Charging Willowbrook? Darien Officials Disagree

DARIEN, IL – Darien aldermen on Monday approved the purchase of a $550,000 piece of equipment to help with its water and storm sewer utilities.

But officials disagreed during a City Council meeting over whether to charge neighboring Willowbrook when it uses the machine in question, known as a Vactor.

When Municipal Services Director Dan Gombac presented the item, he said more and more area towns are buying Vactors. But he said Willowbrook remains an exception.

Alderwoman Mary Sullivan asked whether Willowbrook would compensate the city for using the Vactor.

Gombac said the city would set up rates under an agreement with Willowbrook.

However, Mayor Joseph Marchese said that after speaking with Willowbrook Mayor Frank Trilla, he would like to lend the equipment without charge to the neighboring village. He called it the "spirit of intergovernmental cooperation."

"When we need police assistance, they assist us. They don't charge us. We don't charge them, and I think their use of (the Vactor) would be minimal," the mayor said.

He said he wanted to continue Darien's good working relationships with its neighbors. In recent years, the city did not charge for helping Woodridge and a nearby unincorporated area with tornado damage, he said.

"But that was a natural disaster," Sullivan said. "I'm all about being a good neighbor, and obviously, when there is an emergency or police service need, of course, we all gather, but I don't put this in the same category as that."

"I'm a little disappointed to hear that," Marchese said, "but it'll be the council's decision based on Dan's recommendation."

City Treasurer Michael Coren agreed with Sullivan.

"We have wear and tear on a half-a-million-dollar piece of equipment. There's going to be maintenance and depreciation and everything," Coren said. "It just doesn't come for nothing."

Aldermen were unanimously in favor of buying the Vactor. No decision was made on how to handle Willowbrook's requests.