Boone board delays peaker plant verdict - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

This appeared in the ROCKFORD Register Star on Thursday, February 12, 2009.  Below, I have  cut and pasted the article in case you have trouble reaching the link.

Boone board delays peaker plant verdict - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

 

By Kevin Haas

RRSTAR.COM

Posted Feb 12, 2009 @ 12:46 AM

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BELVIDERE —

Boone County Board members delayed a decision Wednesday that could bring a peaker power plant to rural Boone County.
The board voted 9-3 to postpone the decision to its next meeting after some members felt more research was needed into the plant’s effect on property values, among other things.
“We owe it to the property owners around the project, we owe it to the citizens of Boone County ... to make sure we are completely informed and make an educated decision,” said Anthony Dini, board member.
Developers said the delayed vote does not push back their plans to start construction in fall 2010 and bring the plant online by May 2012.
“There’s a lot of work we have to do. We have nine to 12 months of permitting to go forward with,” said Jeff Greig, vice president of Burns & McDonnell, the architectural and engineering firm behind the project.
Power Ventures Group LLC wants to bring a 100-megawatt natural-gas fired peaking power plant to a 20-acre site east of Garden Prairie Road and south of Interstate 90 in eastern Boone County.
The facility is intended to operate during times of high energy demand — especially hot summer days — to provide stable electric power to the region.
The facility is bordered by I-90 to the north, but otherwise surrounded by farmland. Neighbors to the would-be project said the sound and sight of 12 exhaust stacks, which could be as tall as 75 feet, will lower their property values. They also don’t want to see prime agricultural land lost.
It has board members weighing whether the good of creating construction jobs and a higher property-tax base outweighs the loss of farmland.
The facility would employ four to eight people once online but would create about 125 construction jobs at its peak, developers said.
“I understand the country is going through a rough time right now, as is our community, and nation. But what about all the years that my neighbors and I have contributed valuable tax money to our economy? Does that not count for anything?” said Kevin Ernesti, a neighbor who opposes the project. “Farmland is becoming scarcer every day. You can’t make more farmland. What we have is all we will ever have.”
Staff writer Kevin Haas can be reached at 815-544-3452 or khaas@rrstar.com.

Will you be allowed to view the slides from the School District 100’s State of the District Finance Address?

Update:  Permission has been granted. See the posting on District 100 Watchdog:  http://district100watchdog.blogspot.com/2009/02/state-of-district-100-finances-address.html  Dr. Michael Houselog’s exact words from his email are:  “Last night(2-17-2009) the Belvidere School Board approved the minutes of the February 10, 2009 Business Services Meeting. Thus you are granted permission to post that document on your blog.”

 

 

On Tuesday , February 10, 2009  James E. Metz, District 100 Consultant,  and Scott Smith, PMA Financial Network Account Executive,  presented a State of  District Finances to the general public and  the  Employee Associations for District 100.  There were fifteen pages of graphs,  assumptions and findings.  If you were there you could have obtained a copy of the presentation.  I would like to show you this presentation which I have in my possession but I am currently being prevented by PMA’s oral warning.  Please read my letter to District 100 Board.   What do you think?  Should the taxpayers’ be allowed to view these fifteen pages of the presentation?

Below is my letter to the Board of Education, the cover for the presentation, PMA’s Disclaimer to the report, and some web information on PMA’s services.  Click to enlarge the photocopy

 

Don’t Forget about your children and grandchildren—Recycle

Take a look at this new free program from  Best Buy to recycle all your old small appliances and electronics.  Please check your local Best Buy and recycle.

Click on picture to make larger.

Assisted-living center would be a Belvidere first - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

Here is the last that the news media has spoken on the  Glen of Belvidere.

Assisted-living center would be a Belvidere first - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

2 off Belvidere School Board ballot - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

Here is the latest as to what happen to Ms. Hathaway and myself.

2 off Belvidere School Board ballot - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

The Saga of the Mystery Grant: Discovery of A letter of Understanding

You may wish to review the following earlier stories, to fully appreciate all the facts:

http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2009/01/mystery-grant.html

http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2009/01/light-into-sewer.html

http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2009/01/mystery-grant-is-actually-phoenix.html

http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2009/01/register-stars-take-on-phoenix-project.html

http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2009/01/update-on-sewer-grant.html

Even though many board members and the grant writer were not aware of it,  a memorandum of understanding does exist  between Boone County and the Kensington  Group.  I have copies of it below:  Click to enlarge.

 

From what I can gather, if the sewer extension grant is approved the assisted living project will begin before the end of Summer 2009.  That means that a lease agreement for the land must be signed before the digging begins.  While such real estate negotiations can be done in closed session, I believe that the public should know what is the board’s intention.  Will this lease be at fair market value or will it be considered another  financial incentive for the owners of the assisted living facility?  The county board has already pledged $110,000 which is held in two charitable trusts as a donation towards this project.(See photocopy below, click to enlarge)  Are there additional costs to the taxpayers?  What is the worth of the eight acres? At $50,000 an acre that is $400,000?  It is next  to the land fill, does that make it worthless?  With water and sewer, should not the land value be quite high?

Kensington Group also owns and operates Northwoods Nursing Home.  The real estate tax assessment at that institution has been in a appeal status since 2003 and still has not been finally adjudicated.  Is it not reasonable to negotiate a mutually agreed assessment for this facility prior to signing a lease for the land?  Such action is being done in regards to the Peaker Energy Zoning Request, why not here with the lease to the assisted living facility?

Rockford School District #205 dismisses objection to candidacy

This is from today’s Rockford Register Star.  Mr. Salgado requested dismissal for reasons  similar to my request.  (See my request, posting of 2/9/2009 from the District 100 Watchdog---  http://district100watchdog.blogspot.com/2009/02/hearing-date-400-pm-monday-february-9.html   Click on picture to make larger.