SYCAMORE – Sycamore Mayor-Elect Steve Braser will be sworn in during Monday’s city council meeting, in time for the council to consider on a proposal to aid residents in replacing resident-owned lead service lines for water within city limits.
Braser was elected April 6 with over 82% of the vote against opponent and local businessman Adam Benn, and has said his first priority as mayor will be to lead the city’s efforts to select a new City Manager. The appointment will need to be made after longtime city manager Brian Gregory became DeKalb County administrator starting March 1, and marks the first time Sycamore hasn’t had a sitting city manager in about 15 years. Maggie Peck is currently serving as Acting City Manager in the interim.
Also awaiting a swearing-in Monday is long-time Alderman Pete Paulsen, a nearly two-decade incumbent who was reelected with over 65% of the vote against challenger Mike Rodriguez. Incumbent Mary Kalk will also be sworn in for a second term as City Clerk.
The proposal up for council consideration Monday relates to the city’s water system, which consists of over 115 miles of watermain servicing over 7,000 different users, according to city documents. Replacement of the existing lead-lined water lines is part of the City’s water master plan, approved in 2019 but put on hold due to financial constraints due to the COVID-19 pandemic, city officials have said.
In March, the City continued its application for a $1 million loan from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, to aid the replacement of 150 private lead water services. Pending IEPA approval of bid results for the contract work, the City anticipates loan approval and construction this summer, documents states. Service locations aren’t finalized.
The update comes amid continued concern by Sycamore residents expressing dismay over drinking water quality issues and conflicting lead level water test results, which has some residents calling on the City to address whether water coming into their homes has lead in it. City officials has said the water is safe to drink per state-certification standards, while some residents question its safety.
During a months-long renewed effort taken to City of Sycamore officials to address, a number of residents also got together and filed a class action lawsuit against the city in October of 2020, which remains ongoing. City officials have continued to deny the water, which many residents reported is brown and has a foul odor and texture, is unsafe to drink, though they are looking at getting a forgivable loan to replace lead water lines throughout the city. The council in recent months has also mulled over possibly implementing a separate program that would give a $1,000 utility bill credit for homeowners that replace lead water service lines on their private property.
City officials have also identified a five-year plan to replace approximately 245 watermain services, documents show. During construction, the City will replace watermain and other city-owned attachments on other property, such as hydrants. The City plans to replace the service lines from the main to shut-off valve, which is typically locally on a private property line, at no cost to the homeowner, documents state. However, the property owner will be expected to front the remaining cost of replacement of the mains from the shut-off valve to the water meter inside their buildings.
The consideration up for discussion Monday – which the City says was recommended by the city’s Public Works officials, documents state – is the next step in that utility bill credit proposal. According to Section 8-2-6 of the city code, water main on privately-owned property is the responsibility of the private homeowners to pay for themselves.
However, while the City has identified 220 lead services, documents state, there are more than 4,800 private connections remaining.
“To facilitate and defer costs for replacement of privately owned lead water service, the City continues to explore funding opportunities,” the Monday city council agenda states. “...In an effort to provide assistance to the residents of Sycamore who are unable to participate in these aforementioned programs, City staff has developed a program to provide some assistance and incentive for lead service replacements.”
The proposal is three steps: Residents will need to submit an application to apply for the program, and the City will then verify the service line is a lead service using “the best available information and field investigations,” the agenda states. If the property qualifies, the resident would then have to hire a license plumber or contractor to complete the work, and the City would waive permit fees between $150 and $175. The City would also provide the saddle, which is a clamp used to help pressurize a water line, and corporation stop, which is piece of metal used to help tap the water at the water main. The resident would then be eligible to have their costs reimbursed up to $1,000 if the installation is successful, documents state.
The reimbursement would come in the form of a credit on the residents’ bi-monthly utility bill.
Daily Chronicle reporter Katie Finlon contributed to this story.