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Winfield pact passes county council vote

Christopher Paine
Star Staff Writer

CRown Point - The Lake County Council passed an interlocal agreement with the Town of Winfield over road maintenance and snow removal issues.
    Because of a lack of resources, Winfield has asked the county to pick up certain functions until the town acquires a new truck and equipment.
    The two roads that will be plowed by the county will be 109th and Randolph Street.
    The town will be charged for services and the agreement will last from Oct. 16 to April 30, 2001.
    In other business, the council approved the location of new stop signs. One will be located on Arizona Street southbound to stop for East 145th Ave. and three stop signs along Birch Street. Two of the signs will be located at East and Westbound to stop for Oak Street, and one at Sycamore Street North and southbound at Birch Street.

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Costs could sink water clean plan in Lowell
Questions surface on filtering recipients for water filters

By Kathie Godfrey
Star Correspondent

LOWELL - Council members who want to offer some short-term relief to residents plagued with rusty brown water were in a quandary Monday regarding how to decide who will get free filtration systems and replacement cartridges from the town and how the town will pay for the program. Town Council President Bob Hatch (R-3rd), quoted a low unit price of $22.95 for U-25 whole house filtration system with replacement filters at $6 each from retailer Menards.
    Installation - which could be done by licensed plumbers or by individual homeowners - would be the responsibility of water customers themselves. But when councilwoman Karen Brooker (R-2nd), asked Clerk Treasurer Judy Walters how the town would fund the relief project.
    Walter replied, "You tell me."

Walters said 2,578 residential ratepayers are currently served by Lowell's water treatment plant. "We're charging a premium rate for water and the service is not good. We're not going to deny that," Hatch admitted, adding that not every home was affected.
    Regarding requests for filtration systems, Hatch said "taking folks word for it is good enough for me."
    "Some people don't call and complain," Walters said, "Once you start offering filter systems, everyone is going to want one." Walters also said residents of the Hilltop subdivision to which systems had been supplied during a similar filtration program offered from May 1996 to November 1997 have requested free replacement cartridges from the town. Councilman Ray Talarek, R-lst, said he thought staff was aware of exactly where in town the worst water was confined.
    "Complaints are equally spread throughout the town," replied Mark Downey of Commonwealth Engineers. "They're coming in from all over."
    The council agreed to supply filter cartridges to Hilltop residents and to let let Dal Corobbo research requests for filtration systems for the next council meeting on Oct. 23.

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