McHenry County Blog

Com Ed had a power failure last night right in front of our Lakewood home.

My son was looking out the front window and saw two explosions.

He said looked like fireworks and startled him.

After each one, the power went out, then came back on.

There was no wind and no rain.

No car hit a pole.

Simple failure of a couple of brackets, it appears.

I immediately call Commonwealth Edison and informed them.

It took about a half an hour for a truck to show up.

Even with the so-called Smart Grid Com Ed has succeeded in getting most local legislators to pass rate hikes to finance, the notice of the outage would not have brought the repair truck appreciably faster.

Although the cause of the damage was obvious–two brackets had collapsed from the pole, which is about fifty feet high–onto the wires causing them to short out, the truck went up and down the street looking at the rest of the line along Lake Avenue.

As I was beginning this story shortly after nine last night, the lights and the computer went dark again.

Over five hours later, our bedroom lights went on waking us about 2:15 AM.

And here’s what the repair to the electric system looked like this morning:

This section of Com Ed’s grid was installed about ten years ago. The part of Broadway cost a man his life.

Awaiting a call from Com Ed to answer my questions as to how many were affected and what the cause of the problem was.

On the heels of Grafton Township Supervisor candidate Marty Waitzman’s comments about electrical needs in the Assessor’s Office comes this response from Grafton Township Supervisor Linda Moore in this memo to Assessor Bill Ottley:

Memo: It would be best if people had all of the facts before advocating for the expenditure of tax dollars. I am hopeful to receive a response to the letter which I gave the Assessor soon. An additional copy is being provided to Assessor Ottley today for his response.

Linda Moore, Grafton Township Supervisor

8/17/2012

RE: Electrical Service Update and Electrical Related Losses in Town Hall

Dear Bill,

I would like to accommodate your desires, but I have some problems with your request. I have specified them in this letter. You have provided the following information:

To Do:

7 – 20 amp dedicated circuits
Upgrade – 120/240 single phase panel from 20 circuits to 40 circuit panel

Plus permit fees, which are yet unknown. The owner will be responsible for.

Surge suppressor for new panel.

Total Job:

$3,500, 50% down for cost of materials up front.

Submitted by:
Brian Johnson

Please read this letter and get back to me to see if there is some way that we can reach an agreement and satisfy these requirements. As promised, I have taken the board’s action under advisement on the following agenda item:

“B. Discussion and potential action on possible solution for electrical problems in the Assessor’s Office”

DEFICIT BUDGET

Currently, Grafton Township has a deficit budget and an obligation to the Road District to pay $300,000 plus rent. Any funds that are not spent in the Office of Assessment budget can be utilized to relieve the deficit and the obligations of the township. It would be prudent to determine if an electrical upgrade is an effective and least cost method to resolve the issues that have caused you to request this work to be done.

INSURANCE COVERAGE

For insurance purposes, I am requesting a list of the electronic equipment and software that has been damaged. You gave an informal estimate value of $2,000 at the July Board meeting. No insurance claim has been filed. We may have coverage for this type of loss which would need to be submitted in a timely manner.

DOCUMENTATION NEEDED

The documentation that you provided to me at the August board meeting did not include many important pieces of information. Because the supervisor is the only official who is bonded, I am requesting the following documentation.

TOIRMA REQUIREMENT FOR TOWNSHIP CONTRACTORS

1.Certificate of insurance for no less than $1,000,000.00.

2.Certification of workman’s compensation coverage.

VILLAGE OF HUNTLEY PERMIT REQUIREMENTS

3.Proof of contractor’s required registration with Huntley, currently Huntley has 61 electricians that are registered. A copy of the list will be provided to you.

4.Copy of documentation required by Huntley to acquire permit, including a floor plan showing where the additional circuits and electric panel will be located, description of the work to be covered by the permit, and the valuation of the proposed work.

5.Copy of contractor’s receipt for payment of permit fee to Village of Huntley.

LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

6.A letter from contractor agreeing to be in compliance with (60 ILCS 1/85-45)
Sec. 85-45. Pecuniary interest in contracts, stating the total cost of the project will be less than $20,000, agreeing to pay prevailing wage and that all work and moneys received will not violate the Gift Ban Law (cited below).

7.Vendor’s W-9 including business type, sole proprietor, partnership or corporation.

8.Detailed proposal from the contractor on the company’s letterhead including the timeline and the total cost for this project with a business telephone number, fax number, email address, business location and mailing address.

9.Letter from you with the township code citation that allows for a township to pay funds in advance of work or services received.

10.Adopted board minutes showing approval for an Electrical Upgrade Contract.

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS NEEDED

11.The contractor’s references.

12.Proof of due diligence showing multiple bids from electricians for the same project specifications.

13.A pre-inspection report from the Village of Huntley.

I would be happy to meet with you to address any of your concerns.
Sincerely,

Linda Moore, Grafton Township Supervisor

Supplemental Information (See here.)

• State Law Citations
• list of registered electricians in the Village of Huntley
• Village of Huntley Code and Enforcement Requirements

A press release from Grafton Township Supervisor candidate Marty Waitzman:

Marty Waitzman – Position Statement on Grafton Township Building

ALGONQUIN, IL – I have had many conversations with residents and news reporters who wanted to know whether or not I believe there is a need in Grafton Township for the acquisition or construction of a new Township Building.

I will not criticize, nor applaud, the opinions of those individuals who were involved in the past controversy surrounding the proposed Township Building.

Finger- pointing, mudslinging, and polarization need to stop.

I am committed to running a positive campaign, so I will leave the past where it belongs—in the past.

To quote the press release which announced my candidacy, I stated in pertinent part,

“Marty’s objective is to build a Grafton Township government that will work hard, smart, and efficiently for the community.

“Marty is a fiscal conservative who knows how to do more with less, and how to work collaboratively and respectfully with both community members and government officials and employees.”

I wish to clearly state my position on the acquisition or construction of a new Township Building.

Consistent with the objective quoted in the previous paragraph, I believe that with today’s disastrous economic conditions and the current suffering endured by Grafton Township’s citizens, the acquisition or construction of a new Township Building today would be fiscally irresponsible and unnecessary.

Accordingly, I do not support or advocate such an undertaking.

I believe that township activities can be accomplished with some minor improvements and updates to the present Township facility. These can be done over time and as funds are available.

By way of illustration, it has been publically disclosed that the Assessor’s office is currently operating with an electrical system that is dangerously inadequate.

The potential loss of real estate data due to an electrical calamity is very real.

The horrific impact on property owners in the Township and on all of McHenry County would be enormous.

The costs and time that would be necessary to rebuild the Assessor’s data base would undoubtedly be gigantic.

I understand the electrical inadequacies can be fixed for under $4,000.

That is the type of necessary, responsible, and reasonably priced improvement and update that I not only support, but highly recommend.

For more information, please contact Marty Waitzman at (847) 450-4950, marty@waitzman2013.com, or visit www.waitzman2013.com.

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Waitzman is running against incumbent Linda Moore and fellow challenger Pam Fender.

A response from Moore concerning the electrical needs portion of the press release above can be found here.

Right near the north end of the Virginia Street TIF District (you know the place, just look for the two $16,000 stone monuments) in front of the Crystal Lake Motel, high winds have snapped an electric line maintained by Commonwealth Edison.

In this case, it was not any of those nasty trees within 20 feet of a power line that “Chainsaw Jack” Franks wants to have cut down.

In fact, there were no trees near the line break.

The following notice was sent out by the Crystal Lake Police at 4:43 PM:

Temp Road Closure, All lanes Route 14 from Northshore Dr to Dole Ave are closed and being re-routed, down power lines

Police and fire equipment were there when I arrived.

But there were no Com Ed repair trucks when I left to write this article at about 5.

No doubt traffic reports will tell of the big jam on Route 14 in Crystal Lake.

Got this from the Crystal Lake Police:

“A power outage has occurred in the area of Dartmoor and McHenry due to downed trees.

“Comed is on scene working to address the problem as we speak. They estimate power restoration at approximately 10:00am.”

One might observe that there is no wind.

And ComEd found out about the outage without the so-called “smart meters” for which we will all start paying $3 more a month in January.

Voting for the ComEd rate increase bill were Pam Althoff (Senate Roll Call), Mike Tryon and so-called “populist” Jack Franks (House Roll Call).

Relevant Tweets:

If only “Chainsaw Jack” Franks had passed his bill to allow Com Ed to chop down every tree within 20 feet of an electric line.

After his last minute “conversion” to the electric rate hike side of the bill promoted by Com Ed and Ameren, it appears that Democrat Jack Franks is now playing water boy for the not-so-regulated-as-before utilities.

We have the Emily Berendt to thank for the following information on Franks’ House Bill 3884:

[Here] is a [link to] House Bill 3884, sponsored by Jack Franks.

It allows the utility company to remove any tree that has a mature height of over 25 feet and is within 20 feet of a utility pole or overhead conductor.

The ICC is instructed to set rules that give the electric utility the right to judge whether pruning is insufficient and removal is needed. It is unlawful for anyone to interfere with this vegetation management process. The electric utility can assess charges for the removal.

The amount of tree destruction this will permit is incomprehensible to me.

The utility company already has extensive pruning standards that create grotesquely disfigured trees along our roadsides.

If this passes they will be able to just take trees out instead.

House Bill 3884 would allow Com Ed to remove all the trees on the south (right in this photo) side of Lake Avenue, if they are within 20 feet of the power lines. Northern Illinois electric service would be safe from most falling trees, but denuded of nearby trees.

This would apply to any place on your property as well.

The only lines that would be exempt are those that run to individual homes and the high voltage lines that carry more than 100kV.

Please join me opposing passage of this bill.

Contact Jack Franks through one of the options below. Please contact our other legislators as well and ask them to oppose this.

And please pass this information on to your friends and colleagues.

Emily Berendt
Member, Fleming Road Alliance
Trustee, Village of Bull Valley
Director, Alliance for Land Agriculture and Water

The hearing on the language will be Tuesday, March 6th, even though it just popped up on February 28th.

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This is truly an anti-conservation, anti-environmental bill. It gives license to Com Ed to chop down any tree within 20 feet of a power line.

Canopies on rural roads would be devastated.  One person used the word “Barren.”

Electric power would conquer quality of life.

Lots of places in Illinois are having electric aggregation referendums on March 20th.

They all will pass, because legislators voted to allow Commonwealth Edison and Ameren to raise electric rates and voters will rightly see that voting in favor of a referendum to allow bulk purchasing under the presumed expertise of local governmental leaders will result in lower rates.

Don’t trust your local government?

You can withdraw from the buying pool.

The referendums will cause party politicians problems, however.

When one goes to the polls, one will be asked what kind of a ballot one wants.

There will be these choices in most of McHenry County:

• Republican
• Democrat
• Green
• Non-partisan

If one asks for any of the three party ballots, the electric aggregation question will be on it.

But, if one asks for the non-partisan ballot, only that referendum question, plus a $1 million road bond question in Dunham Township will be on the ballot.

Non-partisan votes will not get to participate in the vibrant Republican County Board or Presidential delegate and “beauty contest” votes that will be on all the TV stations.

There is only one candidate on the Green Party ticket, Frank Wedig, who is again running for County Board in District 5.

There are no contests on the Democratic Party ticket.

This is from my Village of Lakewood. No reason to think it does not apply to all electric aggregation referendums.

Electrical Aggregation Fact Sheet and Frequently Asked Questions

Recent statutory changes by the State of Illinois regarding the regulation of electrical suppliers have given residents the ability to purchase their electricity from electric suppliers besides Commonwealth Edison (ComEd). As part of those regulatory changes, municipalities may also bid the cost of electricity on behalf of residents and small businesses as a way to reduce electric supply costs. This process is commonly referred to as municipal aggregation. However, in order to proceed with electrical aggregation as an “opt‐out” program as described below, the Village must first gain the authority to do so from its voters through a ballot referendum. On November 8, 2011 the Village Board approved an ordinance to authorize placing such a public question referendum on the Tuesday, March 20, 2012, primary election ballot. The Villageʹs goal is to provide residents with as much information as possible to be fully informed of their options prior to voting.
Below are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) on electrical aggregation:

Q: What is electrical aggregation?

A: Electrical aggregation is a process which allows the Village to pool, or aggregate the electrical needs of residents and small businesses together, and to then seek competitive bids from electrical energy suppliers for the cost of such electricity (purchased by kilowatt hour) used by the Villageʹs residents and small businesses.

Q: Why pursue electrical aggregation?

A: By pooling, or aggregating the entire electrical load for Village residents and small businesses, the Village can seek competitive bids from power suppliers approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission. The larger, aggregated load puts the Village in a position to possibly obtain a more favorable electric supply rate for its residents and small businesses than is currently offered if you receive your electric supply from ComEd. Communities that have completed the aggregation process have received lower supply costs for their electricity provided to their residents and small businesses than the rate offered by ComEd.

Q: How does the electrical aggregation process work?

A: Under Illinois law, the Village must place a public referendum question on the ballot asking its voters to give the Village the authority to aggregate electric loads for its residents and small businesses and to seek bids for electric power supply for such aggregated loads.

If the referendum is approved, the Village must then hold at least two public hearings to discuss and create a plan of organization and governance for its municipal aggregation program. Once such a plan is in place, the Village will prepare and publicize a request for proposals (an “RFP”) to provide an electric supply to the Village’s residential and small business users.

Only electrical energy suppliers certified and regulated by the Illinois Commerce Commission would be allowed to submit proposals.

The bid that comes closest to achieving the goals of the aggregation plan could then be accepted by the Village Board.

However, if none of the bids meet the planʹs goals, there would be no obligation on the part of the Village Board to accept any of them, and the accounts of residents and small businesses within the Village would continue to receive power from ComEd at their then prevailing rates.

A resident or small business would have no obligation to participate in the Village’s electrical aggregation program and could choose to opt out of the program altogether.

Q: How does ComEd fit into the aggregation picture?

A: ComEd remains the distributor of electrical power, regardless of the supplier. If we switch to another power supplier, residents and small businesses will still receive their bills from ComEd, and ComEd will still be responsible for delivering the electric power and maintaining the electrical distribution system. The change will be virtually transparent to the end user.

Q: How does electrical aggregation impact me?

A: You will not notice a change under aggregation; you will continue to receive your bill from ComEd and ComEd will continue to deliver the electricity to your home or business. The only difference will be the potential for a reduced cost on the supply portion of your electric bill.

Q: What are the benefits of electrical aggregation?

A: The most important potential benefit for residents and small businesses in the Village is that they may save money on electric supply costs.

Q: Do I have to participate in aggregation?

A: No. If this referendum passes, that only means that the Village may seek bids on behalf of its residents and small businesses but approval of the referendum does not obligate either the Village or you to actually complete the process. If, through such bidding process, the Village does identify a supplier with a favorable rate and decides to proceed by approval of an electrical supply agreement with such supplier, you still have the option to opt out of the Village’s aggregation program when the Village formally notifies its residents and small businesses of their opt out period. Specific instructions for doing so will be provided at that time.

Q: What happens if a municipality cannot purchase or negotiate lower electric rates than offered by ComEd?

A: Your account would stay at ComEd, and ComEd would remain both the provider of your power and the distributor of your power. Either way, ComEd would be your distributor.

Q: If a referendum is approved, how long will it be before the program is implemented?

A: State law requires that certain steps be followed to approve and implement any municipal electrical aggregation program. Our goal for the implementation of a program is the Summer of 2012

Q: What component of the electrical bill will aggregation effect?

A: Aggregation affects only the electrical supply services portion of the electric bill which typically accounts for 65% to 70% of the electricity bill.

Q: If I were to participate in electric aggregation, would I get two bills ‐ one from ComEd for delivering the power, and another from the company that provided it?

A: No. You will continue to receive your bill from ComEd.

Q: Who would take care of my power if there was a power outage?

A: ComEd, by law, will continue to distribute the power to your home or business and handle any emergency repairs and outages.

If you have additional questions, a more detailed FAQ can be found on the Village website at village.lakewood.il.us.

Looking out the bedroom window this morning, I saw footprints in the snow on the driveway.

They went to the back of the house all the way to the electric meter.

Besides the primary goal of increasing the cost of delivering electricity to its customers, Commonwealth Edison and Ameren (the Southern Illinois power company) are going to use some of the extra money to attach a meter that will do away with meter readers…at least the ones that make footprints on snowy days.

The other reminder was in a Chicago Tribune editorial cartoon.

It had the White House, Washington Capitol and a “state capitol” that looks suspiciously like the one in Springfield with money coming out of every door and window.

You know why that reminded me of the ComEd/Ameren rate hike bill, right?

If not, perhaps you should take a look at the article I wrote about contributions to Illinois’ State Senators who voted for the bill:

2011 Campaign Contributions from Those Interested in Allowing Com Ed & Ameren to Hike Electric Rates without ICC Approval

I had dinner Sunday with a State Representative and other politicos present, as well as a couple of normal people.

There was a vigorous discussion between me and the outspoken defender of the “Smart Grid” bill.

Believe it or not, I don’t think I started it.

It was someone discussing how intrusive the Smart Grid meters could be, how if you were using more electricity than some government regulator might rule “necessary” that ComEd could use the new meter to cut off your electricity.

It was after this civil liberties criticism of the legislation and its defense by the bill’s supporter that I advanced my opinion.

I explained how Samuel Insull’s secretary discovered I was a state legislator on a train ride to Springfield. He filled me in on why Insull created the Illinois Commerce Commission.

The reason was simple.

It was easier to bribe a majority of the small ICC than a majority of the Illinois General Assembly.

Now, it seems to me, history has come full circle.

Power companies cannot influence the Commerce Commission the way they used to.

So, it’s back to the Illinois House and Senate.

And influence is not peddled by putting cash into legislators’ hands anymore.

It’s done with campaign contributions.

And, on the substance of the debate, how ridiculous, not to mention illogical is is for those maintaining the electric power grid to complain that they need higher rates to repaid what they have allowed to fall into disrepair.

These folks have had state-sanctioned monopolies since Samuel Insull’s time.

In return for the monopoly power, wouldn’t you think they had the absolute responsibility to deliver electricity when and where it is needed?

And as for ComEd getting faster notice when power goes out, whenever I call–and we have power coming from the east and the west–I have no problem making a report.

Readers by now have figured out that I think Com Ed’s and Ameren’s electricity rate hike “Smart Grid” bill is dumb.

Let me tell you why.

The Illinois Commerce Commission has granted monopoly status to electric utilities.

In return for these monopolies, the electric utilities were charged with delivering electricity.

Creating and maintaining an infrastructure, in other words.

Also being promoted are electric meters that don’t require meter readers to walk through your yard. They can be remotely read.

Algonquin has these for its water system.

If a utility finds they will save money, by all means install them.

Do the analysis and figure out how many years it will take to pay for them out of the meter readers’ salaries that will not have to be paid.

And, for goodness sake, don’t use the absurd argument that your customers will not call to tell you that they have no electricity.  The current system gets repairmen where they need to go.

Now Commonwealth Edison and Ameren, which has taken over pretty much all of Downstate Illinois’ electric companies, except those rural ones created with Federal subsidy, come moaning to the Illinois General Assembly that their infrastructure is inadequate.

The reason the ICC was created, according to an old man (to me in my 30′s) I met on the train to Springfield was that utility magnate Sam Insull, whose secretary this fellow rider said he was, decided it would be easier to bribe a majority of a regulatory commission than a majority of the Illinois General Assembly.

It appears the ICC Commissioners can no longer be bribed.

So, it’s off to the Illinois General Assembly.

Yesterday, the Illinois Senate passed a bill (House Bill 3036) which supposedly makes the electric rate hike bill betters.

Jack Franks, switching from opposing the rate increase to supporting it, flipped on the so-called “trailer bill.”

Maybe the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, just to name one of his union contributors, got through to him.

But he wasn’t the only local legislator to vote for the rate hike.  Mike Tryon did, too.

Interestingly, the only local State Representative to vote against the measure is the only one with a primary election opponent–Kent Gaffney.

Yesterday, McHenry County Blog reproduced the Senate roll call on the trailer bill.  Senator Pam Althoff supported the bill, Senator Dan Duffy did not.

Below is the House roll call on the first Senate amendment to House Bill 3036:

The second amendment passed by the same 91-24 vote.

Next comes the vote on the main event, the override of Governor Pat Quinn’s Senate Bill 1652, first in the Senate and, then, assuming the override passes, which pretty much every observer thinks it will, in the House.

A letter dated Wednesday, August 3, 2011, to the Crystal Lake City Council from Paul Greenlee, who lives on Bennington Drive, expresses concerns Commonwealth Edison service failures in his neighborhood:

Mayor Shepley and Members of the City Council:

When I arrived home from work yesterday, I found our home had lost power.

Based on the time my family left home for back to school shopping and my return, the power had been off some time between 10:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

So apparently there had been a power failure on a very hot and uncomfortable day before peak power usage had been reached.

A similar incident occurred on Saturday, July 30, sometime between 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Com Ed line in McHenry County with a problem.

It was another instance in which on another almost painful weather day there was a power failure.

This time it occurred on a weekend day which is not a peak power usage day. I am again grateful we weren’t home for the inconvenience as well.

I don’t want to complain about something that is an inconvenience, as people often gripe about minor issues.

However, for what we pay in utility costs and taxes, reliable power supplies should not be an issue especially in less than peak usage periods.

Com Ed dispatched a number of trucks to repair this fallen tree problem on Lake Avenue near the Crystal Lake-Lakewood line.

Were these issues that came from brown-outs, planned or otherwise?

If they were, I don’t think the residents of our area got that memo.

Crystal Lake and McHenry County were especially devastated during the storms of early and mid-July.

Commonwealth Edison, in my opinion, took their sweet time in making repairs (even realizing the enormity of the situation, they were slow in responding and their communication was horrific and only added to the frustration suffered by many).

With subsequent power failures even after those repairs from the big storm, apparently the repairs were not of a quality nature.

That sets the stage for unnecessary future problems.

And Com Ed has NEVER been a very forthcoming utility when it comes to providing information.

A Com Ed lineman fixes a problem on Lake Avenue in Lakewood.

I urge you to haul Com Ed representatives before the City Council and hold them accountable for the poor service.

It’s not just a matter of frustration from the big storm, although their poor communication should be addressed so they don’t fail the public again.

It is the apparent ongoing occurrences of power failures that should be acted upon now so there isn’t a greater consequence to an individual or a community later.

Personally, I think they should have to face the public in an open forum.

However, I trust that if you and the members of the Council compel Com Ed (and not just some P.R. flak) to appear and address these issues, we might well see a change in their behavior.

I don’t like to use utilities or big business as scapegoats for any problem.

I work in property and casualty insurance, an industry often vilified and sometimes even correctly.

Utilities, just like elected officials and public employees, have a responsibility to deliver services and be accountable for their actions and their failures in fulfilling their obligations.

I hope you address this issue in a way to protect the community in the future.

Paul Greenlee

Maybe this other email from a reader explains more than Com Ed would like people to know. The author is an engineer:

The essence of the explanation of the lead person (my presumption) was that CoEd found it less expensive to repair problem equipment rather than replacing it.

Of course, this is understandable from a surface analysis but is only viable when you have a captive customer base.

The cost to the customer is very difficult to determine but reasoning of that type would be unacceptable in a competitive market.

Obviously, many of the customers would switch to a competitive service.

My question to the service person was initiated because we had an excessive number of outages in comparison to another group of houses on our street. They would have service and our group would be in the dark.

Articles of potential interest:

“Com Ed’s Infrastructure and the Last Com Ed Scam” (The rate hike bill passed by the Illinois General Assembly this year and the deregulation bill of the late 1990′s)

“Fire and Brimstone” (August, 2010, high power line failure next to Best Buy in Crystal Lake.)

“McCullom Lake Is Last in Com Ed Reliability” (list of all towns in McHenry County in descending order of the quality of Com Ed service, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.)