Editorial

Tonight, the city is hosting an open house/informational meeting. The guest of honor will be representatives from Illinois American Water, who most likely have every intention of trying to woo us to the side of handing over our water and sewer system to them. With $34 million able to be dangled over our heads, it’s a good bet that the meeting snacks will be top-notch.

There is not much Kewanee residents can all agree upon. While we all agree our roads need fixed, what we haven’t been able to come together on is exactly how to get that done. Yet clearly, resoundingly and in numbers that should shock anyone who understands that Kewanee residents aren’t known for their attendance, they told city officials that it was a great, big thanks, but no thanks to the question of privatizing the water. There wasn’t even any wiggle room, but city officials maybe haven’t heard that no really does mean no.

That’s why it’s inexplicable to me and probably a majority of people following this issue that just weeks after Kewanee residents rejected selling the system, someone thought it would be a great idea to host an informational meeting and roll out the red carpet for American Water. Who thought mailing notices was a good idea? (I never received one, but I take no offense.) And who thought not informing at least one of the council members and even the mayor that the meeting was set in stone was a good idea? Those questions aren’t rhetorical; we need answers.

By organizing this open house, what city officials seem to be implying is that citizens just don’t have enough information about this company or this issue, and if they were just given more information, a chance to get to know the folks from Illinois American Water, they would most certainly change their minds.

But community members have armed themselves with plenty of information and many people have taken a deep dive into this company, even sharing the fruits of their labor on social media. They have sounded the alarm, but clearly the walls of City Hall building are insulated with some sort of protective coating that prevents the voices of angry, frustrated and fed-up citizens from penetrating.

I have read many articles and performed internet searches for reviews on the company. I have written an article about what I found and published it on The Kewanee Voice. I have tried to inform myself on how this company treats residents once the ink is dry on the contract. And from what I have uncovered, the answer to the latter is shabbily.

There have been articles written about how small communities that face many of the problems Kewanee faces have decided that the big pile of cash offered by the company is too hard to turn down and will cure all that ails them, only to discover that the pile of cash was just a loan and it’s the residents who will bear the burden of paying it back, with interest.

Even more worrisome is what happens to communities that experience buyer’s remorse. When the veil is lifted, when the initial payment doesn’t fix everything and when utility bills rise faster and higher than the Rock River after the spring melt, are those communities able to get their water and sewer systems back? Is Illinois American Water a company who understands that sometimes city officials, in their haste to get the pesky, troublesome systems off their plate, make horrible mistakes and sell something that they would have been better off keeping? The simple answer is absolutely not.

It’s no secret that privatization is not the great panacea for the government. While many residents have been patient enough to let LRS Waste Management work the kinks out of their system, other residents are still left with a bitter taste in their mouths about the decision to remove trash services from the hands of city employees and place their faith in a corporation whose bottom line isn’t making sure their friends and neighbors trash is collected in a timely fashion but how much profit stands to be gained.

Arguments against privatization of government services are many and include businesses placing profit over public interest, lack of oversight, reduced accountability, higher costs for citizens, loss of public jobs and a possible erosion of public trust when residents perceive that essential services are being sold off for expediency and benefit corporations at the expense of the public good.

City officials would do well to reread that last one. Then read it again. Maybe have another look. Because while Kewanee residents can’t always be counted on to turn out, make them angry enough and they might just turn out in the one place that will matter and that’s at the polls.