The Memory of John Blum Clarified

In his most recent "Chairman's View" published in yesterday's Journal-Standard (see previous post for more) John Blum wrote a sentence that literally proves just how foggy his memory really is.  This is the sentence, "Actually, the fact of the matter was that our development study showed that the (Mill Race Industrial) park could support about $95 million of new construction."

What does John Blum mean "study"?  It's right in the minutes from the December 13, 2005 public hearing regarding the adoption of the Mill Race Crossing Economic Development Plan Area on page two that "No feasibility study was ever done.  The County moved right into the preparation of the Economic Development Plan."  Here is picture of page two of the above referenced minutes:

(clicking on picture will make it larger)

Had there been a real study conducted it would have surely revealed that the numbers put forth in the Mill Race plan were not feasible.  John Cook pointed out at the public hearing, in writing, that according to the figures presented in the plan there would have to be development equivalent to three of Freeport's largest property tax payers every single over the next 23 years.  What are the chances of getting three big projects in any one year, let alone every single year throughout the life of the project?

The response to John Cook was that the numbers arose out of "making assumptions as to development we all hope will occur within the County" emphasis added.  You can read it all and more in the above document.

What follows next are the actual projections in the "Finding of Fact Summary" which was approved by both the Stephenson County Board and the Freeport City Council.  Note in the upper right hand corner the words "low scenario", believe it or not there is actually another table that is even more optimistic than the officially approved fantasy numbers which follow:

How could two governing bodies sign off on such phony projections?  Also included in the Finding of Fact Summary was the Trim-Rite letter of intent.  Here are photos of that:

Tutty is baffled that not one single public official raised the issue that the Trim-Rite "letter of intent" was drafted on John Blum's stationary  Tutty is also baffled that members of the Stephenson County Board were allowed to vote on a $6 million debt without being fully and officially informed that they had nothing of a "legal and binding obligation" with Trim-Rite.  Why did Stephenson County pay all of those lawyers during the bonding proceeding for representation?  Who did they represent?  Why did they sit back and let John Blum convince the Stephenson County Board and the public at large that the Trim-Rite project was imminent without so much as letting out a peep?

And Tutty has John Blum's State of the County speech from a month before the $6 million bond was issued.  He clearly misled the Stephenson County Board, he knew that Trim-Rite was no guarantee, he's the one that wrote the letter of intent, yet he sure made it sound like it was a done deal.  Tutty will have to dig that up for a future post.

Tutty still believes that the Stephenson County Board should stop paying on this debt (whoever holds the debt now makes little difference, they too have lawyers and should have checked out the potential legal pitfalls with any debt instrument they were willing to purchase).

Stephenson County, at the very least, should sue the involved lawyers for malpractice because they were surely not representing Stephenson County and as Tutty has said before, the opening sentence in the Rules of Professional Conduct for Illinois attorneys, states that the practice of law is a "public trust."

Or is that just a bad joke on the businesses and taxpayers of Stephenson County?



As always, yours in honesty, Tutty Baker tutty.baker@gmail.com

A Journal-Standard Editing Mistake? And John Blum's Baseless Allegations

Tutty opened the hard copy of the Journal-Standard this morning to find John Blum's weekly diatribe, which usually runs on Sunday under the heading "Chairman's View".  When Tutty checked on line for the Blum hit piece, it was no where to be found.  There was, however, an on line article by County Board member Chris Clukey regarding the "ideology" of the Stephenson County Board.

Tutty thinks this was a mix up as Chris Clukey, who seems to have put on the column writing shoes of the late, but much loved, George Kinney, usually writes the Saturday column for the hard copy.

Here is a picture of the John Blum article from today's Journal-Standard:

(clicking on picture will make it larger)

And here also is a link to Chris Clukey's article:

http://www.journalstandard.com/opinions/x1106191830/My-View-What-ideology-drives-the-board

Chris Clukey's column is another of several recent examples of Stephenson County Board members asking questions of other board members and officials.  Questions that every business and resident in Stephenson County has a full right to know and understand.

John Blum's "veiw" is a clear indication of what he thinks of transparency and those that dare ask specific and factual questions regarding Stephenson County government.

John Blum takes direct aim at Chris Clukey and another County Board member, Sol Detente, over recent public comments and inquiries.

Tutty would ask everyone to critically read John Blum's attack on his fellow Stephenson County Board members (the ones that don't vote his way).

John Blum, without one ounce of attribution or a direct quote from either Chris Clukey or Sol Dentente, makes the baseless accusation that they've taken part in the "promotion of misinformation intended to minimize the public's (sic) impression of the technical, budgetary, community and even ethical considerations made before any vote by the members of the county board.  (Clukey and Detente) do not have the right to reconstitute facts and figures in any forum that falsely creates the impression that the majority (of the Stephenson County Board) is somehow dumb or dishonest."

In the first place if John Blum wants to accuse anyone of "misinformation" he needs to provide specific quotations and sources for those quotes.  He should do what Tutty does and put it on YouTube.  But John Blum cannot talk facts, he has spent so much time in the world of economic development make believe that he can no longer tell the real from the false.  On one hand, John Blum claims that the Mill Race Industrial Park is worth $35,000 to $50,000 per acre and on the next hand (today's article) he claims that any business which would locate in Mill Race Crossing Industrial Park will be willing to shoulder the additional expense of digging a well and the constructing and maintaining a septic system.  Blum wrote the sentence, "This would most likely be an expense associated with the business itself and not requre the creation of a public utility."

How can land that will require water and sewer be worth $35,000 to $50,000 an acre John Blum?

John Blum also needs to remember that it is not the 1960s anymore, yes Titan Tire (formerly Kelly-Springfield) does maintain it's own water and sewerage system, such a system is much, much harder to permit in today's world.  Tutty would think John Blum would know as much.

Again, John Blum without any attributable quotes or documents accuses Sol Dentente of single handedly stopping Trim-Rite project from coming to Stephenson County.

Fact, Stephenson County and the City of Freeport never had a feasible plan to deal with the sewer capacity which Trim-Rite would need.  Most all slaughter houses of any size operate their own pre-treatment facilities.  Trim Rite should have been offered land close to the Vitner's pre-treatment facility,

then maybe the Trim-Rite plan would have at least been feasible in the near term.

Here, again, is the picture of the front page of the Journal-Standard when it was announced that the Trim-Rite project was "stalled" because of sewerage concerns, this article appeared on December 29, 2006.

(clicking on picture on will make it larger)

If John Blum wants to rail against the other members of the Stephenson County Board, the least he should do is provide documentation for the accusations he makes.  Of course, if John Blum would rely upon real facts and actual events instead of upon his own faulty perceptions and hearsay he might actually discover why many in Stephenson County look upon the majority of the Stephenson County Board as "dumb or dishonest."

It has much more to do with the convoluted ramblings of John Blum than the factual questions being raised by Chris Clukey or Sol Detente. 

With everything that has transpired, does John Blum actually believe that he can simply say or write something and his words automatically warrant public trust without an ounce of attribution or documentation?  His method of operation has been on full display as of late with the Village Propagandist in Lena providing an added rhetorical punch...but it's all the same style...ignore the agreed upon facts while at the same time promoting baseless accusations against those that are trying to enlighten Stephenson County businesses and residents about the real bottom line.

Bottom line, the John Blum tenure as Chairman of the Stephenson County Board has left Stephenson County finances devastated and there is no hope for the "investments" John Blum talked the majority of board into making of providing a return for Stephenson County residents.

How much proof can John Blum and his loyal but simple followers continue to ignore?

As always, yours in honesty, Tutty Baker tutty.baker@gmail.com

The Village Propagandist in Lena and John Blum's Hip Pocket

The first thing any astute reader notices when reading the alleged and ongoing investigation being conducted by the Village Propagandist in Lena is that it contains no attribution other than that of the author.

Well folks, writers without attribution are like cars without wheels, they are not dependable, nor credible. Who really cares what Tutty thinks?  People care about what Tutty knows and Tutty does not know anything that didn't come from somewhere or someone else other than Tutty.

That's why Tutty uses so many pictures and links, What Tutty writes, Tutty wants readers to easily be able to verify what is presented as fact on this blog.

So Tutty could not sit still for very long when the latest article regarding the alleged "investigation" into the Stephenson County Board by the Village Propagandist in Lena blatantly lied to the Stephenson County public regarding public financing.

According to the Village Propagandist in Lena the $6 million public debt which was borrowed to finance the Mill Race Industrial Park was not a "bond" and therefore was not subject to many of the laws that a "bond" normally would be.

Tutty does not know where the Village Propagandist obtained this information.  Of all the numerous bankers the Village Propagandist in Lena claimed to have talked to in writing his article--none of them had a name.

Well folks, the truth is that in Illinois a "bond" for purposes of public financing is defined in Section 3 of Local Government Debt Reform Act.  Here is the definition as found in the Act.

"Bond" means any instrument evidencing the obligation to pay money authorized or issued by or on behalf of a governmental unit under applicable law, including without limitation, bonds, notes, installment or financing contracts, leases, certificates, tax anticipation warrants or notes, vouchers, and any other evidences of indebtedness. 

Here is a link to the Illinois Debt Reform Act if you want proof of what Tutty writes.  Scroll down to Section 3 for the definitions.

According to the official definition, a County written IOU would qualify as a bond "any other evidences of indebtedness" is pretty plain language.  Probably too plain for a propagandist to understand, they almost always lack that kind of sophistication.

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=513&ChapterID=7

As the so called "investigation" by the Village Propagandist in Lena continues it is very clear that it is only one sided.  Read over these poor excuses for prose a second time.  The Village Propagandist never once references anyone else for facts--or does he present and real data other then what John Blum has handed him.

Right now, the Village Propagandist in Lena should explain who told him that "debt certificates" do not qualify as a "bond" under Illinois statute.

Of course propagandists spread misinformation on purpose so Tutty doubts if the Village propagandist in Lena much cares that he is lying to Stephenson County Voters.

As always, yours in honesty, Tutty Baker  tutty.baker@gmail.com

Water and Sewer...By Stephenson County?

Once again, Tutty is putting up a link to a You Tube video.  Tutty is posting the link to this clip for a second time this month, it is that important.

Tutty was somewhat disappointed the video did not get more views the first time around.  Although Tutty's post did manage to double the number of You Tube views for the more than year old Journal-Standard submitted clip, Tutty thinks many more people in Stephenson County need to hear John Blum utter the words, "The industrial park will require utilities--the county would most likely own these utilities--providing sewer and water."

Fast forward the clip to the eight-minute-fifteen second mark (8:15) and start listening.  As Tutty advised in the previous post (2/11/12) Tutty would not waste the fifteen minutes of your life listening to the entire clip, it's typical John Blum, long on wishfullness but short on substance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrHQsVzl_Eo

Anyone running for the Stephenson County Board had better start explaining the feasibility of a Stephenson County owned water and sewer system to support the Mill Race Crossing Industrial Park.
John Blum said it, not Tutty.  Watch the clip.

Later in his diatribe John Blum says the the industrial park, "if  fully developed" would generate "approximately" $275,000 per year in water and sewer user fees.

Does John Blum realize that double this amount would not be enough to pay of the bonding expenses of installing, at bare minimum, a $15 to $20 million "County owned" water and sewer system.

The way Tutty figures, and Tutty would be glad to hear from any civil engineers with sharp pencils that disagree, to run even a small water and sewer system servicing only the 142-acre industrial park would require at least $2 million in annual revenue.  About half of that or more would be required for debt service and the rest to maintain the sytem (operators, maintenance, IEPA permits, inspecting and testing, administration, billing, and so on).

John Blum promised everyone a trip to the moon on a shiny rocket ship named Mill Race, now we're stuck in orbit with no rockets to carry us higher with John Blum and his loyal but simple followers continuing to insist that the moon is still feasible...if only we all had a more positive attitude.

Next time John Blum plans a trip,Tutty sure hopes someone checks his calculations against reality prior to leaving the earth.

As always, yours in honesty, Tutty Baker tutty.baker@gmail.com

What Does a Stephenson County Republican Stand For?

Although the Village Propagandist in Lena, whose real name is Stan Devens (or something like that), meant the line as a dig against the Stephenson County Republican Party and County Board member Sol Detente, sometimes even the Village Propagandist in Lena is capable of inadvertently raising an issue worthy of further public discussion.

Stan Devens wrote that Sol Detente, "does not follow the Republican ideology."

The Village Propagandist in Lena offered absolutely no evidence to support his written thought, which is not unusual for trained propagandists, however, the statement did make Tutty think that if Sol Detente does not follow "Republican ideology" then who in the Sam Hell in Stephenson County does?

While Tutty does not claim any political affiliation (it's bad for Tutty's public honesty) Tutty has always been under the impression that Republicans believe in smaller government and are more apt to be on the conservative side.  From what Tutty has seen in closely watching the Stephenson County Board is that Sol Detente fits the traditional description of a Republican quite nicely.

Someone should send Stan Devens an e-mail at villagevoices@aeroinc.net  and ask the Village Propagandist in Lena what he considers the Republican ideology in Stephenson County to be, chances are he hasn't thought that far, propagandists seldom actually think very deeply about that which they present as truth.

Does Stan Devens think that local Republicans should all be in favor of an ideology that embraces non-noticed, non-referendum public debt issuances for industrial parks without running water?  As John Blum obviously does/did.

Does Stan Devens believe that local Republicans should all be in favor of supporting the Northwest Illinois Development Alliance before public safety?  As John Blum obvioulsy does/did.

Tutty knows a few bleeding heart liberals too and some of the Republicans in Stephenson County would make them look conservative.  Even the Democrats Tutty knows like to see some results for the money that they throw around.

So drop Stan Devens an e-mail at villagevoices@aeroinc.net and ask him to explain what kind of Republican ideology embraces spending money borrowed from the public with no potential for any results.

Chances are the Village Propagandist in Lena doesn't even know what "ideology" means, Stan Devens just likes to use words that make him appear smart...and as anyone can see, it's not working out real well for him and John Blum.

So remember, while "Republican" is still not a four-letter word, "Blum" is and that Tutty's friends is a fact as plain as the nose on your face.

As always, yours in honesty, Tutty Baker tutty.baker@gmail.com

More Propaganda From The Western Fringe

Once again the Village Propagandist in Lena has revealed himself to be nothing more than an over inflated bag of wind.

Tutty hates to even waste the time to reiterate the saga, but here goes.  A couple of weeks ago the Village Propagandist in Lena used his little-read weekly newspaper in Lena to launch a thinly veiled political attack on the Stephenson County Republican Party on behalf of John Blum.  Tutty wrote about the article in a February 3rd post earlier this month.

The Central Committee of the Stephenson County Republican Party responded with a paid advertisement in the Advertiser disputing most of the alleged facts of the article.

The Vice President of the Stephenson County Republican Party, Ed Mulligan, wrote a dear-editor-letter to the Journal-Standard challenging the alleged facts put forth by the Village Propagandist in Lena.  Here is a link to the Mulligan letter:

http://www.journalstandard.com/opinions/x574399843/J-S-Letter-Board-member-responds-to-Blum

Tutty was hoping that would end it, but true to form the Village Propagandist in Lena, as all trained propagandists do, continues to pile it on without any regard for the agreed upon facts--the Village Propagandist in Lena has never been able to find the time for reality.  Back when the Village Propagandist in Lena ran a weekly in Freeport he was pro John Blum all the time as well.  Tutty will refresh memories with a picture of a 2006 front page story regarding what were referred to by the headline as "Bogus Mill Race 'Facts'".

(clicking on picture will make it larger)

The Village Propagandist in Lena seems to have adopted the John Blum style of rhetoric.  It is the style that avoids any mention of agreed upon facts while at the same time continuing to regurgitate the same baseless points over and over again.  The Village Propagandist in Lena also likes to use plural pronouns, as does John Blum, even though there is not another person in sight.  In this case, the Village Propagandist in Lena with John Blum clearly an accomplice, it is not too hard to figure out who "we" are.

The Village Propagandist in Lena, whose real name is Stan Devens (or something like that) would like to convince his couple hundred readers that it is the Stephenson County Republican Party and a couple of John Blum's political rivals that are after John Blum.  However, a great many Stephenson County residents without any political affiliation whatsoever would like to tar and feather John Blum over the Big Blumdoggle known as Mill Race Crossing, but that's an issue Stan Devens prefers to evade.

Well Stan Devens, most people in Stephenson County that have a couple of brain cells to rub together are well aware of the mess that John Blum and his loyal followers have foisted upon the businesses and residents of Stephenson County.  C'mon Village Propagandist in Lena, explain the article pictured above.  In February of 2006 Stan Deven's weekly Freeport paper was spreading the John Blum lies far and wide, Tutty loves the part of the article which says, "That refutes..the claim of costing the taxpayers of Freeport and Stephenson County millions in new taxes." and the sentence that says "the county is not a municipality, and therefore cannot issue municipal bonds."

What the Village Propagandist in Lena has proved beyond a reasonable doubt is that those that dared question the wisdom of the Mill Race Crossing initiative back before money was borrowed were simply run over by John Blum lies.  Clearly John Blum and the lawyers had to already be working at putting together the non-noticed, non-referendum $6 million public debt issue.

And as for "municipal bonds" it is obvious Stan Devens, the Village Propagandist in Lena, is too unsophisticated to realize that is only a slang term for any debt which is underwritten by the public.

So, while Stan Devens may be lacking in intellect, his propaganda is probably more the result of John Blum paying for news stories.  Tutty has a hard time believing that even a simple propagandist could be that dumb, then again, Tutty is talking about Stan Devens, the Village Propagandist in Lena.

As always, yours in honesty, Tutty Baker tutty.baker@gmail.com

No Partisanship From Tutty

Lots of people with numerous interests contact Tutty via e-mail or Tutty's Facebook page.  Tutty is loved by conservatives and liberals alike.  This does not surprise Tutty, Tutty is very much a social liberal while also being a very strong fiscal conservative.

Which brings Tutty to the point of this post, it does not matter what you consider yourself or your circle of friends.  What is important is that we all work as individuals to hold government officials accountable for the choices they make on our behalf.  It is proper for individuals to band together in groups to attain the same goals that they seek as individuals.

Unfortunately, in today's world, the media would rather pit the liberal against the conservative instead of focusing on what media should, governmental transparency.  Are not the Occupy movement and the Tea Party movement in agreement that there needs to be more transparency?

Yet the national, which is all corporate, media has purposefully done their best to pit the the Tea Party against the Occupy movement.  Instead of reporting on the growing frustration of people everywhere, the national and corporate media would rather create fights, civil wars if you will, between U.S. citizens.  Then nothing happens, the status quo continues, and the public has no accountability from government, whether that government is run by conservatives or liberals makes little difference.

Because it is impossible to build a pyramid from the top down, Tutty considers it very important to pay closer attention to local governmental activitites than national.  If everyone demanded accountability from their local officials, accountability in Washington would take care of itself.

This is the reason Tutty prefers the activities of the Stephenson County Tea Party so much more than the Rockford Tea Party.  The Stephenson County Tea Party is always talking local issues and local political races.  The Stephenson County Tea Party seems very much interested in educating the local populace on local governmental debt and other things local officials would just as soon the public not know about.  If Tutty does not necessarily agree with the Stephenson Tea Part philosophy, Tutty admires their concentration on local issues.

On the other hand, the Rockford Tea Party in continually delving into national media sensationalism.  The Rockford Tea Party likes to take on and talk about all kinds of things that no one in Rockford will ever be able to change.  While Rockford might be much larger than Tutty's Freeport, it is but a small speck on the national scene.  With all of the governmental turmoil going on in Rockford/Winnebago County why is the Rockford Tea Party's attention almost entirely consumed by what Fox News reports?

When will the Rockford Tea Party delve into the Rock Valley College labor issue?  Is anyone with the Rockford Tea Party even aware that RVC is carrying more than $20 million in debt?  What about the Winnebago County Forest Preserve, shouldn't someone besides the Rock River Times be looking over the Preserve's shoulder?  Tutty could go on, there are plenty of issues east of Freeport which the Rockford Tea Party could concern themselves with.  Of course it is much easier to let the national, corporate media do your investigating and create your talking points, as if they even have a clue.

Tutty just wants to reiterate that activism needs to begin at home.  It is hypocritical for any movement to claim that they are going to "fix" Washington while their own city and county crumbles form political and public shortsightedness.

Tutty hopes Tutty has not made anyone too mad, but Tutty really doesn't care.  Tutty only tries to be personally honest with himself and the people around him and hopes that in the process others can glean some enlightenment.

As always, yours in honesty, Tutty Baker tutty.baker@gmail.com