Tracy Gruen / Special to the Tribune
Residents of 10 private streets in the Village of Glencoe will no longer receive snow plowing service free of charge like those who live on public streets.
Glencoe village trustees voted unanimously Thursday to discontinue the maintenance service starting this winter, and some residents were quick to object.
Resident Chip Sharkey said he felt that homeowners on private streets who have historically received free snow removal service have now been unfairly singled out.
“We pay taxes like everyone else in town,” Sharkey said. “You serve 100 percent of the residents of Glencoe, not 98 percent.”
According to Public Works Director David Mau, the village will save approximately $12,000 to $15,000 per year by discontinuing snow and ice control services to the 10 private roadways that have been receiving the services for several decades.
Trustees said they would look into offering a program similar to one in Highland park that would allow homeowners on private roads to pay a fee to the village for snow removal services.
The village board previously discussed the issue June 17, and during deliberations on the 2011 budget, trustees decided to discontinue all snow removal and maintenance services to the private roadways in order to cut costs.
Mau said village snow plows have also caused regular and recurring damage to private fences, yard lights, landscape stone walls and landscaping on private roadways because there is no right-of-way.
Village President Scott Feldman and some village trustees indicated Thursday that they were more concerned about policy than the costs associated if they decided to continue providing the services to the private streets.
“To me this has always been a matter of policy,” said Trustee Larry Levin.
Trustee Joel Solomon said that he is concerned about equity, because there are 10 other private roadways in the village that do not receive snow removal services.
However, several residents noted the village board previously emphasized cost as the main reason for cutting out the services.
Some residents were concerned that ambulances or other emergency vehicles may not be able to get to a resident in need without the village’s snow plowing services.
“All it will take is one serious illness, injury or death and a lawsuit could be filed,” said resident Jerry Ezgur.
Some residents said they felt that there is no difference between private and public streets, because people still drive on the private roads to access major ones like Green Bay Road.
At the June meeting, they also said that when they purchased their homes, the village assured them that they would receive snow removal services. They said they didn’t think it was fair to suddenly put an end to those services.
But not all Glencoe residents were opposed to the board’s decision. Betsy Leibson, who lives on a public street, said she was in favor of discontinuing the services.
“I don’t want to pay taxes to bring the streets up to code,” she said.
Feldman and trustees have encouraged homeowners to dedicate their private roads to the village. Doing so would make them public and thus receive snow removal services.
However, all of the homeowners on the roads would have to agree to do so, and it could cost thousands of dollars bring the streets up to village standards.
Village trustees will provide information on their findings regarding a possible fee-based snow removal program at the September village board meeting.
