Lawsuit about Boone County’s junkyard decision dismissed - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

By Jennifer Wheeler
Rockford Register Star
Posted Nov. 15, 2013 @ 5:00 pm

BELVIDERE — The lawsuit against Boone County, the former Boone County Board and the former county Zoning Board of Appeals for unjustifiably denying a permit to operate a junkyard was dismissed Friday, court records show.

Steven Pierce sued county leaders in 2011 after they stopped him from turning his recycling operation at 720 U.S. 20 into a junkyard. His attorney, Jim Hursh, said in a 2011 interview that officials never gave Pierce a public health or safety reason explaining why the special use permit was denied.

Judge Brenden Maher said his job was to not second-guess the county board’s vote nor reverse the decision, even if he would have voted to approve the permit. Rather, he was tasked with determining whether the officials established a rational basis for their decision.

Ultimately, Maher said Pierce had not met his burden of proof in showing that the decision was arbitrarily or capriciously made.

“It would not be irrational for individual ZBA, Zoning Committee or County Board members to take Pierce’s history of interactions with the County in connection with zoning issues into account when considering whether to grant his application on the expectation that he would comply with all of the recommended conditions,” Maher added,

Hursh could not be reached Friday for comment on whether his client would appeal the decision.

Boone County State’s Attorney Michelle Courier said she was pleased with the outcome since the county’s board rational ruling will continue to protect residents’ health.

Courier said the junkyard proposal was put forward without “any plan or competent evidence that the junkyard would be safe or best serve Boone County on a property that already had a history of environmental and other county code violations.”

Lawsuit about Boone County’s junkyard decision dismissed - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Public input sought on list of associate judge candidates for Winnebago, Boone - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

Posted Nov. 19, 2013 @ 10:00 am

ROCKFORD — The Administrative Office of Illinois courts released the following list of candidates for associate judge in the 17th Circuit Court of Winnebago and Boone counties:

Steven Balough, Lawrence Bauer, Frederick J. Brun, Jennifer Clifford, Susan Dillon, Michael Drella, Mary Gaziano, Patrick Hayes, James Hursh, Mark Karner, Stephen Langley, Rebecca Laue, Philip J. Nicolosi, Robert Schuman, Donald Shriver, James C. Thompson and Paul Vella.

The judges of the 17th Circuit, who select associate judges, are inviting residents to provide written comments about the candidates for them to consider as they deliberate their choice.

Comments must be in letter form and received by the circuit’s chief judge by 5 p.m. Dec. 6. Letters may be sent by U.S. mail or email to perickson@wincoil.us. Letters can be sent to Chief Judge Joseph McGraw, Winnebago County Courthouse, 400 W. State St., Room 215, Rockford, IL 61101.

Anonymous letters will not be accepted. The letters will be placed in each candidate’s file.

Public input sought on list of associate judge candidates for Winnebago, Boone - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Boone County leaders pass balanced budget - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

By Jennifer Wheeler
Rockford Register Star

Posted Nov. 20, 2013 @ 10:02 pm

 

BELVIDERE — Boone County elected officials and staff were able to dig themselves out of a once-projected $300,000 deficit to craft a balanced budget for next fiscal year.

On Wednesday, the County Board voted 8-4 to pass the $15.2 million general fund budget, which starts Dec. 1. Members Bill Pysson, Ron Wait, Marion Thornberry and Kenny Freeman voted no.

Here are the highlights:

n Nonunion employees will be receiving a 35 cent per hour increase. This method, rather than offering percentage raises, ensures that individuals at the top of pay scale do not receive a more generous pay hike than individuals at the lower end.

n The Boone County Sheriff’s Department will not be allocated money for new squad cars. New vehicles were purchased in 2012 and 2013, and the sheriff could allot some of his nondiscretionary budget money to cars if necessary, said Paul Larson, chairman of the Finance, Taxation and Salaries Committee.

n Staffing levels will increase from 255 county employees to 256. The county added dispatcher and assistant 911 coordinator positions to the budget.

n The county will not hire an additional public defender position — for now. Larson said officials want to add this position sooner rather than later, so they will review revenue streams mid-budget year to determine if they can afford the new job.

n The Boone County Board of Health will be allocated $25,000 less than what was originally planned. County Board members said they were displeased that health board members approved $56,000 worth of salary hikes in the middle of a budget year without knowing who would be receiving the raises or at what amount. Most employees were given between 13 percent and 18 percent raises, although a single staff member was given a 55 percent pay hike.

Pysson and Freeman said they voted no Wednesday because they were concerned about the merit raises that the Public Defender’s Office received on top of its 35 cent per hour wage increase. They said the approved raises exceed what staff originally proposed.

“I don’t believe in big raises. I think it sends a wrong message to other employees who come in on time and do their job,” Freeman said.

Larson said the merit raises were given because of the discrepancy in pay between the State’s Attorney’s Office and the Public Defender’s Office.

Above is from :  Boone County leaders pass balanced budget - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL