There are two ways a municipality in Illinois can become a home rule community – by referendum among its residents, or automatically when its population reaches at least 25,000. If a town goes the population route, it has to prove that its population is above 25,000 using precise numbers. That means banging on doors and counting heads.
Huntley is taking this step right now, and is conducting a partial, special use census. Its purpose is to verify that an actual count by enumerators will confirm village estimates that its population has reached at least 27,000 residents. Since the decennial census conducted in 2010, the village has issued permits for more than 700 residential units and added more than an estimated 2,000 new residents.
Census takers began working January 9 in Talamore, Lions Chase, and Covington Lakes subdivisions, and in seven neighborhoods in Sun City. Between 2010 and early 2013, Pulte Homes built out and sold dozens of homes in Neighborhoods 1, 1A, 25, 30, 33, 35, 37, and 40 on the southern and western edges of the community. Census takers are contacting owners of these homes and following up by telephone if necessary. Their job will be complete in early February.
While census taking is a federal government project, village officials are playing major roles in the current effort.
Julie Langos, village accounting supervisor, is coordinating local activities in Huntley communities, including Sun City.
“The village requested this special census because it needs to verify its current estimates that the population has reached 27,000, from the 25,000 estimated a few years ago,” Langos said. “The census takers in Sun City (they are called enumerators now) are Sun City residents themselves. They are given addresses on certain streets in the community, and they are contacting residents at their homes. If necessary, enumerators and residents may make contact by phone as a follow-up. Each resident is asked five questions, and the interviews usually take about 10 minutes.”
Streets with homes yet to be counted in Sun City include Rock Creek Circle and Brookside Court in Neighborhood 1 and 1A, Abbington Drive in N33, Meadowlark Lane, Robins Way, and Bluebird Lane in N35, Sundance Drive, Mesa Street, and Holbrook Drive in N30 and 25, Carmel Lane in N40, and Burgundy Way, Tawny Lane, and Copper Lane in N37.
The primary purpose of this effort is financial. In an email to Sun City residents, the community association said, “Verifying the most current population is important because that number is used to determine the distribution of population-based revenues, such as state income, state use tax, and motor fuel tax. Increased population increases the amount of revenue received by the village to help fund projects such as street improvements, the downtown streetscape, etc.”
The village also wants to graduate into the class of home rule cities, which will permit it to levy taxes on more activities in the community, and generate more revenues for its budget. In another recently published report, Village Manager Dave Johnson estimated that, under home rule, the village may be able to generate more than $230,000 in additional annual income.
