Marseilles residents ask about properties being bought at Timber Edge

Flaring tempers and raised voices by spectators and commissioners alike marked the Marseilles City Council meeting Thursday, virtually all of it stemming from the public comment portion of the agenda over two specific issues.

Foremost was the fate of the deteriorating Timber Edge housing development on the city’s northeast side, and the lack of conveyable information about it drew the ire of several speakers from the standing room-only crowd.

Catherine McMickens, who at the last council meeting asked for an ordinance prohibiting the tearing down of homes there until they’d all been sold, demanded to know why Constellation Energy was buying up properties with empty, boarded-up homes, and what those purchases are leading to.

City Engineer Mike Etscheid informed her that it is not Constellation making the purchases, but instead is Trust 4495 based in Joliet, in the name of George Barr. Etscheid said Barr’s attorney called him Thursday afternoon in regard to the city ordinance for registering vacant buildings, that it didn’t make sense to register them because they’re going to be torn down as soon as the power is completely disconnected from those homes.

He added the trust also is buying up properties adjacent to the development that are currently not within Marseilles city limits.

“The delay is because it’s Commonwealth Edison territory, and they require 30 days notice,” Etscheid said. “The homes are boarded up, so no one can squat in them and delay the process any further.”

Mayor Jim Hollenbeck said there had been a meeting with a public relations person from Constellation, but that was to appease the energy company’s desire to know the fate of the area, not any secret deal.

Hollenbeck said he has no knowledge of any plans other than through rumor, but he admitted he wouldn’t mind seeing the portion that is not currently within city limits annexed soon, in case a windfall development does land there in the near future.

Scott Damnjanovic said during the discussion that there already were annexation agreements on file.

“That’s news to me,” Hollenbeck said. “I’m being 100% sincere when I say I don’t know what they’re doing out there. I’ve heard a lot of speculation, that there’s going to be a hydrogen plant, a data center and several other things. That could possibly be a really great thing for the city. … We’d like answers, too, but we just don’t know.”

Residents question Marseilles water

The other issue drawing several comments was recent concern over the city’s water, which Hollenbeck said were “unfounded.”

A news release issued by the city recently read that “in response to community concerns, the city emphasizes that its water treatment processes adhere to strict Illinois Environmental Protection Agency regulations. Daily and weekly tests are performed by IEPA-certified city water operators to ensure ongoing water safety. Additionally, the IEPA has recently tested city water samples, confirming their safety according to IEPA standards.

“Residents are advised to exercise caution when using in-home water-testing kits that are not approved by the IEPA, as these can yield false or inaccurate results. … For those interested in obtaining IEPA-approved testing kits, contact the IEPA directly at 217-782-3397.”

It added the latest IEPA testing is expected to be available by Jan. 15.

Hollenbeck said an IEPA supervisor would be in Marseilles on Jan. 6 to shadow the test process to make sure all is well and that the water is being properly examined.

The mayor said Marseilles does have areas that have dead-end water mains that need to be flushed often, perhaps even once a week. However, he is looking into getting a hydrant that would automatically flush those mains on a regular schedule.

“Anywhere there’s a dead-end main, you’re going to get rusty water now and then,” he said, “but the water is safe to drink. I drink it. We all can.”