Elmhurst Fee Would Perpetuate Negativity: Official

ELMHURST, IL – It's hard to remember the last time that the Elmhurst City Council faced constituents angry over flooding at a meeting.

Such complaints continue in La Grange and Western Springs. There, residents are upset with stormwater problems and point to Elmhurst as a positive example.

On Monday, Elmhurst Alderwoman Marti Deuter recalled that years ago, flooding brought residents to meetings.

"It was a very contentious time," she said during a meeting of the council's Finance Committee. "There was a lot of heat on the city about stormwater. We've done a lot to address the issue."

She said residents at the time often blamed flooding on newly built large houses next door. But she said towns with no development saw similar drainage issues.

Deuter said the city doesn't want the negativity to return. And she said it would if the city levied a stormwater fee on water bills, which she opposed.

"Every time someone gets their water bill, they would see the fee on their bill," she said. "It will bring so much of the negative sentiment. It would perpetuate a lot of the negativity."

Others agreed that flooding work over the years has helped.

"We don't have significant home structural flooding," Alderwoman Noel Talluto said. "That's proof that projects are working."

The committee's members opposed the stormwater fee, an idea that some previously supported.