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-01-23-15.pdf#page=1
Editorial on Wind Turbine Ordinance.
Regional Planning Commission opposes text amendment 3-2. Next Zoning Board of Appeals on January 27.
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Progress on the animal service building
The low bid is from Park RIdge Community Bank—it is 1.33+ PERCENT.
This is very interesting in as much the administration indicated that a bond issue would cost the county too much to negotiate.
Above is from: http://www.boarddocs.com/il/boone/Board.nsf/files/9SZEU86E2836/$file/Financing%20Bids_201501211357.pdf
Posted Nov. 28, 2014 @ 6:00 pm
As a Boone County resident/taxpayer and previous business owner, I would like to respond to a recent article in the Rockford Register Star regarding the new Boone County Animal Control Facility.I find it interesting that Illinois business people feel that local contracts should be given to an Illinois business with little or no experience in the proposed project field.Instead of challenging the decision, they need to go back to the conference room and analyze why they lost the contract and prepare for the next opportunity.I commend the Boone County board for selecting an architect with experience in the design and building animal control facilities in other states as well as Illinois. That experience will be incorporated into the specifications of the proposed facility.Local contractors will have an opportunity to bid on all or parts of the project.It is a win/win for the taxpayer, Boone County, employees, volunteers and the animals.— Bob Christianson, Belvidere
Letter: A win/win for everyone - Opinion - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL
By Ben Stanley
Rockford Register Star
Posted Oct. 29, 2014 @ 8:00 am
Updated at 10:23 AMBELVIDERE — A proposition to change the way Belvidere Board of Education members are elected will be on the Nov. 4 ballot.As it stands, four of the board’s seven members must live in Belvidere Township and three must come from the four remaining townships in the district. The proposition is to elect all board members at-large, which means it wouldn’t matter where board members live as long as they reside within the school district.Ten of the 13 school districts in Boone and Winnebago counties elect school board members at-large, according to Boone Winnebago Regional Office of Education Office Manager Tom McCullough. Belvidere, Durand and Rockford school districts are the only three that elect board members differently. Voters in Durand will also be asked this election whether or not all school board members should be elected at-large.Superintendent Michael Houselog said that one reason the Belvidere School District decided to pursue at-large elections is to make it easier to appoint board members in case of a resignation.Currently, the district must fill a vacancy with someone who meets the same residency requirement.“For vacancies, it’s made it very difficult,” Houselog said of the district’s current school board election system. “In the past, we haven’t had people to fill those positions. We had people ready and able but they weren’t from the right township.”Boone County Board member Bill Pysson said that he suggested the district pursue at-large elections for Belvidere Board of Education members nearly two decades ago, but has since changed his mind and would rather keep the current election system in place.“I find it very surprising that the board is trying to do this,” Pysson said. “There’s an overrepresentation of board members that reside in the Belvidere North high school subdistrict ... Belvidere High School does not really have a representative on the board.”According to Pysson, the current township residency restrictions were put in place more than 50 years ago when several subdistricts in School District 100 merged.“When they merged, some of those townships really wanted to make sure that their voice would be heard, so the requirement that there be some non-Belvidere Township representation was put into the merger requirements,” Pysson said.
Above is from: Belvidere could change way school board is elected - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL
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Comment from this article on District 100 Watchdog: http://district100watchdog.blogspot.com/2014/10/belvidere-could-change-way-school-board.html
Allison Reid-Niemiec said... The concern over 50 years ago was to make sure non-Belvidere township had a "voice" on the school board. The same concern is just as valid today as it was 50 years ago. In regards to Superintendent Houselog's statements, I offer the following. Since June 2010, there have been 4 board resignations: 1) Ted Stenerson in June 2010 (seat filled by Robert Torbert appointed July 2010); 2) John Powell in Aug. 2012 (seat filled by Larry Cunningham appointed Sept. 2012); 3) Larry Cunningham in June 2013 (seat filled by Ron Ramos appointed July 2013); and 4) Ron Ramos (seat filled by Jason Colson appointed Oct. 2013). The fact that the seats were each filled by the board, within 30 days, directly refutes Superintendent Houselog’s statement, “In the past, we haven’t had people to fill those positions. We had people ready and able but they weren’t from the right township.” Is Superintendent Houselog saying the individuals that filled the vacated seats were not “ready and able?” I am also unsure who Superintendent Houselog is referring to as “we” in his statement. “We” cannot be the school board as he is not a voting board member, nor does he have the authority to appoint members to open seats. As for the Boone/Winnebago Regional Office of Education Office Manager Tom McCullough’s statement that 10 of 13 school districts in Boone/Winnebago elect board members at-large, this is inaccurate. There is a minimum of 4 districts that do not vote at-large. Pecatonica #321 being another district that is divided into townships and elected by township. The remaining 9 of 13 districts vote at-large, but with election differences between each district. Some vote at-large, but do so because they are not divided into townships (e.g., Hononegah #207); some districts are divided into townships, vote-at large, but are restricted by total number of members from any one township (e.g., Winnebago #323); some are not divided into townships, vote at-large, but have a limit on number of members from a congressional district (e.g., North Boone #200); and some districts are divided into townships and vote at-large (e.g., Prairie Hill #133). Outside of Boone/Winnebago County, Marengo #154 and Genoa Kingston #424 both vote at-large, but are also not divided into townships. The rationale for this proposition is both unsupported by facts and is inaccurate. Why are we, as taxpayers and community members, being told untruths? Why is this an acceptable practice? What is the true rationale and what are we not being told?
October 29, 2014 at 10:04 PM
If the proposition passes on Nov. 4th, ALL school board members COULD live within a 1 mile radius of each other. Do you feel communication, consistency, and compliance would be compromised if this was to happen?
Above are from PASS—Parents Advocating Students and Staff. SEE: https://www.facebook.com/parentspass
Dear Community Representatives and Community Members:
We, the executive board of PASS (Parents Advocating for Students and Staff), would like to request a few minutes of your time to review the following information. It is our intention to equip community members from all townships with the tools to make well-informed decisions when voting in the Nov. 4, 2014 election. Our main focus is the proposition/referendum which could significantly change the way in which school board members are elected as it directly correlates to fair representation for our students and staff of District #100.
The proposition will be listed on the ballot as follows: Shall the members of the Board of Education of Belvidere Community Unit School District 100 be elected at large and without restriction by area of residence within the District?
The proposition, if passed, has the potential to eradicate school board representation from smaller, outlying townships and the current guaranteed 3 seats would no longer exist. PASS is significantly concerned with this potential change. We feel the views and concerns of community members living outside the City of Belvidere and Belvidere Township may be quite different as they may relate to other impactful issues such as school start/end times; curricular programming; school closures; and building sites/usage. We do not want to lose your input on issues such as these.
The following information is being provided to increase awareness as it pertains to the proposition/referendum:
1. It must receive the majority of votes in EACH township to pass.
2. It is the last question on the ballot.
3. If the proposition passes, ALL of the following will happen:
a. ALL 7 school board seats will be up for election in April 2015.
b. 3 of the 7 board members elected in April 2015 will serve a 2-year term.
c. ALL 7 board members COULD live within the same neighborhood and/or township.
d. There will be no unopposed campaigns.
e. There will be NO guaranteed board seats for the smaller, less populated townships.
f. Board composition based on statistical representation of the Belvidere population will NO longer be guaranteed.
g. Guaranteed representation for each of the two high schools will cease to exist.
4. If the proposition does not pass, the following will happen:
a. 3 of the 7 school board seats will be up for election in April 2015.
b. 2 of the 3 seats up for election will be representatives outside of Belvidere Township (those two seats are currently filled by Jason Colson and Dan Wilson).
c. 1 of the 3 seats up for election will be a representative from Belvidere Township (that seat is currently filled by President Mike Rathbun).
d. The 3 members elected in April 2015 will serve a 4-year term.
In the previous 2013 election, 2 of the 5 board seats up for election were guaranteed to townships outside of Belvidere Township. The 2 candidates ran unopposed. Those two seats, currently filled by Kelly Diamond and Jason Colson, are the only two seats currently representing BHS and its feeder schools.
In order to obtain the information regarding the upcoming proposition/referendum, the following individuals have been contacted with their stated purpose and/or involvement:
1. Mary Steurer, Boone County Clerk,for number of registered voters.
2. Michael Houselog, District #100 Superintendent,for district rationale for proposition.
3. Regional Office of Education for Winnebago and Boone Counties for information regarding District #100's process for proposition recommendation to the board.
Please see attachments as we have included the compiled information for your review.
We would encourage you to -
1. Review this email and all attached documents.
2. Contact us through email or Facebook with any questions.
3. Get to know PASS at www.facebook.com/parentspass.
4. Share this email with fellow voters and community members.
5. Vote in the Nov. 4th election.
Thank you for your time and attention to this concerning matter. We support the true meaning of Belvidere Community Unit School District and are committed to consistency in township equality for board representation.
Thank you,
Lisa Whitcomb, PASS President
Racheal Morse, PASS Vice-president
Allison Reid-Niemiec, PASS Secretary/Compliance Officer
EMAIL bill.pysson@gmail.com and I will send the attachments.
Well here is a memo to Mr. Terrinoni from June in which the deadline is discussed. Note today is the very last day.
Meeting
Aug 18, 2014 - Regular Meeting of the Board of Education - 6:00 pm
Category
G. Board Action and Discussion
Subject
3. Adoption of a Resolution providing for and requiring the submission of the proposition of the election of School Board Members at Large and without restriction by area of residence within the District on the November 4, 2014 General Election Ballot
Type
Action
This could have a major effect on future real estate taxes in District 100.
Referendum wording
"Shall the extension limitation under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law for the North Suburban Public Library District, Winnebago and Boone Counties, Illinois, be increased from the lesser of 5% or the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index over the prior levy year to 20.5% for the 2014 levy year?"
»
Residents who own homes valued at $100,000 would continue to pay about $74.20 in taxes to the library district. If the referendum was voted down it would only decrease on part of the library tax bill - for a homeowner with the $100,000 house it would mean a drop of $14.64, down to $59.56.
Read more: http://www.rrstar.com/article/20140206/News/140209644#ixzz2sqv4jG2U
Here is the list of the heavy hitters who are paying the lion’s share of the mailing campaign. I wonder if any of these individuals are holding those 9%, non-callable bonds?
The following is taken from the Illinois Board of Election: http://www.elections.state.il.us/campaigndisclosure/CommitteeDetail.aspx?id=25051
Written by Bob Balgemann
The three-cent tax levy would cost someone with a $100,000 home about $8.20 a year. For a home valued at $150,000, the cost would be $13.20….
There are an estimated 3,400 veterans living in Boone County and she said they cannot seek assistance from commissions in the area because each county is supposed to have one.
County Administrator Ken Terrinoni said previously the tax would generate about $280,000 a year for the commission.
Click on the following to read all of this article: County officials urged to rally behind veterans referendum | Belvidere Daily Republican
By Jennifer Wheeler
The board gave its approval tonight the “county school facility tax," which would provide another source of revenue to pay off an anticipated $179 million in bond and interest payments owed after fixing and constructing new schools.
The county school facility tax would increase the 6.75 percent sales tax to 7.75 percent. Vehicles, medicine and groceries are exempt.
Tax revenue generated would be used to pay off these bonds by 2025. Without it, the school district must rely on property taxes to pay the debt.
….Without the sales tax, residents who own homes valued at $100,000 are expected to see a property tax increase to $358 in 2013 to $697 in 2019
Of the $2.7 million generated, $2.2 million would go to Belvidere School District
Click on the following to read the entire story: http://www.rrstar.com/updates/x736424446/Belvidere-School-Board-backs-a-higher-sales-tax
It only failed by 19 votes,” is the way Village President John Neitzel looked at the matter. The final result was 281-262 against aggregation.
Officials believe a more concerted effort to provide voters with the facts on the program would pay off in the long run. But agreeing on the best way to get the word out will take a little while longer.
Click on the following to read the entire article: Poplar Grove eyes second referendum on electric aggregation | Belvidere Daily Republican
As of yet neither the city of Belvidere nor Boone County has provided citizens much information on the electric aggregation referendum. Below courtesy of City Barbs is a reading list regarding the issue. In addition I recommend City Barb’s posting of “Municipal Electrical Aggregation and You” at: http://www.citybarbs.com/2011/12/28/municipal-electrical-aggregation-you/#more-10472
Click on the following sources:
CUB Facts: Community Aggregation
Why municipal aggregation does not maximize savings:
Municipal Aggregation in Illinois: Five Things You Should Not Ignore
Shocking electricity prices follow deregulation
Municipal Aggregation & Retail Competition in the Ohio Energy Sector
The Case (for and) Against Multi-Level Marketing
Beware the “Main Street Bubble” of Multi-Level Marketing groups without U.S. Government Protection
By CHELSEA McDOUGALL - cmcdougall@nwherald.com
Created: Friday, October 28, 2011 5:30 a.m. CDT
WOODSTOCK – It appears Woodstock could be the next municipality to jump on the electrical aggregation bandwagon.
Voters could be asked this spring whether the City should seek lower electricity rates on residents’ behalf….
The measure would lock residents into the new energy rate for three years and “wouldn’t shift the rate of power with inflationary pull,” Sager said, meaning residents’ rates wouldn’t go up in a rising electricity market, but they also wouldn’t go down when the market declines.
The council must approve the measure to be placed on the ballot as a city-wide referendum to be voted on in March. To be on the ballot it has to be approved by early January. It is slated to be on the Council’s agenda Nov. 15.
Educating residents about the process will be key to success with the program, Sager said……
Several other local communities also are pursuing aggregation, including McHenry County, Cary, Marengo and Lakewood. Harvard and Fox River Grove already went to referendum and have locked in lower rates.
Twenty-four municipalities served by ComEd have put referendums on the ballot, and 21 of those passed, according to the Illinois Municipal League and a city report.
Click on the following to read the entire story: http://www.nwherald.com/2011/10/27/woodstock-mulls-energy-aggregation-referendum/a1zigjs/?page=2
The following is taken from the October 7, 2011 Boone County Journal.
The paid advertizing below was published in the Shopper and a similar “Letter to the Editor” was printed in the Boone County Journal. Mr. Mattison supplies a summary of how the Public Safety Building sales tax was intended to only pay for the expansion of the jail and how it has been used for “non-intended purposes” since 2004. Board member/2010 candidate Anderson, Dini, Larson and Glass voted to continue use of the tax for the “non-intended” uses. Board member/2010 candidate Freeman and Hartwig voted against “non-intended use”. Peggy Malone, wife of 2010 candidate for county board, Tim Malone, voted against “non-intended” use of the PSB Sales Tax.
BOONE COUNTY
Poplar Grove is asking to levy a new tax for police protection purposes and “have an additional tax of 0.6 percent of the equalized assessed value.” That would be an estimated additional $199.98 for single-family residences valued at $100,000.
The Garden Prairie Street Light District wants an additional “0.06987 percent above the limiting rate for levy year 2009.”
Property tax referendums on ballots in tri-county area - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
