Sunday, November 22, 2009

IEPA warns of contaminated groundwater - Rockford, IL

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency issued a news release Friday stating that it has informed the city’s Public Works Department via certified mail that there has been a confirmed detection of trichloroethylene, or TCE, in the city’s groundwater and treated water supply.

TCE levels exceed 2.5 parts per billion, the level does not exceed the Class 1 groundwater quality standards for TCE or 5 ppb that both federal and state laws allows in drinking water.

Click on the following for more details:  IEPA warns of contaminated groundwater - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

Officials optimistic sales tax skid is easing

Rockford’s sales tax revenue dipped 14.8 percent for August, and Winnebago County’s fell 12.3 percent, according to the latest figures from the Illinois Department of Revenue.
Revenues to local municipalities from the state was down 16.3 percent in July for the three-county region, the biggest year-over-year decline since the recession began in December 2007.

Click on the following for more details:  Officials optimistic sales tax skid is easing - - BusinessRockford.com

Blog Count for the last 30 days: 861 visits; 462 separate visitors.

Since September 1, 2009:  1300 visits, 622 separate visitors
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Did Boone County pass a Budget? Some members of the county board have some questions.

Lead by Mr. Dini and Ms. Glass, four county board members  have requested a special meeting of the county board.  Below is the States Attorney’s view of the matter.

Office of the
State’s Attorney             
601 N. MAIN STREET  SUITE 302  BELVIDERE, ILLINOIS 61008-2609  (815) 544-0868                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
Michelle J. Courier
Boone County State’s Attorney

To:    County Board Members, County Administrator, & County Clerk

From:    Michelle Courier, Boone County State’s Attorney

Date:     November 22, 2009

RE:    Special Meeting

On Friday, I was called to a meeting with County Board Members Anthony Dini and Terri Glass, who expressed their concern that the budget was not passed.   Following the meeting, in which I reviewed the official written minutes of our County Clerk and the tape of the vote, I opined that the budget was passed.  The basis for my opinion is Robert’s Rules of Order. 

The motion was originally introduced by Marshall Newhouse as an attempt at a compromise in order to get a budget passed.  He stated that the motion was an amendment to the budget.  The problem with his terminology is that the word “amendment” has a different connotation under Robert’s Rules of Order than merely compromising to get a budget passed.  A motion to amend in the technical sense is considered a secondary motion to a main motion on the floor.  However, there was no main motion on the floor as the motion to approve the budget had failed. 

Therefore, County Board Member Newhouse’s motion had to be made as a main motion.  I corrected the terminology to meet his intent by stating that the motion was to approve the budget as amended.    The Chair agreed and then put the question to the Board that the vote was on the budget, as amended.   The question was repeated for Cathy Ward, who acknowledges she understood the motion.  In fact, Anthony Dini is heard on the tape repeating that the vote was on the budget as amended.

The vote was taken, the Chair declared that the motion was passed, and the County Clerk recorded that the budget passed, as amended.  Pursuant to Robert’s Rules of Order, the exact wording the chair uses in putting the question to a vote is definitive, and the wording in the minutes should be the same.  If any County Board member felt the chair’s wording was erroneous, the time to have made a correction to the wording was prior to the vote.   

Based upon the above legal reasoning, I opined to Anthony Dini on Friday that there was no need for a special meeting.   On Saturday, I learned that, despite my legal opinion, Mr. Dini still wished to proceed with a special meeting. 

As legal advisor to the County Board, I cannot prohibit a special meeting from being called, but I will not condone it.  A special meeting would serve no purpose but to further waste county resources on a vote that was already taken.  Moreover, there is no procedure for allowing a “re-vote” or a “clarifying vote.”   If any County Board member had a question as to what they were voting on, they should have asked prior to voting.  Lastly, the calling of a special meeting could have severe legal consequences.  If the vote were called to approve the budget again, County Board Members could change their vote or County Board Members could fail to attend a special Board Meeting.  In either case, the County could be faced with a conflicting vote against the budget, which may require litigation.

Funding cuts shave programming at some libraries

more people are using libraries to avoid buying their own books and movies, and to keep entertainment spending in check.

"[We're] experiencing double-digit increases," said Kathryn Martens, director of the Crystal Lake Public Library, speaking about library use. "Many, many more people are turning to their public library for books, DVDs and access to computers."

Click on the following for more details:  Northwest Herald | Funding cuts shave programming at some libraries

Administration report favorable on takeover of Thomson Correctional Center

 

The Thomson prison has emerged as the leading site for a U.S. detention center to take Guantanamo detainees if that facility is shut down.

Click on the following:  Administration report favorable on takeover of Thomson Correctional Center -- chicagotribune.com

Former McHenry County Treasurer, Cal Skinner, tells our neighbors about the lost $1,000,000 of Boone County taxes

The following was blogged today on Cal’s McHenry County Blog:  http://mchenrycountyblog.com/

$1 Million and The Tax Collector Doesn’t Know Who It Belongs To

November 22, 2009 By: Cal Skinner Category: Bill Pysson, Boone County, Boone County Treasurer, Boone County Watchdog, County Collector, County Treasurer, Management Letter

Found this little item on “Boone County Watchdog.”

How would you like to be a Boone County resident and read in a county management letter accompanying the annual audit:

“We noted the Collector held over $1 million in savings as of January 2009, which was after the final distribution related to the 2007 tax levy.

“At that point in time, Collector’s accounts should be minimal as distributions have been made for the prior levy and amounts are not being collected on the upcoming levy.

“We suggest the Collector why these large balances exist and determine who this money belongs to, whether it is the County, other taxing bodies, or the state as unclaimed property.”

That’s from the management letter to the Boone County Board. It was dated July 14, 2009.

It was brought to my attention by former Cary resident Bill Pysson ’s
Boone County Watchdog