A reader of this blog sent Tutty an audio clip from last week's Mayor's Report as broadcast on WFRL, 1570 AM.
Freeport Mayor George Gaulrapp announced to listeners that "I don't read the blogs," The Mayor continued by saying,"The people that go on the blogs--you know what--they thumb their nose at everybody, they have nothing positive or good to say about our community."
Tutty didn't expect that Mayor Gaulrapp reads this blog, Tutty tries to write this blog at about the level of a college freshmen and not all people are skilled enough readers to read at that level.
Tutty wants people to know that Tutty loves Freeport. Tutty would not continue to haunt this area if Tutty didn't love it and its people. As a ghost, Tutty can set up shop any where in the world, but he chooses Freeport in beautiful Northwest Illinois.
As far as "positive and good" comments go, Tutty started this blog because the mainstream Freeport media is totally void of any intelligent, critical thinking. They, the Journal-Standard and local radio (all the local radio stations are owned by the same owner) seem to think that media's job is to provide the public with fluffy human interest stories and other forms of promotional tid bits. It is very difficult to distinguish the content from the commercial.
All forms of political and social chicanery are possible with a deaf and dumb public.
For a democracy to continue to succeed as such, the public needs much more than a steady diet of public relations. Which is basically all local media feeds the Freeport public. Just today the Journal-Standard ran a story about a public hearing tomorrow night for the 82-page "Comprehensive Land Use Plan" for the City of Freeport. Not once did the article quote from the plan or provide any analytics from the plan. Nor did the article do what Tutty is about to do, provide you with a link to the actual document. It's nearly 40 megabytes so it may take a while to load, depending upon your system.
http://www.ci.freeport.il.us/Ordinances%20&%20Resolutions/Draft%20Comprehensive%20Plan100509.pdf
The Journal-Standard did not give citizens adequate time to know about the public hearing much less research the lengthy document. The "news" article did not even say where members of the public could find a copy of the document to review. This is public relations on behalf of City Hall, nothing else. Even if it done by innocent ignorance, the Journal-Standard does little more promote than promote the agenda of the powerful. Something good journalism is suppose to protect the public from.
When there is no type of public critical thinking, no investigative journalism, politicians can become entrenched. Entrenched politicians prefer a media system whereby they are never publicly challenged. A job where they never have to answer to their bosses.
Tutty will continue this blog because Freeport and Northwest Illinois needs it. The people of this area need much more in the way of useful information if they are expected to fully take part in the democratic system that we tout to the rest of the world as a societal model. This blog, Tutty hopes, is only the beginning of a much more informed and involved Freeport constituency.
Tutty thinks that's a positive goal. Don't you?
If you like this post, e-mail it to Mayor Gaulrapp at freeportmayor@cityoffreeport.org and tell him that while he might not read the blogs, you do, and you vote.
As always, yours in honesty, Tutty Baker tutty.baker@gmail.com
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Sacia Quote
Illinois State Representative Jim Sacia (R) Pecatonica commenting on the legislation that made Mill Race Crossing possible.
"We were able to create legislation and this is going to open up new doors. It's literally going to be an economic engine for Stephenson County," says Sacia.
April 24, 2005, WIFR TV, channel 23, Rockford, Illinois
(Tutty did not intend to publish the post above, only save it as a draft copy for future reference, However, before I realized my mistake there was a comment made, so now the post stays with this slight bit of editing.)
You can read the original story which supplied the quote at the following link:
http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/1501472.html
As always, yours in honesty, Tutty Baker, tutty.baker@gmail.com
"We were able to create legislation and this is going to open up new doors. It's literally going to be an economic engine for Stephenson County," says Sacia.
April 24, 2005, WIFR TV, channel 23, Rockford, Illinois
(Tutty did not intend to publish the post above, only save it as a draft copy for future reference, However, before I realized my mistake there was a comment made, so now the post stays with this slight bit of editing.)
You can read the original story which supplied the quote at the following link:
http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/1501472.html
As always, yours in honesty, Tutty Baker, tutty.baker@gmail.com
Monday, February 8, 2010
FOI--Not As Easy As it Could Be In Sephenson County
A comment on a recent Blumdoggle post advised Tutty to use the State of Illinois' Freedom of Information (FOI) law to figure out what goes on in Stephenson County.
If Stephenson County officials, with legal help at taxpayer expense, didn't do their best to keep secrets and to make any attempts to uncover those secrets extremely cumbersome for those wishing to file an FOI, then and only then will FOI laws might be useful for use by non-lawyer private citizens.
Under FOI only "public documents" are available. Therefore, a requester must know exactly what "public document" to request
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=85&ChapAct=5%26nbsp%3BILCS%26nbsp%3B140%2F&ChapterID=2&ChapterName=GENERAL+PROVISIONS&ActName=Freedom+of+Information+Act%2E .
Now, take a look at the following paragraph from a meeting of the Planning and Development Committee of the Stephenson County Board held on January 4, 2010:
"Ms. Kneubuehl, along with Fehr-Graham, has concluded an agreement with the US EPA on a compliant at Mill Race Crossing. The violation was concluded with a $500 fine. When the remedial work is completed, the construction contract will be closed out."
If Stephenson County officials, with legal help at taxpayer expense, didn't do their best to keep secrets and to make any attempts to uncover those secrets extremely cumbersome for those wishing to file an FOI, then and only then will FOI laws might be useful for use by non-lawyer private citizens.
Under FOI only "public documents" are available. Therefore, a requester must know exactly what "public document" to request
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=85&ChapAct=5%26nbsp%3BILCS%26nbsp%3B140%2F&ChapterID=2&ChapterName=GENERAL+PROVISIONS&ActName=Freedom+of+Information+Act%2E .
Now, take a look at the following paragraph from a meeting of the Planning and Development Committee of the Stephenson County Board held on January 4, 2010:
"Ms. Kneubuehl, along with Fehr-Graham, has concluded an agreement with the US EPA on a compliant at Mill Race Crossing. The violation was concluded with a $500 fine. When the remedial work is completed, the construction contract will be closed out."
Can you find any "public documents" that could be attained under FOI without having to spend $20,000 on attorney fees to fight off the lawyers that are being paid by taxpayers? This ambiguity is done on purpose, county leadership and legal counsel knows that it's intentional. It's impossible to write that ambiguously unless it's being done for a reason.
The sad part is, nobody but John Blum, Fehr-Graham and Cheryl Kneubuehl probably has a clue as to why the United States Environmental Protection Agency would bring a "complaint" against the owner(s) of Mill Race Crossing, or why the Stephenson County Board would pay the fine. What were they guilty of? They don't just pay a fine because they feel like it do they?
Tutty bets that if you ask, a vast majority of Stephenson County Board members have no idea why local taxpayers paid a fine to the U.S. EPA as well as funded "remedial work" to fix an obvious but secret problem out at the Big Blumdoggle.
FOI, by itself, has no more ability to solve this deep and troubling problem than it has ability to make sure Jeff Mikkelson is sober when he attends meetings. More of the public becoming aware of these issues is the only way any lasting fix can be obtained. Maybe we need an FOI law wherein the public can demand that breath tests be given to public officials during public meetings. Will you get behind that one Stephenson County Board?
Also, on a side note, the same Committee of the Stephenson County Board is looking at making wind farms a permitted use under the zoning rules of Stephenson County. Stephenson County legal-beagle-for-hire, Frank Cook, handed out copies of Winnebago County's Ordinance in which Winnebago County is attempting to make wind farms a permitted use
http://www.journalstandard.com/news/business/x1409360770/County-examines-wind-farm-zoning.
What everybody is missing is that Winnebago County's ordinance is being challenged in Winnebago County Court by a lawsuit filed January 19, 2010
http://rockrivertimes.com/2010/02/03/lawsuit-ensures-wind-farm-won%e2%80%99t-be-a-breeze/.
Tutty expects that Stephenson County will continue to push this zoning issue forward until it forces yet another law suit against Stephenson County resulting in the churning of even more legal fees at taxpayers' expense.
What a County, the County of Stephenson in the State of Illinois.
As always, yours in honesty, Tutty Baker, tutty.baker@gmail.com
Sunday, February 7, 2010
A Collection of Interesting Links
Tutty was sitting around marveling at the technology of of the 21st century when Tutty thought why not remind everyone what Rockford, Illinois media was saying during the push to get the Big Blumdoggle known as Mill Race Crossing approved.
As of this posting, all of the links were live. The first link is from WIFR, Channel 23 out of Rockford, Illinois and was coverage of John Blum's 2005 State of the County address.
http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/1471657.html
Here is another one from the same media source highlighting Jim Sacia's involvement in the Big Blumdoggle.
http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/1501472.html
And another from the same source. This link refers to all the "high profile" projects planned for Mill Race Crossing as well as Congressman Manzullo's involvement in securing federal funding.
http://www.wifr.com/news/headlines/3056616.html
And here is one from WTVO, Channel 17 also out of Rockford, Illinois on the heals of the announcement that Trim-Rite would build in Mill Race Crossing. Judging from this news story leaders at the Freeport Area Economic Development Foundation, the forerunner to the Northwest Illinois Development Alliance were apparently under the impression that "Trim-Rite will make" much of the other infrastructure that other developments will rely upon to make the industrial park feasible.
http://mystateline.com/content/fulltext/?cid=106
Without any type of a feasible plan to provide infrastructure to Mill Race Crossing, including a plan to finance said construction, there is no reason to continue to throw hard earned tax payer money away on the speculation of John Blum. We have more pressing issues. Far more pressing issues.
Where do you suppose the Rockford, Illinois media is now? Probably waiting on a press release from John Blum.
(If Blumdoggle readers notice any of the above links are dead, please send Tutty an e-mail at the address below.)
As always, yours in honesty, Tutty Baker tutty.baker@gmail.com
As of this posting, all of the links were live. The first link is from WIFR, Channel 23 out of Rockford, Illinois and was coverage of John Blum's 2005 State of the County address.
http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/1471657.html
Here is another one from the same media source highlighting Jim Sacia's involvement in the Big Blumdoggle.
http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/1501472.html
And another from the same source. This link refers to all the "high profile" projects planned for Mill Race Crossing as well as Congressman Manzullo's involvement in securing federal funding.
http://www.wifr.com/news/headlines/3056616.html
And here is one from WTVO, Channel 17 also out of Rockford, Illinois on the heals of the announcement that Trim-Rite would build in Mill Race Crossing. Judging from this news story leaders at the Freeport Area Economic Development Foundation, the forerunner to the Northwest Illinois Development Alliance were apparently under the impression that "Trim-Rite will make" much of the other infrastructure that other developments will rely upon to make the industrial park feasible.
http://mystateline.com/content/fulltext/?cid=106
Without any type of a feasible plan to provide infrastructure to Mill Race Crossing, including a plan to finance said construction, there is no reason to continue to throw hard earned tax payer money away on the speculation of John Blum. We have more pressing issues. Far more pressing issues.
Where do you suppose the Rockford, Illinois media is now? Probably waiting on a press release from John Blum.
(If Blumdoggle readers notice any of the above links are dead, please send Tutty an e-mail at the address below.)
As always, yours in honesty, Tutty Baker tutty.baker@gmail.com
Any Ideas?
At the January 2010 meeting of the Stephenson County Board, chairman John Blum, in his monthly "Chairman's Report" told his colleagues that, "the Mill Race TIF has captured $75,000 of increment in the first (3) years." This is exactly the way it is reported in official Stephenson County Board minutes, you can find them by following this link, http://www.co.stephenson.il.us/board/Minutes/2010/CountyBoard/01-13-2010.pdf .
If members of the Stephenson County Board's Finance Committee and chairman Blum had one ounce of economic sense the mere utterance (much less an understanding) of the above quote would cause them all to break into a cold sweat. That's if they had an ounce of economic sense.
Let's compare this $75,000 over three three years with what was projected in the "Finding of Fact Summary" which was approved by both the Stephenson County Board and the City of Freeport back when both public bodies were touting the job creation potential of Mill Race Crossing.
There was a "high scenario" and a "low scenario" for the potential amount of incremental taxes the county might be recieving from going forward with the initiative. For this comparison, we will be using the "low scenario".
According to the "Finding of Fact Summary" there would be no increment generated in the first year (2006) as property taxes lag a year behind construction. However, the document did state that "Trim-Rite Phase I" would be constructed and the resulting $1,857,973 in new equalized assessed value (EAV) would create an increment of $174,880 in the 2007 tax year.
By the fourth year (2009) the "Finding of Fact Summary" states that Trim-Rite will have completed "Phase I, II, and III" and that CSI (remember them) will have also constructed a facility at Mill Race Crossing. According to the "Finding of Fact Summary" approved by both the Stephenson County Board and the City of Freeport, by the year just passed, 2009, it was estimated that there would be more than $8 million in new EAV which would have created $666,989 in increment in this coming tax year.
The "Finding of Fact Summary" goes on an on with such outlandish estimates until the year 2028.
These numbers, while estimations, were used by Bob Skurla, John Blum, and George Gaulrapp and others in the Northwest Illinois Development Alliance community, to convince those skeptical of the project that the critics really didn't know what they were talking about. Anyone, and Tutty means anyone, that had a jr. high education should have been able to see that these numbers were laughable.
Not our local leaders.
While local bankers, lawyers, educators and others that the public expects to be in the know twiddled their thumbs, looked at the sky and visibly nodded their heads at John Blum's grandiosity the above estimations were used to leverage $6 million in pubic debt. Interest alone on this debt, which is all we've managed to pay so far, is more than a quarter-million dollars per year ($6 million x 4.6%= $276,000).
According to the meeting minutes where this debt was approved, the lawyer representing Stephenson County, James Reese of the law firm Ward, Murray, Pace and Johnson P.C. http://www.wmpj.com/wb/pages/attorneys/reese.php "addressed the process of preparing this document and legal counsels review throughout the process" yet attorney Reese never once offered an explanation has to how it was legal for the Stephenson County Board to approve this debt instrument without any public notice or without anyone on the county board having seen the bond documents except John Blum prior to the meeting where they were approved? Who hired Mr. Reese anyway? Was it the Stephenson County Board or John Blum and NIDA? Another lawyer from Ward, Murray, Pace and Johnson P.C., Rob LeSage, has represented Stephenson County is other aspects regarding Mill Race Crossing and is a member of the NIDA.
If Stephenson County can not get this $6 million in debt refinanced because the original representations made were bordering on fraudulent can the taxpayers of Stephenson County sue these lawyers for malpractice? According to the Illinois Attorney Registration and Discipline Commission, both lawyers named in the above paragraph have malpractice insurance http://www.iardc.org/lawyersearch.asp.
Whatever the ideas for paying back this $6 million debt are, we need to start hearing them soon. The fact that Stephenson County has only collected a total of $75,000 in incremental funding against financing charges of ten times that amount should make every member of the Stephenson County Board shudder in fear.
The Freeport Chamber of Commerce has a huge map of the Big Blumdoggle known as Mill Race Crossing in their window. Every single member should give Chamber leadership a call or e-mail and ask them just how and when will the Mill Race Plan ever be feasible when there is no where near an adequate plan to address the black hole the Chamber's and others' blind support of this development has created.
The taxpayers of Stephenson County are now stuck with a huge, huge financial burden thanks either the direct actions or willful blindness of numerous local leaders. Yet other than creating a new tax (bail us out again taxpayers) local leaders have no ideas as to how to get out from under the Big Blumdoggle.
Well folks, not doing anything, is only making a bigger hole. A hole that taxpayers, one way or the other, will be asked to fill. What is the cheapest way to fill that hole?
When Mill Race Crossing was being promoted five years ago, taxpayers were being told about all of the economic sense that went in to the plan.
Do any local leaders have an ounce of economic sense left? Did they have any to begin with?
Any ideas, any ideas at all?
As always, yours in honesty, Tutty Baker tutty.baker@gmail.com
If members of the Stephenson County Board's Finance Committee and chairman Blum had one ounce of economic sense the mere utterance (much less an understanding) of the above quote would cause them all to break into a cold sweat. That's if they had an ounce of economic sense.
Let's compare this $75,000 over three three years with what was projected in the "Finding of Fact Summary" which was approved by both the Stephenson County Board and the City of Freeport back when both public bodies were touting the job creation potential of Mill Race Crossing.
There was a "high scenario" and a "low scenario" for the potential amount of incremental taxes the county might be recieving from going forward with the initiative. For this comparison, we will be using the "low scenario".
According to the "Finding of Fact Summary" there would be no increment generated in the first year (2006) as property taxes lag a year behind construction. However, the document did state that "Trim-Rite Phase I" would be constructed and the resulting $1,857,973 in new equalized assessed value (EAV) would create an increment of $174,880 in the 2007 tax year.
By the fourth year (2009) the "Finding of Fact Summary" states that Trim-Rite will have completed "Phase I, II, and III" and that CSI (remember them) will have also constructed a facility at Mill Race Crossing. According to the "Finding of Fact Summary" approved by both the Stephenson County Board and the City of Freeport, by the year just passed, 2009, it was estimated that there would be more than $8 million in new EAV which would have created $666,989 in increment in this coming tax year.
The "Finding of Fact Summary" goes on an on with such outlandish estimates until the year 2028.
These numbers, while estimations, were used by Bob Skurla, John Blum, and George Gaulrapp and others in the Northwest Illinois Development Alliance community, to convince those skeptical of the project that the critics really didn't know what they were talking about. Anyone, and Tutty means anyone, that had a jr. high education should have been able to see that these numbers were laughable.
Not our local leaders.
While local bankers, lawyers, educators and others that the public expects to be in the know twiddled their thumbs, looked at the sky and visibly nodded their heads at John Blum's grandiosity the above estimations were used to leverage $6 million in pubic debt. Interest alone on this debt, which is all we've managed to pay so far, is more than a quarter-million dollars per year ($6 million x 4.6%= $276,000).
According to the meeting minutes where this debt was approved, the lawyer representing Stephenson County, James Reese of the law firm Ward, Murray, Pace and Johnson P.C. http://www.wmpj.com/wb/pages/attorneys/reese.php "addressed the process of preparing this document and legal counsels review throughout the process" yet attorney Reese never once offered an explanation has to how it was legal for the Stephenson County Board to approve this debt instrument without any public notice or without anyone on the county board having seen the bond documents except John Blum prior to the meeting where they were approved? Who hired Mr. Reese anyway? Was it the Stephenson County Board or John Blum and NIDA? Another lawyer from Ward, Murray, Pace and Johnson P.C., Rob LeSage, has represented Stephenson County is other aspects regarding Mill Race Crossing and is a member of the NIDA.
If Stephenson County can not get this $6 million in debt refinanced because the original representations made were bordering on fraudulent can the taxpayers of Stephenson County sue these lawyers for malpractice? According to the Illinois Attorney Registration and Discipline Commission, both lawyers named in the above paragraph have malpractice insurance http://www.iardc.org/lawyersearch.asp.
Whatever the ideas for paying back this $6 million debt are, we need to start hearing them soon. The fact that Stephenson County has only collected a total of $75,000 in incremental funding against financing charges of ten times that amount should make every member of the Stephenson County Board shudder in fear.
The Freeport Chamber of Commerce has a huge map of the Big Blumdoggle known as Mill Race Crossing in their window. Every single member should give Chamber leadership a call or e-mail and ask them just how and when will the Mill Race Plan ever be feasible when there is no where near an adequate plan to address the black hole the Chamber's and others' blind support of this development has created.
The taxpayers of Stephenson County are now stuck with a huge, huge financial burden thanks either the direct actions or willful blindness of numerous local leaders. Yet other than creating a new tax (bail us out again taxpayers) local leaders have no ideas as to how to get out from under the Big Blumdoggle.
Well folks, not doing anything, is only making a bigger hole. A hole that taxpayers, one way or the other, will be asked to fill. What is the cheapest way to fill that hole?
When Mill Race Crossing was being promoted five years ago, taxpayers were being told about all of the economic sense that went in to the plan.
Do any local leaders have an ounce of economic sense left? Did they have any to begin with?
Any ideas, any ideas at all?
As always, yours in honesty, Tutty Baker tutty.baker@gmail.com
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Seeing The Light Through Looking at the Red
If there is any chance of Stephenson County officials seeing the light any time soon, voters of Stephenson County, by soundly defeating the proposed public safety sales tax once again, are surely sounding a loud and clear wake up call.
How is it that Stephenson County has to cut services that they are mandated to provide yet they continue to fund services which they are not mandated by law to provide, like economic development, NIDA, Mill Race Crossing etc.?
Furthermore, the Stewart Centre move has not won the Stephenson County Board much in the way of popularity points.
Clearly, the Stephenson County Board has made choices in the past that have placed them and their taxpayers in a precarious position moving forward. Exactly where, Stephenson County Board, is the plan for paying back the $6 million borrowed for the Big Blumdoggle known as Mill Race Crossing? The Stephenson County board borrowed $6 million against future tax collections on nothing more than the speculation of John Blum and his loyal followers on the Stephenson County Board.
John Blum told the county board way back in 2005 that there was a plan for the "engineering and construction" of the water and sewer infrastructure to Mill Race Crossing, yet the Freeport Water and Sewer Commission or the Freeport City Council has yet to see any type of a formal plan, nor have ratepayers been advised what this type of massive build out would cost them.
Through all of the red ink, maybe at least a few members of the Stephenson County Board will finally realize just what their blind loyalty to John Blum and his speculation has cost the taxpayers of Stephenson County.
Nothing brings about an economic reality check better than red ink and the Stephenson County Board has red ink by the 55-gallon drum and come next year they may be purchasing red ink by rail tanker car and still not be able to give away the land in the Mill Race Crossing Industrial Park.
As always, yours in honesty, Tutty Baker tutty.baker@gmail.com
How is it that Stephenson County has to cut services that they are mandated to provide yet they continue to fund services which they are not mandated by law to provide, like economic development, NIDA, Mill Race Crossing etc.?
Furthermore, the Stewart Centre move has not won the Stephenson County Board much in the way of popularity points.
Clearly, the Stephenson County Board has made choices in the past that have placed them and their taxpayers in a precarious position moving forward. Exactly where, Stephenson County Board, is the plan for paying back the $6 million borrowed for the Big Blumdoggle known as Mill Race Crossing? The Stephenson County board borrowed $6 million against future tax collections on nothing more than the speculation of John Blum and his loyal followers on the Stephenson County Board.
John Blum told the county board way back in 2005 that there was a plan for the "engineering and construction" of the water and sewer infrastructure to Mill Race Crossing, yet the Freeport Water and Sewer Commission or the Freeport City Council has yet to see any type of a formal plan, nor have ratepayers been advised what this type of massive build out would cost them.
Through all of the red ink, maybe at least a few members of the Stephenson County Board will finally realize just what their blind loyalty to John Blum and his speculation has cost the taxpayers of Stephenson County.
Nothing brings about an economic reality check better than red ink and the Stephenson County Board has red ink by the 55-gallon drum and come next year they may be purchasing red ink by rail tanker car and still not be able to give away the land in the Mill Race Crossing Industrial Park.
As always, yours in honesty, Tutty Baker tutty.baker@gmail.com
Monday, February 1, 2010
Another Blogger
Tutty got an e-mail today from that pain in the ass John Cook with a link to a blog that he has apparently started.
In a post put up earlier today, Cook questions a bill for more "almost a thousand-dollars" for "shredding."
This expenditure is in tonight's consent agenda at the Freeport City Council meeting.
You can read Cook's post by using the following link:
http://winashek.blogspot.com/2010/02/shredding-party-what-and-why.html
Tutty's always trying to keep readers abreast of what else is being said.
As always, yours in honesty, Tutty Baker tutty.baker@gmail.com
In a post put up earlier today, Cook questions a bill for more "almost a thousand-dollars" for "shredding."
This expenditure is in tonight's consent agenda at the Freeport City Council meeting.
You can read Cook's post by using the following link:
http://winashek.blogspot.com/2010/02/shredding-party-what-and-why.html
Tutty's always trying to keep readers abreast of what else is being said.
As always, yours in honesty, Tutty Baker tutty.baker@gmail.com
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