Boone County Health Department requests significant changes to Boone County Code

 

Boone County Health Department requests significant changes to Boone County Code

By Lisa Rodgers

Reporter

BOONE COUNTY – On Nov. 2, the Boone County Board of Health held its monthly board meeting.  Under 8. NEW BUSINESS: (For Action and/or Discussion) item B. Amendments to County Food Code- pages 37 through 45 was presented to the health board by Bill Hatfield, Director of Environmental Health.

Referring to pages 37 through 45 of the agenda (see below) Hatfield gave a brief explanation of the request.

“Periodically we do a review.  We are just doing some house cleaning.  Boone County Health Department (BCHD) never officially adopted these laws and we need to adopt them.  We are going to drop the Potentially Hazardous portion as it’s not needed,” Hatfield said.

The Potentially Hazardous portion may be found on page 38 of the agenda. This was the end of his report.  Hatfield requested board approval for it to be sent on to Health and Human Services Committee.  No discussion occurred and no questions were posed to Hatfield by the health board in regards to his request to amend the Boone County Code.  Health Board approved the request.

Here is the Boone County Board of Health Agenda from Nov. 2: http://www.boarddocs.com/il/boone/Board.nsf/files/A3RMNQ58FF81/$file/Health%20Department%20Written%20Report%20October%2C%202015.pdf. See pages 35 through 47.

On Nov. 5, the Health and Human Services Committee meeting met.  During the Health Department report Hatfield acknowledged adding two documents to the agenda late and only just prior to the meeting.

Discussion occurred and Hatfield explained the request to amend the county code was “just some house cleaning.  The State of Illinois has made so many changes we have not been able to keep up.”

Due to the late entry of Resolution 15 to18 to amend the County Code Section 30 as well as a summary, Chairman Paul Larson continued discussion to the Dec. 3 committee meeting.

Below is a portion of the current Boone County Code and the request to amend the same section by the Boone County Health Department.  This is only one section where many amendments are being requested.

Currently under Chapter 30-Food and Food Establishments

“Section 30-27 State rules adopted.

The inspection of food service establishments; the issuance, suspension, and revocation of permits to operate food service establishments; the prohibiting of the sale of unsound or mislabeled food or drink; and the enforcement of this article shall be carried out in accordance with the latest editions of the state department of public health “Rules and Regulations for Food Service Sanitation” and “Rules and Regulations for Food Store Sanitation,” three certified copies of each of which shall be on file in the office of the county clerk. (Ord. of 3-8-1978, § 1; Code 1981, § 8-17; Ord. No. 95-35, § 1, 11-8-1995; Ord. No. 99-38, 10-13-1999)”

The link to see the full amendment is: https://www.municode.com/library/il/boone_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=SUHITA

On page 38 of the agenda, the BCHD is requesting to amend 30-27 of the Boone County Code by adding11Illinois Statutes.

“Sec. 30-27. State rules adopted.

The inspection of food service establishments; the issuance, suspension, and revocation of permits to operate food service establishments; the prohibiting of the sale of unsound or mislabeled food or drink; and the enforcement of this article shall be carried out in accordance with the latest editions of the state department of public health “Rules and Regulations for Food Service Sanitation” and “Rules and Regulations for Food Store Sanitation,

The following State statutes are also referenced in this Part:

• Alternative Health Care Delivery Act [21 0 ILCS 3]
• Nursing Home Care Act [21 0 ILCS 45]
• Good Samaritan Food Donor Act [745 ILCS 50]
• Hospital Licensing Act [21 0 ILCS 851]
• Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 USC 301)
• Illinois Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act [410 ILCS 6201]
• Grade A Pasteurized Milk and Milk Products Act [41 0 ILCS 6351]
• Meat and Poultry Inspection Act [225 ILCS 6501]
• Sanitary Food Preparation Act [410 ILCS 6501]
• Freedom of Information Act [5 ILCS 1401]
• Food Handling Regulation Enforcement Act [41 0 ILCS 6251]

three certified copies of each of which shall be on file in the office of the county clerk.

(Ord. of 3-8-1978, § 1; Code 1981, § 8-17; Ord. No. 95-35, § 1, 11-8-1995; Ord. No. 99-38, 1013-1999)”

Health and Human Services Committee meeting is on Thursday, Dec. 3, at 6 p.m. at 1204 Logan Ave. in Belvidere in the Administrative Building.

Boone County Board meeting is on Thursday, Dec. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at 1204 Logan Ave. in Belvidere in the Administrative Building.

Boone County Board of Health meeting is on Jan. 4 at noon at 1204 Logan Ave. in Belvidere in the BCHD conference room.

Boone County Health Department requests significant changes to Boone County Code

Election 2016: Nominations are in for Winnebago, Boone races - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

By Ben Stanley
Staff writer

Posted Nov. 30, 2015 at 6:50 pm Updated at 8:45 AM

ROCKFORD — Winnebago County voters who head to the polls March 15 will have a choice in at least nine of the 25 local, state and federal contests on county ballots

 

 

…Today’s filings do not set the primary ballot in stone. Anyone who wants to remove an individual from the ballot has until 5 p.m. Dec. 7 to challenge a candidate's petition paperwork.

Independent candidates can file for office from June 20 to 27, 2016.

Here’s a look at who filed:

Boone County

Coroner: Rebecca Wigget, R
Circuit clerk: Linda Anderson, R; Todd Shattuck, R
State’s attorney: Michelle Courier, R; Tricia Smith, R

County Board
Six seats open (two for each of the county's 3 districts)
District 1: W. Fred Genrich, R; Marshall Newhouse, R; Dennis Ellingson, R
District 2: Cathy Ward, R; Bernard O’Malley, R; Cory Lind, R
District 3: Carl Larson, R; Matthew Ragano, R; Martin Vanderweit, R; Marion Thornberry, R; Craig Schultz, D

Illinois House

67th District: Litesa Wallace, D; Wladimiro Aguirre, D; Lisa Jackson, D
68th District: John Cabello, R; Tricia Sweeney, D
69th District: Joe Sosnowski, R; Angelique Bodine, D
89th District: Brian Stewart, R

Illinois Senate

34th District: Steve Stadelman, D
35th District: Dave Syverson, R

Ben Stanley: 815-987-1369; bstanley@rrstar.com; @ben_j_stanley

See Rockford slate and full article go to:  Election 2016: Nominations are in for Winnebago, Boone races - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Update on Plote Contempt Case

 

2014CH170 PLOTE CONSTRUCTION, INCLast Search  | Information  | Dispositions  | History  | Payments  | Fines & Fees

Date
Entry
Judge

Entered Under: PLOTE CONSTRUCTION, INC

11/23/2015 
SA Courier pres for Pl. Atty Fuller pres for Defs. Case comes on for decision on Pl's petition for RTSC and Def's motion for leave to file affirmative defenses. Argument heard. Def granted leave to file affirmative defenses. Pl to file a written response within 10 days or by 12-4-15. Case cont to 1-25-16 at 1:30 p.m. for hearing. ORDER
PJN

11/02/2015 
Notice of Motion Motion for Leave to File an Affirmative Defense
UNASSIGNED

10/26/2015 
Decision set for 11/23/2015 at 1:30 in courtroom 2.
UNASSIGNED

10/26/2015 
SA Courier pres for Pl. Atty Fuller pres for Defs. Case comes on Pl's Motion for RTSC and Def's Motion to Strike. Argument heard. Pl calls Drew Bliss from the Boone County Building Dept. Sworn testimony taken. Def calls David Zumbrunn from Beverly Materials/ Plote Construction (Belvidere Quarry). Sworn testimony taken. Based on testimony, Def's motion is heard and denied. Court's decision on Pl's petition for RTSC is continued to 11-23-15 at 1:30 p.m. ORDER
PJN

10/15/2015 
Notice of Service
UNASSIGNED

08/21/2015 
Motion hearing set for 10/26/2015 at 1:30 in courtroom 2.
UNASSIGNED

08/21/2015 
SA Courier pres for Pl. Atty Fuller pres for Defs. Case comes on for status. Case cont to 10-26-15 at 1:30 p.m. for hearing on Def's Motion to Strike and Pl's Petition for Rule to Show Cause. ORDER
PJN

08/17/2015 
Status hearing set for 08/21/2015 at 3:00 in courtroom 2.
UNASSIGNED

08/17/2015 
SA Courier pres for Pl. Atty Fuller pres for Defs. Case comes on for hearing. Pl and Def both request that the Judge recuse himself from this case. Judge Tobin recuses himself and reassigns this case to Judge Nicolosi. Case cont to 8-21-15 at 3:00 p.m. for status. ORDER REASSIGNMENT ORDER
CRT

07/28/2015 
SA Courier pres for Pl. Atty Fuller pres for def/Plote Contr. Judge Tobin discloses to the Parties that he had contact with the County Chairman about this case, and told him he could not talk about a pending case. Parties are given time to consider if they would like Judge Tobin to withdraw from the case. No further ruling will be made until parties decide on this matter. Case is continued to 08-17-15 at 8:45 a.m. ORDER Status hearing set for 8/17/2015 at 08:45 in courtroom 1.
CRT

07/22/2015 
Notice of Filing Boone County's Response To Defendant's Motion To Strike
UNASSIGNED

07/17/2015 
Notice of Filing Motion to Strike Petition for Rule to Show Cause - Indirect Civil Contempt

Boone County, IL | Case History

Chuck Sweeny: Shrinking number of governments is good, but will Illinois do it? - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

Posted Nov. 30, 2015 at 5:38 PM
Updated at 10:07 PM

I took vacation last week, but I kept up with the news because I've been a news junkie since the Italian liner Andrea Doria sank after colliding with the Swedish liner Stockholm off the coast of Nantucket.

So here's my take on stories I've been reading in local and Chicagoland media about Gov. Bruce Rauner's task force on government consolidation. It's a great idea; we have 7,000 units of local government in Illinois, more than any other state by far. In second place, with 1,800 fewer, is Texas, which has 27 million people spread over 268,820 square miles. Illinois has 13 million people spread over 57,915 square miles.

The task force, chaired by Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti, is a great idea. She said taxpayers can save billions of dollars by government consolidation. Members have been working for a year and are about to present a final report.

I don't hold my hopes too high on it getting results. Nobody on a government payroll or government board wants to give up a government paycheck or position of prestige. This is a bipartisan condition. Democrats say they love government and Republicans say they don't, but they all love power when they get it.

I've been advocating for abolition of townships for 30 years. Illinois has 1,431 townships in 84 of our 102 counties. It's a bipartisan love affair with township government we have here. However, there is no governmental unit as obsolete as the Illinois township, which performs no duty that cannot easily be absorbed into counties and cities.

Elected township assessors determine how much your property is worth. The property assessment process would be more accurate and streamlined if it were handled by each county supervisor of assessments, an appointed professional who would employ a team of trained assessors to determine property values countywide.

Elected township road commissioners plow snow and patch potholes on roads in their townships. In Rockford on North Springfield Avenue we feature the absurdity of the Rockford Township highway office and its red trucks next door to the Winnebago County Highway Department and its white trucks. Does this make sense? We are paying a township road commissioner, who doesn't have to have any qualifications except the ability to get elected, and a full-time county highway engineer, who has to be an engineer. Don't you think, as I do, that the county highway expert could run all of this?

The only other township function is supervisor, an elected position for which the office holder is responsible for disbursing meager general assistance payments to the indigent. In Rockford, the assistance office is hidden inside a downtown building at State and Church streets with no parking. Surely general assistance could be more efficiently handled by the local community action program or by contract with social service nonprofits.

But the chances of townships being eliminated are slim to none. That's because of an outfit known as Township Officials of Illinois, a lobby that advocates for township government. Because of the large number of townships, this group is big.

On the other side, advocating for abolition, are, hold on, I'm looking. Maybe over here ... if I find them I'll let you know.

Please believe me that this is not personal. Most township officials I've known over the years are fine people, and some are friends. The township lobby folks are fine folks, too. I spoke at one of their regional meetings about legislative issues.

I just think that this particular form of government, designed in an age when most people lived on farms and small villages, is no longer needed. Illinois has 102 counties and that should be enough to deliver services in a state without great physical impediments, such as mountains.

One reason Illinois has so many governments is — reform. Yes, creating single-purpose districts like forest preserve districts and mosquito abatement districts, park districts and library districts, sanitary districts and street lighting districts, was a 19th-century plan to smash boss rule, as they called it. The good-government folks thought that if you created many single-purpose governments you could break up the power of big-city political bosses. However, the bosses were smarter. They just put their patronage people in all the single-purpose governments. We were left with thousands of governments and boss rule, too.

One thing we should be able to accomplish is ending unfunded mandates. Except for certain engineering and health standards, the state should not able to make local school districts, cities and counties do things without paying them for it. The new motto should be "You mandate, you pay."

Chuck Sweeny: 815-987-1366; csweeny@rrstar.com; @chucksweeny

Chuck Sweeny: Shrinking number of governments is good, but will Illinois do it? - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

State suffers from Rauner-Madigan machismo - The Daily Journal: Local Columnists

By Jim Nowlan

State suffers from Rauner-Madigan machismo 0 comments

Gov. Bruce Rauner and Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan are taking themselves way too seriously over the state budget impasse — and in the process (or lack of it) they are seriously messing with the lives of seniors, the mentally ill, domestic abuse victims and college students.

We can help resolve the stand-off by putting pressure on our local lawmakers to force their leaders to craft a budget now — if the lawmakers have the courage to stand up to their bosses.

I participated this past week on a panel discussion in Aurora on the future of Illinois with a savvy ex-legislator, a veteran political writer and a budget expert. Their prognoses for the state's future were grim.

The ex-lawmaker said he didn't think the budget stalemate would be resolved until after the November 2016 election, which would mean a year-and-a-half without a state budget. He said he thinks lawmakers will not be persuaded to vote for the tax increases necessary to balance the budget until they are safely re-elected.

The budget expert — a moderate Republican — said $8 billion in annual new revenue would be needed, at least for a few years, to balance the budget, pay off old bills and provide a stable, predictable fiscal future.

Eight billion dollars is the equivalent of an increase of two percentage points — from 3.75 to 5.75 percent — in the rate of the individual income tax, not that this is the only way to raise such revenue.

After the panel, the head of a nonprofit shelter for battered women came up to me. "One third of my budget comes from the state," she noted. "I can't keep going much longer." This is the lament of hundreds of such organizations, some of which already have closed their doors.

On the other hand, many state vendors, those with the cash flow to survive absent state dollars, are providing their wares to the state with a smile — for they will receive late payment penalties of 12 percent per year for their help in financing the state. What a way to run a railroad.

If I thought the impasse might result in a transformation of Illinois into a dramatically better place, the pain the "little people" of the state are suffering might arguably be justified. But it won't.

Political power in the state is rather evenly balanced between a GOP governor and a Democratic Legislature. Neither has the power to topple the other, at least not via the budget process.

Speaker Madigan's intransigence shows an apparently heartless disregard for his own people, the poor and struggling who are the foundation of his party.

And as businessman Rauner must know, no chief executive could with a straight face go to his or her board this year and propose investing billions of long-term capital in Illinois, not when the fiscal picture and long-term outlook are so chaotic. Business craves predictability.

Illinois lawmakers should be ashamed of themselves. Republicans cower in fear of the millions Rauner has threatened to spend to beat them if they don't toe the line.

At the same time, many Democrat legislators have so long been petrified with fear of Madigan and his influence over their legislative careers they freely admit there is nothing they can do.

But there is.

In the early 1900s, dictatorial U.S. House Speaker "Uncle Joe" Cannon, a Republican from Danville, was unceremoniously pulled down from his perch by progressive Republicans and opposition Democrats. They had had enough and wouldn't take it any longer.

I recommend you put down your newspaper right now and call your state rep. and senator. Tell them if they don't publicly demand that governor and speaker resolve the budget impasse now, you will vote against them next year. Ask your neighbors to do the same.

Second, sign the petition to put redistricting reform on the ballot next November. For more information, see mapamendment.org. This initiative would take the task away from lawmakers, who create often unassailable safe districts for themselves, and give it to a bipartisan commission.

I think our efforts would be appreciated. Rauner and Madigan have to be terribly uncomfortable with what they have wrought.

Jim Nowlan is a former Illinois legislator and aide to three unindicted governors, and he is the lead author of “Illinois Politics: A Citizen’s Guide” (University of Illinois Press, 2010, and co-author of "Fixing Illinois, University of Illinois Press, 2014). He can be contacted at jnowlan3@gmail.com.

State suffers from Rauner-Madigan machismo - The Daily Journal: Local Columnists

Koch brothers' Libre Initiative to target Wisconsin Latinos

By Mary Spicuzza of the Journal Sentinel

Nov. 29, 2015

 

A multimillion-dollar effort aimed at winning over Latinos funded by conservative billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch is looking to expand in Wisconsin.

The Libre Initiative is now hiring a state field director to be based in the Milwaukee area. It will be the first full-time paid staffer the group has had in the state, with the exception of its national spokeswoman — Rachel Campos-Duffy, the wife of U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.).

"Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to promote free-market principles?" the job description reads. "The Libre Initiative is seeking a Wisconsin Field Director to develop, implement, and manage a statewide outreach strategy to ensure an effective grass-roots operation to support the organization's vision and mission."

Libre is a nonprofit organization that promotes economic freedom and small government principles. The group, which was founded in 2011, says its goal is "to empower the U.S. Hispanic community so it can thrive and contribute to a more prosperous America."

Brian Faughnan, a Libre spokesman, said the group isn't focused on specific political races, but rather issues like school choice and immigration reform.

Libre also opposes government "overregulation" as well as the federal Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, describing it on its website as "a tax in disguise that forces citizens to purchase insurance plans and threatens our small businesses with penalties."

While the group has specific initiatives targeting young people, Faughnan said it's working to empower Latinos of all ages.

"We try to reach out across the board to help people become more prosperous and self-reliant," he said. "We believe in the power of free markets and limited, constitutional government to increase opportunity and empower people to make their lives better — and help them achieve their American dream. Our goal is to carry that message into the Hispanic community nationwide."

Democrats accuse Libre of essentially being a shadow group aimed at pushing the Kochs' conservative message.

"This is another example of the Koch brothers' willingness to say or do anything to buy Wisconsin's elections to support their out-of-touch agenda on the backs of Wisconsin middle-class families and workers," said Kory Kozloski, executive director of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.

Libre is not required to disclose its donors, because it is a 501(c)4 organization. But it has received millions of dollars from the Koch brothers as the Latino outreach arm of the brothers' sprawling political network. Libre has received about $15.8 million from Freedom Partners, a group that serves as the hub of Koch-backed political operations.

Wisconsin had about 135,000 Latinos eligible to vote in the 2014 midterm elections, according to the Pew Research Center.

Nationally, conservatives and Republican candidates have struggled to win over Latino voters.

Latinos voted for President Barack Obama over Republican Mitt Romney by 71% to 27%, an analysis by the Pew Hispanic Center found.

Wisconsin Republicans have made an effort to change that in recent years.

At least two local millionaires underwrote a six-figure radio campaign aimed at persuading Latino and black Milwaukee residents to vote Republican in the fall of 2014, when Gov. Scott Walker faced an unsuccessful challenge from Democrat Mary Burke. The advertising campaign, which focused on taxes, abortion, education and gun rights, was launched by Americas PAC, a conservative organization based in Iowa.

It's unclear how much Libre plans to spend in Wisconsin, as Faughnan said the group doesn't disclose its spending plans. But a recent report by The New York Times said Libre is expected to spend more than $9 million nationally during this election cycle.

The group also recently spoke out about federal immigration policy in the wake of Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump's comments calling for an end to birthright citizenship and deportation of the estimated 11 million immigrants in the country illegally.

"Such proposals are not in line with our principles and are not in the best interest of the country," Daniel Garza, Libre's executive director, wrote in an open letter released in September.

Faughnan said Libre isn't pushing for specific legislation but supports immigration reform that would include a path to legal status for minor children.

Faughnan said Libre's focus is on states with a "significant" Latino population, adding that the group has paid staffers in Texas, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and Ohio, as well as Campos-Duffy in Wisconsin.

Libre, which shares the voter information gathered at its events with the Kochs' i360 data operation, hopes its staff and volunteers make 3 million phone calls and knock on 1 million doors this election cycle, Faughnan said.

© 2015, Journal Sentinel Inc. All rights reserved.

About Mary Spicuzza

Mary Spicuzza covers politics and breaking news for the Journal Sentinel

Koch brothers' Libre Initiative to target Wisconsin Latinos

Lawmakers skeptical of success at Rauner/Madigan budget meeting

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