Boone County Board announces opposition to Great Lakes Basin Railroad

Adam Poulisse
Staff writer

Posted May. 13, 2016 at 12:01 AM

BELVIDERE — The Boone County Board tonight expressed opposition to the Great Lakes Basin Railroad proposal, siding with a large number of county residents who fear the project's impact on farmland and property values.

“I’d say it’s perfectly clear that the Boone County community, which is really our environment, opposes the proposed route,” County Board Chairman Bob Walberg said before announcing the board’s position.

The announcement was made during a public County Board retreat.

The board will vote Wednesday on a document outlining the county's position and offering alternative routes for the railroad.

The statement will be sent to the federal Surface Transportation Board, which has the authority to approve or reject the project, or approve it with conditions. Other affected areas, such as LaSalle County, Illinois, and Lake County, Indiana, have drafted resolutions in opposition to the project. Boone County’s statement will not be an official resolution.

The 275-mile rail line, in its current form, would cut directly through Boone County and several other communities in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana in order to provide quicker freight rail service that bypasses Chicago.

Boone board member Karl Johnson said it’s important for the county to offer clear alternatives that won’t impact the county as negatively as the current proposal.

“If we don’t offer an alternative route, and they think (Boone County) just doesn’t want it, they can just say, ‘OK, permit it the way it is,’” Johnson said.

For the past two weeks, county committees have met to discuss the potential impact of the railroad. Derailment, impact on property values, traffic issues, emergency-response delays and loss of farmland were some of the major factors cited by opponents.

“We’ve heard many of those same comments before, but this was an accumulation of all that in one session,” Walberg said after the meeting.

Sheriff Dave Ernest told the board he is opposed to the rail line.

“There really is nothing positive about the train coming (through) Boone County,” he said. “It’s not beneficial to any type of public safety. Clearly, our No. 1 concern would be our response time.”

Residents have banded together, even forming anti-railroad groups, to make sure their voices are heard. About 30 people attended Thursday’s meeting.

Scott Fowler, a resident and regular at meetings regarding the railroad, said the county’s future is at stake.

“We have to worry about future generations that grow up here and have families,” he said. “It’s not about us anymore.”

Above is from:  http://www.rrstar.com/news/20160513/boone-county-board-announces-opposition-to-great-lakes-basin-railroad

Boone County Board member Craig Schultz dies Thursday

By Adam Poulisse
Staff writer

Posted May 13, 2016 at 12:01 AM
Updated May 13, 2016 at 1:50 AM

BELVIDERE — Craig Schultz, District 3 Boone County Board member and its lone Democrat, died unexpectedly Thursday. He was 58 years old.

Schultz's death was announced by County Board Chairman Bob Walberg at the beginning of a County Board retreat focused on the Great Lakes Basin Railroad. Two moments of silence were observed.

"I think it's very sad," Walberg said after the meeting. "He was a good board member and a good person. He very much tried to do what was best for the community."

Schultz received 1,210 votes in the March primary as an uncontested Democrat for the District 3 seat. He served with three other District 3 board members, all Republicans: Sherry Branson, Kenny Freeman and Brad Stark.

Stark said Schultz's death is "a big loss."

"He didn't let party lines get in the way of things," Stark said. "He was always on the (correct) side of the issue — whatever was good for the people. On a board that was predominately Republican, he wasn't always staunchly opposed to things."

Schultz was chairman of the county's Finance Committee. While seeking re-election for a second term in the primary, he said bringing wind mills to Boone County is a major issue.

"I can't understand why we can't get it pushed through," he told the Register Star. "I'm on the Finance Committee and we struggled so hard to get our budget in line that we ignored the chance that we could add additional revenue to the county and make it more valuable."

It's up to the Boone County Democratic Central Committee to lead a search for Schultz's replacement. That will be done "as soon as possible," Committee Chairman John Gedney said.

"I'm so shocked for the family and my heart aches for them," he said. "I'm keeping all of them in my thoughts."

Adam Poulisse: 815-987-1344; apoulisse@rrstar.com; @adampoulisse

Above is from:  http://www.rrstar.com/article/20160513/NEWS/160519752/0/SEARCH

Illinois man alleges governor violated his civil rights in job application

Illinois man alleges governor violated his civil rights in job application

Louie Torres May. 11, 2016, 2:47pm

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CHICAGO — An Illinois man is suing Gov. Bruce Rauner, alleging civil rights violations in failing to publish a report regarding all applications and appointees to state boards.

Jesus Garcia filed a lawsuit April 1 in Cook County Circuit Court against Gov. Bruce Rauner alleging writ of mandaums. 

According to the complaint, on Oct. 1, 2015, Garcia suffered injuries when Rauner failed to publish the report detailing all details and the ethnic, gender and disabiility status of all applicants and appointees to state boards and commissions.

Garcia seeks an order for Rauner to comply with his duties and require that all applicants to Illinois state boards and commissions provide all personal details at the time of application. He is represented by attorneys Jorge Sanchez and Veronica Cortez of MALDEF in Chicago.

Cook County Circuit Court Case number 2016CH04650

Brown County still unclear regarding taking a stand on wind turbines

 

 

 

Above is from:  http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/2016/05/10/shirley-wind-farm-concerns-not-going-away/84192080/

County Board Member reports on proposed increase in salaries for two elected officials

Posted this am by Boone County Board member Cathy Ward.

"BOONE FINANCE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDING 5% raises for Coroner and Circuit Clerk -

That's just for next year. Both will receive at least another 2% for each of the following years of their four year terms. The full board wil vote on those proposed raises next week. The committee discussed even higher raises, but citing serious financial crisis, decided on the 5% plus. Circuit Clerk Linda Anderson, whose current salary is ...$67,845, has argued she is making much less than County Clerk Mary Steuer. Coroner Becky Wigget, whose salary is $55,316, also argued for a higher salary, saying she works 24-7. Both also get an extra bonus of $6,500 from the state plus health benefits. I argued against these raises for several reasons. Many of us paying the bill got NO increase in social security benefits, no increase in interest rates, are paying higher taxes than ever, and have heard repeatedly from the county board leaders that we have a financial crisis. Winnebago county leaders last week voted no salary hike for their elected officials, also noting financial problems. What's more, we have six unions who will be negotiating for higher wages this fall. I expect each will want at least 5% a year. Next I expect board leaders will try again to raid the public safety sales tax revenues to help balance the budget. Last year they took $800,000 from this fund that was promised to just pay off the jail. Last year, only 2% raises were given to the majority of Boone County employees. Both Anderson and Wigget just won Republican spots in the March primary. The election for both is in November. They are currently unopposed."

The Rhubarb: VFW gives final notice regarding county food permit fees

 

Thanks Lisa for this story.

 

The Rhubarb

14 hrs ·

Boone County Health Department receives final notice
By Lisa Rodgers
The Rhubarb Publisher/Editor

BOONE COUNTY-Since February of 2016 the VFW has addressed fees charged by the Boone County Health Department (BCHD) for food permits at its monthly board meetings. The blame game has gone on for months now that the fault rested with the VFW for paying an invoice sent to them by the Boone County Health Department for a food permit fee. $450 for a food permit and a $20 filing fee for a total of $470 just for 2016. The question was also raised if they were or were not a “Bona fide not-for profit” organization. At the May Boone County Board of Health meeting an offer of $412 was made to the VFW to settle the issue in regards to the food permit fees.

In Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests submitted to the BCHD is was revealed that the American Legion has only been paying the food permit filing fee of $20 unlike the VFW. The American Legion was also sent invoices but has only paid the $20 filing fee for years. Both organizations are classified by the IRS as a not-for-profit organizations. It should be noted that the FOIA’s revealed the VFW is paying significantly more for a food permit fee than other local fast food establishments.

The FOIA’s also revealed the Moose Club along with the VFW has been sent invoices as well for $450 plus a filing fee of $20 by the Boone County Health Department. The Moose Club is also a not-for-profit organization in Boone County. They like the VFW have been paying the full amount in the invoice sent to them by the Boone County Health Department.

The language in question revolves around the Boone County Code of whether or not a fee may be charged.

In Sec. 30-35. - Submission and review of plans; permits in the Boone County Code it states the following under section (h).

“(h)
Fee waiver. Bona fide not-for-profit agencies and organizations which operate food service establishments are subject to the permitting, inspection and other requirements of this Code with the exception of the payment of permit fees.”

https://www2.municode.com/…/boone…/codes/code_of_ordinances…

Please note the Boone County Code does not specify which is or is not a not-for-profit organization.

However, on the current BCHD application for a food permit the following is listed as the requirement for a waiver of fees.

“□ FEE WAIVER: In order to waive the food permit fee, you must include a copy of a current IL Dept. of Revenue “E” Tax Number OR documentation of an “umbrella” type relationship from a national organization which is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Note that tax-exempt and 501(c)(3) organizations are not exempt from late fees.”

http://www.boonecountyil.org/content/downloadable-forms

It should be noted that 501 (c)(3) organizations are NOT the only not-for-profit organizations identified by the Internal Revenue Service.

In a letter to the Editor from February 2016 Commander Kelm wrote, “Please look at these numbers. The Boone County Health Department budget. In 2014 total expenditures were: $1,134,594. Salaries and Benefits were $758,780 ---- 66.9% Hang on for this one. In 2015 total expenditures were: $1,104,141. Salaries and Benefits were $979,852 ---- 88.7% Almost a 22% increase in Salaries and Benefits. Also food permit fees for non-profit organizations has gone up 522% over the last 10 years. A question to our County Board and the Boone County Health Department Board. What the heck is going on? Do any of you care? (I personally know, a few of you do care, unfortunately you seem to be the minority)…”

The following is a letter Commander Greg Kelm has sent to the Boone County Board of Health. Permission has been given to The Rhubarb to publish this letter in full.

“Members of the Board of Health:

At our May 9th 2016 meeting VFW/Boone County Veterans Club (last night).
The issue of being charged fees that we should not have been charged since 2008 by the Boone County Health Department. The IRS letter given to health department in 2008.

After reading the opinion from Boone County State's Attorney Michelle Courier to Bill Hatfield April 26th 2016........ "a statute could prevent them from collecting".....(the key word being could).

And to quote States Attorney Courier "it is my opinion that the VFW is a nonprofit under the current definition and should not have been charged” After talking with Michelle Courier through her assistant Ms. Rohrer. "Could means could, just that" per Michelle Courier.

After presenting the $412 offer to end this matter by Ms. Branson from the May 2nd 2016 to the BCVC/VFW the board (VFW/BCVC) unanimously rejected the $412 from the board offer to settle for $3135 in wrongful fees.

Our board then unanimously voted to hire legal counsel and finally settle this matter in court. If this matter does go to court, besides the 8 years of fees, we will now ask for court costs and all our legal counsel fees, and interest from wrongfully charged fees.

If you so choose we will accept $3135 minus $200 records/database charge $20 a year for 10 years. We will accept a check for $2935 to resolve this issue if you so choose.

The VFW/BCVC board ask me to make one final attempt with a letter asking you to put this issue to rest.

Once we hire council the $2935 offer to settle will be immediately be removed.

Respectfully submitted,

Gregory W. Kelm
President of Boone County Veteran's Club 2006-2017
Commander VFW Post 1461, Belvidere, Illinois 2006-2017
Commissioner of the Boone County VAC 2012-2016”

The next Boone County Board of Health Meeting will be held at Noon on June 6, 2016 at 1204 Logan Ave. Belvidere, IL 61008.

Chuck Sweeny: The other plan to ease Chicagoland rail congestion

By Chuck Sweeny
Staff writer

Since 2003, railroads, the U.S., the state of Illinois and local governments have been working on a rail congestion solution called CREATE. That should be the priority.

 

Posted May 9, 2016 at 6:30 PM
Updated at 2:46 PM

We live on the edge of Chicagoland, the nation's third-largest metropolitan area, with 284 communities and 9.5 million people. And it's coming this way.

Chicagoland is big and sprawling and historically prosperous for a reason: People and businesses settle in transportation hubs. And back in the 1850s, Chicago's conniving leaders set out to make their new city the nation's rail hub, luring the newfangled steam contraptions to the Windy City while St. Louis was busy tending to its riverboat trade.

The Chicagoans succeeded. But the rail infrastructure to move trains was designed in a different century — the 19th. In the age of one- and two-mile long freight trains, that doesn't work too well.

Every day 500 freight trains made up of more than 37,500 freight cars, as well as 700 Metra commuter trains and Amtrak long-distance passenger trains, have to snake through Chicagoland on the lines of six railroads. That wastes time and money.

And, according to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, or CMAP, rail freight volume in Chicagoland is expected to double by 2025.

Luckily, they're doing something about it. Since 2003 there has been a public-private partnership in place to streamline Chicagoland's rail system and speed trains in, out and around. It's called CREATE, or Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program.

CREATE features 70 projects, including 25 new roadway overpasses or underpasses to eliminate grade crossings, six new rail overpasses or underpasses to separate freight and passenger tracks, 36 freight rail improvement projects, viaduct improvements, grade crossing enhancements, and integration of information from rail dispatch systems so that railroads have the same information. It is paid for by railroads, the U.S., the state of Illinois and local governments.

As of February 2015, 22 CREATE projects had been completed, with $28.3 billion in positive economic impact from reduced travel times, fuel savings and safety improvements, CMAP estimated.

The total CREATE cost is $3.8 billion, but only about a quarter of that has been committed, CMAP said in 2015.

I'm telling you this to provide some context to the controversy over a plan by Great Lakes Basin Transportation Inc. to build a privately funded $8 billion, 278-mile railroad bypass from southern Wisconsin through Boone County and southeast into Indiana.

This, too, is designed to speed trains around Chicagoland, and if rail traffic increases as CMAP predicts, there could be the traffic to warrant it in the future. The Boone County Board will discuss the Great Lakes Basin proposal at 6 p.m. Thursday at a board retreat in the Boone County Courtroom, 1212 Logan Ave., Belvidere.

On Monday, I called railroads serving Chicagoland to get their opinions of the Great Lakes Basin bypass

Patrick Waldron of Canadian National declined to comment. However, the CN bought the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern belt railroad in 2009 to better move its trains around Chicagoland. CN touts this as its "Chicago Connection."

Andy Cummings of Canadian Pacific said CP hasn't commented on the Great Lakes Basin plan. He sent me a link to CP's white paper outlining the railroad's proposal to merge with Norfolk Southern, a transaction that, among other things, "would also alleviate congestion in the key rail hub of Chicago, where gridlock in the winter of 2013-14 hobbled the industry for months and threatened to hinder the U.S. economic recovery."

Union Pacific made its position clear: "After carefully reviewing the proposal, Union Pacific determined in July 2014 that it was not interested in moving forward with a discussion on the Great Lakes Basin bypass project, an exceedingly expensive idea with no publicly identified funding sources," said Calli B. Hite, a UP spokeswoman.

Hite said the Union Pacific "is focused on several major public-private partnerships, including CREATE, which will benefit the region and enhance efficiency for Chicago-area and regional railroad operations."

If the entrepreneurs who want to build the Great Lakes Basin rail bypass can do it, great, I'm all for free enterprise. There will inevitably be traffic for it in the future. In the meantime, rail freight is down nearly 12 percent from a year ago, according to a May 4 report by the Association of American Railroads. One big reason is the decline of the coal market resulting from cheap natural gas, which travels by pipeline.

The immediate priority in my book is to get CREATE's 70 projects completed as soon as possible. That will speed freight and passenger trains, greatly reduce road traffic backups and improve Chicagoland's economy. That helps us all.

Chuck Sweeny: 815-987-1366: csweeny@rrstar.com; @chucksweeny

Above is from:  http://www.rrstar.com/article/20160509/NEWS/160509517/?Start=2