Ambulance Agencies Compromising in North Boone

 

UPDATE: POPLAR GROVE (WIFR) -- People in northern Boone County will soon know who exactly will be responding to emergencies should they need an ambulance.

North Boone Fire District #3 leaders say they realize Capron Rescue Squad District has the upper hand meaning North Boone will likely have to cave into what Capron wants North Boone's role to be.

"I really didn't think it'd be that hard to do something to serve the public, and that's all we ever wanted to do. We just would like to get along and work together. They have everything and I guess it would be up to them to give up something for us, and I understand that," says Ray Morse, president of North Boone Fire District #3 board of trustees.

Morse says negotiations with Capron were going smoothly today. North Boone Fire District #3 bought an ambulance this year and want to run it out of their Poplar Grove station but Capron Rescue Squad is a taxing body with jurisdiction over ambulance service in that area and has been for decades. Capron board president Owen Costanza says he would like North Boone's ambulance to act as a back up for Capron but North Boone originally wanted more.

"North Boone 3 does a great job at what they do; they're a great resource and we to work together with everybody," says Costanza. "We have to follow the structure that's put in place by us and the comments I've made is we will continue to follow the law and the protocols."

North Boone Fire District #3 says acting as Carpon's backup is likely the only thing they can do because Capron has jurisdiction and they hope to hammer out an intergovernmental agreement soon.

In the meantime, Boone County 9-1-1 will not be dispatching North Boone's ambulance to any emergencies until an agreement is reached.

We heard from sources that North Boone fire leaders walked out of the early morning negotiation with Capron Rescue Squad. We asked North Boone if it's true, and they said while they didn't say good-bye to the Capron Rescue Squad in person, they didn't walk out and are determined to come to an agreement on how they can help serve the area.

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UPDATE: BOONE COUNTY (WIFR) – North Boone Fire leaders say they need to clear the air as they continue to fight to expand their ambulance services.

The North Boone Fire District No. 3 and Capron Rescue Squad say they're working on an agreement, avoiding a legal dispute determining who can offer ambulance service in Poplar Grove.

Capron Rescue Squad has been the ambulance authority in North Boone District 3 since the late 50's, but this year North Boone decided to buy a and operate an ambulance out of its Poplar Grove station- a move than met much resistance from Capron Rescue.

Capron filed an injunction against North Boone Fire District 3 earlier this year, but dropped the lawsuit earlier this week when both sides agreed to discuss North Boone's role in offering ambulance services moving forward.

Those discussions have yet to take place but are scheduled for January 8th of next year.

"It's a little disturbing that we got so much friction from the Rescue Squad," said North Boon Fire District No. 3 board president Ray Morse. "They want us to come to a joint agreement where we'll be happy, they'll be happy and we can work together and that's all we wanted to do is work together."

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BOONE COUNTY (WIFR) – A plan to put more ambulances on the road, which could mean quicker responses in emergencies, has been put on hold.

The Capron rescue squad filed an injunction to stop the formation of the North Boone Fire Protection Number Three’s Ambulance Squad. Capron Rescue says the fire district needed to put a referendum on the ballot which didn’t happen.

"We're not against the fire department starting ambulance service the way the law is interpreted by our lawyer they need to go to referendum before starting an ambulance service. We felt they didn't do that, they didn't take the proper steps,” said Capron Rescue Squad Board President Owen Costanza.

The Capron Rescue Squad has been around since the late 1950’s and is funded through taxes. The board’s president, Owen Costanza says people who live within the Fire District would have to vote whether to pay an additional tax for that new ambulance service. However, when it comes down to it, Costanza says his squad has no problem handling the nearly 70 runs each month.

Terry Logan’s bar, The Stumble Inn is right next to one of the stations and say she doesn’t think there are enough calls to warrant the need for two companies.

"I don't know exactly how much these folks are utilized but without knowing that, I just don't see another, I just don't see the need,” said Logan.

We spoke with the fire chief who didn’t want to comment.

We’re told the Capron Squad is willing to work with the Fire District and Costanza says he has a standing offer for the Fire District to have an ambulance assist the squad when they’re overwhelmed with calls. The Capron Squad already works with three other ambulance services for those situations.

Ambulance Agencies Compromising in North Boone

UPDATE: First Responders Settling Ambulance Dispute in Poplar Grove

North Boone Fire leaders say they need to clear the air as they continue to fight to expand their ambulance services.

The North Boone Fire District No. 3 and Capron Rescue Squad say they're working on an agreement, avoiding a legal dispute determining who can offer ambulance service in Poplar Grove.

Capron Rescue Squad has been the ambulance authority in North Boone District 3 since the late 50's, but this year North Boone decided to buy a and operate an ambulance out of its Poplar Grove station- a move than met much resistance from Capron Rescue.

Capron filed an injunction against North Boone Fire District 3 earlier this year, but dropped the lawsuit earlier this week when both sides agreed to discuss North Boone's role in offering ambulance services moving forward.

Those discussions have yet to take place but are scheduled for January 8th of next year.

"It's a little disturbing that we got so much friction from the Rescue Squad," said North Boon Fire District No. 3 board president Ray Morse. "They want us to come to a joint agreement where we'll be happy, they'll be happy and we can work together and that's all we wanted to do is work together."

---

BOONE COUNTY (WIFR) – A plan to put more ambulances on the road, which could mean quicker responses in emergencies, has been put on hold.

The Capron rescue squad filed an injunction to stop the formation of the North Boone Fire Protection Number Three’s Ambulance Squad. Capron Rescue says the fire district needed to put a referendum on the ballot which didn’t happen.

"We're not against the fire department starting ambulance service the way the law is interpreted by our lawyer they need to go to referendum before starting an ambulance service. We felt they didn't do that, they didn't take the proper steps,” said Capron Rescue Squad Board President Owen Costanza.

The Capron Rescue Squad has been around since the late 1950’s and is funded through taxes. The board’s president, Owen Costanza says people who live within the Fire District would have to vote whether to pay an additional tax for that new ambulance service. However, when it comes down to it, Costanza says his squad has no problem handling the nearly 70 runs each month.

Terry Logan’s bar, The Stumble Inn is right next to one of the stations and say she doesn’t think there are enough calls to warrant the need for two companies.

"I don't know exactly how much these folks are utilized but without knowing that, I just don't see another, I just don't see the need,” said Logan.

We spoke with the fire chief who didn’t want to comment.

We’re told the Capron Squad is willing to work with the Fire District and Costanza says he has a standing offer for the Fire District to have an ambulance assist the squad when they’re overwhelmed with calls. The Capron Squad already works with three other ambulance services for those situations.

UPDATE: First Responders Settling Ambulance Dispute in Poplar Grove

Belvidere Daily Republican Featured News

Teen pleads guilty, sentenced to 16 years

Nov. 27, 2013

BELVIDERE – An 18-year-old Belvidere resident pled guilty to aggravated battery with a firearm, Wednesday, related to charges from a shooting on June 26, 2011.

Boone County State’s Attorney Michelle Courier announced that Pedro Sanchez pled guilty and was sentenced to 16 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. She said Sanchez is an admitted street gang member who fired a gun at rival gang members in the 500 block of Starr Street in Belvidere.

One person was struck once in the abdomen and the bullet traveled out of his body.  The motivation for the shooting was gang-related, in retaliation for earlier harassment by the rival gang members.  At the time of the shooting, Sanchez, then 16, was considered a juvenile but was charged and prosecuted as an adult.

Courier was pleased with the outcome of the case.

“We should not tolerate gang violence of any sort regardless of the age of the offender and will continue to prosecute juvenile gang members as adults in hopes of getting tough sentences,” she said. “This sentence will continue to send the message that Boone County will not tolerate gang violence.”

 

Belvidere tweaked for early sounding of warning siren

Nov. 27, 2013

By Bob Balgemann

BELVIDERE - Sunday's National Football League game between the Baltimore Ravens and host Chicago Bears was suspended for almost two hours because of the fierce thunderstorm that raced through northern Illinois.

Fans were evacuated from Soldier Field while the players found shelter. Everyone waited close to two hours before action resumed.

There was plenty of coverage of the storm on Rockford television, including Channel 23 where meteorologist Mark Henderson showed via radar where the most intense parts of the storm were at the moment and where they were heading.

He said the storm had wind gusts of 70-90 mph, with the most severe portions going east through southern Boone County and the northern side of DeKalb County.

Henderson made special mention that the city of Belvidere was not part of the affected area. With that he said Belvidere had a tendency to sound its warning siren early. He did say that if people heard the siren they would be wise to take cover, even though Belvidere was not under any storm warning at that time.

Actually, sounding the warning siren is the responsibility of radio dispatchers in the Boone County 911 center, situated in the public safety building off Main Street.

Sheriff's Lt. Perry Gay, who's also supervises the 911 center, said Nov. 20 that the siren was set off at 9:36 a.m. that day because the National Weather Service had issued a tornado warning for east-central Boone County and northwest McHenry County.

At that time, he said a thunderstorm was located five miles northeast of Belvidere that was capable of producing tornadoes.

Concerning the Channel 23 report, he said, "I don't appreciate them labeling us that way." He added that he probably would give station officials a call just to "touch base with them."

He said the county does not always have to wait for an official warning to be issued. "There are other factors such as the totality of the circumstances, law enforcement or spotters."

Longtime residents of Belvidere are wary of severe storms as they remember April 21, 1967, when a tornado ripped through the city, killing 24 people, 17 of them children.

More recently tornadoes have come through north of Belvidere.

Edwards Apple Orchard in Poplar Grove was hit by a winter tornado in January 2008. In November 2010, a tornado caused damage to the village of Caledonia and was seen by witnesses spinning along the north side of Illinois 173 near 173 and Poplar Grove Road. No injuries were reported in either case.

The village of Caledonia dedicated its new alert siren Saturday morning, Nov. 23.

 

Fire District 3 coordinates relief trip to tornado-ravaged area

Nov. 27, 2013

By Bob Balgemann

Reporter

POPLAR GROVE - It was something Joe Baraconi and Joe Satterlee had been wanting to do. On Nov. 17, the opportunity arose and they didn't waste any time getting to it.

The idea was to solicit donations of supplies to help those in downstate Washington, near Peoria, whose community was ravaged by a tornado on Nov. 17. After they received permission from chief Gail Worley to use the department's trailer, they set about publicizing their upcoming trip.

Using the fire district's Facebook page and making calls to friends and relatives, the men soon had donations coming in at all times of the day and night.

"This is the second day I've been here all day," Baraconi said the afternoon of Nov. 20.

They got a helping hand from the village of Poplar Grove, which put a link on its website to help people learn how they could get involved in the effort.

The wish to help others was spawned in January 2008, when a tornado ripped through northern Boone County and damaged Edwards' Apple Orchard on the north side of Poplar Grove. Another one, in November 2010, damaged homes and businesses in nearby Caledonia.

"People were dropping off all kinds of things here," Satterlee said. "We got a ton of stuff and they were hit a lot worse."

Among the donations being dropped off starting Nov. 18 were cleaning supplies, water, clothes, personal hygiene items, brooms, shovels, garbage bags, gloves, a chainsaw and a lot of totes. Even some gas cards and a phone card.

"They lost everything and won't be at work for a while," Baraconi said. "So they need all the help they can get."

He said he was driving his own vehicle, a full-size pickup truck, capable of hauling a trailer the size of the one provided by District 3.

Drop-off sites have been set up in various parts of Washington, he said, such as churches and the Red Cross. Washington is about two hours south of Poplar Grove and the men said they expected to be back the same day.

 

Wind farm, animal control bring speakers to county board

Nov. 26, 2013

By Bob Balgemann

BELVIDERE - The wind farm being proposed for northeastern Boone County continues to be in front of the zoning board of appeals (ZBA). And construction of a new animal control services building remains in process.

While those matters have yet to appear before the county board they brought an unusually high number of speakers to the monthly board meeting held Nov. 20.

The next ZBA meeting was scheduled for Nov. 26 and it was possible that cross-examination of associate planner Gina DelRose continued. But there were other cases to be heard as well.

Mainstream Renewable Power is proposing a project with up to 100 wind turbines for 8,000 acres bordered by North Boone School Board on the south, Grade School Road to the west, Wisconsin state line on the north and McHenry County line to the east.

Opponents presented each board member with a stack of petitions signed by 1,300 people who don't want the development.

Resident Meredith Williams passed out copies of a letter from the superintendent of Vermillion County schools that dealt with health issues experienced by children in classrooms near a wind turbine.

She said she was concerned a similar path would be followed in Boone County.

Talking about setback

Support for a 1,500-foot setback for turbines from residential property, as recommended by the county planning, zoning and building committee, came from another speaker. She did not agree with the 1,000-foot setback being recommended by the county planning staff. That setback was approved in 2006, when an earlier wind farm proposal was ultimately rejected by the county board.

At that point board Chairman Bob Walberg said it was pointed out to him that "this is becoming too much of a production."  He asked that it stop.

Former county board member Marshall Newhouse said a view shed created in 2006 showed a 400-foot tall turbine would be visible throughout most of Boone County. The turbines proposed by Mainstream are 25 percent taller and likely would be visible as far away as Cherry Valley.

Resident Robert Christiansen talked about the possibility of a new building for animal control services. Referring to a letter to the editor that appeared in the Belvidere Daily Republican, he questioned "all of the delays that have been happening. There doesn't seem to be a direct commitment" to the project.

A firm commitment, he said, would include a deadline. "When are we going to get it?" he asked. "This year? Next year? That's not the way to get things done."

Speakers during the public comment portion of the meeting are allowed three minutes to state their case. Walberg told Christiansen his three minutes were up.

"I'm answering your letter," he told the chairman. "Will I not be able to do that?"

"Your three minutes are up," Walberg reiterated.

With that Christiansen returned to his seat in the audience.

 

Happy ending for dog running loose along Illinois 173

Nov. 26, 2013

By Bob Balgemann

CAPRON - A young border collie that recently got loose from its owner's house wound up running along Illinois 173, near Meyer Road, on the way to Capron.

That created quite a traffic jam as some motorists pulled off on the side of the road and tried to rescue the pup. Among the vehicles that stopped to help was one of three ambulances operated by Capron Rescue Squad.

But it got stuck.

One of the squad's assistant chiefs, Tony Stepansky, happened to be driving the rig that night and recounted what went on.

At one point the dog ran in front of the ambulance, so he said he pulled over to the side of the road to keep from possibly striking the animal. But while on the shoulder a rear tire slipped onto an unmarked culvert and the unit became stuck. A tow truck had to be called to free the ambulance, which was not damaged, and return it to the side of the road.

Stepansky related what happened at the Nov. 19 meeting of the rescue squad district board of trustees. "There is an incident report," he said. "There was no attempt to hide anything."

"I think you made a wise choice," Trustee Neeley Erickson told him.

Attempts to catch the dog caused traffic to back up along the sometimes busy highway. "There must have been 200 people standing around there," Stepansky reported.

"Was it caught?" Trustee Mike Petersen asked.

"Yes," the assistant chief replied.

"So there was a happy ending," Petersen observed.

Stepansky was relieved by that, saying, "Had we hit the dog there would have been headlines."

Roger Tresemer, supervisor of the county animal control services department, took the call. He said Nov. 21 the owners lived on Meyer Road and that it took a while to find them.

"He was a friendly dog," he reported. "The owner felt bad. She said he accidentally got out."

Still, she received a citation for allowing a dog to run loose.

Also at the rescue squad board meeting Nov. 19, trustees voted to donate $250 to the Capron Christmas festival, being planned for Dec. 1. There will be a variety of activities along with lighting of the Christmas tree on the south side of 173.

The contribution will be used to buy treats for children.

In addition, there will be an open house at the remodeled rescue squad station at the corner of 173 and Fourth Street.

Read the recent News Features of the Belvidere Republican by clicking on the following:  rvpnews | Belvidere Daily Republican

PG trustee balks at agreement with Capron Rescue Squad

 

Nov. 1, 2013

By Bob Balgemann

POPLAR GROVE - The village's administration committee has become the first governmental body in northern Boone County to consider an intergovernmental agreement with the Capron Rescue Squad.

It basically states that the village will utilize ambulance service from Capron Rescue before calling someone else.

The agreement as written brought immediate opposition from committee member Don Bawden.

While it's a village-wide agreement it would not apply to subdivisions south of Orth Road, because they are not within the squad's 144-square-mile district. Still, Bawden said there were too many questions to be answered at this point for some of those subdivisions, such as Bel-Air, Prairie Green and the Knolls, to make that kind of a decision.

Ambulance service for that area is provided by Lifeline in Belvidere.

Beyond that, Boone County's 911 dispatch center decides which ambulance is assigned to a call for help. Proximity of the ambulance to the location of the emergency is part of the decision-making process, as is availability.

There is a back-up plan in place for use when the primary ambulance is busy. For Capron Rescue, mutual aid comes from the Harvard Rescue Squad for the northeastern side of the district and from Harlem-Roscoe for the northwest side, with Lifeline filling in the rest of that area.

Village President John Neitzel pointed out Capron Rescue, which is being renamed North Boone EMS to more accurately reflect its service area, has been covering north Boone since 1957.

Doing 'very good job'

"I personally think they do a very good job providing that service," he said. He added that North Boone Fire District 3 was considering the operation of an ambulance service. As a resident and taxpayer, he said he saw that as a duplication of service and additional expense for taxpayers.

Bawden said he disagreed with that "big time."

He said the agreement didn't specify it was for the area north of Orth Road and that he would never call an ambulance that's one-third further away.

Village Attorney Roxanne Sosnowski said she briefly reviewed the agreement, which came from rescue district attorney Jim Hursh, from a legal standpoint. "I sent a number of revisions to Mr. Hursh and have not received a response," she said.

She confirmed that the 911 dispatch center would send the closest ambulance to the call for assistance. She said she did know if the agreement was "a legal edict" as to which ambulance is called first.

"I can't vote for something that's not true, resolution or no resolution," Bawden said.

Neitzel suggested further discussion on the matter and obtaining suggestions from counsel. "Mr. Bawden has some good points," he said.

In the meantime, suggested revisions to the agreement will be sent to Hursh, Neitzel and village administrator Mark Lynch.

Poplar Grove Village Trustee Owen Costanza also is president of the Capron Rescue Squad District Board of Trustees. He was not at the committee meeting but said Oct. 29 that residents north of Orth Road already approved use of the Capron Rescue Squad when they voted in favor of paying a tax to help finance the service. The proposed intergovernmental agreement merely is an extension of that, he said.

The agreement also will be presented at some point to the Capron, Caledonia and Timberlane village boards, Boone County government and the unincorporated Candlewick Lake community.

rvpnews | Belvidere Daily Republican

The Belvidere Daily Republican Featured News

Boone County has need, but emergency shelters are absent

Oct. 31, 2013

By Bob Balgemann

BOONE COUNTY - Danice Loveridge says she receives telephone calls all the time from people in need of a place to escape a variety of problems.

But there aren't any emergency shelters in this county of 54,000 and space is limited in its much larger neighbor, Winnebago County.

"All we have is hotels and that's a maximum of one week," the chair of the Boone County Homeless Project task force said at its Oct. 25 meeting. "There is no money available from the city (of Belvidere) or the county. Yet there truly is a need, especially now that it's getting colder. It's difficult to be staying in cars."

Remedies, a local organization, has two apartments but she said they usually are full. And they're not considered to be shelters. Remedies has an office in Boone County but it's for counseling, she said.

Loveridge said Belvidere House is not suitable for women. Beyond that, she said the county health department "has issues with them."

Belvidere's new mayor, Mike Chamberlain, was at the meeting and he said the state of Illinois "shut them down last year and made them delouse the place."

"We don't have the demographics in Boone County to apply for funding," he added.

The bottom line, Loveridge said, is "we have an issue here. How we've been dealing with it is we have been moving it to Winnebago, DeKalb and McHenry counties. I don't know what to do about it. It's hard to get state and federal dollars based on our counts."

She said Boone County's point in time counts of the homeless, conducted twice a year, are combined with the counts in Winnebago County. Funds for local use also are combined with Winnebago's and she said, "We have been trying to determine how much of that money is ours. But we have not been able to get those numbers."

Currently, federal funding is focusing on transitional housing and permanent housing. "We have some units of that in Boone County and it's helping, but it's slow. The piece that we're missing is how to help these folks who need emergency shelter."

Boone County United Way representative Teri Carter said no local churches are able to take on that kind of a project.

Also Oct. 25, Loveridge said the task force has a new survey for the homeless relating to jobs. Two basic questions are whether they are working and, if not, why aren't they working?

"There is a direct link between jobs and being housed," she said. The goal is to connect the homeless with available jobs.

 

News in Brief

Oct. 31, 2013

By Bob Balgemann

Capron Rescue seeks formal agreements in service area

POPLAR GROVE - Capron Rescue Squad has been serving northern Boone County since 1957. Now, it is seeking intergovernmental agreements with the villages of Capron, Caledonia, Poplar Grove and Timberlane, along with the county and unincorporated Candlewick Lake, to make that coverage formal.

Poplar Grove is the first village to receive the request.

The resolution states in part that Poplar Grove "recognizes the desirability of providing ambulance services to its community in a manner that provides the most timely, efficient and cost effective service delivery for all their respective citizens ..."

It also states that Poplar Grove agrees to "use the services of Capron Rescue Squad before seeking the assistance from other ambulance service."

North Boone Fire District 3 is studying the possibility of including ambulance service for the area now served by Capron Rescue.

Owen Costanza, president of the rescue district board of trustees, said the other villages and Candlewick will be contacted and asked to put the resolution on an upcoming meeting agenda.

Capron Rescue also has changed its name, to North Boone EMS, to better reflect its coverage area of 144 square miles.

Township decides issue

BELVIDERE - The Belvidere Township Board of Trustees has decided not to pay the fee for renewal of the certified appraiser's license for Anita Taylor, a former deputy assessor for the township.

Assessor Diann Helnore made the request for payment of the $530 fee before Taylor resigned, effective Oct. 15.

While Helnore subsequently withdrew the request, the township board voted 5-0 Oct. 22 to formally deny payment of the fee.

Helnore initially asked if the township had paid the renewal fee for her predecessor, longtime assessor Bob Falkenstein. With the request being withdrawn and now formally rejected, that question has not been answered.

Beloit Road bicycle path

BELVIDERE - Completion of a bicycle path linking Prairie Field park off Fairgrounds Road with Belvidere North High School will be partially done before winter weather returns.

Belvidere Township Supervisor Pat Murphy said Oct. 22 that the remaining portion of the walkway would be roughed in and rolled during the current construction season. Then, in the spring, an asphalt surface would be applied.

"We will be inspecting to be sure the pitch is correct and that it's ADA (American Disabilities Act) compliant," he said.

Trustee Richard Nelson asked who would be responsible for the liability?

"It's on (District 100) school board property," Murphy replied. "They're primary on the insurance."

Officials said earlier they hoped to finish the walkway this year. But Murphy said, "The opportunity to get blacktop has been tough."

Shaw Road weight limit

BELVIDERE - Enforcement of the weight limit along Shaw Road, south of the U.S. 20 Bypass, continues to be talked about at Belvidere Township board meetings.

It also was discussed at the Oct. 10 city-county coordinating committee meeting. Co-chairman Dan Snow asked county administrator Ken Terrinoni about the matter, because enforcement involves both the city of Belvidere and Boone County. Terrinoni said it wasn't aware of it but would check into the situation.

Terrinoni said Oct. 25 that he talked with county engineer Rich Lundin, who explained the township had posted a new weight limit for that stretch of Shaw Road, which made it a township matter.

"It will always be a concern," township Supervisor Pat Murphy said at the board's Oct. 22 meeting. "We're not receiving as many calls (about truck traffic) as before, but there were quite a few," he said.

Shaw Road had been regularly included on the township board's agenda, but wasn't there Oct. 22.

 

City-initiated Hometown Market wraps up second season

Oct. 31, 2013

By Bob Balgemann

BELVIDERE - The Hometown Market, an initiative of the city of Belvidere, has concluded its second year off State Street, next to the Boone County History Museum.

And how did everything go, what with this season being on a new day and at a new time? Pretty well, according to Mayor Mike Chamberlain and associate planner Gina DelRose, who coordinated it.

As far as Chamberlain is concerned, the market will be back again during the summer of 2014. He said a debriefing would be held soon, to discuss what went well and what changes, if any, need to be made.

The market featured everything from produce to pastries to purses. There was a massage therapist, sales of Avon products and live musicians.

Children were not forgotten. Cricket the Clown was there to entertain, along with a friend who painted little faces.

In all, a lot of variety and for the most part cooperative weather. Attendance ranged from a high of 150 to a low of 10, but that was on a rainy day.

There were eight new vendors this year as the market changed from Thursday afternoon to Saturdays from 1-5 p.m.

Hours may change again in 2014, possibly opening at 10 a.m. and closing at 3 p.m. "The number of shoppers dies off after 3 p.m.," DelRose said.

Evening hours are another option, though she said there would have to be food and some kind of live entertainment.

Produce vendor Joan Fidder was there in 2012 and said she did pretty well this year. Closing day on Oct. 12 was a bit slow and her offerings were limited, down from the usual five ironing boards full of different goods.

Has large garden

She said she likes to be around people and she loves gardening. She has a 20-by-70-foot garden in back of the Boone County Conservation District complex off Appleton Road. She also has two small gardens at home.

"I mainly do craft shows," she said. "There's a big one coming up in Pecatonica." But it's possible that she will return to the circuit in New Jersey because "that's where the money is. I do that by mail; you don't need a permit because it's considered wholesale."

Some of the businesses at the market were in an incubator status, trying to build clientele through awareness with an ultimate goal of moving into a storefront somewhere in or near the downtown.

One business succeeded in doing that last year but none took that step in 2013.

Cricket the Clown was successful in landing some birthday parties but her summer was cut short when she had to leave to care for a relative, who became ill.

There also was a craft table for kids to put their creativity to work, while their parents shopped. When she was unable to line up enough live entertainers, DelRose used a radio to provide background music.

She said Mayor Chamberlain and the city council ultimately would decide if the market returns for a third year. "They gave me a budget for advertising," she said. "On days when we advertised there were more shoppers. There is a Facebook page, too. They'll (vendors) use it to advertise what they're going to have that day."

A survey will be sent to vendors to get their thoughts on the market's strengths and weaknesses.

Check on “new” news from the BDR by clicking on the following: http://www.rvpnews.com/#!bdr/c17yo

Boone County’s Video Gaming Income for September 2013

The county will receive $4,623.23 compared to $5,782.64 for August 2013.

The following is taken from:  http://www.igb.illinois.gov/revreportsVG/VGStat201309.pdf

City of Belvidere will receive $61.35

Capron $248.43

The Belvidere Daily Republican Featured News

 

 

 

Capron Rescue donates ambulance to village in Guatemala

Oct. 25, 2013

By Bob Balgemann

Reporter

POPLAR GROVE - A retired Capron Rescue Squad ambulance is getting a new lease on life.

The 2006 unit has been donated to Hearts in Motion (HIM), a Christian organization based in Munster, Ind., which serves needy children and families in the United States, Central and South America.

The organization, formed in 1990, plans to place the ambulance in a village in Guatemala that, according to rescue squad officials, is 90 miles from the nearest medical care.

Squad member Quinn Murphy has personally visited the region where the ambulance soon will be put back into service. He has traveled there with HIM, helping provide medical treatment to those in need.

It was Murphy who suggested that the ambulance be given to that village. He's currently a full time paramedic with the Woodstock Fire Department, who works part-time for the Capron squad.

Tony Stepansky, assistant chief of the squad, said he checked out HIM and found it to be "a worthy organization."

He said the ambulance has a 2006 front-end and a 1999 back-end, the latter in need of work. HIM will take care of any needed repairs and plans to fly a paramedic to Illinois in the coming weeks, who in turn will drive the ambulance to Guatemala.

HIM was organized by Karen Scheeringa-Parra, who has 11 adopted children, one of them from Guatemala. Its mission is to provide care and medical treatment for children and families in need.

For Stepansky, it's a bittersweet time because he responded to calls in the 2006, also known as Old 19, for about three years. "I guess I'm sentimental about 19," he said. "Fundamentally, it's a good truck. It's neat to know it will continue to make a difference in people's lives."

Trying to keep the moment light, he added, "There's not a lot of demand for a 2006 ambulance with electrical challenges in the back end."

The gift was approved in a 5-0 vote of the rescue squad district board of trustees as its Oct. 15 meeting. The board formally declared the ambulance as surplus and to be a donation from the district to HIM.

Now all that's left is to wait for HIM to send someone to perform the necessary repairs and for the paramedic to come to get Old 19.

Stepansky is hoping Murphy will be able to accompany the ambulance to its new duty station.

 

Auditor: Belvidere Township 'in good financial condition'

Oct. 25, 2013

By Bob Balgemann

Reporter

BELVIDERE - In a time when some levels of government are struggling, Belvidere Township has been given a clean bill of financial health by its auditor, Gary Kuhls.

He presented the 2012-13 audit to the board of trustees Tuesday night (Oct. 22), pointing out that it was maintaining healthy fund balances, or savings, in each of the 11 funds.

There was one that bore watching, the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, he said. Income last year was $52,000 with expenses at $51,000, he said, adding "With an expected rate increase and payroll increases, this fund will need attention."

The township's equalized assessed value declined by $175 million between 2008 and 2012, he reported.

"Local governments increased their (tax) rates to make up for the lost revenue," he said.

In Belvidere Township, he said the tax burden "is not tremendous," with taxpayers being "treated consistenly" over that period of time. The tax levey decreased a little this year and is expected to go down even more in the coming year. The township's fiscal year runs from April 1 to March 30.

He cited the township for lowering taxes while maintaining healthy fund balances. "Township management has performed responsibly," Kuhls said. "They serve taxpayers and residents of the township well."

The township received an "unqualified opinion," which he said "is what you want." That means no problems were found with the way the township was being run or with the way financial records were being kept.

He gave the township the same opinion last year, when some were questioning why it had such large fund balances.

Township supervisor Pat Murphy said that was to be prepared for major, unexpected expenses. Even now, he said Oct. 22 that "all of a sudden we're getting a lot of requests for general assistance (GA)." There currently are 10 ongoing cases compared with five in all of 2012-13. So far just under $10,000 has been provided in rental assistance.

"That is an unpredictable fund," Kuhls said.

The general assistance fund, usually with a budget of more than $200,000 a year, provides help to qualified people with various living expenses such as rent and utilities.

Murphy also said a burial was pending, the first anyone was aware of. The individual has no relatives and provided "a real test for our GA."

In other action Oct. 22, the board voted 5-0 against providing $750, the amount needed to bring the Northern Illinois Food Bank's mobile food pantry to the Salvation Army parking lot on Main Street in Belvidere.

Township assessor Diann Helnore, who's on the board of the Boone County Homeless Project task force, asked the township earlier this year if it would agree to having a pantry visit in its parking lot at 8200 Fairgrounds Road. That request was tabled and when it came up again, the time had passed for reserving a stop by the truck.

Murphy said he met with the Salvation Army's new local lieutenant about the matter. The township board previously agreed to donate $2,750 to the organization for its ongoing work in the city.

 

Capron Rescue Squad, Boone County increasing fees

Oct. 25, 2013

By Bob Balgemann

Reporter

BOONE COUNTY - Assessed values are decreasing yet tax bills increase. Groceries, gasoline and other staples of life also are becoming more expensive.

Now dog registration fees and the cost of riding in an ambulance also are rising.

The Capron Rescue Squad, which covers 144 square miles of northern Boone County, decided Oct. 15 to increase a variety of charges relating to the care provided by its paramedics and emergency medical technicians.

That action was taken by the district board of trustees after seeing a comparison of fees with the Watertown, Wis. Fire Department; Johnson Creek, Mich. Fire and EMS service; Beaver Dam, Wis. Fire Department; Delavan, Wis. Rescue Squad; and Salem, Wis. Rescue.

All have paramedics and EMTs on their ambulances. Their coverage areas and levels of service are similar to the Capron operation.

The survey showed that in almost all categories of service Capron's charges were less, on average, than the five used in the comparison.

For example, Capron charges a resident $450 for basic life support, compared with an average $562.50 fee among the five departments. A non-resident pays $550 to Capron, with the five others averaging $654.17.

Capron charges a resident $550 for advance life support care, level 1. That comparison to the $679.17 average among the other five. For a non-resident, the charges are $650 and $775 respectively.

The transportation charge is $13 a mile for residents served by Capron, $13.50 for a non-resident. The average among the five others is $13.42 for residents and $14.96 for non-residents.

Capron charges $50 when oxygen is needed, for residents and non-residents alike. The other departments average $65.

"We're not that bad," Capron assistant chief Tony Stepansky said. "I recommend a 3 percent increase." That would generate an additional $28,988 a year, with $12,270 for 2013 if the adjustment was approved and made effective Nov. 1.

"The impact on the end user would be minimal," he said. "We're not trying to stick it to anyone." He added the last increase, which he described as "slight," came about two years ago.

Here are some sample that are in effec today and what they will be starting Nov. 1: Basic life support, resident, from $450 to $550; BLS, non-resident, from $550 to $650; advance life support level 1, resident, from $550 to $675; and non-resident, from $650 to $775.

Mileage, resident, remains $13 a mile; non-resident, from $13.50 to $14.50. Oxygen usage would increase from $50 to $65.

Dog registration fees

Meanwhile, the Boone County Board has approved increasing the cost of dog registration.

The additional money will not be used to operate the animal control department. The primary purpose is to have a steady stream of income to help construct a new building for the animal control services department.

Higher prices will become effective Jan. 1, 2014.

Here are the changes: altered dog registration, one year, from $20 to $25; three years, from $60 to $75. Non-altered dog, one year, $50 to $55; three years. $150 to $165.

rvpnews | Belvidere Daily Republican

Belvidere Daily Republican: Capron Rescue changes name; sees possible competition

 

Oct. 2, 2013

By Bob Balgemann

POPLAR GROVE - Capron Rescue Squad has been serving 144 square miles of northern Boone County since 1957. Now, after all that time, it has changed its name to North Boone EMS for at least two reasons.

One is because of changing times.

"The (ambulance) service is offered to everyone in north Boone County," Trustee Mike Petersen said. "There are so many new people out here - they don't know."

Another is to ward off confusion should North Boone Fire Protection District 3 decide to start its own ambulance service and hold a referendum to ask for the needed financial support.

Rescue squad district board President Owen Costanza said during Tuesday's (Oct. 15) meeting the referendum could be worded in such a way as to ask voters if they want North Boone District 3 or Capron Rescue Squad? "They could prefer North Boone 3 over a Capron service," he said.

But Trustee Barb Sager disagreed, saying Capron Rescue Squad had been around for 55 years. "They (residents) know it's their rescue system," she said.

"We're talking about all the new residents," Costanza said.

"If the referendum says North Boone 3 and North Boone EMS, that will create confusion," Sager countered. "I think it should remain the same."

Changing the name "would be a slap in the face for the people who have stood by Capron Rescue for 55 years," she added. "They have kept Capron Rescue Squad going."

Trustee Neeley Erickson didn't see it that way, saying, "We have to evolve."

Stepansky agreed there was "a huge history, a tradition. But we do have a brand identification problem that could be used against us. The influx of new residents is in Poplar Grove and Candlewick Lake, not in Capron."

"What's in play has nothing to do with the name," he added.

Petersen wondered about a marketing campaign to inform residents of what was going on? But Costanza said he didn't think the rescue squad district could compete with Fire District 3, which has zero liability and $785,000 in the bank.

Rescue squad district attorney Jim Hursh said the earliest District 3 could go to referendum would be the March 2014 primary election.

Costanza summed up the matter by saying the district was changing its name "because times are moving forward and we're growing. This is what we do."

A motion to change the name from Capron Rescue Squad to North Boone EMS passed, 4-1, with Sager dissenting.

rvpnews | Belvidere Daily Republican

Trick or Treat Information

Belvidere:

· October 30^th IOU Halloween Parade (see below)

· 31^st 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Capron Saturday, October 25th

· 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

· Halloween Parade; line-up 5:15 pm @ Fire Station and proceeds to Lions’ Park

Poplar Grove:    4:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Timberlane:        5:00 pm – 8:00 pm

No information was available for Caledonia

Scarecrows put downtown Capron in step with fall | Belvidere Daily Republican

Written by Bob Balgemann

Thanks to students at Capron Elementary School, downtown Capron has a collection of scarecrows in an attempt to spruce up for the fall season. Some businesses have followed suit with related decor.

Newly-elected village president Ken Grzybowski and his wife, Patti, came up with the idea, though he gives his wife most of the credit.

There are nine scarecrows in all; creations of youngsters at the school and not only those in kindergarten through fourth grade. Kids in pre-kindergarten and early childhood classes participated as well.

At least one of the scarecrows, crafted by the early childhood group, is somewhat scary, in keeping with Halloween, which is coming up on Oct. 31.

As an aside, this year’s trick-or-treating in the village will be from 2-5 p.m. Oct. 27, a Sunday.

Click on the following to read all of the story:  Scarecrows put downtown Capron in step with fall | Belvidere Daily Republican

Rescue squad asks enforcement of street address number rules | Belvidere Daily Republican

Written by Bob Balgemann

The Capron Rescue Squad has started asking government officials in its coverage area to enforce ordinances that require houses and businesses to have street address numbers large enough to be seen from the street.

Click on the following for more details:  Rescue squad asks enforcement of street address number rules | Belvidere Daily Republican

Wanted: Affordable, big parking lot for food pantry in Capron - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

By Jennifer Wheeler

RRSTAR.COM

 

The organization will need to spend at least $43,000 for a paved lot large enough for 50 to 60 vehicles near the intersection of Ogden Avenue and Fifth Street.
Executive Director Linda Clark said the group doesn’t know whether it will receive grant money to pay for it, though. And she said there wouldn’t be enough spaces to handle the volume of cars on distribution days.

Capron officials have asked the nonprofit to create parking space to prevent motorists from illegally parking on the street. Hordes of cars line the roads each Tuesday, the pantry’s distribution day, making it difficult for emergency vehicles and residents to drive through the area.
Read more: http://www.rrstar.com/news/x853686395/Wanted-Affordable-big-parking-lot-for-food-pantry-in-Capron#ixzz2YfNvuDBh

First Nicholas E. Hawes Bicycle Rodeo held at Capron school | Belvidere Daily Republican

 

Children maneuvered their bikes through two obstacle courses that morning. Upon passing they received a certificate, bike driver’s license and voucher for food from Coley’s Coolers, which has a fleet of ice cream trucks serving much of Boone County.

There also was a drawing in which two bikes, one for a boy and one for a girl, were given away.

Click on the following for more details:  First Nicholas E. Hawes Bicycle Rodeo held at Capron school | Belvidere Daily Republican

Capron Elementary not available for soup kitchen – for now | Belvidere Daily Republican

 

Written by Bob Balgemann

school’s kitchen will be undergoing renovations this summer

Secondly, there appears to be a degree of opposition to having the kitchen at the school.

Capron Village President-elect Ken Grzybowski questioned the idea of people “who don’t belong in a school” being allowed to be there. “I think it’s a bad idea all-around,” he said, adding that the village initially was not aware of the proposal.

A point in time survey conducted Feb. 23 showed 177 homeless living in Boone County. Of that number, 60 were “literally homeless,” and found to be living in their cars and in abandoned buildings. Of the 60, a “disproportionate number” were found in Capron.

Click on the following to read the entire article: Capron Elementary not available for soup kitchen – for now | Belvidere Daily Republican

Capron Elementary School to have first county soup kitchen | Belvidere Daily Republican

 

A point in time survey on Feb. 23 showed 177 homeless people in the county, with the biggest percentage in Capron.

The plan is to have the first soup kitchen in operation at Capron Elementary the first Tuesday after the 2012-13 school year ends. It would be open from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays to start, with the possibility of adding Saturdays at some point in the future.

After learning about the availability of Capron Elementary, Loveridge checked with Linda Clark, executive director of the Belvidere/Boone County Food Pantry, about providing some of the groceries. She immediately agreed to help.

Click on the following for more details:  Capron Elementary School to have first county soup kitchen | Belvidere Daily Republican

Homeless group hopes to establish soup kitchens around county | Belvidere Daily Republican

 

she had contacted several churches in Capron, where the count found the most homeless, and most were receptive to the idea.

“Soup kitchens are the easiest way to start,” she said. “It would be a place to get one hot meal a day. It’s a matter of opening eyes.”

But she added she didn’t want the kitchens to become a long-term way of life. “The next step would be permanent housing. The problem is much deeper than providing soup kitchens at various locations. That’s not the answer for everyone.”…

least 25 homeless students in Belvidere Community Unit School District 100 and another eight in North Boone School District 200, according to Mary Bawinkle, home school coordinator for the Regional Attendance Cooperative. But the number likely is higher because parents don’t want to disclose their situation.

Sources for providing such information include the health department, food pantries in Capron and Belvidere, churches, schools and people who work with the homeless.

“Crusader Clinic is working to put together a hotline,” Bawinkle said.

Loveridge said United Way is working on bringing a 2-1-1 help line to the county. And Love Inc., of which she is the local coordinator, is a Christian clearinghouse that matches people with resources.

Click on the following for more details:  Homeless group hopes to establish soup kitchens around county | Belvidere Daily Republican