News and notes of interest to IHP residents

Hello!  Happy Spring!  I have compiled a bit of information and news that I thought you might be interested in – 

First of all, I was looking at the Village Website today and was surprised to see this.  I know I am probably one of the few people who has the website bookmarked so I’m sharing for those of you who may not have seen this news regarding the Electrical Aggregation Agreement:

As you know, in accordance with the wishes of our residents who approved the referendum question allowing the Village to engage in electric aggregation, the VBT approved and entered into a contract in May 2013 with Constellation Energy. Our one-year contract gave us a rate of 4.899 cents per kwh. This contract expires in May this year and efforts are in progress to work out a new deal with Constellation or some other electric energy supplier. At our meeting on April 10, 2014, the VBT approved a resolution accepting a 3-year renewal with Constellation at a new rate of 7.19 cents per kwh. Yes, like the stock market, the energy market fluctuates from day to day and within the day. In approving this bid at the higher rate, the VBT took into consideration that the ComEd rate was likely to be higher (7.63 cents per kwh by some estimates) than the Constellation rate and that there would be a new opt-out period for our residents at the start of this new extension. Also, our original agreement contained a price protection provision whereby the Village could terminate the agreement in the event the ComEd rate dropped below the Constellation rate. It appeared to be a “no-lose” situation. Unfortunately, as Village Counsel worked through the details of the extension agreement, Constellation indicated that it would no longer grant the price protection provision. As such, I was not able to sign the extension without that provision and our energy agreement with Constellation has converted by its terms to a month to month basis. Our new rate beginning in mid-May for one month will be 5.85 cents per kwh. I have instructed Counsel to prepare documents to go out for bid that should allow us to enter into a longer term agreement with a new company at our May 8 VBT meeting. If not, it appears at present that we could end the aggregation and go back to ComEd. Please watch the Village website for more information as it becomes available. Keep in mind, your electricity will stay on and you will not get locked into a long term deal you do not like.  http://www.indianheadpark-il.gov/VillageDesk.html

And a new sign appeared at the Heritage Center in the last day or so:

I don’t know what the seedlings are but it’s a nice idea.

Also, Highlands Middle School is having it’s 4th annual Service Day on May 8th.  ALL the students from the Middle School provide acts of service in and around their communities (primarily in Indian Head Park, Western Springs, and LaGrange).  On this day they provide assistance to many worthwhile organizations and individuals including Helping Hand, BedsPlus, The Community Nurse Association, Meadowbrook Manor, LaGrange and Pleasantdale Park Districts, as well as helping at the homes of some of our local senior citizens. This year in Indian Head Park they will be working in Blackhawk Park and Kelli’s Playground/Sacajawea Park helping to spread mulch, clean up the areas, and possibly do some planting.  The mulch will be provided by the village, but plants are generally donated by the parents and local communities.  Below is a list of all the “Wish List” items that the students are hoping to collect for all the various service projects and organizations being supported.  Please review the list and consider donating an item or two for the Service Day and bringing it to the Middle School office on Plainfield Road by Wednesday, May 7th.  

-Gently used, recreational reading books for children ages 0-18 (no textbooks or coloring/activity books)
-Potting Soil Bags (40 lb bags)
-Perennial Plants (it is great if they come from your own garden!)
-Yard waste bags
-Gardening gloves
-Pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House
-Cases of Bottled water
-Crystal light (or similar brand) flavor packets
-New Adult socks (Men’s or Women’s)
-New (or gently used) Men’s cotton T-shirts (sizes L or XL)
-New Men’s boxers (sizes L or XL)
-New Women’s Cotton Underwear (sizes M, L, or XL)
-Small bottles of Talcum Powder
-VERY GENTLY used adult sneakers (Men’s or Women’s)
-journals, teen jewelry, watches
-new board games, puzzles
-craft supplies and kits
-sidewalk chalk
-bubbles
-barrettes, hair clips, hair ties
-lip gloss and/or chapstick
-basketballs, football, kickballs-standard size or Nerf type for kids
-Popular Music CD’s
-McDonalds Gift Cards ($5 or $10 donations)
-Movie Gift Cards (AMC, Loews, LaGrange Theatre)
-Batteries of all sizes (AA, AAA, C, D, E)

If you are doing some Spring Cleaning, you may need this information – (click on links for detailed info/flyers)

Hazardous Waste Collections Day – Countryside – Saturday, May 17th from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Hinsdale South Recycling Event – May 3rd from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Village of Hinsdale – National Prescription Drug Take- Back Day – Saturday, April 26, 2014 from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

UPDATE FOR ONE MORE EVENT:  9th Annual Computer Drive – LTHS South Campus – Saturday, May 17 from
8 am – 12 noon

Secretary of State’s Office Returning to the Burr Ridge Village Hall in 2014

Skip a trip to the Secretary of State’s Office.  It’s coming to you!  The Secretary of State Mobile Driver Services Facility is coming to the Burr Ridge Village Hall on May 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Click here to view a copy of the event brochure. 

Any Illinois resident can attend.  The mobile facility can renew licenses and State ID cards up to one year in advance of their expiration date.  They will also offer vision screening, duplicate and/or corrected drivers’ licenses, new identification cards and vehicle renewal stickers.  Anyone over the age of 65 can obtain a free state ID, good for life.  Otherwise, standard fees apply.  The only service the mobile facility cannot offer is a road test.  Anyone over the age of 75 is required to take a road test when renewing a driver’s license.  To learn more about identification requirements, fees and services visit the Secretary of State’s web site at www.cyberdriveillinois.com.  For directions to or information about the Village of Burr Ridge call (630) 654-8181.

IHP in the news:

Indian Head Park Easter Egg Hunt fun for all ages

Many thanks to the students and staff at Highlands Middle School that support IHP’s Easter Egg Hunt!  Originally they stuffed the eggs as part of their Service Day work, but since Service Day has fallen after Easter the last couple years they’ve continued to stuff the eggs on their own time at the school!

Seeing more and more about marijuana arrests locally:  http://westernsprings.suntimes.com/crime/blotter-WSD-04222014:article

Finally, I know that oftentimes the IHP Police Reports do not show up in the local papers, but if you are ever interested you can go to the Police Department page on the IHP website and find detailed information on the most recent month’s activities (here is March’s for instance – http://www.indianheadpark-il.gov/docs/police/Mar14DailyComplaintList.pdf) or you can go here for all the links going back to 2011 http://www.indianheadpark-il.gov/crime_alerts.html.

 

Video from Village Board of Trustees meeting – 4-10-14 (subtitle: rush Rush RUSH!)

Here is the agenda from the meeting so you can follow along.  Brian Bailey was not at the meeting, and the consent agenda item was removed from the agenda.

As you can see, there were a few agenda items to be tackled related to the Road Bond.  On that topic, there is also an new page on the Village website related to the Streets Program including the map and streets cost estimate that was presented at the board meeting.  You can access it here – Village Streets Program Information.

The agenda items started with a presentation from Speer Financial on the best way to proceed with the bond purchase.  It was decided that the 15-year bond is the best option.

Dave Vandervelde from Christopher Burke Engineering then presented the Streets Program as it will be going forward. Some streets have changed in regards to what work they will receive, and fine tuning is being done on the overall cost.   He expects that there will be sufficient funds to crack seal the balance of the streets in the village not otherwise having work done.  Trustee Wittenberg asked about the status of 65th Street (the street the village didn’t know was ours – which is in VERY bad shape) and President Andrews apparently hasn’t gotten any further about that conversation with the Township.  It has been deducted from the streets plan though – so by my calculation that’s at least $90,000 saved right off the bat.  As far as a time frame, the hope is to award the project by the end of May (June 1st would be the earliest date for “shovels in the ground”) and completion in or around October – taking an estimated 60-80 working days total for the work.  It was also decided to look into replacing the water main on Cascade (across from Blackhawk Park) and on Pontiac – while the roads are being torn up.  In a move that I disagree with, it was decided to have Ed Santen get a couple of bids for the water main work but NOT go through a formal bid process as would be best practice and in line with our village policy for work of this cost.  That is at least better than having him go to only one vendor and offer them the work (which was also discussed).

The next item on the agenda was the Resolution to Approve the Christopher Burke Agreement for the 2014 Road Improvement Project.  This agreement allows for payment to the Engineering firm of 7-1/2% of the design and construction costs for the roadway program – $175,000.  The kicker in this part of the meeting was that the Trustees did not have a chance to review the agreement as it had only been available for an hour or so before the meeting and it was 80 pages long.  (Yeah, this is the way to run a good government.)  The Village Attorney was asked what other options the board might have other than to just approve the agreement – the attorney had nothing to offer.  (Really?  Nothing?? Yup.) Rather than take a week and review the agreement, check other options, do some due diligence about what is appropriate or customary for these types of agreements and charges, etc. and maybe hold a Special Meeting  next week after completing some research on the topic,  the Board just passed the Resolution.  Unanimously.  I can’t even tell you how disappointing that was to see.  And please know that we also pay the Engineer a monthly retainer that comes to about $30,000/year.  Someone needs to FOIA payment records to the Engineering firm to see what and why we pay for with that….

The Electric Aggregation Agreement Resolution was also passed with some discussion, but no real research proceeded the conversation about what was pricing was being contracted currently with other municipalities.  Amy Wittenberg was looking at a website during the meeting to try to see what rates other municipalities were currently contracting  for – and in fact seemed to find information that the rate we are being offered was higher than others she was seeing online at that moment, but in the end the trustees just went with their gut and the idea that they needed to approve the resolution RIGHT THEN.

The Purchasing Agreement agenda item (#6) was tabled to the next meeting.

Finally, the new Village Administrator John Brooks presented the possible use of collection agencies to collect overdue fines from village residents owed to IHP.   He made a good presentation and will be continuing to look into this as an opportunity to collect outstanding monies for the village (every little bit helps).