Engineering studies costing $100,000 on how to stop flooding in two Elmhurst subdivisions have been approved, over objections of some city officials who said the projects would be costly and would duplicate some of the county`s plans along Salt Creek.
The studies involve South and North Graue Woods, which straddle North Avenue east of Illinois Highway 83. If flood-control projects are undertaken after the studies are completed, they would cost an additional $1 million, Elmhurst officials said.
Outvoted aldermen said they opposed the effort because of the city`s current financial condition.
But the majority maintained the city was obligated to provide the same protection for the Graue Woods areas that was provided for southern and central Elmhurst through the $8.7 million levee-reservoir project just completed along the creek. They also contended similar county plans were not firm enough for the city to rely on.
County engineers have said their proposed projects, to be partly completed at least by late 1994 and completed in 1997, will protect all but one home from severe flooding. They said the county could buy that home and raze it.
Roy Johnson, a resident of southwestern Elmhurst who said he was a victim of the 1987 flooding, argued that he and others were willing to pay higher taxes to help their fellow victims escape new flooding. But Ald. Larry Schoenbeck (4th) said that when the City Council debated how to head off a deficit the last few months, the audience attending the meetings ”yelled at the council” not to raise taxes.
”We do not have the money for this,” Schoenbeck argued in opposing the studies without new funding to pay for them.
Some of that money could come from the proposed refinancing of 1985 and 1988 general obligation bond issues. The city`s financial advisers said the market is favorable for a refunding issue now.
The council voted to seek refunding, provided it could save at least $250,000. Officials hoped the savings would be greater, depending on interest rates at the time of a planned September sale and the bond rating awarded the issue by Moody`s Investors Service. The city has an AA Moody`s rating, but is uncertain whether it can keep it that high.
