On February 13, 2009 Illinois Department of Transportation announced the $693 million projects that were “shovel ready” and “can be on the special letting in early April”. There is only one project in Boone County --$3,150,000 for resurfacing Route 20 from Farmington Way to McHenry County Border. Click on the photocopy to enlarge.
The Guardian Newspaper from England writes of Republican governors considering to refuse federal stimulus funds on ideological grounds. Click to view the Guardian article.
World news Feed Article | World news | guardian.co.uk
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I have lived in Belvidere for twenty years and never heard of Midwest Ice Cream, Belvidere, Il. I call the toll free number on the FDA announcement several times which was busy each time. Then I call Dean Foods, located at 630 Meadow, Belvidere. I found out that Midwest Ice Cream LLC was Dean Foods. My thoughts are: it is sad what a reputable company has to do to protect its name, reputation and business; all over a problem which apparently was caused by some one else.
Looking at the situation from another view, Midwest Ice Cream has always technically been the name of the Belvidere Plant. Research indicates that Dean allows a great deal of independence to its individual plants and plant managers. Dean markets and operates under many names. However it is interesting that the name listed in local phone directories and other references for the Belvidere facility is Dean Foods.
Click on the photocopy to enlarge.
The shortfall in revenues is growing and is now $98,190 or 7.6% below the projections of $1,297,731. These numbers compare unfavorably with the January numbers which were $33,188.78 or 4.27% below December/January projected revenue. See discussion of previous report at: http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2009/01/income-reports-from-county-government.html Two taxes with the largest difference from projections are Personal Property Replacement which is $21,807 short or 21.67% below projections and the state income tax which is $38,131 short or 14.43% less than projected. The running totals reported this February are shown below. All figures were supplied by the County Administrator, Ken Terrinoni, to the County Finance Subcommittee. Click on the copy to make it larger.
Here are my calculations:
PSB 141778.05 + 144409.66 +136185.88 = 422373.59 -5264.73/422373.59 = -1.24%
CST ¼ 87305.69 + 86368.04 + 82929.99 = 256603.72 -14427.07/256603.72 = –5.62%
Sales 1 % 86644.94 + 92482.07 + 74697.06 = 253824.07 ---18460.87/253824.07 = –7.27%
PerProRep 25695.16 + 74935.62 = 100630.78 -21806.68/100630.78= –21.67%
State Inc 113270.88 + 151027.84 = 264298.72 --38130.75/264298.72 = –14.43%
Total Projections= 422373.59 + 256603.72 + 253824.07 + 100630.78 +264298.72 = 1297730.90
Total Shortfall = –5264.73 + –14427.07 + –18460.87 + -21806.68 + -38130.75 = $98,190.0 98190/1297730= 7.57%
This appeared in the ROCKFORD Register Star on Thursday, February 12, 2009. Below, I have cut and pasted the article in case you have trouble reaching the link.
Boone board delays peaker plant verdict - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
By Kevin Haas
RRSTAR.COM
Posted Feb 12, 2009 @ 12:46 AM
BELVIDERE —
Boone County Board members delayed a decision Wednesday that could bring a peaker power plant to rural Boone County.
The board voted 9-3 to postpone the decision to its next meeting after some members felt more research was needed into the plant’s effect on property values, among other things.
“We owe it to the property owners around the project, we owe it to the citizens of Boone County ... to make sure we are completely informed and make an educated decision,” said Anthony Dini, board member.
Developers said the delayed vote does not push back their plans to start construction in fall 2010 and bring the plant online by May 2012.
“There’s a lot of work we have to do. We have nine to 12 months of permitting to go forward with,” said Jeff Greig, vice president of Burns & McDonnell, the architectural and engineering firm behind the project.
Power Ventures Group LLC wants to bring a 100-megawatt natural-gas fired peaking power plant to a 20-acre site east of Garden Prairie Road and south of Interstate 90 in eastern Boone County.
The facility is intended to operate during times of high energy demand — especially hot summer days — to provide stable electric power to the region.
The facility is bordered by I-90 to the north, but otherwise surrounded by farmland. Neighbors to the would-be project said the sound and sight of 12 exhaust stacks, which could be as tall as 75 feet, will lower their property values. They also don’t want to see prime agricultural land lost.
It has board members weighing whether the good of creating construction jobs and a higher property-tax base outweighs the loss of farmland.
The facility would employ four to eight people once online but would create about 125 construction jobs at its peak, developers said.
“I understand the country is going through a rough time right now, as is our community, and nation. But what about all the years that my neighbors and I have contributed valuable tax money to our economy? Does that not count for anything?” said Kevin Ernesti, a neighbor who opposes the project. “Farmland is becoming scarcer every day. You can’t make more farmland. What we have is all we will ever have.”
Staff writer Kevin Haas can be reached at 815-544-3452 or khaas@rrstar.com.
Update: Permission has been granted. See the posting on District 100 Watchdog: http://district100watchdog.blogspot.com/2009/02/state-of-district-100-finances-address.html Dr. Michael Houselog’s exact words from his email are: “Last night(2-17-2009) the Belvidere School Board approved the minutes of the February 10, 2009 Business Services Meeting. Thus you are granted permission to post that document on your blog.”
On Tuesday , February 10, 2009 James E. Metz, District 100 Consultant, and Scott Smith, PMA Financial Network Account Executive, presented a State of District Finances to the general public and the Employee Associations for District 100. There were fifteen pages of graphs, assumptions and findings. If you were there you could have obtained a copy of the presentation. I would like to show you this presentation which I have in my possession but I am currently being prevented by PMA’s oral warning. Please read my letter to District 100 Board. What do you think? Should the taxpayers’ be allowed to view these fifteen pages of the presentation?
Below is my letter to the Board of Education, the cover for the presentation, PMA’s Disclaimer to the report, and some web information on PMA’s services. Click to enlarge the photocopy
Take a look at this new free program from Best Buy to recycle all your old small appliances and electronics. Please check your local Best Buy and recycle.
Click on picture to make larger.
