April 2014 Travel and Per Diem

Belvidere Daily Republican’s Facebook: AMTRAK & Belvidere

Here is a preview of an article that will be in Tuesday's (4-15-2014) BDR. The news is too exciting to wait.

AMTRAK TO ADD RAIL STATION IN BELVIDERE
ROCKFORD – Governor Pat Quinn on April 10 announced a $223 million state capital investment that will create hundreds of jobs and restart Amtrak service between Rockford and Chicago beginning in 2015. The return of passenger rail to Rockford for the first time ...since 1981 will begin with one round trip daily between Chicago’s Union Station and a temporary station located in Rockford. Service will be expanded the following year and will eventually continue west to Dubuque, Iowa. The projects are part of Quinn’s agenda to create jobs and build a 21st century infrastructure that will drive Illinois’ economy forward.
“Next year, rail service between Rockford and Chicago will finally be a reality,” Quinn said. “This funding and a new route are the final pieces of the puzzle to restart this critical rail service, which has been dormant for more than three decades. This is just the beginning – reliable, intercity passenger rail will create jobs and drive economic development in these cities, the region and the state for years to come.”
The announcement is possible because following two years of negotiations, the state of Illinois has decided to switch to a new route, utilizing tracks owned by Metra and the Union Pacific Railroad. The new northern route was selected following lengthy negotiations with the Canadian National Railway, whose tracks were originally chosen for the service. Switching to the new tracks will ensure that service begins in 2015 and isn’t held up by continued delays.
“Today’s announcement is truly a team effort involving IDOT, Amtrak, the Union Pacific Railroad, the City of Rockford and many others,” Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Secretary Ann L. Schneider said. “I am especially proud that we are working together to build a multi-modal system of transportation that benefits residents and improves the quality of life throughout Illinois.”
“I want to thank Governor Quinn and his staff for their persistence and determination to restore Amtrak service to the city of Rockford,” Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey said. “I know it wasn’t easy, but nothing worthwhile and sustainable ever is. Working with the state of Illinois, the city of Rockford and its partners are transforming our city, and I am so happy to work with our state partners to make it happen, because it couldn’t happen without their support.”
“I am excited to be part of the final push to make Amtrak service a reality,” State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) said. “Our growing, vibrant city boasts tremendous transportation opportunities and the addition of passenger rail service to and from Chicago enhances the amenities our community needs.”
The new route will use Metra’s Milwaukee District-West Line and connect to the Union Pacific Railroad near Big Timber Road in Elgin. The Rockford station will be temporarily located at 703 Seventh Street on the east side of the Rock River, while IDOT and the city continue to develop a permanent Main Street station on the river’s west side. Quinn and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin dedicated $3 million in state and federal funding in 2012 in develop this new, multi-modal station. Stops also are being planned for Elgin, Huntley and Belvidere.
“We are excited regarding the economic potential created by routing the train through Belvidere and thank Governor Quinn for making this a priority,” Belvidere Mayor Mike Chamberlain said. “I would also like to again recognize former Mayor Brereton, Dave Taylor, Steve Ernst and the entire NICTI group for their tremendous efforts to create a transportation vision for Northern Illinois. This vision has become reality. Hurrah!”
“It is essential for the economic development and the ultimate financial well being of all communities to have quality transportation,” Elgin Mayor David Kaptain said. “I thank Governor Quinn and the state of Illinois for providing our region with improvements to I-90, high-speed rail and bus rapid transit between Elgin and Rockford that will bring us all unprecedented opportunities for growth."
The $223 million in track, signaling and safety improvements are funded primarily through Quinn’s Illinois Jobs Now! capital program. Preliminary improvements to the Union Pacific tracks will accommodate Amtrak trains at 59 mph by the end of next year. Final improvements are planned to be completed in 2016, at which point speeds will increase to 79 mph and a second Chicago-Rockford round trip will be added. The state will continue to work with the Canadian National Railroad to extend this corridor to its ultimate destination of Dubuque, Iowa, stopping in Freeport and Galena.
Included in the $223 million investment is $7.85 million to rehabilitate the temporary station on 7th Street in Rockford and $5.85 million to be split between Huntley and Belvidere to develop their own stations. The existing Metra station in Elgin will serve as its Amtrak stop.
At Quinn’s direction, Illinois has become a leader in the expansion of transit and passenger rail to create jobs, reduce congestion on state highways, improve air quality, expand travel options and promote economic development.

New Eastbound Irene Road Entrance to Tollway

Click on the photocopy to enlarge.

This information is also available at:  http://www.boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2014/04/new-eastbound-irene-road-entrance.html

 

The improved Genoa Road Interchange

 

Click on the photocopy to enlarge.

The information is also available at:  http://www.boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-improved-genoa-road-interchange.html

Belvidere Daily Republican: Plote Quarry special use goes back to zoning board

By Bob Balgemann
Reporter
BELVIDERE - Beverly Materials' request for an early renewal of a special use permit for mining operations at the Plote Quarry is heading for another hearing before the zoning board of appeals.
That action came Wednesday night on March 19 in a 6-4-1 vote of the Boone County Board. Members Denny Ellingson, Bill Pysson,... Craig Schultz, Marion Thornberry, Ron Wait and Cathy Ward supported the motion, made by Pysson. Opposition came from board Chairman Bob Walberg and members Chris Berner, Brad Fidder and Paul Larson. Member Kenny Freeman abstained; member Karl Johnson was absent.
Reconsideration won't occur until the April 22 meeting of the zoning board. The current special use expires Jan. 30, 2015.
Pysson moved for the delay because he didn't believe residents had been given enough time to provide additional evidence to support their views on the quarry.
Some neighbors have claimed the quarry has violated conditions attached to the special use permit. But attorney Warren Fuller, representing Beverly Materials, said that's not the case.
"There's not one item in the settlement agreement that we haven't complied with," he said. "We have complied with the letter and the spirit of the agreement."
Presumably the additional time will give residents opportunity to prove their allegations of non-compliance.
Responsibility for keeping track of results from ongoing monitoring of groundwater took up most of the board's time Wednesday night. Beverly Materials has retained Patrick Engineering to collect the water samples, with testing done by another company.

NO SPECIFICS
The health department has been criticized for not paying close enough attention to test reports, resulting from quarterly water samples taken from each of the three monitoring wells. But the original agreement allowing the mining operation only stated that reports were to be sent to the county.
The current health department administrator, Cynthia Frank, reminded the board of the following facts:
• The department is not qualified, nor does it have the equipment, to monitor the wells.
•
• The department tests water from residential wells. Monitoring well tests are far more extensive than those conducted on residential wells.
•
Frank said she had no problem with monitoring well reports being sent to the health department. But she wanted language in the special use permit to be specific as to the department's responsibilities.
"I want to be sure that in 10 years, when this comes up again, that the health department isn't persecuted for not monitoring these wells," she stressed. "We cannot do that."
County Environmental Health Director Bill Hatfield also objected to some of the wording in Condition 18, requiring Plote to have not less than three nor more than six monitoring wells. He didn't like the following sentence: "The number and location of the wells shall be established with the advice and consent of the Boone County Health Department."
"The (three) wells are already there," he said. "They never had the advice and consent of the health department." He asked that the sentence be deleted.
"It's not accurate," Frank interjected.
Interim Planning Director Kathy Miller agreed the language didn't need to be in there.
There was uncertainty as to who approved the location of the current monitoring wells, which are situated between the quarry and nearby homes.
Dave Zumbrunn, general manager of Beverly Materials, said Patrick Engineering selected the locations of the wells, with approval by county staff. While he didn't specify who "county staff" was, he said with certainty that the Illinois Environmental Protection (IEPA) was not involved.
In the future, board member Ellingson said if more wells are sunk, the health department and IEPA should be aware of where they are located.

County Appointments Currently Available

 

Appointment Vacancies:

The following are volunteer Boards of the County of Boone that have vacancies:

Interested parties are asked to send a letter and resume expressing your interest and qualifications to Boone County Board Chairman Bob Walberg, 1212 Logan Ave., Suite 102, Belvidere, IL 61008. Please respond by April 18, 2014 to assure being considered.

Sanitary District Board of Trustees

One (1) vacancy for a term that will expire May 1, 2014

Boone County Ethics Commission

Three (3) vacancies for a term that will expire June, 2015

Boone County Board of Review

One (1) vacancy for a term that will expire June 1, 2016 (This person must be of the Republican Party)

Boone County Zoning Board of Appeals

One (1) vacancy for a term that will expire June 1, 2019

Boone County Building Board of Appeals

One (1) vacancy for a term that will expire June 1, 2019