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Post by cityslicker on Aug 26, 2013 5:22:00 GMT -6
The tree planting goes hand goes hand in hand with mayor of ottawa trying to market Ottawa as a garden city. Those annoying bump outs are a waste of parking space. I hope the good old boys of Crimetown, (Streator), do not try, such an antic.
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Post by willy on Aug 26, 2013 7:07:13 GMT -6
I'm not completely sure but didn't the trees come from IDOT? Green people like green things.
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Post by mommytoo4 on Aug 26, 2013 8:17:53 GMT -6
Yes, we negotiated a very good deal for the citizens of Streator, but I never denied that, did I? I'm not being argumentative and I know you aren't either. You're being honest with me and I appreciate that. You and me are just on opposite sides of the fence and my job was to do a good job for Streator and not Reading township. That was their job to represent you. You know that. If Reading township had taken good advice, the sewer system would have been built better, but the one designed and built was the cheapest. I believe the pumps in the homes of the residents had a 10% failure rate. I don't know how much they cost but Reading township is paying us on close to 800 homes, just a guess on my part. That means 80 are going to fail the 1st year. Big cost, and the township has taken on that cost for life, to help keep individual home costs down. Just think how many pumps are going to fail in 20 years. And you can figure that on more years, it will be a cost that goes on forever. Your leadership should have bit the bullet and did it right. A fellow told me a few years back that the low bid on nearly all projects ends up being the high bid, when you start making repairs or making improvements to that project. When you think about that, most government projects just about mandate taking the lowest bid. Couple years later when you add the additional costs, maybe you should have taken the high bid in the 1st place. I'm not sure about the EPA ever saying the mines were suitable cause I didn't come home from the service until February of 1972. I do know what happened after I got here. They must have changed their minds real quickly. Some night me and wife will be out to get that diabetic treat you have and we'll chat. Yes Willy I can attest to the pump failure, we have had ours replaced twice since install , had water in our basement for the first time ever and just love how if it rains it triggers the alarm to go off, their answer is oh it is taking in to much water please refrain from using your water until it subsides...WHAT.
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Post by greekgod on Aug 26, 2013 19:15:54 GMT -6
We ARE stuck out South here. I don't think the mechanical pumps are a Captain Fantastic idea. I don't think most folks here like being linked to Streator proper. The EPA IS indeed very powerful. It is what it is.As for the fees being 'fair', I have to respectfully disagree. Yes, the city has to process our sewage and needs to be compensated. Do they maintain our sewage system at all, like they have to maintain their own? (no) Will they ever run a Vactor on our lines like they do their own? (no) Will they ever face any cost whatsoever in maintaining the lines or pumps or anything else? (no) As a matter of fact, my best understanding of the system is that the solids get ground up at each homeowners into a slurry that then gets transferred to the city sewage system. Since the solids are ground up, it should make treatment both easier and more cost effective, it will also 'wash down' the solids in the city system, possibly REDUCING maintenance costs and easing the treatment. A system like Streator's NEEDS liquids to transfer the solids downhill to the treatment plant. We provide some of those liquids FOR you, perhaps reducing your costs. We certainly don't cost the city the same 'fair share' as the Streator residents pay each month. We are stuck paying the same as a resident, and a fee to the township(who actually has to service the lines, pumps, etc) both. No Willy, the fees are not 'fair'. We are all just stuck with no alternative. The city made out like fat rats on that deal. Provide limited services, no maintenance, and get full fees from those folks out South that want to remain independent. I certainly don't blame the city. They have a shortage of money and want to raise what they can. We are NOT Streator residents, so we don't vote, may as well stick us as hard as you can get by with. I don't know why whoever arbitrates this stuff agreed to a full fee without any services, but the city certainly benefited(at our expense) on that deal. A thought just occurred to me. Since we have to pay the city a monthly fee and we have no vote, no voice, doesn't that make it in effect 'taxation without representation'? bigdipper, "Taxation without representation"? That argument is bogus. You are a Taxpayer in the U.S. I presume. The EPA is a Federal Agency. The "City of Streator", elected officials did meet the requirements of the EPA to be in compliance and the Proper owners still pay a "sewer rental" fee to the City when billed for their Garbage Collection. Perhaps those in the townships "out South" should have eleced better "representives" 20 years ago. As "willy" stated you don't want to mess with EPA or the IRS. Perhaps you can petition to join the City of Streator. g
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Post by dog on Aug 26, 2013 19:21:15 GMT -6
Any way you slice it, nice idea, poorly executed....our tax dollars at work. I would imagine they did enough research to plant trees that have a maturity height that is low enough not to interfere with the wires.
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Post by greekgod on Aug 26, 2013 19:51:30 GMT -6
The trees were funded by IDOT. Article Link - mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=428170&query=ottawa%20trees"It was late in 2009 when Ottawa Mayor Robert Eschbach received a letter from the secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation informing him the Ottawa had been awarded a $337,250 grant for the planting trees along the city's entryways. The funds were made available for state and federal roads through the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program — a federal transportation program administered by IDOT"TY Sassy for the clarification. Federal money with IDOT holding the purse strings. Any way you slice it, nice idea, poorly executed....our tax dollars at work. bigdipper, Kind of nice to see some of Illinois' TAXPAYER DOLLARS sent to the Federal Government being spent by an Illinois agency though in Illinois though. Usually it seems those Federal Tax dollars are spent more in states that rail against the Federal Government the most. Look it up "bigdipper". g
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Post by greekgod on Aug 27, 2013 20:34:43 GMT -6
bigdipper, "Taxation without representation"? That argument is bogus. You are a Taxpayer in the U.S. I presume. The EPA is a Federal Agency. The "City of Streator", elected officials did meet the requirements of the EPA to be in compliance and the Proper owners still pay a "sewer rental" fee to the City when billed for their Garbage Collection. Perhaps those in the townships "out South" should have eleced better "representives" 20 years ago. As "willy" stated you don't want to mess with EPA or the IRS. Perhaps you can petition to join the City of Streator. g Yo Greek, Why do you think so many people opted to stay OUT of the city even when given the option of saving money on the sewer bill in perpetuity? According to Willy's previous post, the vast majority opted not to annex, even though they would have saved money every month had they joined the city. Is it the independent nature of folks out here? Is it something else? I think the portion of the sewer bill is itemized separately that goes to Streator. That kind of places that thought in your mind of the $20 that they collect just to treat your waste. They don't offer the same level of services that they do to residents for the same money. We pay them, but have no voice to the city. We have no alternative so really no way to negotiate. OUR Township representatives don't even have much leverage over them do they? What can they do? Threaten to take our sewage to Pontiac for treatment for a lower rate? Yeah, as for the sewage treatment portion, it is taxation without representation. I suppose if you say that the Township itself is the customer, that is maybe a different way of looking at it. Since it is itemized on the bill for each resident, it seems each and every household is the customer and no, we really don't have a direct voice. It is at least one step removed, just as the colonists had representatives of the crown in America, we had no direct voice back in England like citizens of England did. It was like unequal citizens but still paying a full rate. Got it Greek? Kind of similar really. Streator=England (pay what we say and you really don't have any say about it) South Streator=colonists(have to pay just as much without receiving same services or any voice with the Authorities taking the money from our pockets) I really don't wish to make such a big deal about it. I just feel the city is getting too much for the level of services provided, that's all. They are billing us the same amount when they don't have the same expenses in processing our sewage. bigdipper, Your argument is bogus! You are not a CITIZEN OF STEATOR LIVING IN "SOUTH STEATOR". You "colonist" have, only so many options, 1. Pay what Streator is asking ( and personally) I would increase that amount on a percentage basis, depending upon how long it take for you "colonist" to make a decision, 2. You can build you on Sewer System, and meet all the required EPA Standards, that should be a piece of cake for your to explain to those in South Streator, I bet. 3. Pass the deadline the EPA has set, and be penalized by the still have to come into compliance. 4. Do what you wish, but I bet, the longer it takes to make a decision it more costly it becomes, you'll see. But , hey bigdipper, since you have it all worked out, and I have no "skin in that game", but if your wrong, and your friends and neighbors take your advice and your wrong and it cost them more money than had they simply paid what the City of Steator offered, your on your own "good buddy"/ g
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