Niles attorney: Only 20 percent of Glenview’s water bill up for debate

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Updated: April 23, 2012 1:50AM

Attorney Jay Judge, representing the village of Niles, plans to file an amended complaint this week that would reduce the amount of Glenview’s disputed outstanding water bills by more than 80 percent.

Judge said the village of Glenview owes the village of Niles about $2.7 million, plus $200,000 to $300,000 in interest.

The $2.7 million represents about 81 percent of the outstanding water invoices, and Judge’s upcoming filing will request that amount from Glenview.

That leaves 19 percent still up for debate between Niles and Glenview, Judge said.

“We’ll fight over the remaining amount,” Judge said.

Judge said the village of Niles gave residents who used the North Maine Utility water-and-sewer service a 19-percent discount because the village does not charge Niles residents for sewer. About 74 residents received the discount, which Niles has since been discontinued.

Judge said the dispute started when Glenview asked the village of Niles to lower its water rates because they could get water cheaper from Wilmette; Niles officials said they could not lower the rate.

“Glenview is paying nothing now,” Judge said. “They owe us $3.8 million.”

Glenview Village Attorney Eric Patt said Glenview has been placing the money the village would have paid Niles for the water into an interest-bearing escrow fund. Patt said that those 74 customers paid a lower rate for water and, therefore, violated the water agreement.

Earlier this month Cook County Judge Rita Novak ordered the village of Niles to hand over documents Glenview has requested pertaining to the dispute by Feb. 27.

The existing agreement between Glenview and Niles started in 1990 and lasts until 2020. Judge said he feels Glenview is looking to break the contract.

Judge previously said he had planned to file the amended complaint today (Feb. 21), but failed to do so. He said today that he would file the complaint Feb. 24.

“It’s a long way from over,” Judge said of the dispute.