Oak Forest tables water rate hike

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Oak Forest Mayor Henry Kuspa

Updated: February 13, 2012 9:15AM

A proposal to increase Oak Forest water rates was tabled by the city council Tuesday.

Mayor Henry Kuspa said water rates need to be discussed now because Chicago increased its water rates on Jan. 1 by 25 percent.

Aldermen tabled the proposed Oak Forest increase, saying they want more time to review the city’s water and sewer fund.

The proposal calls for a $1 increase per 1,000 gallons of water used. An average resident would see an increase of $20 per quarter, Oak Forest officials said.

Currently, the city’s water fund is overdrawn by about $700,000, officials said.

“If we do nothing at this time, the deficit does not take care of itself and go away,” Ald. Charles Toland (4th) said. “If we wait a month, three months or six months to solve the problem, the rate increase will probably be even more because we would be that further behind.”

Finance director Colleen Julian, who made the initial proposal to the council, stressed that aldermen need to take a comprehensive approach to deliberating on water rates this year because of Chicago’s intention to continue to increase rates annually.

“We don’t want to take just two bites out of the apple,” Julian said.

Aldermen are expected to discuss the increase at their next meeting on Jan. 24.