Two people applied for the appointment to the Lake in the Hills Sanitary District Board:
- Maureen Huff
- Jessica Reed
Huff is the outgoing Algonquin Township Clerk who ran fifth with four to be elected in the February Republican Party Primary Election.
Reed is now on the Sanitary District Board serving as its President.
In answer to the question, “…please provide a list of accomplishments that the board/commission has completed in the past year.”
“In the past year, the district was able to provide tax relief for taxpayers by abating 30% of the taxes levied in 2024. While we’ve been able to abate some taxes in the past, this was the largest amount of taxes abated in my time on the board. In addition, the district has worked to line 18,806 feet of sewer pipes through several older areas of Lake in the Hills that were prone to roots and cracks. In addition to preventing future blockages, lining the sewer reduces the amount of I&I (inflow and infiltration), which helps the district decrease pumping and treatment costs.
“Other projects the district has accomplished included protecting the sewer system by building a sea wall and improving the septic receiving station. The district submitted our Decennial Committee on Local Government Efficiency report in less t an a year after convening our committee. Finally, the district continued to make great strides in protecting the natural environment. The staff worked to convert another 1.5 acres of turf grass to prairie, works to plant native flowers to beautify the offices, and received notice they were awarded a grant from the IEPA for creek restoration. The district had been waiting on approval of the grant for almost a year and has promptly begun the project to better protect the environment on both district land and surrounding properties.”
Asked about District “challenges,” she provided this: everyone, but the District uses a lot of power. The current rate for electric is $0.0555 per kwh and it is going up to about $0.0715 (bid is on March 11th). Sludge hauling increased 41.5% last year and pumps have almost doubled in price. The board wants to keep user rates the same and decrease taxes each year, if possible. With the rising costs, the board and district staff are challenged to keep costs down for taxpayers.
