By Bob Balgemann

Reporter

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought lots of changes in the way local government does business.

Among them is ensuring that residents have a method of making public comments during municipal and county meetings. That question found its way to the Illinois Public Access Counselor, who is the attorney general’s appointee charged with enforcing the Open Meetings Act.

During the ongoing coronavirus crisis, a non-binding opinion was issued stating it was appropriate to utilize different forms of public comments. That became necessary when limits were placed on the number of people and officials who could attend municipal, county and township meetings.

Belvidere has adopted a method used in McHenry County that requires anyone wishing to make a public comment to do so in writing, while not physically attending the meeting. The written comment is then read into the record at the meeting during the public comment portion of the agenda.

The first example of how that works around came at the April 13 committee of the whole meeting in Belvidere.

City Attorney Mike Drella read a letter from former Mayor Fred Brereton, in which he questioned some revenue estimates for the 2020-21 fiscal year, which will begin Friday. The letter referenced five sources of income and asked for an explanation of how they were expected to increase in Belvidere, when public officials throughout the state and nation are estimating income to be declining.

Specifically, his examples were: sales tax, $26,331 more revenue than in the 2019-20 fiscal year, which ends today; state income tax, $108,737 more; local use tax, $97,222 increase; video gaming, $20,000 more; and motor fuel tax, $6,000 increase.

Given what’s happening elsewhere, he claimed the city was forecasting an increase of $250,000.

“Having helped Belvidere City Council navigate through the unchartered waters of the 2008 financial crisis, this request for a response comes with the very sincere and sympathetic hope for a speedy recovery.” It was signed, Fred Brereton.

Mayor Mike Chamberlain asked Budget and Finance Director Becky Tobin to reply to the request for information.

To aldermen, she said they were seeing an increase in revenue because when they recently voted to approve the new budget, they left all the numbers the same as had originally been proposed.

“Once you touch one number on the revenue side you will touch five to 10 numbers on the expenditure side,” she explained. “But most of us agreed not to do that (make changes) at this time. A lot of municipalities are doing exactly what we are doing, and are holding off on new hires.”

She said when preparing the new budget she relies on numbers from other credible sources, such as the Illinois Municipal League. “But they don’t even have those numbers out yet, because it’s too early to tell,” she stressed. “We don’t have the data.”

Special use extensions

Also April 13 Planning and Events Coordinator Gina DelRose presented four requests for extensions to special use permits, which had been issued for projects at various locations around town.

She explained that special use permits are good for one year. But if work is started, the proprietor has two years to finish it.

“At the beginning of the year I check to see which ones are about to expire and send out reminder letters,” she said. This year she sent out five letters and got four responses.

Here are the requests that the committee recommended for approval:

* 982 Belvidere Road, Anytime Fitness building, video gaming establishment.

“They couldn’t proceed because all the 30 allowable licenses were active,” she said. Council several years ago capped the number of such establishments at 30.

* 1550 Pearl St., the former DVM building, proposed as a small banquet hall for baby showers, small weddings, and other like events.

“They have been wrapping up other projects, but have not abandoned this one,” the planner said. “They put a lot of money into Coach’s Corner, 622 S. State St., and have opened a restaurant in Poplar Grove.”

* 300 S. State St., known as the Iron & Coal project.

“They’re still planning a restaurant at this location,” DelRose said. “There have been problems with elevation, ADA compliance, and other matters.”

* Car wash near the Speedway convenience store and gas station.

“There was a delay in recording the subdivision plat because he’s only purchasing part of the property,” she explained. “It has not been recorded and they’re working on closing documents and other things connected with purchasing the property.”

The only question came from Alderman Dan Snow, who asked DelRose if staff agreed with all the requests for extensions?

“Yes,” she replied. “All are valid and not because they’re dragging their feet.”

 

 
 
 
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