Trouble With Utility Work In Darien? Call City

DARIEN, IL — Darien may be able to help if you're frustrated about seeing utility workers performing unannounced work on your property.

At Monday's City Council meeting, Ward 3 Alderman Joe Kenny said he received a complaint from a resident in the 1900 block of McAdams Road.

The resident, Kenny said, reported AT&T contractors working on easements in the back of his property. They did some work in the fall and are back digging, the alderman said.

Mayor Joseph Marchese said it was the second or third time recently that he had heard complaints about the way AT&T is leaving properties.

"Here we have another issue," the mayor said.

Dan Gombac, the city's municipal services director, said utilities are hard-pressed to give notice in emergencies. But they can do so for planned work, he said.

"With today's infrastructure, everything's underground," Gombac said. "Almost every single house in the city of Darien has what's referred to as a utility easement. The utility easement is anywhere from 10 to 20 feet wide. It's part of a property owner's property. It's granted through a plat of subdivision that allows these companies to come in there to do the work."

Sometimes utility cables are left above ground for months during cold weather because workers cannot dig in frozen ground, Gombac said.

"The best thing we can tell you and tell residents is that if it seems like it's going on too long, whether it's the restoration or it's a cable over the yard or whether it's a pedestal that's knocked over that's rusted, call us," Gombac said.

"We're very good about getting to the right people and not just calling these 1-800 numbers, which, I think, we've all had bad experiences," Gombac said. "We get to the source, and it's done in a timely fashion, pending the weather, of course."