The following is taken from the Boone County Journal which is available free of cost at merchants across the county and on-line at: http://www.boonecountyjournal.com/news/2013/Boone-County-News-02-01-13.pdf#page=1
Click on the photocopy to enlarge:
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Road commissioner responds to statement on township issue | Belvidere Daily Republican
A row between supervisor candidate and Belvidere Township Road Commissioner/Current Township Supervisor?
Written by Bob Balgemann
The project, including improvements to the intersection and resurfacing, was estimated to cost $750,000 and it had taken several years to raise enough money for the work.
“Les Reid just dinked around with it,” Lee said. “He sent it (paperwork) to his lawyer; he wanted us to buy this and that. It finally got to be too late and we decided to spend the money on other projects.”
Now the intersection project is a dead issue, he said. But resurfacing of five roads in the subdivision is on the project list for this year.
les reidReply
January 31, 2013 at 2:31 am
If this was such an important project it would appear by Mr. Lee’s own comments he did not allow adequate time to plan this project. If “dinking” around with it refers to having a lawyer review the documents prepared by the the road department before I signed them I stand guilty as charged. The written documents if agreed to by me without counsel could have created a problem for me. The Township was informed there would have to be an appraisal of my property before and after the donation to the Township. This must have been the basis for the comment that I wanted to sell my land. The land is still available at no gain to me as it was in the past. If following someone elses rules is a challange for Mr. Lee I offer no apology
Owen G CostanzaReply
January 31, 2013 at 7:31 pm
I am responding to this newest article, after reading Mr. Murphy’s last quotes to the Register Star, where he was solely blaming the Belvidere/Boone County Food Pantry for the Belvidere Township’s legal fees. If the paranoia of the supervisor (“I’m so paranoid now that if I make a decision or tell the board” – direct quote from the RRSTAR) and complexity of residents’ questions to the board and supervisor require the Township to seek legal counsel in order to respond, then, really, how hypocritical of Mr. Murphy and Mr. Lee to blame Les Reid for the Township Board’s stopping of what sounds like an essential project for the safety of school buses. It is simply a responsibility of any homeowner in Mr. Reid’s situation to go over paperwork with one’s lawyer and mortgage holder to properly donate land to the township. Additionally hypocritical is the accusation that Mr. Reid was merely “dinking” around in order to specifically delay and/or completely bring the project to a halt. I guess the educational lawyer services were unavailable to help with the quote.
I was close to Mr. Reid when this situation came up – he only asked the township to pay for the REQUIRED Appraisal that the lender asked for and the legal fees to in order for Mr. Reid to GIVE the corner to the township. I repeat, GIVE – this land project in question was not at all a sale, but a donation of Mr. Reid’s own property for his community that he is proud to reside in. Les will be happy to share all of the written correspondence with anyone asking to see them. Additionally, it should be noted that it took the State of Illinois YEARS to negotiate the property for expanding 173 in Poplar Grove with residents; I guess the rules are meant for the citizens and no one else, least of all our local government boards. I am not in the township and I am for open and honest government. I have known Les for a very long time; he is very thorough with everything he does!
Here is a question for the township, since this sounds like a very noble and needed cause. You have the money to go forward with this project and Mr. Reid is still willing to donate the land – why pass the project up for any reason? I wonder if it is perhaps because this is an election cycle and Les Reid is running against Mr. Murphy on the Republican ticket in February. So what better reason then to shelve a needed project when you have the money and you have a willing resident to give you the property you need other than politics.
Mr. Murphy, if you want to play politics over the peoples’ views and in public comments, please do so. I welcome the debate. I simply cut and pasted quotes from both officials in this response. Please both of you, Mr. Murphy and Mr. Lee, let’s be adults and act your age – do not put your politics and agenda before peoples’ children (“Thirty-some school buses are in there any given time,” he said, adding that access was wide enough for one school bus and one car). SHAME on you both. It’s perfectly fine to disagree with others, but please do not use people’s children and citizens’ safety to point fingers at your politic opponents and to push your political agenda.
People of Belvidere Township, it sounds like you have some important decisions to make in the upcoming election. It seems as if the recent derogatory quotes by Mr. Murphy against not only political opponents, but those who dare to disagree with him, really speak for themselves.Owen G Costanza
Click on the following for all of the article: Road commissioner responds to statement on township issue | Belvidere Daily Republican
Split county board approves lowering Newburg Road speed limit | Belvidere Daily Republican
Written by Bob Balgemann
But that wasn’t the case during the Jan. 16 county board meeting, when members voted 7-5 to approve the recommendation.
Specifically, the lower speed limit will be in effect from 630 feet west of Irene Road to a point about 2,090 feet east of Irene Road, or approximately one-half mile.
The motion to approve lowering the speed limit as requested passed, 7-5, with board members Mike Schultz, Marion Thornberry, Johnson, Freeman and Chairman Bob Walberg dissenting. Support came from board members Brad Fidder, Bill Pysson, Denny Ellingson, Paul Larson, Craig Schultz, Ward and Wait.
Appeals court withdraws ruling in Chrysler racial discrimination case - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
Otto May, a Cuban-born Jew, first filed suit against then DaimlerChrysler in 2002, alleging the company did little to stop 20 years of abuse, including having death threats called to his home, derogatory sayings written on his locker and having his tires shredded by homemade spikes.
The case has taken several turns, including the death of May's original attorney. Finally in 2010 a jury in Rockford ruled in May's favor, awarding him more than $700,000 in compensatory damages and $3.5 million in punitive damages for the alleged harassment that May says continued up to 2005.
On appeal though, U.S. District Court Judge Frederick Kapala lowered the compensatory damage to $300,000 and threw out the punitive damages, ruling that May didn't prove that Chrysler "recklessly disregarded his federally-protected rights."
The case was heard in April 2012 and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision on Aug. 23 reinstating the entire punitive damage award.
Chrysler has continuously denied May's claims and asked for a rehearing. The Seventh Circuit granted the request on Jan. 9 but has not yet scheduled a rehearing.
Read the entire article by clicking on the following: Appeals court withdraws ruling in Chrysler racial discrimination case - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
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