City Manager who doesn’t care about your front yard and your property values. When will City Council act to change this situation and ensure that we have a City Manager who cares about and is responsive to residents?

Let’s thank Adair and Happy, and Tina and Rick, for being vigilant about their neighborhood. If you’d like to learn more about this issue and how you can help, you can contact Adair at fell.adair@gmail.com. Let’s look forward to an appropriate resolution of this matter – preferably a signal tower that is placed in an area that will not be an attractive nuisance to children or an eyesore, and perhaps not in HP at all.

The House on Clifton Responds to City Hall, August 27, 2007

The plan was to give the readers exact copies of letters with the simple double click of a hyperlink. After finding that the Google Docs technology did not work as anticipated with regard to sharing PDFs, the next adventure will be through Adobe. Meanwhile, readers have not been able to access the documents referred to yesterday. Very frustrating!

So, while still trying to fix this technical glitch, following is a "cut and paste" version of the first letter my brother sent to the City of Highland Park, after receiving the City's demand that he sign a "Temporary License." The letter was addressed to Mary Anderson, with copies to Mayor Belsky, all City Councilmen and the Corporation Counsel. If this is your first visit to the blog, please be sure to go back and read previous entries. Thanks for taking the time to be informed. Please share your comments.

From the home on Clifton Avenue to:

Ms. Mary Anderson August 27, 2007
Director of Public Works
City of Highland Park
1150 Half Day Road
Highland Park, IL 60035

Dear Ms. Anderson,

The City of Highland Park and the Department of Public Works have notified me in various mailings that repair work related to storm sewers and “sanitary service lines” is being planned for the Sunset Woods neighborhood and a few other select neighborhoods. I have serious concerns and objections about the work that is planned, apparently now contracted, and the way it has been “proposed” to various homeowners by the City of Highland Park and Department of Public Works. As it appears that the City Council voted on many of the related issues, Mayor Michael Belsky and the City Council members are copied on this letter, as well as the Corporation Counsel.

I, and other homeowners as a class, have been told that our service lines need to be repaired based on tests that were conducted; and that we as the homeowners must bear at least 80% of the financial burden of paying for those repairs. To date, we have never been told specifically the results and findings of the “testing,” house by house, the nature of the specific problem with our particular line, where it was in the line, and precisely what work would be done to correct the problem if a city contractor performed the work.

With the original notification, not only were we not told the specifics of the problem, the City had not yet selected a contractor (one must assume this is done by competitive bidding but information about the bidders has not been shared with homeowners) who would outline the nature the of the work to be done for each line, for each homeowner, and provide a specific and detailed bill for the anticipated work. Detailed information about those bids is relevant to the homeowners, as each repair may differ, and especially if resident homeowners wish to contract with any other service provider at less cost.

The City of Highland Park has provided only very limited information, without any detail to which we are entitled. Individual homeowners were originally informed only that they would be held financially responsible for some undefined “sanitary service line work” contracted by the City to be done on our respective private properties. Furthermore, we were originally informed that we would be required to sign a “Temporary License for Sanitary Sewer Testing and Repair Work” (“Temporary License”). This license agreement was little more than an unreasonable blanket waiver of all rights and claims against, and a complete indemnification of, the City and the contractors. The demand was made with the threat against the homeowners that, should they not sign this agreement on the City’s schedule, they would suffer from a “violation notice with [a] time frame to correct and no City cost share” as well as “fines and penalties which may include water shutoff.” Serious demands, serious threats – all without the City providing a stitch of relevant information to the homeowners about cost, results of testing, or specifics concerning individual properties.

One doubts whether the Mayor or any member of the City Council has received such a notice for their own homes. If any have, one could only question their judgment and knowledge of the way a city government should work for the benefit of its residents. Further, the initial message sent to the taxpaying voters and homeowners of the Highlands, Ridgeway and Sunset Woods focused on “financing options” including “1) payment in full at the time of improvements; 2) property owner-secured home equity financing; 3) the City-subsidized low interest loan program available through the First Bank of Highland Park.” (How was the First Bank of Highland Park chosen over other area banks? Who decided on the percentage of the loan? The City again has not been forthcoming and we have a right to expect answers.) The amount of these costs remained a mystery through several letters to these homeowners, until, finally, in an August 15, 2007 letter – within 15 days of the date in which the City demands a return of the “Temporary License” -- the City reveals to the homeowner a glimpse of financial burden: “We understand an exact amount may not be known, however the City feels no individual service repair will exceed $10,000.”

In case the City has not been paying attention to the news, there is a serious credit problem in the housing market now. Homes are losing their value. Credit is crunched. How many residents will be pushed over the edge based on this unreasonable demand for unbudgeted and unanticipated expenses demanded by the City?

Whom should the homeowner trust to ensure that the (as yet unspecified) work is done properly and for fair value? The City which has apparently bungled this matter from the outset? The audacity of requesting that residents sign a waiver and indemnify the City was just a small part of the mismanagement of this issue. Fortunately, it seems that other residents spoke up and the City has now backed off from that thoughtless, capricious and unfair demand – which until a few days ago had the imprimatur of City Hall and the threat of penalties and water shut off for refusal to sign.

I hope that my fellow residents of Highland Park will reject this action taken by the City, based on the inherent unfairness of the proposal, as well as its lack of specific information and the considerable financial burden that will be placed on homeowners for making these repairs.

The City needs to have a historic perspective on the issues at hand. When my parents built the home at xxxx Clifton Avenue during 1954/55, the home, including its sanitary system, was built according to City code. From the time the house was built, there were serious issues and problems pertaining to storm and sanitary sewers in Sunset Woods and several other neighborhoods in the City. Year after year, my parents paid their taxes, asked for relief and infrastructure appropriate for our neighborhood yet these issues were neglected by the City. This is a situation which many of my fellow neighbors throughout the City are very familiar with in their neighborhoods, with their homes, particularly those who’ve been a part of this community for many years. I have been the tax paying owner of the house for many years and I and my neighbors deserve to be treated fairly, and not by fiat. The City should have budgeted to address the storm and sanitary sewers rather than foist, what the City calls, this “unexpected expenditure” on individual homeowners.

Indeed, instead of the City resolving the issues with taxes, it continues to allow the builders to increase the density of Highland Park beyond the ability of the infrastructure to absorb the increased population. And, it has allowed for more impervious surfaces, more houses, condominiums, commercial development, parking lots, placing greater demands on streets, sanitary lines, storm sewers, flood plains. It requires new and remodeled homes to hook up to the storm sewers. It is hardly equitable that the City is going to homeowners of older properties and demanding that we bear the financial responsibility for this management of storm sewers. The work to be done is intended to benefit the whole and the whole should pay for it.

It is inappropriate to demand that residents sign agreements and proceed with significant financial decisions based on a lack of information. Please provide the results of the testing done at my property, describe the work to be done, provide an accurate estimate for it which any reputable contractor would have provided by now and disclose the contractor(s), so I can call others to seek other bids.

I also request that you provide the names and contact information for all homeowners who have been contacted by the City with regard to these repairs. If the City Council does not take care of these issues, it will be appropriate to reach out to everyone who is affected by the City’s demands.

The residents of Highland Park deserve a plan for infrastructure that’s equitable, not an ad hoc “plan,” hastily construed, that’s imposed without regard to what’s fair and reasonable. When the City of Highland Park provides the requested and specific information for our home (and would expect no less for our fellow homeowners) and can answer some of the troubling questions raised, I will then decide the best alternatives to pursue concerning repairs.

Sincerely,
XXXXXX

Cc: Mayor Michael Belsky; Council Members: Michael Brenner, Terri Olian, Scott Levenfeld, Steven Mandel, Lawrence Silberman, James Kirsch; Corporation Counsel, Steven Elrod.

Open your checkbook, the City “feels” it won’t cost you more than $10,000…

So, let's get started with correspondence between the City of HP and "Clifton Avenue" in Sunset Park.

[After publishing the blog entry today, the blogger finds that google.com/docs does not allow for unrestricted viewing of PDF documents. Accordingly, some of the hyperlinks below will not work. So, if you would like access to them, you'll need to send me an e-mail at downthedraininhp@gmail.com to request access that will be gladly given. The blogger will respect your privacy, will not develop a mailing list from requests, and will not share the e-mail addresses with anyone absent a court order. If anyone has a better idea of how to post the correspondence, please let me know. Otherwise, I'll start to copy the language for you soon.]

On August 15, 2007, the house on Clifton received a letter from City Hall to notify the resident that the City of HP had "awarded a contract to Performance Pipelining Incorporated…expected to begin repair work in September and finish late October or early November." The letter stated that, "at the homeowners request," City staff had explored creating a Special Service Area (SSA) as alternative funding. It is reasonable to infer from this August 15 letter that residents had already complained to the City about charging residents directly for infrastructure repairs and for placing upon the homeowners such a large, unanticipated and unbudgeted expense.

Staff determined that a SSA was not feasible, which makes sense if the plan affects the entire municipality. Yet, it appears in the Master Plan for Storm and Sanitary Sewers that certain neighborhoods had been "targeted." (Is it just a coincidence that no neighborhoods east of the railway tracks had been targeted, even though they contain some of the oldest homes and infrastructure in HP?)

We have not been able to access information concerning complaints made to the City about the Master Plan for Storm and Sanitary Sewers, being told that this can be acquired only through a FOIA request. Another fine example of City Hall's practice of divide and conquer – if you can't access other residents' complaints, you may think you're the only one who wants to challenge City Hall, determine it is futile and just sign whatever they want.

Clifton Avenue was told that there were three financing options: payment in full at the time of improvements, 2) property owner secured home equity financing and 3) a City subsidized low interest loan program available through the First Bank of Highland Park. A fourth alternative was mentioned as possibly being "available in the near future" with regard to the City's Low Income Program. Ultimately, this may have been the enforceable lien for the full amount of the project [N.B., the lien was always "offered" as an alternative for paying 100% of the work to be done, and not as an option for use with the 80-20% (resident-City) split].

In the August 15 letter, there was another request for the Temporary License to be signed within about two weeks, returned by August 31. Notably there wasn't any specific description of anything wrong with the sanitary lateral line at the Clifton Avenue address, nor the work to be done there. The amount to be paid was not provided. Signing and returning the Temporary License to the City of Highland Park would be like signing a check without filling in the amount and allowing the recipient to plug in any figure he'd like – ultimately, the City could charge any amount it wanted. Of course, the City stated in the August 15 letter that it "feels no individual repair service repair will exceed $10,000." Is this how the City Manager, David Limardi, and the City Council manages City funds – on how it FEELS?—or does it just work that way with your money? Who authorizes substantial and costly work on the basis of a guesstimate? And, in speaking with someone at Sunset Foods, I heard of a family that moved into a house and suddenly was required to pay close to $25,000 or be faced with a City lien. I can't say for sure this was a result of the Master Plan, but my friend thought so and, in any event, what a painful welcome to Highland Park upon buying your new home. After all, it's not as if the home inspection people routinely examine your sanitary lateral lines.

The City demanded that the resident sign the (initial, later revised) "Temporary License for Sanitary Sewer Testing and Repair Work" without specifying the type of repair to be done. The license referred to this as "by either open excavation and/or trenchless technology." The resident was required to waive and release any claims ("known and unknown") against the City and Performance Pipelining for any harm caused to the homeowner's property. So, if they did work that caused a bigger problem or flooded your home, well, that's your problem, not the City's. Further, if that wasn't unreasonable enough, the resident had to "indemnify, hold harmless and defend the City," the Mayor, the City Councilmen and all the other people involved in perpetrating the Master Plan. It's a good time to ask the Corporation Counsel, Mr. Elrod… whom do you think you are representing? We'll leave that issue for another day. In any event, numerous HP residents signed the Temporary License in its original form, no doubt feeling that they couldn't "fight City Hall" and upon threat of having a lien placed on their property.

In response to receiving the City's demand, my brother issued a letter to Mary Anderson, with a copy to the Mayor and City Council. Take a look at his August 31, 2007 letter. You'll find in it virtually all of the questions and objections raised by the Ravinia neighbors more than a year later in December 2008.

Please take the time to read my brother's detailed August 31, 2007 letter, which was written on behalf of all HP residents. This is a brief quote it:

"The residents of Highland Park deserve a plan for infrastructure that's equitable, not an ad hoc "plan," hastily construed, that's imposed without regard to what's fair and reasonable. When the City of Highland Park provides the requested and specific information for our home (and would expect no less for our fellow homeowners) and can answer some of the troubling questions raised, I will then decide the best alternatives to pursue concerning repairs."

If you sent a letter to the City of Highland Park in response to the Master Plan, please let me know, and it can be posted on this site.

In the next blog entry, we'll take a look into the City Hall's lame response. Thanks for staying tuned.

Oh, by the way, it was 2007 when the City "felt" it wouldn't cost more than $10,000. It seems the top line will be much higher in 2009...wonder what they "feel" it is now?