Restrictive Wind Ordinance finally passed

The following article and editorial are from The Boone County Journal which is available free of cost at merchants across the county.  See on line at:  http://www.boonecountyjournal.com/news/2015/Boone-County-News-11-27-15.pdf#page=1

 

 

Local ballots start to take shape as election petition filings begin in Illinois - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Remember this is only the first day to submit petitions.

By Kevin Haas
Staff writer

Posted Nov. 23, 2015 at 6:14 pm Updated at 8:47 PM

ROCKFORD — Local ballots for the upcoming March primary began to fill up today, the first day for candidates to file their petitions.

Prospective candidates have until 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30, to file paperwork for the March 15 primary contest. Key races in Winnebago County include state's attorney, County Board chairman, coroner and several County Board seats. There are also several state House and Senate contests.

Winnebago County Clerk Margie Mullins will hold a lottery at 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30, to determine which candidates get the coveted first position on the ballot. First position on the ballot is typically first-come, first-served, except when candidates running against each other arrive at the county clerk's office at the same time. First position on the ballot is preferred because of the so-called primacy effect, the tendency for voters to choose the first name on a list.

Here's a look at who has filed so far:

U.S. Senator: Andrea Zopp, D; Tammy Duckworth, D; Mark Kirk, R; James T. Marter, R

State reprsentative

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

State senator

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

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 total seats open (two for each of the county's 3 districts).

District 1: W. Fred Genrich, R
District 2: Cathy Ward, R; Bernard O’Malley, R
District 3: Carl Larson, R

— Ben Stanley contributed to this report

 

 

 

Local ballots start to take shape as election petition filings begin in Illinois - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Ceroni Piping Co. construction postponed to summer - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Posted Nov. 6, 2015 at 6:00 PM
Updated Nov 18, 2015 at 8:44 PM

 

By Adam Poulisse
Staff writer

Posted Nov. 6, 2015 at 6:00 PM
Updated Nov 18, 2015 at 8:44 PM

CHERRY VALLEY — Construction of a metal fabrication shop that would bring about 25 jobs to the area has been postponed until summer.

Ceroni Piping Co. is planning a $5.5 million, 25,000-square-foot warehouse at the intersection of U.S. 20 and Interstate 90 in Cherry Valley. It was originally scheduled to break ground this month. However, approval for a final plat that would allow President/CEO Steve Ceroni to subdivide and sell two lots — one 4 acres and the other 13 acres — on the property has taken longer than expected.

"It's somewhat disappointing," Ceroni said. "We were hoping to do something this fall. We understand it's all part of the approval process."

The plat received the last of eight required approvals by the Cherry Valley Village Board on Tuesday.

The delay was a result of presenting the final plat at meetings that were already scheduled, according to Natalie Hyser Barber, an attorney with Tobin & Ramon in Belvidere representing Ceroni.

Construction was also postponed to avoid doing work in inclement weather, Ceroni said.

The final plat requires eight signatures. Typically, a plat must be approved by the county engineer, county recorder, adjoining municipalities and a representative from the planning department, said Kathy Miller, interim planning director for Boone County.

"Every plat requires certain signatures," she said.

In June 2014, Ceroni Real Estate, a division of Ceroni Piping, closed a deal on almost 23 acres of farmland at 974 U.S. 20. The County Board in February approved a special use permit to allow outdoor storage.

On Oct. 21, the Boone County Board approved the final plat despite some concern from two board members.

District 3 board member Sherry Branson lives near the property. During the meeting, she referenced documents from Boone County Soil and Water Conservation District that stated the Illinois Geological Survey found the future business site is a high potential for aquifer contamination, and that it would be in the best interest of Boone County to require a groundwater protection plan.

"It concerns me because, I think, as a board we owe it to the neighbors to protect their wells," Branson said. "I would feel better about this if we had a ground water protection plan implemented and it was on file."

Barber told the board at the meeting that Ceroni has worked with the health department to ensure his proposed well and septic system is feasible.

Sheriff Dave Ernest said he didn't believe traffic was a concern for that expanding business district.

"We have accidents all over the county," he said. "I don't think this is any greater of an area than ... the areas that are connected to Bypass 20 as it drives through our county."

Ceroni Piping is the second-largest contractor in northwest Illinois between Belvidere and the Mississippi River, according to Register Star archives. It hires about 45 union members to do field work each year.

District 3 board member Ken Freeman said he had concerns about the traffic that area will generate.

"I'm all for business in Boone County," he told the board, "but that area ... is an accident waiting to happen, and I will not be supporting it."

Freeman and Branson voted against the plat.

Above is from:  Ceroni Piping Co. construction postponed to summer - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

An earlier RRStar piece on the Ceroni project is available at:  http://www.rrstar.com/article/20150403/NEWS/150409767/0/SEARCH

Planning, Zoning and Building Committee OKs wind turbine ordinance changes - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

By Adam Poulisse
Staff writer

Posted Nov. 4, 2015 at 10:39 PM

BELVIDERE — The Boone County Planning, Zoning and Building Committee on Wednesday voted 4-1 to recommend an amendment to an ordinance governing where wind turbines can be placed in relation to property lines.

The vote comes after months of debate and testimony over where turbines should be located in the county.

The revised ordinance states that wind energy conversion systems must be at least 2,640 feet, or 5.5 times the height of the turbine tower, away from a property line. The current ordinance states that wind turbines must be 1,000 feet from a residence.

The amended ordinance must still be approved by the full County Board at its Nov. 18 meeting.

"This goes to the issue of the safety and the health of residents of the county," said David Cleverdon, a Caledonia resident who lobbied for a change in the ordinance. "It's designed to protect them, and the board voted on it. It's a good thing for the county.

The Board of Appeals voted 5-0 last week to support the amendment after eight months of committee meetings. Those opposing wind turbines in Boone County brought in regional experts and people who have lived near wind farms. They cited health issues related to the noise and shadows cast by the turbines. No wind turbines have been established yet in Boone County.

"It actually, to me, was an obvious thing to do tonight," committee Chairman Denny Ellingson said after the meeting. "We had a vote to support all the information that was brought through all the ZBA testimony. Without anybody ever contradicting any part of that, it was just an automatic vote it seemed to me. I'm only surprised it was 4-1."

Committee and County Board member Kenny Freeman cast the lone dissenting vote. He said evidence presented by supporters of the ordinance change wasn't substantial enough.

"It was clear to me they were anti-wind people, and I will not be supporting this," he said during the meeting. "I think it's terrible for Boone County ..."

Karen Kenney, a key supporter of the amendment, said she was "thrilled" by the vote.

"We've been researching for five years, so the last eight months have been a culmination of the knowledge and the information that we have gained," she said. "If you got health, safety and welfare as the crux of your (ordinance) amendment, that is what every single County Board member raises their hand to uphold as they are sworn into office."

The revised ordinance also would allow property owners to waive setback conditions if an agreement is made with neighboring property owners.

"If you want a wind turbine on your property, you can waive that," Cleverdon said. "Then, you can go to the neighbors as well to waive that protection. Then it drops to 1,500 feet.

Deb Doetch, a Poplar Grove resident, opposes the amendment. She said she and about 50 families have a landowner agreement with Mainstream Renewable Power, a company that has been looking to install wind farms in Boone County for about five years. A lawyer with Mainstream has represented their side in the debate, Doetch said.

She said the waiver is "illegal," and if the County Board OKs the amendment, it will result in a lawsuit.

"Obviously it's a disappointment, but there's part of me that says you can't get a fair hearing in Boone County," Doetch said. "So maybe I'm smiling a little because this will force it to get a new hearing (in court)."

"I anticipated this vote," Doetch said, "but I also greatly believe they can't win with this ordinance."

Above is from:  Planning, Zoning and Building Committee OKs wind turbine ordinance changes - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Letters to the BCJ Editor: 1. Questioning of SA’s gang policy leads to recommending Smith for States Attorney 2. Return to Belvidere’s traditional Veterans’ Day 3. Views on wind turbines 4. Boone County Board’s Integrity

 

 

Veterans Day

 

Wind Turbines

 

County Board’s Integrity

 

These articles are available on line at:  http://www.boonecountyjournal.com/news/2015/Boone-County-News-10-30-15.pdf#page=1

Energy company could sue Boone County over proposed wind turbine setbacks - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

BELVIDERE — In January 2011, representatives from Mainstream Renewable Power met with county representatives at Belvidere City Hall to discuss wind turbine development in Manchester and LeRoy townships.

County officials told them they must apply for a special-use permit and comply with zoning regulations before the project could proceed. Mainstream representatives estimated it would take about a year to complete project studies and submit plans to the board for approval.

Four years later, debate over wind turbine development is raging in Boone County, Mainstream is no closer to developing turbines and there’s no clear end in sight.

For months, Zoning Board of Appeals members have mulled over proposed zoning ordinance changes that would essentially ban wind energy development in Boone County.

On Tuesday night, Jim Griffin, a Chicago lawyer who represents Mainstream, testified before the board that the proposed changes are unconstitutional.

"If the amendment is approved, in order to protect its investment and the property rights of land owners who wish to host wind energy turbines, Mainstream will need to consider all options, including litigation," Griffin said.

The changes would increase setback requirements — the determination of how far from property lines the turbines must be to comply with county code — to a half-mile. According to a map made by Mainstream developer Chris Dorman, it would be impossible for any landowner in the county to comply with that setback.

Griffin argued that the issue comes down to agricultural property rights and that the county can't limit the rights of property owners to lease land to energy companies.

Although the proposed changes do include a section that would allow neighboring property owners to waive the setback, Griffin called the clause "legally meaningless."

"Adjacent property owners can't decide what neighbors do with their property," Griffin said. "If a half-mile structure is truly a health hazard, how can Boone County allow it to be waived?"

Supporters of the changes argue that the half-mile setback is necessary to protect people living near turbines from negative health side effects. This spring, Michigan and Illinois property owners who live near turbines delivered hours of testimony to the board claiming health problems and property value decline from turbine development.

Public testimony will continue during a Sept. 22 meeting. Then planning staff will present to the board and another round of public comment from the citizens who proposed the changes will be scheduled.

It could be months before the ZBA votes on whether to recommend the changes to the County Board.

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

Energy company could sue Boone County over proposed wind turbine setbacks - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Boone County leaders: 'We've got to figure out how to grow the economy' - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

• BELVIDERE — Since the recession hit in late 2007 and early 2008, a few hard realities have surrounded Boone County budget issues: a dwindling tax base, a stagnant economy, a larger tax burden shifting to property owners.

  In 2008, the combined value of all Boone County properties was more than $1.2 billion. That year, the typical homeowner paid 69 cents for every $100 of a property's assessed value in property taxes. By 2014, the combined property value in the county had fallen 31 percent, to about $880 million. But the amount of money the typical homeowner paid in taxes for every $100 of assessed value increased to $1.26.

  To balance its budget and compensate for its shrinking tax base, the county increased the amount of money — from $8.6 million in 2008 to $10.9 million in 2014 — it collects in property taxes each year, even as values plummeted.

  “The economics of our county were beat up in the recession and have not recovered," County Administrator Ken Terrinoni said. "But you can’t, every single year, put it on the backs of the property taxpayer. ... We’ve got to figure out how to grow the economy."

  To turn things around, the Boone County Strategic Plan Task Force — a collection of county department heads coordinated by Terrinoni, his assistant Justyn Miller and County Board members — has been meeting in "focus groups" to brainstorm ideas to revitalize the economy.

  County Board members Sherry Giesecke and Jeff Carlisle hatched the idea during a board retreat in January; for the past five months, the group has been meeting to identify issues, goals and objectives.

  "We've never done a formal process like this," Terrinoni said.

  The task force is organized into three focus groups: Public Safety and Justice, Operations, and Infrastructure and Economic Development. It has drafted five goals:

  Promote intergovernmental collaboration and communication.

  Promote economic development to support new and existing businesses.

  Maintain and enhance community safety through an integrated law enforcement and criminal justice system.

  Integrate the functions of county departments, including technology, to promote effective and efficient government.

  Plan, develop and invest in the community to enhance quality of life with a focus on infrastructure and transportation.

“Inflation plus new business is the only way to grow revenue," Gieseke said Tuesday during a Public Safety and Justice focus group meeting. "What we really want to do is not just look for money, but we want to look for improving quality of life and increasing revenue to do that."

The Public Safety and Justice group includes representatives from the sheriff's office, the county jail, emergency management, the coroner's office, the probation department, the public defender's office, the state's attorney's office, the 17th Judicial Circuit Court, the clerk of the circuit court's office and information technology.

Page 2 of 2 - The group discussed sending surveys to residents and more aggressively seeking state and federal grants for economic development and infrastructure projects. The most detailed discussion, however, was about figuring out the county's 21st-century identity and "rebranding."

One rebranding idea is to promote and encourage specialty businesses and boutique shops in the area, such as The Complete Sheep Shoppe on Caledonia Road, the McEachran Homestead Winery in Caledonia and Edwards Apple Orchard in Poplar Grove.

"It’s very interesting. It’s a great idea," said Jane Zeien, who owns The Complete Sheep Shoppe with her husband, Paul Zeien Jr. "I don't know very much about it. But I’d like to help out any way I could. ... There’s a lot of things the area has that are positive."

Zeien, whose shop specializes in wool and sheepskin products, pointed to the county fair, the local 4-H club and the county's willingness to promote local businesses as examples.

But retail alone may not be enough.

"We’re never going to solve our basic problems, like kicking the can down the road, not doing this, not doing that, until we’ve solved our tax base," Terrinoni said. "And by that I mean making it more diverse and resilient. You need a little bit of everything. A little (retail), but you need the larger industry that brings in jobs.”

The task force's operations focus group will meet next at 7:30 a.m. Aug. 7 at the Belvidere Township building, 8200 Fairgrounds Road. A meeting for the Infrastructure & Economic Development group has not been scheduled.

“What I’ve learned from my staff that I inherited six months ago is a lot of frustration, especially with county government," Sheriff Dave Ernest said. "We plan and we plan, but nothing ever seems to go anywhere. ... We're at a point where that absolutely has to change.”

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

By Ben Stanley
Rockford Register Star

 

Boone County leaders: 'We've got to figure out how to grow the economy' - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Boone County to reject bids, revise animal-control facility plans - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

By Ben Stanley
Rockford Register Star

Posted Jul. 7, 2015 at 9:16 PM

BELVIDERE — Boone County finally has money to replace its antiquated animal-control center, which for years has relied on patch repairs to address a litany of sanitation and infestation problems, but construction will be delayed months as a county committee searches for ways to shave costs.

Two weeks ago, the Boone County Roads and Capital Improvements Committee received bids from three local contractors for the project. Each bid exceeded the county's $800,000 budget — funded entirely through a small property tax increase voters approved in November — by hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The bids came as a surprise to committee members, who were given a cost estimate of roughly $800,000 by architect Mark Schmidt in July 2014. Schmidt's estimate influenced the county board's decision to seek that amount in the tax-hike referendum, but several changes were made to building plans before bids were opened in June.

At a special meeting on June 22, the committee voted to recommend the county board accept the low bid from Larson & Larson Builders on the condition that the design could be tweaked to keep costs within budget. However, the committee voted unanimously tonight  to reverse its recommendation after Boone County State's Attorney Michelle Courier warned the county board that making nearly $300,000 in alterations to the building's design after the bid has been accepted could undermine a state statute that regulates the competitive bidding process for county projects.

"The architect has indicated that in order to reduce the cost, he will need to redraw his plans, the same plans on which the project was bid upon," Courier wrote in a letter to the board. "This is a material change from the original project. ... giving the current lowest responsible bidder an unfair advantage."

The county board is expected to reject all three bids at a meeting on July 15. Now the committee must go back to the drawing board and work with Schmidt to draft a much simpler and cheaper design, then re-open bids to local contractors.

"You get so much money to work with, you want to get the best building you can," Schmidt said. "Every time you go to one committee, one group wants one feature, another group wants other bells and whistles and pretty soon it gets bigger ... and then you've got to start shrinking it again. The main goal is, what can we do to get the building built?"

Schmidt estimated late August is the earliest that revised building plans could be released to bidders.

Page 2 of 2 - "I know it's going to get done," Boone County Animal Services Operations Supervisor Roger Tresemer said after the meeting. "It's just, I don't want it ... to get to the point where the integrity of the building is not much different than what we have now." 

Above is from:  Boone County to reject bids, revise animal-control facility plans - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

My View: No excuse for hoarding animals - Opinion - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Opinion piece request action by Boone County Board.

By Karen Gadke
Stateline Spay/Neuter & Education Fund

Posted Jun. 20, 2015 at 2:30 PM

I refer to an article published in the May 31 Rockford Register Star: "Stephenson County case spotlights national problem," which deals with the recent Stephenson County pet hoarding case. In a Feb. 22 Opinion column I explained how hoarding usually begins and suggested ways to prevent hoarding situations, namely, by not supporting overbreeding. Pet overpopulation as well as pet dumping by some people makes it too easy to pick up abandoned pets.

In your May 31 article mental health expert Elspeth Bell proposes mental health issues as reasons for hoarding. I agree with that opinion, but this expert’s tone is typical for the time we live in, namely, excuses are often made for criminal acts committed “due to temporary insanity.” With this attitude, many wrongdoers end up being set free with a “slap on the wrist.”

Ms. Bell’s “prescription” is to put the animal hoarder in contact with the proper resources to help her. Of course hoarders need mental health treatment. But this does not change the fact that Ms. McKinnon, the hoarder in question here, needs to take responsibility for what she did to defenseless creatures. In my opinion, while she is being treated for her mental instability, she needs to be locked up because all the stray cats and dogs on the streets present the temptation to start hoarding all over again. She may not have seen all the filth, but she could not have been blind to all the dogs and cats in pain, starving and dying, and that’s plain cruelty. This cannot be written off as “not her fault.”

On the subject of overbreeding, many groups and individuals are doing their best to educate the public and subsidize spay/neuter, especially of cats breeding out of control. Some more humane and progressive communities have free spay/neuter available, but many just continue the “catch and kill” system, often by massive poisoning of cats, which can include wild critters and people’s family pets.

Boone County Animal Services is doing a good job of catching stray dogs and either re-homing or adopting out those whose owners can not be found, euthanizing only unadoptable ones. But there is no help for cats. There is no space for cats at Animal Services, and private shelters are overflowing.

Stateline Spay/Neuter & Education Fund, working with other groups, has been working hard to catch and sterilize as many feral and barn cats as possible, and mailing out family pet spay/neuter vouchers to reduce vet bills for pets. But without more help, the situation remains out of control; every day more litters are born and, sadly, most of those kittens will have to die. The Boone County Board has not shown much interest in companion animals. (The shelter that will soon be built was voted in by a compassionate public agreeing to a small tax increase, not the County Board).

Page 2 of 2 - I suggest that the Boone County Board to start taking an interest in and becoming educated about the situation, then do something to support cat sterilization so we can stabilize the population. Those of us who are trying to reduce cat numbers by sterilizing as many as we can will continue, but if we do not get help, there will be many more hoarding situations, and county government will have to pay a lot more to clean up the dreadful messes than it would cost to take an interest now in preventing them.

My View: No excuse for hoarding animals - Opinion - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Mr. Walberg passes Rauner’s Turnaround as requested

Cathy Ward

May 20 at 10:17pm · Edited ·

BOONE COUNTY BOARD, following the advice of chair Bob Walberg voted tonight (Wednesday night) to support Ill. Gov. Rauner's "Turn Illinois Around" plan by a vote of 7-4 with board member Karl Johnson abstaining - despite the pleas to vote no from of a standing room only crowd of union members from industry, education, and law enforcement. The only board members voting no were Kenny Freeman, Sherry Branson, Craig Schultz and me. While I agree we need changes in Illinois, as u...nion members eloquently noted, this plan needs to be revised to help all our people. Very passionate night for many with strong statements, applause for the unions, and dozens of unhappy people leaving the meeting. I'm sure there is more to come on this. Those voting for Walberg and Rauner were Paul Larson, Denny Ellingson, Sherry Giesecke, Ray Larson, Jeff Carlisle, and Brad Stark.

 

Above is from Cathy Ward’s Facebook.

Chuck Sweeny speak again of the PSB sales tax

Below is from:  http://www.rrstar.com/article/20150413/NEWS/150419736/10458/OPINION

Knox County joins other urging governor not to cut funding - News - The Register-Mail - Galesburg, IL

Will Boone County do something like this?

GALESBURG — The Knox County Board voted Wednesday to join the United Counties of Illinois in urging Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Legislature to avoid cutting necessary funding to the county’s budget.

“This is a resolution we’re going to pass with the UCCI so we’re all on the same page with other counties not to take our income tax,” said member Greg Bacon, D-Dist. 1.

Rauner has proposed a 50 percent reduction in local governments’ share of the state income tax. Projected in this year’s budget, the county is expecting $920,000 in income tax dollars. If Rauner’s cut goes through, the county will be without $460,000.

Also, the Illinois House of Representatives passed a proposal including a 2.25 percent cut across the board, which will also cost the county. The legislation is expected to be brought to a vote in the Senate later this week.

Last year the board struggled with a $600,000 budget deficit, borrowing money from the landfill to cover the shortage. The deficit was caused in part by money the state owed the county not coming through.
The board voted 11-0 to send the resolution to Springfield with members Dick Conklin, R-Dist. 1, and David Erickson, R-Dist. 4 abstaining from the vote.

Read the entire article by clicking on the following:  Knox County joins other urging governor not to cut funding - News - The Register-Mail - Galesburg, IL

BCJ: The VAC Returns to the County Board

 

The story shown below is from the March 13, 2015 Boone County Journal which is available free of cost at many Boone County merchants or on line at:  http://www.boonecountyjournal.com/news/2015/Boone-County-News-03-13-15.pdf#page=1

Mainstream Renewable Powers reaction to the “revised” text amendment

Mainstream’s attorney believes the revision does not change the illegality of the proposed text amendment.

Mainstream’s reaction to the initial text amendment proposal is available at:  http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2015/01/mainstream-details-their-opposition-to.html

The revision is available at:  http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2015/02/planning-staff-continues-to-recommends.html

Did Boone County’s ad hoc committee break the Illinois Open Meetings Act?

On January 14, 2015  Boone County’s  Breeding/Boarding Ordinance Advisory Committee held an unannounced meeting which did not comply with the requirements of the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

Below  are the minutes from the November 2014 meeting of the Planning, Zoning and Building Committee. As shown on page 3 of these minutes, Mr. Ellingson, chairman of this special committee, was advised to consult the States Attorney concerning whether  the ad hoc committee is subject to the Illinois Open Meetings Act (by Mr.Johnson) and advised by County Administrator, K. Terrinoni, that it  “should be subject to the Open Meetings Act”

 

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4

Despite these warnings, Mr Ellingson sent out the following email to committee members on January 7, 2015.  (This email was obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by Mr. Zanter)

Take special note of the second paragraph in which Mr. Ellingson states that an ad hoc committee does not have to adhere to the Open Meeting Act and additionally asks that committee members to:  “Please do not tell others about where or when these meetings are set for so we can meet without interference”

The question now-- was the January 14 meeting illegal and should Boone County be cited by the Illinois Attorney General?

BCJ Criticizes Lack of Accounting Audit in Circuit Court Clerk Office Crime

 

 

The Boone County Journal is available free of cost at merchants across the county and on-line at:  http://www.boonecountyjournal.com/news/2015/Boone-County-News-01-09-15.pdf#page=1

THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT REGARDING  THIS EDITORIAL WAS PUBLISHED BY THE BOONE COUNTY JOURNAL on January 16, 2015.

Above is from:  http://www.boonecountyjournal.com/news/2015/Boone-County-News-01-16-15.pdf#page=1

Returning to the Present

By James Middleton

 
Monday December 1, 2014 was a day when the
swearing-in newly elected officials in Boone County
occurred. In addition, members of the County Board
selected their leaders for the new Board. The ceremonies
began early on Monday at the Boone County Courthouse
where the returning county clerk, county treasurer and
the assistant treasurer were swore-in to serve. Perhaps
the most newsworthy event Monday morning was the
investiture of the new Boone County Sheriff, David Ernest.
Sheriff Ernest is the first new Sheriff to serve the county in
36 years.
Monday night, the action moved to the Boone County
Administrative Center on Logan Avenue for the searingin
of seven newly elected County representatives. Two
of those sworn-in were returning representatives that had
been reelected while the other five were newly elected to
serve in the county.
Those representatives that were returning included Ken
Freeman (District #3) who will serve a two-year term and
Karl Johnson (District #2) who was elected to serve a fouryear
term. Those that were newly elected to the County
Board included Sherry Branson (District #3), Brad Stark
(District #3), Sherry Giesecke (District #1), Raymond
Larson (District 2) and Jeffrey Carlisle (District #2).
The Boone County clerk, Mary Steurer served as the
chairman of the meeting as the representative that had been
the chairman was no longer serving in that capacity as a new
chairman would be chosen. She opened the meeting and
managed the agenda through the swearing-in ceremony.
After the newly elected representatives were sworn-in,
Ms. Steurer presided over the approval of the agenda and
then moved to asking for nominations for chairman of the
County Board.
With that, representative Karl Johnson nominated Bob
Walberg (District #1) the former chairman to be reelected.
Ken Freeman then moved to nominate Craig Schultz
(District #3) to be chosen as chairman. The nominations
were then closed as no other nominations arose.
In a roll-call vote, Mr. Walberg was reelected to serve as
chairman of the County Board. The vote was 9 members
favoring Mr. Walberg and 3 members that were opposed.
Mr. Walberg was elected to serve another term.
The next item on the agenda was for the County Board
to select a vice chairman of the County Board. One
representative was nominated and that was Paul Larson
(District #2) with no other nominees that followed. In a
roll-call vote Mr, Larson was unanimously elected to serve
as vice chairman of the County Board.
The county administrator, Ken Terrinoni then took the
floor to enumerate how the county committee meetings
would run for December. In that the chairman and vice
chairman had just been selected and the roster of members

on the various county committees had not been set, the

December meetings were delayed one week.
The meetings will move forward through December
as follows: the administrative and legislative meeting
will occur on December 8 followed by the Public
Safety committee. On December 9, Roads and Capital
Improvements will be held followed by the finance and
employment committee. On December 10, the building,
planning and zoning committee will occur followed by the
city and county coordinating meeting. The final county
committee meeting, health and human services, will be
held on December 11.
At the conclusion of the meeting dates, Mr. Terrinoni
added, “In January we will go back to our normal schedule
of committee meetings.”
Mr. Larson then announced, “For all of the new
members, the December 11 meeting of the roads and
capital improvements committee will be very important
if we are to get bids for construction of the new animal
control shelter building before the end of the year.” He
said that time was growing short and the previous County
Board had wanted to begin the process before the end of
2014.
“We are planning,” Mr. Larson continued, “a new
building that would be on the highway department property
near the Maple Crest facilities. We expect to use an existing
well and we plan to attach to the city sewer line that is used
by Maple Crest. We need to be aware of some inspections
that had trouble with in the jail construction and we need
to correct some errors that we found in the construction
project for the Administrative Center, this very building.”
Mr. Larson emphasized that the new County Board must
make these decisions to reach that end of 2014 goal to
begin the process.
In the November General Elections, Boone County
voters approved to allow the Boone County Board to incur
debt to the extent of $800,000 to construct a new animal
control shelter. Pressure has been applied by some current
and former members of the County Board and some
residents that live within and outside the county have also
applied pressure to build a new shelter.
Mr. Larson concluded by emphasizing what the new
County Board must do on that matter and the meeting was
adjourned.
Mr. Walberg made only one comment following the
meeting regarding his reelection as the chairman of the
County Board. He said that one area he wants to emphasize
for county consideration in 2015 is to expand and enhance
economic development in the county. One element that
was emphasized that the county needs during the Fiscal
Year 2015 budget negotiations was how the county needs to
obtain more revenue from sales tax collections. Expansion
of sales tax collection by obtaining greater retail economic
development opportunities could be one area of interest for
the newly elected County Board chairman in 2015.

There appears to be some criticism of the District 100 referendum proposal

Dean Marcellus says “NO” in Journal  See:  http://district100watchdog.blogspot.com/2014/11/bcj-letter-to-editor-opposes-district.html

 

Allison Reid- Niemiec  said:  VOTE NO

SEE:  http://district100watchdog.blogspot.com/2014/10/letter-vote-no-on-district-100-ballot.html

PASS  Parent Advocating Students and Staff appear to have many questions

SEE:  https://www.facebook.com/parentspass  see also:  http://district100watchdog.blogspot.com/2014/10/district-100-school-referendum.html

Mr. Ben Stanley of the Rockford Register Star had an article on the referendum

SEE:  http://www.rrstar.com/article/20141029/NEWS/141029272/10368/NEWS This article is also available at:  http://district100watchdog.blogspot.com/2014/10/belvidere-could-change-way-school-board.html

District #100 Proposition for Nov. 4th, 2014 ballot - YouTube

This presentation is from PASS  Parents Advocating for Students and Staff

Click on the following to view the “YOU Tube” clip:  District #100 Proposition for Nov. 4th, 2014 ballot - YouTube

Boone County considering expanded breeding kennel regulations - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

• By Ben Stanley
  Rockford Register Star
  Posted Oct. 9, 2014 @ 12:01 am
  Updated at 1:57 PM

BELVIDERE — Accusations of animal cruelty and abuse aimed at a Caledonia dog breeder earlier this year have raised questions concerning county regulations governing breeding kennels. As a result, several amendments have been proposed to extend kennel regulations in the county zoning ordinance that would ban stackable dog cages, ban wire or mesh flooring in dog cages and kennels, and require raised beds for each animal.

The proposed amendments moved through the county Planning Zoning and Building Committee on Wednesday night and will be reviewed by the Boone County Board on Oct. 15.

Before a text amendment to county ordinance can be approved by the County Board, it must first pass through the Regional Planning Commission, the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Planning, Zoning and Building Committee.

Members of the PZB voted on Wednesday to bring the amendments before the board with the intention of eventually forming a committee to refine the amendments, which, once completed, would then be reintroduced to the ZBA, PZB and County Board for approval.

The process could take three to five months.

Read more by clicking on the following:  Boone County considering expanded breeding kennel regulations - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

SEPTEMBER 17, 2014: Highlights of the September Boone County Board Meeting

Below in black  is the agenda taken from:  http://www.boonecountyil.org/sites/default/files/CBAgenda%2009-17-2014.pdf

Important Highlights as seen by Bill Pysson

5.1.  Marshall Newhouse is appointed to Health Board by a 7-5 vote.  Mrs. Ward spoke at length how the Health Board needed another women or a Latin, to reflect the county’s and clinic’s demographics. Prior to the vote a motion to repost the appointment  for 60 days  was proposed by Bill Pysson.  The motion was defeated 5 to 7.

9.1. The Garden Prairie Peaker Plant special use permit was unanimously.  Neighbors of the proposed facility addressed the board requesting denial.  Board discussion reviewed original decision and clarification what were proper basis for approval and denial.

9.2  Voice vote unanimously approved clarification of the right to build a residence on a   “lot of record”.

9.3  In keeping with the state legislation on medical cannabis only Industrial Zoned property (I-1) is allowed for either growing or dispensing cannabis. Vote was unanimous. 

10.2  Based upon a recommendation of the States Attorney, the county board did not add to the Animal Service referendum the projected cost of borrowing $800,000 for the new building.  Bill Pysson asked if a “resolution” could be passed to answer the question of costs.  The answer was “Yes” however because this resolution was not on the agenda it could not be voted at this meeting. Sadly the advocates of the referendum will not have a cost for this proposed building for another month.

11.1  For the first time—the county’s farmland was leased based upon the highest bid (rather than private negotiation).  Despite a fall in commodity prices in 2014, the lease price increase $30 per acre to $280.  After some discussion regarding the lease terms the vote was unanimous.

21.1 Collective Bargaining Agreement with Correction Departments is approved.

21.2  A proximately $13K compensation settlement was approved.

 

 

Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Boone County Board Meeting
COUNTY BOARD ROOM, 1212 Logan Ave., Belvidere, 6:30 P.M.

1. Call to Order
1.1 Opening of Meeting
2. Roll Call
2.1 Roll Call
3. Approval of Agenda
3.1 Approval of Agenda
4. Minutes
4.1 Approval of County Board Minutes
5. Appointments and Recognition
5.1 Appointments and Recognition
6. Public Comment
6.1 Public Comment
7. Reports from Community Agencies
7.1 Growth Dimensions
7.2 Council on Aging
7.3 Court Appointed Special Advocate
7.4 Board of Health
7.5 Other (RREDD)
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8. General Consent Items
8.1 Fund Transfers
8.2 Road Projects
8.3 Raffle Permits
9. Standing Committee: Planning, Zoning, and Building
9.1 Motion to Approve Ordinance 14-42 Extending the Special Use Permit for the Garden Prairie Peaker Power
Plant for Powers Venture Group. PZB (4-0); CB()
9.2 Motion to Approve Ordinance 14-43 Amending the Boone County Zoning Ordinance regarding Section
3.2.3.B.3 Lot of Record Language. PZB (4-0); CB()
9.3 Motion to Approve Ordinance 14-44 Amending the Boone County Zoning Ordinance Establishing Medicinal
Cannabis Dispensaries and Cultivation Centers. PZB (5-0); CB ()
9.4 Motion to Approve Ordinance 14-45 Granting a Zoning District Change from B-1 General Business to
Traditional Neighborhood Residential at 1082 Irene Road. PZB (4-0); CB ()
10. Standing Committee: Finance, Taxation and Salaries
10.1 Motion to Approve Claims with the Understanding that Kenny Freeman Abstains from Voting on all Claims
Presented by William Charles and Associates and Karl Johnson Abstains from Voting on all Claims Presented by
HD Supply. (Approved 5-0)
10.2 Motion to Approve the Following Language be added to Describe Animal Services Building Ballot "The Owner
of a $100,000 home would pay about $8.50 each year for three years". (Approved 5-0)
11. Standing Committee: Roads and Capital Improvements
11.1 Motion to Approve High Bid from Ed Kasper for the Farm Rental Agreement in the amount of $280.00/acre,
Contingent on the current tenant, Gerald Hulstedt, having until September 30th to match the offer and remain
the tenant. (Approved 5-0)
11.2 Motion to Approve Resolution 14-46 Allowing Membership of the Rockford Mass Transit District to the
Rockford Metropolitan Agency for Planning Policy Committee. (Approved 5-0)
12. Standing Committee: Health and Human Services
12.1 Motion to Approve Intergovernmental Mutual Aid Agreement for the Establishment of the Illinois Public
Health Mutual Aid System. (Approved 4-0)
13. Standing Committee: Administrative and Legislative
13.1 Motion to Approve Creation of the "Foreclosure Mediation Fund" for the Foreclosure Mediation Program to be
implemented by the by the 17th Judicial Circuit. (Approved 5-0)
13.2 Motion to Approve Boone County Holiday Schedule 2015. (Approved 5-0)
14. Standing Committee: City-County Coordinating
14.1 Motion to Approve Scope of Work from TRC for Landfill Gas Collection System repairs at Landfill #2 in the
amount of $12,750. (Budgeted)
14.2 Motion to Approve Proposal from CERONI Piping for Landfill Gas Collection System repairs amount to be
determined. (Budgeted)
14.3 Motion to Approve Ordinance 14-47 extending the Boone County Enterprise Zone until July 1, 2016.
15. Standing Committee: Public Safety
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15.1 No Motions
16. Special Committee Reports
16.1 Workforce Investment Board
16.2 Community Building
16.3 UCCI (United Counties Council of Illinois)
16.4 Farmland Protection Committee
16.5 911 Board
16.6 Other Committees
16.7 Scheduled Committee Meetings
17. Unfinished Business
17.1 Unfinished Business
18. New Business
18.1 Drug Court Grant for 2015
19. Informational Items
19.1 Informational Items
20. Executive Session
20.1 Litigation
20.2 Collective Bargaining
20.3 Land Acquisition
21. Anticipated Motions From Executive Session
21.1 Motion to Approve Collective Bargaining with the Fraternal Order of Police for the Correction's Department.
21.2 Motion to Approve Workman's Compensation Settlement with Sandra Rogers.
22. Adjournment
22.1 Adjourn the meeting