Intended as a discussion group, the blog has evolved to be more of a reading list of current issues affecting our county, its government and people. All reasonable comments and submissions welcomed. Email us at: bill.pysson@gmail.com
REMEMBER: To view our sister blog for education issues: www.district100watchdog.blogspot.com
Several people have stated that two township trustees own property immediate adjacent to the former Eagle’s Club which Belvidere Township is contemplating purchasing. Bill Robinson owns an apartment across the street from the Eagle’s Club. Debbie Carlson is the apparent owner/operator of Prudential/Starks, Realtors at 323 South State. This real estate office is directly across an alley from the Eagle’s parking lot. The Eagle’s parking lot has been used unofficially as a common parking lot by the YMCA and various businesses along South State.
It appears that both these property owners might personally benefit if the Eagle’s Club would be purchased by the Township, versus the property being sold for a less desirable use.
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING BELVIDERE TOWNSHIP 8200 FAIRGROUNDS ROAD BELVIDERE, IL 61008 AUGUST 5, 2011 6:00 PM THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING IS TO DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL PURCHASE OF THE REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 110 W. LOCUST ST. IN BELVIDERE, IL 61008
MINUTES Call to Order ~~ Clerk Judy Schabacker called the Special Town Meeting to order at 6:24 pm. The late start was due to checking in all those in attendance with the active voter list for Belvidere Township. Selection of Moderator ~~ Clerk Schabacker asked for nominations from the floor for Moderator. Diann Helnore nominated Les Reid for Moderator, Mr. Reid declined the nomination. Joe Capovilla nominated Dave Gallano for Moderator. Cathy Cadie nominated John Wolf for Moderator. Dan Snow nominated John Maville for Moderator, Mr. Maville stated that he did not reside in Belvidere Township so would not be able to act as Moderator. Les Reid made a motion that nominations be closed for Moderator and that the motion be confirmed by a voice vote, Bill Wolf 2nd the motion to end nominations for Moderator. The motion passed to close nomination for Moderator with all those in attendance indicating aye on a voice vote. Clerk Schabacker called for a voice vote for moderator which indicated a tie vote, Francis Egan made a motion to use a show of hands for the selection of Moderator. The motion was 2nd by Ray Pendzinski; the count was taken by Attorney John Maville. With a show of hands John Wolf received 32 votes and Dave Gallano received 34 votes. Dave Gallano was sworn in as Moderator by Clerk Schabacker. Clerk Schabacker asked for a motion and a dollar amount to pay our Moderator for tonight’s meeting. Pat Murphy made a motion to pay the Moderator $50.00 for conducting tonight’s meeting. The motion was 2nd by Francis Egan and passed with Paul Larson indicating nay and all others in attendance indicating aye on a voice vote. Pledge of Allegiance ~~ Moderator Dave Gallano led those attending the Special Town Meeting in the pledge to the Flag. Introductory Remarks Regarding Purpose of Meeting ~~ Moderator Gallano asked for introductory remarks from Pat Murphy. Mr. Murphy explained the Township Boards purpose for wanting to acquire the Eagle’s Club building in Belvidere. Pat Murphy stated the building would be used for youth programs in our community and the Township would work with the YMCA to furnish those programs. Pat Murphy introduced YMCA Board President John Kaufield and Director Jennifer Jackie to explain some of the programs they would like to offer our area youth if they had the needed space. After the introductory remarks were made, Mr. Murphy made a motion to adopt the following Resolution; I move that the Township Board purchase the real property at 110 West Locust Street Belvidere, Illinois; that funds from the General Fund be used for that purchase; that no borrowing be made for that purchase; and that the Township use that property to provide programs to meet the needs of local youth, and to provide, generally, services to the residents of the Township as specified in 60ILCS 1/85-13. The motion was 2nd by Crayton Leaich.
Public Comments ~~ Moderator Gallano opened the floor to public comments but asked that those comments be limited to two minutes. The public directed their questions to Pat Murphy. Many questions and comments were made by those in attendance such as. What is the square footage of the building? What is going to be the total cost of rehabbing the building to bring it up to standard? Why are we offering to pay $150,000 which is more than what the Assessor has it valued for? Has an asbestos study been done? Has the building been sprinkled, if not does it need to be sprinkled? Has a phase one study been done? Have the ADA requirements been met or are they required? Are there easements on the property? Are there environmental issues with the property such as mold? Has a feasibility study been done? Is this a legal investment for township reserves? Why not donate money to other local organizations so they could expand their youth programs? Why are we in such a rush to do this? Pat Murphy stated that he did not have answers to all the questions at this time. Debbie Carlson (a Trustee on the Township Board) stated that the entire Board of Trustees felt this was an opportunity they didn’t want to pass up or risk losing; they were all in agreement on this. A motion was made by Tim Malone to close the Public Comments Discussion and call the question to a vote. The motion was 2nd by Ray Pendzinski. Before a vote could be taken Les Reid called point of order and made a motion to proceed before a vote on the motion by Tim Malone is called. Les Reid made a motion to defer the vote on purchasing the Eagles Club building until the next primary election when the question to purchase the building would be put on a ballot for referendum, or some other meeting date chosen by those present, if a referendum is not chosen. This would give ample time to have all the questions brought up by the public tonight answered. This motion was 2nd by Cathy Cadie. Tim Malone asked to withdraw his motion and Ray Pendzinski asked to withdraw his 2nd to Tim Malone’s motion. Local Township Attorney John Maville stepped in to help clarify what was going on. Mr. Maville asked if both Tim Malone and Ray Pendzinski had intended to withdraw both the motion made and the 2nd to that motion. They both stated that was their intent. Attorney Maville asked Mr. Reid to clarify his motion to the earlier motion to adopt a Resolution made by Pat Murphy. Mr. Reid said forget the other motion on the floor this is another motion to be considered and proceeded to make a new motion stating that he would like to make a motion to table this action subsequent to the next primary election referendum or date subsequent to that for a vote. Moderator Gallano asked the women who 2nd the motion for her name she stated her name as Jan Shugrue. Moderator Gallano then asked for a show of hands in favor of the new motion made by Mr. Reid and asked if Attorney Maville would do the count. Attorney Maville counted 38 in favor of the motion to table the vote until the next primary election referendum. A show of hands was asked for all of those opposed to tabling the motion, seeing that there were fewer votes opposed to tabling the motion the motion passed to table until the next primary election referendum. Moderator Gallano then asked for a motion to adjourn the Special Town Meeting. Adjournment ~~ a motion was made by Dan Snow to adjourn the meeting at 7:36 pm, 2nd by Ray Pendzinski motion passed with all individuals present indicating aye on a voice vote. Respectfully Submitted Judy Schabacker Clerk
Jeanne Gang is an architect challenging the aesthetic and technical possibilities of the art form in a wide range of structures. Always responsive to the specific geography, social and environmental context, and purpose of each project, Gang creates bold yet functional forms for residential, educational, and commercial buildings. Her most highly acclaimed building, Aqua (2010), is an 82-story, mixed-use skyscraper in Chicago. The undulating contours of Aqua's balconies infuse the familiar high-rise profile with an unusual optical poetry; at the same time, energy-efficient features such as heat-resistant and fritted glass, rainwater collection systems, and energy-saving lighting systems address environmental concerns on a large scale. Gang's mastery of the balance between novelty and urban practicality is also evident in the Media Production Center (2010) for Columbia College of Chicago, an imaginative fusion of found material, engineering, and structural economy that reflects the avant-garde nature of the school's work in film, television, and interactive media. Her design for the in-progress Ford Calumet Environmental Center, a 27,000-square-foot resource center on an industrial site south of Chicago, includes salvaged materials from the surrounding area and incorporates advanced systems in heating, cooling, and water reclamation. International projects, such as a major residential complex in Hyderabad, India, that makes use of traditional Indian building methods and materials, further demonstrate Gang's integrative approach to contemporary building. An emerging talent with a diverse and growing body of work, Gang is setting a new industry standard through her effective synthesis of conventional materials, striking composition, and ecologically sustainable technology.
Jeanne Gang received a B.S. (1986) from the University of Illinois and an M.Arch. (1993) from Harvard University. As founder and principal of Studio Gang Architects since 1997, her additional projects include the Starlight Theater (Rockford, IL), the Lincoln Park Zoo South Pond (Chicago), and the Blue Wall Center (Greenville, SC), among others. She has been a visiting professor at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design (2004, 2011), the Yale School of Architecture (2005), and the Princeton University School of Architecture (2007) and, since 1998, an adjunct professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology.
Information as of September 2011.
Jeanne Gang
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jeanne Gang (born 1964) leads Studio Gang Architects, a Chicago-based architecture and design firm. Gang's projects include Aqua, an 82-story mixed-use high-rise, and SOS Children's Village Lavezzorio Community Center, a 16,800-square-foot (1,560 m2) foster care community center on Chicago's South Side.[1] She was named a 2011 MacArthur Fellow[2]
The Obama administration is assembling a constellation of secret drone bases for counterterrorism operations in the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula as part of a newly aggressive campaign to attack al-Qaeda affiliates in Somalia and Yemen, U.S. officials said.
One of the installations is being established in Ethiopia, a U.S. ally in the fight against al-Shabab, the Somali militant group that controls much of that country. Another base is in the Seychelles, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, where a small fleet of “hunter-killer” drones resumed operations this month after an experimental mission demonstrated that the unmanned aircraft could effectively patrol Somalia from there
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said Tuesday that his committee plans to investigate government loan programs to private corporations in light of allegations of improper dealings between the White House and failed energy company Solyndra and wireless start-up LightSquared.
"I want to see when the president and his cronies are picking winners and losers… it wasn't because there were large contributions given to them," the chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee said Tuesday morning on C-SPAN.
Nygren [Sheriff McHenry County] said the Travelers who have been hitting McHenry County typically drive “impeccably clean pickup trucks with out-of-state plates,” often from Wisconsin.
The criminal gypsies, the sheriff said, more often will arrive with pickup trucks with sealcoating equipment in back and offer to sealcoat a resident’s driveway.
“One price is often given at the estimate time, but when the job is complete, you are told that you owe more money,” Nygren said.
Or rather than genuine sealcoating material, the substance used will turn out to be something like used motor oil that washes off in the first rain…..
Kane County Sheriff’s Lt. Kevin Williams has no doubt that the same groups operating in McHenry are part of the scam artists the sheriff’s office has seen in northern Kane County recently.
Williams said last year these groups pretended to be city or water workers, getting into homes by claiming they needed to do an inspection. This year, the groups have been approaching senior citizens who are in their yard or garage, Williams said. The person will claim to be a Realtor or someone who needs to inspect the property lines, then lead the resident to the backyard.
“The ruse is just to get them out of the way so they go in and burglarize the house,”
On Tuesday, Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford told WJBC Radio in Bloomington that was a coincidence, and he says he won't cover the cost with campaign funds because he didn't do anything wrong.
The Pontiac Republican says the 11-page mailer was targeted to people who'd asked for more information about state pensions, borrowing and debt.
![50514_54961312949_5929_n[1]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGGggPmXwo378AdP5LaRGXwhW1ohx_JM6EtANJXO0SYNEZnMUQ7VvwM35qBQiRYZ2DLv7zIWNzjye6v3qh8GhCcsUwL5gjd_fgcEk81Tm7dfP7fwjinQ1ff9-GVJ2LEs0nmD5maBBOLRI/s1600-h/50514_54961312949_5929_n%25255B1%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg "50514_54961312949_5929_n[1]")
Kane County Sheriff’s Lt. Kevin Williams has no doubt that the same groups operating in McHenry are part of the scam artists the sheriff’s office has seen in northern Kane County recently. 
anything wrong.