PUBLICWORKS
UNDERGROUND
SUMMER 2011
Recycling Pays Big Dividends... Some types of recyclable materials are currently bringing all time high prices in the marketplace. As a member community of the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County ("SWALCO”), the Village has the ability – along with all of the other Lake County member communities – to require our waste hauler, Groot Industries, to bring the Village’s recyclables to a SWALCO designated facility. Many of the SWALCO member communities currently direct their recyclables to the local WM Recycle America facility and this allows us to obtain better prices due to the large volume of materials being directed there. Although the waste hauler is paid by the facility for the materials, SWALCO members like Green Oaks also receive a payment based on the amount (measured in tons) of materials that the municipality actually recycles. If prices remain at their current level, the Village anticipates being able to cover the costs of the Fall leaf pick-up and the Spring clean-up solely out of the recycling reimbursement. For example, in the first quarter of 2011, SWALCO member communities received a $24 per ton payment. Our Village recycled 152 tons and received a quarterly payment of $3,662.
Bottom line, keep up the good work and recycle as much as you can since every revenue stream, no matter how small, helps to keep our budget balanced in these tight economic times. A link to a current list of materials eligible to be recycled and kept out of the landfill can be found on the Village’s web-site or at
www.swalco.org/Recycling/Guidelines.
On the Drawing Board... The Public Works Committee recently completed its budget and strategic planning for the upcoming fiscal year. Projects that are tentatively scheduled for 2011-2012 include the East Rondout Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation, Storm Sewer Installation Between Kenton and the Saddle Hill 2 Ponds, and North Branch Creek Regrading and Culvert Crossing Improvements on Cranbrook,. If these projects can be completed, then the Kenton Lane Ditch Improvements can perhaps be started in 2012-2013. The Public Works Committee continues to slowly work its way "upstream” in order to reduce the frequency and severity of nuisance flooding within the Village during significant events. Continued use of a phased approach to these projects lessens the impact on Village finances.
Keep Those Ditches Clear... It's that time of year again. Here is our annual reminder that, per Village Ordinance, homeowners are responsible for the maintenance of the drainage swales along the frontage of their property. Keeping the swales clean and clear of debris and excess vegetation helps the storm water to flow unimpeded to its intended destinations. Improved flow will also help to reduce the nuisance ponding that some lots experience during heavy rainfall events.
If you have any questions concerning public sewer, municipal water, the trail system, storm water management or solid waste and recycling, please feel free to contact your Public Works Committee chair at
john.wagener@greenoaks.org.
STREETS AND ROADS
THE LONG & "WHINING" ROAD
Remember the editorial cartoon that had a woman and a tow truck driver peering into a pot hole? She points to her car, "It's the blue one, next to the red one?" Well, help is hopefully on the way. As you may recall, last fall, State Senator Terry Link and State Representative Carol Sente secured $500,000 in funding for an emergency road repair grant from the State of Illinois for our village. As with most state funding issues these days, implementation has been slow in coming. Last month I met with Representative Sente to urge her to encourage the state to follow through on funding this grant. Representative Sente was able to speed up the process and notified us that the $500,000 grant for Green Oaks' roads has been placed in the 2012 Illinois State budget. The budget has been recently signed by the Governor and we have been told that these funds should be received within the next few months. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
We have just finished reviewing our road's maintenance plan based on the funds available to us through the Illinois State Motor Fuel Tax for 2010. We are focusing first on the roads in most need of repair which are most often used by village residents. Eventually we will get to every road that needs repairs. We count on your purchases of vehicle stickers to help fund road projects.
Road work on Guerin Road has now been completed. We would like to thank everyone for their patience during the constructions. We are currently working on O'Plaine Road, in front of Oak Grove School, while the school district is focusing on the parking lot improvements in from of the grammar school.
Please feel free to contact me at any time if you have any questions or concerns about our local roads. I can be reached at
daniel.sugrue@greenoaks.org.