'Sitting Ducks': La Grange Woman Begs For Flooding Help

LA GRANGE, IL – La Grange resident Jenny Bergstrom pleaded with the city Monday to take action now on flooding.

She cited the more than six figures her family has spent on warding off water.

But the village faces a dilemma.

Through a voter-approved sales tax, La Grange has amassed millions of dollars since 2015 for the 50th Street storm sewer project. That work would result in depositing stormwater into a McCook quarry.

But that project has been tied up for years in litigation with the quarry company, Heidelberg Materials.

If the village spent money on smaller projects in the meantime, officials say, it wouldn't have enough for the 50th Street work. And that's the project that engineers say would solve the problem.

At Monday's Village Board meeting, Village President Mark Kuchler told the public that trustees would meet with their lawyers about the litigation behind closed doors later that night.

He said the village was moving forward, so it could go out to bid for the 50th Street work.

In 2023, a Cook County judge sided with the village, letting La Grange send the water to the quarry. The company appealed.

"It's taken the appellate court longer than normal to issue a ruling," Kuchler said.

Trustee Beth Augustine said she was sorry that more had not been done, but "there are good reasons for the slow pace."

During the public comment period, Bergstrom, who lives at Eighth Avenue and 48th Street, said her basement flooded with 8 feet of water shortly after her family moved in five years ago.

All the water from the intersection flowed into their basement, she said. That's when they made the big flood-proofing investment.

And it worked for four years. But the problem re-emerged.

"We experience this type of flooding more frequently each year with greater severity," Bergstrom said.

The village's engineers, who have looked at the family's situation, say they have no feasible way to get stormwater out of their back and front yards, she said. The only solution is to install a pipe to put the water into La Grange's system, which is already overrun with water, she said.

"I don't trust that. I don't want La Grange's water in our house again," Bergstrom said. "The onus is on La Grange to address the insufficient water system and sewer system in front of our home. We feel like sitting ducks."

"If these issues aren't addressed, we will end up with a completely devastating flood again," she said. "I'm begging you to please address the issue."

After she spoke, Kuchler said, "Sorry to hear about your flooding."