Prairie State Wire

Gary Wiss, former vice president of SPACECO, Inc., has raised concerns regarding the maintenance of the sewage system infrastructure in the village of Frankfort. Wiss said that both the village and Mayor Keith Ogle have not adequately addressed these issues, which a Village-commissioned analysis indicates are at risk of failure. He made these remarks during an interview with the Will County Gazette on February 13.

"An aggressive program needs to be mounted immediately to head off adverse effects of the surcharging, which if not reduced will seriously impact current residences and businesses which are connected to the system," said Wiss. "The report which was recently completed makes it abundantly clear that failures will occur, and with severe consequences. Property damage and health issues are associated with sanitary sewer surcharging, which causes sewage backup in basements as well as sanitary overflow from manholes. Studies are important and necessary, but the time to actually undertake needed corrections is now."

According to the Chicago Tribune, developers of the Gardens of Frankfort, a proposed 160-unit manufactured home project, are currently unable to connect to the village's water and sewer systems. The developers initially sought approval for connection in 2021. However, Mayor Ogle cited necessary infrastructure upgrades to resolve existing sewer deficiencies before any further connections could be approved. Despite commissioning several studies on these systems, Frankfort’s leadership has yet to take action on the identified sewer issues.

A report from December 20, 2024, titled "Frankfort Sewer Analysis Report," highlighted significant problems with sanitary sewers downstream from the Jackson Creek Lift Station (JCLS). The report identified severe stormwater and groundwater infiltration issues in 'Basin 1,' which encompasses both the proposed Gardens of Frankfort and Gateway developments. It was found that four out of ten sewer segments in Basin 1 exceeded recommended dry-weather capacity. During wet weather conditions, significant surcharging occurred, with wastewater rising nearly seven feet above pipes due to downstream obstructions. While adding pumps at JCLS could increase capacity, deteriorating force mains and downstream limitations would likely lead to sanitary sewer overflows, emphasizing the urgent need for infrastructure upgrades.

Crain’s Chicago Business reported that Gary Wiss previously served as president of Gary A. Wiss, Incorporated—a Northbrook-based civil engineering firm known for its work on the North Shore. The firm acted as lead civil consultant for projects such as the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe and contributed to major developments including North Shore University Health System, Northwestern University, New Trier High School District 203, and John Buck Company-Virgin Hotel development at 203 N. Wabash.