Meet Dixon’s City Commissioners | City Government | About Us

Dixon City Council

Meet Our City Commissioners

Commissioner of Finance:  Dave Blackburn
Phone:  815-288-1485
Email:  dave.blackburn@discoverdixon.org This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dave Blackburn was first elected to the Dixon City Council in 1991 and has been re-elected in 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011. He has previously served as the Commissioner of Public Health and Safety.
He is a graduate of St. Mary's School, Dixon High School, Illinois State University (BS/Polictical Science-1975), and Northern Illinois University (MPA/Public Administration-1991). He has also attended Sauk Valley Community College and done post-graduate work through Western Illinois University.
Commissioner Blackburn is employed by Dixon Public Schools #170 as Business Manager. He is also a 30 year member of the International Association of Bridge, Structural and Ornamental Iron Workers Local #498, Rockford, Illinois, although he has not worked actively at the trade for the past 13 years. He is married and has two children. He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus Council #690, the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks Lodge #779 and the Illinois Association of School Business Officials.

Commissioner of Public Property: Colleen Brechon-Vancil
Phone: 815-288-1485
Email: colleen.brechon@discoverdixon.org This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Colleen Brechon-Vancil was elected to the Council in 2011 for a four year term. She is currently the Commissioner of Public Property,  ie Water, Sewer, Cemetery and public parks and buildings.
Colleen graduated from Amboy High School and continued her education at Sauk Valley College and Northern Illinois University graduating with a degree in Business. She is the owner Travel Consultants of Dixon, Inc. working full time but with the freedom to handle the needs of her Commission in the City Council thanks to a great travel agency staff. Her past experience in volunteer work with City projects like the City petunias, Memorial pool renovation project, Dixon Tourism, and Petunia Festival prompted her run for City Council.
Colleen has two sisters, Julianne Malach who lives in Sublette and Rhonda Brechon of rural Dixon. Her parents are Arvilla Brechon or rural Dixon and Sylvester Brechon(deceased). She was married to Dennis Vancil who is deceased.
She is willing to sit down with anyone to discuss City projects or any new ideas to improve the services of the City. You can email her at Colleen@awayugo.com This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  with the subject line "City of Dixon" or call the City of Dixon 815 288-1485 to leave a message.
Commissioner of Public Health & Safety: Dennis Considine
Phone: 815-529-5100
Email:  dhconsidine@hotmail.com This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dennis Considine was elected as the Commissioner of Public Health & Safety on May 1st, 2011.
Dennis has diverse experience as a business development professional, corporate planner, and industry leader. He worked with Kline Department store for 18 years developing a community
working retail environment and team of exciting retail specialists. He is recognized as the beauty industry’s most innovated, involved, cutting edge, get-it-done educational leader for more than 23 years with Marshall Beauty Supply. Dennis has always been involved in professional and community service.
Raised in Dixon, he attended South Central School, St. Mary’s and graduated from Dixon High School. He also graduated from Ray Vogue Schools-Chicago, American Floral Art-Chicago, Massey College-Altanta, Ga.
Dennis has a vested interest in downtown Dixon businesses. He and his partner, John D. Delong are owners of Jsalon. He is a proud father of two adult children; Jennifer (Mark) Truesdale of Sterling and Jared Paul Considine (Sada Bradley), Klemath Falls, Ore. He also has two grandchildren Zach Truesdale, 14 and Jenna Truesdale, 10.
Commissioner of Streets & Public Improvements: Jeff Kuhn
Phone: 815-288-1485
Email: jeff.kuhn@discoverdixon.org This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Jeff Kuhn was elected to the Dixon City Council in 2011. He is the Streets and Public Improvement Commissioner where he oversees the maintenance of the streets of Dixon, new construction as well as the snow removal, repair and rebuilding of the current streets.
He attended the Oregon, Illinois, schools before graduating from Illinois State University in 1973 with a degree in Junior High Education. Jeff later earned a Masters degree in education from Northern Illinois University in 1977 plus advanced study courses. He taught in the Dixon Public Schools at Washington, Madison and Reagan Middle School for a total of 33 years retiring in 2006. While at the schools he taught junior high Math, History and Government. He was a member of National Education Association, Illinois Education Association and Dixon Education Association where he served in many offices including negotiator and Association President.
Jeff is married and has two children. His local involvement includes membership in Dixon Evening Lions Club, Dixon Petunia Festival where he served as a President, Dixon Veterans Park, Dixon Elks Lodge #779 where he is a local and district officer, Illinois Education Association-Retired and the Lee County Emergency Food and Shelter Program. He is also a member of the Stewardship Committee for the First United Methodist Church.

Meet Our City Commissioners | City Government | About Us

Audit: Overhaul workers’ comp system for IL workers | Illinois Statehouse News

 

Audit: Overhaul workers’ comp system for IL workers

April 25, 2012

By Jayette Bolinski | Illinois Statehouse News

SPRINGFIELD — Illinois’ Workers’ Compensation Program has “numerous shortcomings” and is “ill designed to protect the state’s best interests,” according to a state audit released Wednesday.

Auditor General Bill Holland’s report urges lawmakers to change the program for state employees because of “extensive problems.”

Between 2007 and 2010, state workers filed 26,101 workers’ compensation claims with more than half from the state Departments of Human Services and Corrections:

• 1,180 claims — the highest number from any state agency — from Chester Mental Health Center,
• 869 claims from Menard Correctional Center in Chester — the most of any corrections facility.

The state paid out a total of more than $295 million during that time frame. Sprains and contusions accounted for three-quarters of all injuries.

The audit identified problems within the Workers’ Compensation Commission and the state’s Central Management Service, or CMS, both of which oversee the workers’ compensation program. Among the findings:

• The commission failed to review arbitrators’ performance annually and had no guidelines for how arbitrators were to award compensation for particular injuries, causing inconsistencies.
• CMS negotiated settlements with injured employees’ attorneys, made decisions about compensation without appropriate forms and had no policies to address conflicts of interest by those who handle workers’ compensation claims for the state.

Also, the review board that investigates complaints against arbitrators and commissioners did not meet for three and a half years.

The audit also says the Illinois Attorney General’s Office had no policies for handling workers’ compensation cases referred to it.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan said her office does have policies regarding fraud and misconduct.

“We’ve always had comprehensive policies in place that mandate (assistant attorneys general) report any conduct they believe may constitute a violation of law," she said. "These written policies require reporting all potential illegal or improper conduct—not just limited to fraud in workers’ compensation cases—and conform with our ethical obligations as attorneys.”

Both CMS and the Workers' Compensation Commission indicated in the auditor's report that they plan to address or have begun addressing most of the audit’s recommendations.

Source:  Audit: Overhaul workers’ comp system for IL workers | Illinois Statehouse News

Wages of Townships, County and City

The entire State of Illinois is available at:

 

Belvidere Township: 2010-2000 Arranged by $ Value

BOONE COUNTY:  2010 Arranged by $ Value

Boone County Government Retired:

Belvidere Township Meeting tonight April 24, 2012

 

FYI: I did not receive an agenda this week, but the Belvidere Township meeting is at 5 pm tonight..

The following is listed on the agenda:

The news letter is on old business and for New Business they have listed Fiber optic cable

and also New Med an for BCCOA.

They may talk about the budget and the news letter

ComEd ready to install 4 million smart meters in IL | Illinois Statehouse News

Smart meters increase costs to consumer now  will it decrease rates later?

Anthony Brino | Illinois Statehouse News

SPRINGFIELD — Commonwealth Edison, northern Illinois’ electricity utility, unveiled plans Monday to install 4 million digital smart meters during the next decade.

Smart meters record energy usage, displaying the information for homeowners and transmitting the data back to the utility.

Anne Pramaggiore, president and CEO of Commonwealth Edison, or ComEd, said in a news release that "customers will be able to see for themselves the benefits of this exciting technology as they take greater control over their energy consumption."

The smart meters are expected to increase annual electricity costs by an average of $36 annually for ComEd customers and $3.40 for customers of Ameren, southern Illinois’ utility.

But over time the smart meters will pay for themselves, as consumers and the utility reduce wasted electricity, said David Kolata, executive director of the Illinois Consumer Utility Board.

Although the Consumer Utility Board opposed last year's legislation permitting the smart meters and allowing Ameren and ComEd to raise rates to pay for $3.2 billion in grid upgrades, Kolata said he's "cautiously optimistic" about ComEd's plan.

While ComEd's 10-year time frame to install the smart meters is too long, Kolata said, it's "significantly better" than Ameren’s, unveiled earlier this month. Ameren only plans to install smart meters for about 60 percent of its customers.

According to ComEd, a subsidiary of the Chicago-based Exelon Corporation, the smart meters will help reduce power outages by 20 percent over the next 10 years and reduce theft by 50 percent.

ComEd ready to install 4 million smart meters in IL | Illinois Statehouse News