Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Rockford Register Star’s Candidate Questionnaire

A larger font version of this Rockford Register Star reprint is available by clicking on the following: http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-rr-star-requires-voter-to-compare_26.html
The RR Star requires voter to compare two candidates.  To date neither Mrs. Giesecke nor Mr. Larson have completed the survey.  Mrs. Giesecke was selected to be the second candidate only because two candidates are required to retrieve Bill Pysson’s responses.  To see if the two Republican candidates now have submitted their surveys go to:  http://e-rockford.com/voterguide/

image_thumb[7]_thumb

Candidate picture

Bill Pysson (Dem) retired

Sherry Giesecke (Rep)

Change Candidates

Social Media
Biographical Information

Age 65

Occupation Former teacher, bank auditor, veterans claims examiner, Viet-Nam era veteran.

Family Married Margaret Osbakken (1981); Daughter, Mary Anne, living and working in Chicago. Son, Michael, working in Seattle, WA.

Campaign Address 9592 Denver Drive
Belvidere, Illinois

Campaign Phone (815) 544-5115

Website http://boonecountywatch.blogspot.com/

Email bill.pysson@gmail.com

Education/degrees earned BA in Education, MA in Economics, MBA in Finance

Why are you running for Boone County Board?

Bill Pysson I seek re-election to the Boone County Board because there are many improvements still needed for our county government. The accounting function is criticized each year by our external auditors for not having written procedures. Documentation of vehicle usage, citizen’s complaints and animal kennel occupancy are rudimentary if not, non-existent. Government is a series of checks and balances—the county board controls funding to the elected officials however thorough questioning of their budgets and financial actions does not always occur. The county board makes decisions with too few comparisons regarding costs of our county’s functions versus comparable counties. Revenues have not returned to pre-2008 levels; costs are escalating particularly in the policing and public safety areas. More questions need to be asked for county government to improve.

Friends and neighbors, both Democrats and Republicans, have asked me to run again.

Sherry Giesecke Candidate response is not yet available.

Why should voters vote for you?

Bill Pysson I have a track record of questioning, investigating and taking a stand on issues. I have taken actions to improve county government. The following is a partial list of my accomplishments: Required bidding for county owned farmland. Regular updating of changes in the county code are now available on the county’s website. Staff answering Freedom of Information Requests now have completed the state mandated training. Employees supervised by the County Administrator now have annual written reviews. For the first time in seven years a physical inventory of all county property was taken and a perpetual inventory is being devised. Public disclosure of employee salaries and benefits is made by name rather than position. Voluntary and paid positions in county government are being posted on the county website. I needed help from fellow board members to accomplish these improvements and sometimes there were major obstacles from leadership.There is much more to do. VOTE FOR BILL PYSSON

Sherry Giesecke Candidate response is not yet available.

Do you support larger property setback rules that would allow for wind turbine development in Boone County? Why or why not?

Bill Pysson The wording of the question confuses the issue. The current ordinance only sets the "minimum of minimum" setbacks. Under the ordinance each wind turbine will require a special use permit which will take into account the unique geographic conditions of each turbine and its effect on the health and welfare of our citizens. Each turbine will have individual positioning which under most conditions will greatly exceed the ordinance's minimum setbacks. For more than two years anti-wind forces have attempted to change the stated minimums to much larger setbacks which would effectively outlawed wind turbines in Boone County. I voted "NO" to these larger setbacks. Our current ordinance is designed to use the special use process to insure safe positioning of turbines. Such positioning can occur only when an actual application is received. My position is nearly identical to the recommendation of the professional staff of the Boone County Planning and Zoning Department

************************************************************************************

Post Card sent to Candlewick Lake and Southern District One:

Campaign Post card

Final Newspaper Ads

image

image

 

 

Click on the photocopy to enlarge: 

 Union Endorsement

Updated employment and volunteer opportunities

image

Employment Opportunities

HomeEmployment & Appointments

Boone County government offers a wide and diverse number of direct services to its residents, including law enforcement, correction and detention of law violators, support for the criminal justice system, direct health care, maintenance of essential records, highway maintenance, property assessments, courtroom operations, building and planning services, tax collection for other local governments, and election administration among others. From these many services come many opportunities for employment.

Boone County Government job application can be found here: Job Application

CURRENT OPENINGS:  

911 Telecommunications Dispatcher

Full-time position answering 911 calls, data entry, dispatching police, fire and ambulance services. Applicants must be able to multi-task, work in a fast paced environment under stressful conditions, be computer and typing proficient, and be able to work nights, weekends, and holidays.

Applicants must reside within 21 miles of the Belvidere/Boone County Public Safety Building in Belvidere, Illinois within 13 months of employment and have a high school diploma or G.E.D. Must be able to pass a typing test, written test, psychological test, and a thorough background investigation. Starting salary for this UAW Union position is $18.74 per hour with an excellent benefit package.

Applications may be obtained at the Boone County Sheriff's Office or printed out on-line at www.boonecountyil.org and must be returned or postmarked by November 20,2014, to the Boone County Sheriffs Office, 615 N. Main St., Belvidere, IL. 61008. Boone County Sheriff's Office is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). 

APPOINTMENT VACANCIES:
 
BOONE COUNTY CIRCUIT CLERK
One (1) vacancy for a term that will expire November 30, 2016
Interested parties are asked to send a letter and/or resume expressing your interest and qualifications to Boone County Board Chairman Bob Walberg, 1212 Logan Ave., Suite 102, Belvidere, IL 61008. Please respond by October 31, 2014 to assure being considered.

Volunteer Positions

CAPRON RESCUE SQUAD DISTRICT
Three (3) vacancies for a term that will expire the 2nd Monday of December, 2018
Interested parties are asked to send a letter and/or resume expressing your interest and qualifications to Boone County Board Chairman Bob Walberg, 1212 Logan Ave., Suite 102, Belvidere, IL 61008. Please respond by November 14, 2014 to assure being considered.

October 25, 2014: Vacancies in Boone County Government

 
 
image
AS OF OCTOBER 25, 2014
Employment Opportunities

HomeEmployment & Appointments

Boone County government offers a wide and diverse number of direct services to its residents, including law enforcement, correction and detention of law violators, support for the criminal justice system, direct health care, maintenance of essential records, highway maintenance, property assessments, courtroom operations, building and planning services, tax collection for other local governments, and election administration among others. From these many services come many opportunities for employment.

Boone County Government job application can be found here: Job Application

CURRENT OPENINGS:  There are no current openings at this time.

APPOINTMENT VACANCIES:
The following are volunteer Boards of the County of Boone that have vacancies:
CAPRON RESCUE SQUAD DISTRICT
Three (3) vacancies for a term that will expire the 2nd Monday of December, 2018

Interested parties are asked to send a letter and/or resume expressing your interest and qualifications to Boone County Board Chairman Bob Walberg, 1212 Logan Ave., Suite 102, Belvidere, IL 61008. Please respond by November 14, 2014 to assure being considered.

Interestingly there is no notification of the vacancy of the Clerk of the Circuit Court which will become open with the resignation of  Nora Ohlsen effective  January 1, 2015. The Administrative Committee of the Boone County Board will be have hearing on November 3, 2014.  SEE:  http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2014/10/circuit-court-clerk-resigns.html

image

[image%255B3%255D.png]

Circuit Court Clerk Resigns

 

Dear County Board Members;

I received a letter of resignation from Circuit Clerk Nora Ohlsen today effective December 31, 2014.  I plan to notify the media immediately and advertise for her replacement as Nora is requesting sufficient transition time with the new Circuit Clerk.   I will request that a letter of interest from applicants be submitted to me on or before October 31, 2014.  Once I have received these letters I plan to hold an interview process of selected candidates at the upcoming Administrative and Legislative Committee meeting on November 3, 2014.

I wish Nora well with her retirement and we will miss her service to Boone County.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact me on my cell phone at 815-xxx xxxx.

Respectfully,

Bob Walberg

BW/jmd

Winter Warming Centers for Boone County

 
image

image

Question of the Month: What are the fees if my dog is impounded for running at large?

image

image

There appears to be some criticism of the District 100 referendum proposal

 

Dean Marcellus says “NO” in Journal  Seehttp://district100watchdog.blogspot.com/2014/11/bcj-letter-to-editor-opposes-district.html

  image

Allison Reid- Niemiec  said:  VOTE NO

SEE:  http://district100watchdog.blogspot.com/2014/10/letter-vote-no-on-district-100-ballot.html

PASS  Parent Advocating Students and Staff appear to have many questions

SEE:  https://www.facebook.com/parentspass  see also:  http://district100watchdog.blogspot.com/2014/10/district-100-school-referendum.html

Mr. Ben Stanley of the Rockford Register Star had an article on the referendum

SEE:  http://www.rrstar.com/article/20141029/NEWS/141029272/10368/NEWS This article is also available at:  http://district100watchdog.blogspot.com/2014/10/belvidere-could-change-way-school-board.html

District #100 Proposition for Nov. 4th, 2014 ballot - YouTube

This presentation is from PASS  Parents Advocating for Students and Staff

image_thumb[17]_thumb

Click on the following to view the “YOU Tube” clip:  District #100 Proposition for Nov. 4th, 2014 ballot - YouTube

The Chairman “DOES” support the Animal Services Building

 

image

image

image

c

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Vacancies in Boone County Government
image
AS OF OCTOBER 25, 2014
Employment Opportunities

HomeEmployment & Appointments

Boone County government offers a wide and diverse number of direct services to its residents, including law enforcement, correction and detention of law violators, support for the criminal justice system, direct health care, maintenance of essential records, highway maintenance, property assessments, courtroom operations, building and planning services, tax collection for other local governments, and election administration among others. From these many services come many opportunities for employment.

Boone County Government job application can be found here: Job Application

CURRENT OPENINGS:  There are no current openings at this time.

APPOINTMENT VACANCIES:
The following are volunteer Boards of the County of Boone that have vacancies:
CAPRON RESCUE SQUAD DISTRICT
Three (3) vacancies for a term that will expire the 2nd Monday of December, 2018

Interested parties are asked to send a letter and/or resume expressing your interest and qualifications to Boone County Board Chairman Bob Walberg, 1212 Logan Ave., Suite 102, Belvidere, IL 61008. Please respond by November 14, 2014 to assure being considered.

Interestingly there is no notification of the vacancy of the Clerk of the Circuit Court which will become open with the resignation of  Nora Ohlsen effective  January 1, 2015. The Administrative Committee of the Boone County Board will be have hearing on November 3, 2014.  SEE:  http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2014/10/circuit-court-clerk-resigns.html

image

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Circuit Court Clerk Resigns

 

Dear County Board Members;

I received a letter of resignation from Circuit Clerk Nora Ohlsen today effective December 31, 2014.  I plan to notify the media immediately and advertise for her replacement as Nora is requesting sufficient transition time with the new Circuit Clerk.   I will request that a letter of interest from applicants be submitted to me on or before October 31, 2014.  Once I have received these letters I plan to hold an interview process of selected candidates at the upcoming Administrative and Legislative Committee meeting on November 3, 2014.

I wish Nora well with her retirement and we will miss her service to Boone County.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact me on my cell phone at 815-xxx xxxx.

Respectfully,

Bob Walberg

BW/jmd