Bloomington’s Alderman Stearns alleges Open Meetings Act violation

By Rachel Wells | rwells@pantagraph.com

BLOOMINGTON — A city alderman is alleging her fellow City Council members violated state transparency laws by discussing public business — including major departmental changes — behind closed doors.

Ward 4 Alderman Judy Stearns on Dec. 6 filed a request for review with the Illinois attorney general’s public access counselor, which has since asked for more information from the city.

She alleged the council during a Nov. 15 closed session discussed issues not exempt from the state’s Open Meetings Act, including broad discussions of general hiring practices, a sought-after “culture change” and “why it is critical that the Council be totally united on the changes to be made, including the comment by our City Manager (David Hales) that a 5 to 4 vote is not acceptable.”

Read the entire article by clicking on the following:  Alderman Stearns alleges Open Meetings Act violation

A special thanks to City Barbs (http://www.citybarbs.com/) for this item.

Fiat's access to Chrysler funds curbed by dividend cap, debt covenants - Yahoo Finance

Analysts have raised concerns about Fiat's growing debt pile and its ability to fund a strategy that will shift the automaker's focus to its upscale Maserati and Alfa Romeo brands from an over-reliance on low-margin mass-market models.

Responding to a request for clarification from market regulator Consob, Fiat said that beyond the cap, dividend payments were also subject to the condition that Chrysler's liquidity exceeds a threshold of $3 billion. It said Chrysler's liquidity totalled $14.7 billion at the end of 2013.

Fiat also said intercompany financing was limited by covenants that require deals to be approved by a majority of "disinterested" members of the Chrysler board of directors.

Fiat said it had enough resources to fund its activities, however.

"On the basis of the group's available liquidity, credit lines in place and available for investment in industrial activities, in addition to the ability to access capital markets ... the group believes its capital resources are more than adequate to meet the projected funding requirements," it said in a statement.

Read all of this article by clicking on the following:  Fiat's access to Chrysler funds curbed by dividend cap, debt covenants - Yahoo Finance

Applications for Absentee Ballots Now Available | Boone County, Illinois

 

Applications for Absentee Ballots Now Available

Home › Applications for Absentee Ballots Now Available

Mary S. Steurer, Boone County Clerk, announced that her office is now taking applications for the mailing of absentee ballots for the March 18, 2014, Primary Election.  Applications will be accepted from February 6, 2014 through March 13, 2014.

If you would like to receive an application you may do so in person, by phone or by clicking on the link below.

Please complete and mail to the Boone County Clerk, 1212 Logan Ave, Suite 103, Belvidere, IL 61008.  Remember in a primary election you must indicate whether you'd like a Republican, Democratic or Non-partisan ballot.  The non-partisan ballot will only have any public question(s) that are in your precinct.  If you have any questions, please call us at 815-544-3103.

Applications for Absentee Ballots Now Available | Boone County, Illinois

The application form is available on line at:  http://www.boonecountyil.org/sites/default/files/Application%20for%20Absentee%20Ballot%203-18-14.pdf