Committee backs 50% infrastructure-fee reduction for residents who qualify for county senior assessment freeze

The finance committee voted to recommend to the board a 50% reduction of the village water infrastructure fee for residents who qualify for the Kane County senior-citizen assessment freeze, to take effect when program status is verified.

Committee discussion centered on how to verify eligibility and how to implement the reduction in the billing system. A staff member said staff would require written documentation of approval and then verify the status online rather than accept a phone call as proof: "My suggestion would be is that they provide us with documentation...and then we would go and verify it," the staff member said. Committee members raised practical concerns about whether the village's billing software can apply mixed fees automatically or whether staff will need to make manual adjustments during an initial implementation period.

Members discussed whether the reduction should be framed as a "waiver," a "fee reduction" or a percentage discount and agreed language for public notice should be precise; the motion drafted for the board recommended that "residents who qualify for the Kane County senior citizen assessment freeze have a 50% fee reduction on the infrastructure fee starting when verified." The motion was moved by staff and seconded; the committee carried the recommendation.

Committee members noted about 35 Sleepy Hollow residents currently appear on the county senior list, but they cautioned the number can change and that applicants must apply and requalify annually. The committee also discussed whether reductions should be applied retroactively for residents who already paid higher bills and agreed the reduction will begin once verification is completed, with no automatic refunds discussed.

Next steps: staff will draft the formal recommendation language for publication, develop a verification workflow that relies on written documentation and online verification, and return the recommendation to the board for final action.