Boone County Journal is available free of cost at merchants across the county. It is also available on line at: http://www.boonecountyjournal.com/news/2015/Boone-County-News-01-30-15.pdf#page=1
Mainstream’s four page letter is available on this blog at: http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2015/01/mainstream-details-their-opposition-to.html
The”old” proposed text amendment is available on this blog at: http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2015/01/another-text-amendment-on-winda-half.html
Because of questions regarding appointments--the resumes and letters requesting appointment were requested under the Freedom on Information Act. See the FOIA request and results below:
To
Ken Terrinoni
CC
Bob Walberg
Jan 26 at 3:58 PM
Chairman Walberg did not supply to the County Board all the resumes and application letters for the appointments approved on January 21, 2015. How can the board “advise” the chairman without this information. Mr. Walberg’s majority may blindly vote for his appointments but that does not mitigate board responsibilities. If in the future all applications are supplied to board perhaps they will comply with their advisory responsibilities.
If the board is not interested in the qualification of appointees I know the public may be.
Under the Freedom of Information Act please supply all application letters and resumes for all applicants to the appointments listed below:
Boone County Regional Planning Commission, Housing Authority of the County of Boone, Capron Cemetery Association, Capron Cemetery Association
This information may be posted on my inter net blog which is free of advertisement. This information has no commercial value to me.
BILL PYSSON
The following is the information received:
If anyone wishes to see the tax records of a local tax-exempt this IRS source is a good starting point.
NOTE: Each of these questions is interactive; Click on the question and your browser will automatically go to IRS’ answer.
Tax-exempt organizations must make annual returns and exemption applications filed with the IRS available for public inspection and copying upon request. In addition, the IRS makes these documents available. The questions below relate to the public disclosure and availability of documents filed by tax-exempt organizations with the IRS.
A. Questions about Requirements for Exempt Organizations to Disclose IRS Filings to the General Public
- In general, what public disclosure requirements apply to tax-exempt organizations?
- What organizations are tax-exempt organizations for purposes of the law requiring that certain tax documents be disclosed and copies of those documents be provided to persons requesting them?
- What tax documents must an exempt organization make available for public inspection and copying?
- What does the disclosure law require a tax-exempt organization to do?
- What does the IRS consider to be a reasonable charge for copying costs, which an exempt organization may charge for copies of tax documents covered by public disclosure requirements?
- What are our organization’s public disclosure obligations for the Form 990?
- Are organizations that are not required to provide copies of their exemption applications also exempt from the requirement to provide copies of annual returns to requesters?
- What disclosure laws apply to private foundations?
- Is a tax-exempt organization required to disclose the names or addresses of its contributors?
- Is there an exception to the requirement that an exempt organization provide copies of its exemption application and annual returns?
- If an organization makes it documents widely available must it make the documents available for public inspection?
- What are the penalties for failure to comply with the disclosure requirements, and who must pay them?
- If a request for copies of exempt organizations documents is not fulfilled, to whom may the requester complain?
- What disclosures is a charitable organization required to make to its donors?
- What disclosures must an exempt organization, other than a charity, make to its donors?
- Is personal identifying information provided on an exempt organization return subject to public disclosure?
- How can I obtain a copy of an organization's annual return or exemption application?
- What should I do if an exempt organization will not let me see its Form 990 or 990-T returns or exemption application materials?
- How will the public get access to information on the e-Postcard?
B. Questions about Requirements that the IRS Make Exempt Organizations Filings Available for Public Inspection and Copying
- How can one get a copy of an organization's exemption application or annual information return from the IRS?
- Is personal identifying information provided on an exempt organization return subject to public disclosure?
- How will the public get access to information on the e-Postcard?
View and print all FAQs (Adobe).
Page Last Reviewed or Updated: 18-Jun-2014
Above is from: Exempt Organization Public Disclosure and Availability Requirements
01/23/2015 10:13 PM
01/23/2015 10:31 PM
PONTIAC - The public has played a big part in the hearings for wind farms, around Livingston County.
PONTIAC - The public has played a big part in the hearings for wind farms, around Livingston County.
"We don't want to shut anyone off, hope we haven't yet. We don't intend to,” said Bob Young, vice chairman of the Livingston County Board. “We want everything out, try to be as honest as we can be."
For months, the debate has raged on: Is it worthwhile to add 136 wind turbines all over the county, which would nearly double the current total?
"There’ve been, like you said four or five meetings (normally) but this one there's a lot of emotion,” explained Young.
That emotion is coming from both sides,but Invenergy, the company that's looking to get the permits, does not consider the three hours per, three times a week meetings as an unnecessary evil.
"The more people know about the benefits, you know, of hosting a wind energy facility, with the economic infusion it brings through tax revenue and jobs, the better,” said Kevin Parzyck, Invenergy’s Vice President of Business Development.
Signs are up all over town, with people who are not blown away by the proposal. Many have said it could disrupt their way of life.
"They're concerned about the market value of their homes, they're concerned about health issues, wind noise, and they're very sincere,” said Young.
Invenergy says it will continue to bring in experts to help soothe whatever issues the public may be facing.
"I think it's been a very fair discussion,” said Parzyck. “There are disagreements, but it's in no way hostile. I think it's a very constructive discussion."
And one that could have maybe 11 more hearings before the process is over. The first will be Monday at Pontiac Township High School. The rest will be at the Walton Center in Fairbury.
Once these hearings are finished, the zoning board of appeals will make its recommendation to the county board. For the time being, the county won't allow anyone else to apply for permits, until at least June.
by NAW Staff Thursday October 23 2014
Commonwealth Edison's (ComEd) Grand Prairie Gateway Project, a transmission line that is expected to remove wind energy bottlenecks in Illinois, has received approval by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC).
According to the company, the line will extend for 60 miles across Ogle, Dekalb, Kane and DuPage counties. The new line will create immediate customer savings by reducing grid congestion, increasing customers' access to lower-cost generation, including wind power. Construction is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of next year, and the line is expected to be in service in 2017.
"As the competitive electricity market expands, transmission lines become congested over time, just like highways do as the communities around them grow," says Terence Donnelly, ComEd executive vice president and chief operating officer. "This congestion impedes the flow of low-cost energy, increasing the cost of delivering that energy to our customers, and we’re obligated to solve that problem. We are pleased that the Commission has recognized the need for this important new line, which will offset those increases just as soon as it’s energized."
The line will expand ComEd customers' access to generation by approximately 1 GW, providing greater access to clean energy.
"Congestion on the system is inhibiting the lowest cost generating plants – like wind – from getting power to customers that want it," says Sean Brady, regional policy manager of Wind on the Wires. "These bottlenecks force wind farms to operate less efficiently and restrain the future development of more environmentally friendly wind generation in Illinois, so this project will further promote a competitive marketplace and the continued growth of wind power."
The 345kV electric transmission line will be constructed between ComEd's existing substations near the communities of Byron and Wayne. The route would begin at the Byron substation and run east until Plato Center in Kane County, where the line would run southeast along railroad corridors to the substation near Wayne. The project adds a third major transmission path across the ComEd territory, which also enhances reliability, particularly during extreme weather events.
The need for the project was first identified as part of the annual regional planning process managed by PJM Interconnection, the regional transmission organization that plans and operates the ComEd transmission system.
North American Windpower: ICC Approves Key Illinois Transmission Line
By Rich Egger
Developers are not worried even though it’s been six years since plans were unveiled for a wind farm in Warren and McDonough Counties.
A central Illinois wind farm
Credit Rich Egger
“Sometimes people forget how significant of a construction project we’re trying to do here,” said consultant Barry Fladeboe.
“I think when you look at the scale and the overall capital invested, a wind farm is about the same type of investment as many skyscrapers. So if you think about it like that, it’s a pretty neat project to bring out to a rural area.”
He said the wind farm will likely be “at least a $250 million capital raising effort.” Fladeboe said most of the costs go into the turbines. He said the towers are all steel and it’s expensive to build and erect each turbine.
Fladeboe said it’s typical to be four-to-seven years into a development before something happens. So the development cycle is “very normal” for this project, which is called Cardinal Point.
“We’re very excited about 2016, ’17, and ’18,” he said.
“The primary reason this project hasn’t been built yet is simply that no one in Illinois has been buying power from renewable energy for the past couple of years.”
It’s not known when construction will begin. Fladeboe said the project is in an advanced development stage. He said most of the permits are in place. What's now needed is a power purchase agreement, ie, a contract with a company that will buy the energy produced.
The project was initially proposed by Eco-Energy. Element Power took over about five years ago, and it recently sold the project to Canada-based Capitol Power. Fladeboe has worked on it for both Element and Capitol.
Kim Pierce, Executive Director of the Macomb Area Economic Development Corporation (MAEDCO), said the project could benefit from the new ownership.
“Capitol Power is in the wind business. Element Power, while they’re a great company, that was not what their emphasis was,” said Pierce.
She said even though the project has changed names and owners a few times, she remains optimistic it will come to fruition.
Plans Continue for Western Illinois Wind Farm | Tri States Public Radio
