Belvidere “alley” issue fails because of Mayor’s veto

Local News

Belvidere city council members argue over neighborhood alley improvement

By: Gregory Cormier

Updated: Apr 16, 2018 11:00 PM CDT

BELVIDERE - "It's a safety issue being that there's going to be a paved alley with people driving 25 miles an hour, 8 feet from my house," said Belvidere resident Scott Cregreen. He worries about what will happen if the city improves an alley in his neighborhood.

The alley between East 8th and 9th Streets has been a topic of controversy recently. City council members have tried more than once over the last few years to approve paving it.

"Something like this to me is just pretty ludicrous, we don't have the money," said Belvidere Mayor Mike Chamberlain. "It's been discussed multiple times, I have a problem with the ethics of who brought it and who voted," he added.

Chamberlain vetoed the council's vote to pave the alley earlier this month. He says one alderman would personally benefit from the improvement. City council members could not get enough votes to override the veto.

"It passed with a super majority when we voted on it, it passed with a majority in 2012, moving forward I don't know what the next course of action will be," said Belvidere Alderman Marcia Freeman. Freeman lives near the alley and argues having it paved would have made it easier for homeowners to get to their backyards and help police and fire respond.

"My neighbors and the people I represent want their access back," said Freeman. "It's not that they are asking for an alley that doesn't exist, they're asking for their access back," she added. Chamberlain argues spending the 12,000 dollars for the project would take away from future investment in roads everyone in the city uses.

"We need to spend as much money as we can put in our budget every year in improving the streets that are used all day everyday," he said.

Above is from:  http://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/belvidere-city-council-members-argue-over-neighborhood-alley-improvement/1126612358

Boone County Fair receives state money

Posted: Apr 19, 2018 6:46 PM CDT

BOONE COUNTY (WREX) -

After waiting for nearly $85,000 in state funding since November 2017, Illinois Comptroller's office told 13 News that they have been approved to release all fair funding immediately.

The Boone County Fair says through the Department of Agriculture, they had applied for funding. However, after speaking to the Comptroller's office, they said the Department of Agriculture applied for over $11 Million in voucher requests, but they only have $4.4 Million to allocate. The fair funding made the priority list and was just granted the funds it applied for.

Boone County board member, Jack Ratcliffe says if these funds didn't come soon, they would not have been able to make the necessary improvements they had planned on making for this years fair.

"All of our maintenance we need to do.. needs to be done by July, so we need the operating capital as soon as possible," Ratcliffe said.

Ratcliffe says they were able to avoid possible setbacks, like having to increase gate prices, or even cutting prize premiums thanks to the recent news of their funding going through.

Illinois State Senator, Dave Syverson says this funding is extremely important to the community, and to all the fairs around the state as well.

"It is a strong economic engine and has a rich history. The people who run the Boone County Fair have consistently been at the top in the state when it comes to managing great family fun," Syverson said.

The Boone County fair will take place at the Boone County Fair grounds from August 7 through 12.

Above is from:  http://www.wrex.com/story/37999660/2018/04/Thursday/boone-county-fair-receives-long-awaited-state-funding