Belvidere Boone County Food Pantry no longer on probation

Belvidere Boone County Food Pantry no longer on probation

Thursday

By Susan Vela
Staff writer

CAPRON — The Belvidere Boone County Food Pantry’s new policies and training helped end a probation period with the Northern Illinois Food Bank.

The food bank reinstated its ties with the agency on Tuesday. The pantry provides about 1,000 meals a month.

The pantry did not receive food from the food bank for two weeks as part of its probation.

“The pantry has been fully reinstated. The pantry has done everything we asked them in terms of compliance,” said Jennifer Nau, director of communications for the food bank. “We will continue to work with them to ensure all of their staff and volunteers are properly trained.”

The end of probation is good news, said the Rev. Danice Loveridge, the pantry’s interim executive director.

“I have a great group of people here,” Loveridge said. “We still have some work to do and we’re very committed to doing that work.”

The probation resulted from alleged theft and inappropriate use of food for the needy. A Boone County Sheriff’s Department investigation is ongoing.

Susan Vela: 815-987-1392; svela@rrstar.com; @susanvela

Above is from:  http://www.rrstar.com/news/20170413/belvidere-boone-county-food-pantry-no-longer-on-probation

10 reasons why Boone County public safety sales tax failed

 

My View: 10 reasons why Boone County public safety sales tax failed

 

 

By Cathy Ward

Wonder why Boone voters defeated the public safety sales tax? Here’s my opinion as a longtime resident and board member. I think there are at least 10 major reasons that led to this defeat.

But first let me say that I truly believe all of us want excellent public safety to be a priority. Second, I do not believe the defeat of the referendum is any reflection of the leadership of Sheriff Dave Ernest or newly elected board chair Karl Johnson. Third, I believe that some taxpayers will vote no on any tax increase. However, it’s not true that our voters always say no to tax hikes. Our people approved a tax hike for schools, our veterans and our animal shelter in the past few years.

Here’s a summary of what I have seen our people find unacceptable and why they voted no on the public safety sales tax referendum on April 4.

1) A majority of board members a few years ago erased the sunset date of the current public safety sales tax, which was supposed to end when the jail bonds were paid off in 2018. Now that tax, about $1.4 million a year, will continue forever. Many considered that a major broken promise.

2) The majority of the board approved a huge property line setback that eliminated the chance of a multi-million dollar wind farm project that would have brought millions of new tax dollars to our people, schools, villages and townships.

3) The majority of the board voted to break a longtime Belvidere/Boone planning department agreement. That meant taxpayers would pay more than twice as much for half the staff and further weaken city/county relationships. It’s no wonder why no city officials endorsed the sales tax proposal.

4) The majority of the board worked really hard to ignore the pleas of hundreds of residents who asked us to help “Stop the Train.” Former chair Bob Walberg said the board would never even discuss it, but then he backed off that stance. It took weeks before the board would even pass a resolution opposing the train.

5) The majority of the board fought tooth and nail to refuse to give our veterans any assistance. Finally our veteran leaders took it directly to the voters who approved the assistance with a referendum win.

6) The majority of the board tried every trick in the book to ignore the requests of animal lovers who wanted to replace a deplorable animal shelter. That, too, went to referendum and our people approved it. It should have been built years ago when it would have been much cheaper, but we still hear those same board members who opposed it moaning about the cost.

7) Many members keep saying we are “broke,” yet approved raises as high as 5 percent a year and a few years back did nothing to stop raises as high as 55 percent in the health department. Retirement bonuses of tens of thousands are still being given.

8) Despite requests from hundreds who ask us for more stop signs and more reduced speed signs, many board members keep ignoring those requests and try to block them.

9) The majority of our board members allowed former chair Walberg to replace on committees and board anyone who did not agree with his goals. He then appointed friends and relatives of friends to those boards.

10) Finally, many board members refuse to sit in regular board seats so visitors can hear better.

I don’t believe it was any one of these items that caused the defeat, but the cumulative effect was that dozens of our residents left our board room in the last few years under the leadership of Walberg with the opinion that they were being totally ignored. They saw lots of arrogance or indifference.

Our voters had their chance in the ballot box to show their displeasure.

Cathy Ward is a member of the Boone County Board.

Above is from:  http://www.rrstar.com/opinion/20170415/my-view-10-reasons-why-boone-county-public-safety-sales-tax-failed

Boone County agrees to sell old animal services building

 

Posted by RVPEditor / In Belvidere Daily Republican, Public Meetings

By Bob Balgemann

REPORTER

Now that the new animal services building on the north side of Squaw Prairie Road is finished, Boone County officials are ready to sell the old one at 1230 S. Appleton Road.

After quite a bit of discussion, the county board voted 12-0 to open the process up to public bids, with no minimum dollar amount required. The board maintained the right to accept or refuse any and all offers.

County Administrator Ken Terrinoni explained there were a number of avenues that could be pursued with regard to the sale. One would be a negotiated sale with an interested buyer and see what price can be agreed upon. The other would be the bid process.

He said the roads and capital improvements committee, which considered that issue, was divided over the best way to get the most for taxpayers.

“It was felt the [full county] board should weigh in on it,” he said.

Committee Chairman Brad Stark said he was adamant at the committee level about putting the sale out to bid.

“I think this is the most open way we can go about selling this surplus property,” Stark said.

Board member Cathy Ward agreed, saying, “We should open it up to everyone in the county who might be interested.”

Another board member, Sherry Giesecke, wondered about setting a minimum bid for the property.

Board Chairman Karl Johnson said the committee did not like that approach.

“There will be plenty out there who will try to buy something for nothing,” board member Jeff Carlisle said.

Another viewpoint came from newly elected board member, Dr. Bernard O’Malley.

“This is a special use type of property and a small number of people will be interested in it,” O’Malley said. “It needs a lot of work.”

However, Stark countered the notion expressed earlier that this property would sell for $1 or $10, was “quite silly. Mr. O’Malley thinks the property needs work. Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Somebody might like it just the way it is. Somebody might buy it for the land. We don’t know. As the seller, we shouldn’t be running down our piece of property. I think it’s quite beautiful, myself. It doesn’t eat, and we don’t have to clean up after it. So, if it takes a while to sell, so be it.”

Committee Vice Chairman Denny Ellingson said there already had been some inquiries about the property.

A motion to open the Appleton Road property to public bid was authored by board member Marshall Newhouse and seconded by Ward. It was approved, 10-2, in a voice vote.

In related action, the board voted 12-0 to make a final payment of $87,426.30 to Rockford Structures Construction Company in Machesney Park, for general construction of the 3,300-square-foot animal services building.

Overall, this was an estimated $1.040-million project financed by the sale of $800,000 in bonds that voters approved Nov. 4, 2014.

The general fund will be reimbursed $251,781.93. It is supplying to make up the difference.

Some of the big-ticket items shown in the contract breakdown were rough carpentry/lumber, $150,411.76; site work, $82,100; electrical, $76,064; overhead and profit, $68,359.30; $57,362; concrete/concrete systems, $62,794; HVAC, $57,362; gutters, downspouts, siding, $42,269.30; painting/epoxy, $29,419; doors, hardware, $27,880; drywall, $24,416; and roofing, $20,450.

Above is from:   http://rvpnews.com/?p=12568

Former North Boone teacher, coach faces sex assault charges

Former North Boone teacher, coach faces sex assault charges

Posted Apr 13, 2017 at 12:36 PM Updated at 12:11 AM

By Kristen Zambo
Staff writer

ROCKFORD — Two North Boone High School teachers have been jailed within seven days of each other after each was accused of having a sexual relationship with a student.

Scott M. Brady, 52, of Rockford, a former science teacher and soccer coach, appeared in court today after being charged with four counts of criminal sexual assault and two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of an underage girl in Rockford.

Brady is held in the Winnebago County Jail on a $300,000 bond.

A North Boone High School special education and math teacher, Sarah Myers, 40, of Garden Prairie, was charged last week in Boone County Circuit Court with criminal sexual assault of a student.

“These two cases are not believed to be related,” Winnebago County State’s Attorney Joe Bruscato said.

North Boone Superintendent Michael Greenlee said in a written statement that the school has an extensive hiring process that includes thorough background checks and mandatory, continuing ethics training.

“We have great, dedicated teachers and staff. Obviously, we are shocked and disappointed at the allegations in these past couple of weeks,” Greenlee said. “In both instances we acted immediately upon learning about the allegations, and we contacted law enforcement.”

Brady resigned in December when school officials notified police of the allegations and an investigation was launched, Bruscato said this afternoon at a news conference. The alleged incidents occurred between December 2015 and December 2016, when the girl was 17 and 18 years old, according to a criminal complaint filed on Wednesday.

“We expect our children to be safe at school. Everybody does,” Rockford Police Chief Dan O’Shea said.

The teen wasn’t a student in Brady’s science classes, Bruscato said, adding his office has “zero tolerance” for teachers who physically or sexually abuse students.

O’Shea said Brady was charged in Winnebago County because Brady lives in Rockford and the alleged contact occurred there. Bruscato said “while we believe this situation is isolated,” the investigation continues.

Rockford police arrested Brady at 9:15 a.m. on Wednesday.

In bond court, Judge Francis M. Martinez ordered Brady not to have any contact with children.

Brady remains in the Winnebago County Jail and must post $30,000 to bail out. His next court date is May 5.

The sexual assault charges are punishable by four to 15 years in prison and the sexual abuse counts are punishable by three to seven years.

Myers, who faces two counts of criminal sexual assault, is due back in court April 21. According to Myers’ teacher page, she teaches special education at the high school, as well some math courses. She also is a freshman student adviser, her website states. The teen wasn’t a special education student, Sheriff Dave Ernest has said.

Kristen Zambo: 815-987-1339; kzambo@rrstar.com; @KristenZambo

Above is from:  http://www.rrstar.com/news/20170413/former-north-boone-teacher-coach-faces-sex-assault-charges

Boone County Clerk, Recorder Mary Steurer to retire

 

Boone County Clerk, Recorder Mary Steurer to retire

Wednesday

Posted Apr 12, 2017 at 5:56 PM Updated Apr 12, 2017 at 11:23 PM

 

By Susan Vela
Staff writer

BELVIDERE — Boone County Clerk and Recorder Mary Steurer is retiring after nearly 40 years of organizing election workers, helping people get married, documenting land transactions and doing much more.

Steurer joined the office in 1979, worked her way up the ranks and was appointed to the job in 2011 when then-Clerk and Recorder Pam McCullough retired. Steurer was elected in November 2012 for a two-year term and was re-elected for a four-year term in November 2014. She’ll leave the job June 15 to spend more time with her husband, Dale.

“I feel bad leaving before my term is up,” Steurer said. “I just feel the time is right. We would like to do a little traveling and I would like to just be home.”

Steurer said she’s confident her office of five employees will be left in capable hands. County officials are seeking letters of interest and resumes from applicants who wish to be appointed to her job. The deadline to apply is April 28.

Steurer’s replacement must be a Republican. He or she will receive a yearly salary of $81,708 and will oversee an annual budget of about $700,000, Steurer said.

 

Boone County Board Chairman Karl Johnson will recommend a replacement at the May 17 County Board meeting. The nominee must be approved by the board. Johnson is looking for someone who has Steurer’s dedication.

“I don’t think you can find a person who is more positive,” he said. “She’s nice. She’s pleasant. She’s willing to do whatever she can to help out. She truly cares about the county.”

Steurer worked part time for the county treasurer’s office for about three years before joining the clerk and recorder’s office. She loved the office’s energetic pace and eventually became McCullough’s deputy clerk.

“I never had thought of being clerk but I really enjoyed it,” she said.

Steurer’s enthusiasm was apparent to former County Board Chairman Bob Walberg.

“I’m kind of sad about (her retirement) because she’s done such a great job,” he said. “She was always on top of her facts and figures. She almost always knew the answer. If she didn’t, she knew how to get the answer. She’s done that job extremely well. She was just so helpful to the board and so meticulous with our minutes.”

Anyone interested in replacing Steurer can send a letter expressing his or her interest and qualifications to Boone County Board Chairman Karl Johnson, Administration Campus, 1212 Logan Ave., Suite 102, Belvidere, IL 61008.

Susan Vela: 815-987-1392; svela@rrstar.com; @susanvela

Above is from:  http://www.rrstar.com/news/20170412/boone-county-clerk-recorder-mary-steurer-to-retire

 

County Clerk & Recorder

Vacancy

Term Expires

November 30, 2018

Length of Term

Remainder of Term

Per Illinois law this candidate must be a registered Republican.

Interested parties are asked to send a letter and/or resume expressing your interest and qualifications along with your contact information to Boone County Board Chairman Karl Johnson, Administration Campus, 1212 Logan Ave., Suite 102, Belvidere, IL 61008.  Please respond by April 28, 2017 to assure being considered.

Above is from:  http://www.boonecountyil.org/page/employment-opportunities

No wonder Trump likes his steak well-done: Inspectors find 13 violations in Mar-a-Lago’s kitchen

 

 

No wonder Trump likes his steak well-done: Inspectors find 13 violations in Mar-a-Lago’s kitchen

Cook it my way. (Reuters/Jim Young)

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Written by

Chase Purdy

2 hours ago

It might cost a whopping $200,000 just in initiation fees to get into Donald Trump’s private Palm Beach, Florida club Mar-a-Lago—but don’t assume the quality of the food matches the price.

State food-safety inspectors visited the club for a routine check in January and found reasons to issue 13 violations. Some of the more troubling violations cited potentially dangerous raw fish and broken-down coolers for storing raw meats, according to the Miami Herald.

“Bacteria multiply quickly when the temperature of food is between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit (4 and 60 degrees Celsius),” according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.

So just how bad was the situation at Mar-a-Lago? Bad. Here’s what inspectors found:

• Chicken being stored at 49 degrees Fahrenheit (9.4 degrees Celsius).
• Duck and raw beef at 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius).
• Ham at 57 degrees Fahrenheit (13.8 degrees Celsius).
• Fish, slated to be served raw or undercooked, not put through a proper process to remove parasites.

That should give any club-goer pause, as meat stored improperly could become a breeding playground for a parade of pernicious, illness-causing bacteria such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, Shigella, E. coli, Listeria, Vibrio, and Clostridium botulinum.

Inspectors ordered the club to clear out and clean its coolers and start maintaining them properly.

This isn’t the first time Trump has run into a bit of a mess on food issues. While he was on the campaign trail, he briefly made a vow to dismantle America’s federal food-safety and inspection service (it was deleted after being roundly mocked). Health advocates say that Trump’s proposed budget would gut important services from the Food and Drug Administration that ensure food safety.

And earlier this week, the president caught criticism for an embarrassing flub he made during an interview with the Fox Business network. While crowing about the “most beautiful” slice of chocolate cake he ate during a meal with Chinese president Xi Jinping, the US president mentioned striking American ally Iraq with 59 Tomahawk missiles. It was a misspeak. He had actually struck Syria.

Above is from:  https://qz.com/957893/donald-trumps-mar-a-lago-has-a-food-safety-problem-health-inspectors-say/

Oklahoma Congressman tells angry constituents the idea that they pay his salary is ‘bullcrap’

 

Congressman tells angry constituents the idea that they pay his salary is ‘bullcrap’

By Greg Hadley

ghadley@mcclatchy.com

Mullin Resumes Town Halls After Canceling Due To Security Concerns

KOTV - Tulsa, OK

An Oklahoman congressman is under fire after he seemingly dismissed the notion that his constituents pay for him to go to Congress, calling the idea “bullcrap” in a viral video making the rounds on social media.

Markwayne Mullin, speaking at a town hall Tuesday in Jay, Oklahoma, was responding to a question from the audience when he responded to a claim that constituents pay for him to work in Congress.

“You say you pay for me to do this. Bullcrap. I pay for myself. I paid enough taxes before I got there and continue to through my company to pay my own salary. This is a service. No one here pays me to go,” said the 39-year-old Republican who represents Oklahoma’s second district, which covers much of the eastern part of the state.

When several audience members pushed back against this claim, Mullin went on, “I’m just saying this is a service for me, not a career, and I thank God this is not how I make my living.”

A spokesperson for Mullin later told the Tulsa World that he was referring to taxes he has paid as a private citizen and as a business owner. Mullin owns several plumbing companies, per the Tulsa World.

“Like all business owners, Congressman Mullin pays his taxes, which contribute to congressional salaries,” the spokesperson said.

In the Constitution, Congress is tasked with deciding its own members’ salaries, which is taken from the U.S. Treasury and paid for by taxpayers. In 2009, that pay was increased to a base of $174,000 per year plus benefits and has not changed since. However, members who reach leadership positions are eligible for higher salaries. Mullin holds no leadership positions.

Mullin first joined Congress in 2012 and has won his past two elections with more than 70 percent of the vote. However, like many other members of Congress, he has faced a hostile reception back home at town halls.

Mullin also announced Tuesday night that he was canceling another town hall, citing safety concerns.

“Over the past few weeks, we have seen an escalation of protesters at congressional town halls across the nation. We have even seen them right here in the Second District. I have continued to hold town halls and answer questions from constituents across the district, including those who have been vocal in their disapproval of my positions,” Mullin said in a statement.

“It is my intent to provide a safe environment for all attendees which is why we have established protocols at each of our town halls to ensure each person’s voice can be heard. Despite working with the venue for the Tahlequah town hall, we could not reach an agreement using our protocols that guaranteed the safety of everyone, so I chose to cancel the town hall after much consideration.”

However, Mullin’s announcement came just a few hours before the event was scheduled to begin and after attendees had already entered the building. The Associated Press reports that when the cancellation was announced, the crowd booed. Mullin later hosted several town halls on Wednesday.

According to federal filings, Mullin made at least $610,000 in 2015 and raised more than $600,000 in the 2015-2016 election cycle.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article144264444.html#storylink=cpy