Community Action Agency Board—Bill Pysson representative of the Boone County Board

 

Based upon guidelines from the state and federal agencies, many grant programs will be funneled/coordinated through regional agencies.  Community Action Agency is Boone County’s regional agency. 

I fell very lucky to be appointed to this social service agency by Chairman Walberg. With your help Boone County residents, especially those less fortunate, can receive the aid they are entitled.

THIS POSTING  IS A WORK IN PROGRESS

 

Here is a brochure regarding the agency.  Please don’t put off by the cover—this is the 2011 publication and although “City of Rockford” is still the headline of our title the logo today is “Community Action Partnership” and will be more prominently displayed in the future..

To read the entire 2011 publication go to: http://boonecountyconnect.blogspot.com/#!/2013/01/boone-countys-community-action.html

 

Click on the following to find out more about this agency:  Community Action Agency Board

Bill’s claims for travel and per diem for January

Are there controversial items on the county board agenda for this Wednesday?

I will be able to speak of only a few of them before the meeting.  It is probably best to take them sequentially understanding that changes are very possible.

The agenda is shown below,.   This taken from:  http://www.boarddocs.com/il/boone/Board.nsf/Public.

 

Assuming that there is no controversy on the agenda, the first item 5.1 APPOINTMENTS may be contentious.  Mr. Walberg is proposing to appoint/reappointed the entire five member board Regional Planning Board.  Terms on this board were staggered so only two or three member’s term expire in the same year.  Many old members have served years with expired terms because Mr. Walberg has refused to reappoint expired term members.  The old  Regional Planning Board voted unanimously against the revised Wind Farm ordinance.  See: 

There maybe many questions concern the slate of candidates Mr. Walberg wishes to appoint.  See the candidate’s applications (http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2013/01/chairman-walberg-request-appointment-of.html  and http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2013/01/applicant-letters-for-five-regional.html

ITEM 10.2 VEHICLE PROCUREMENT  Based up some pending requested information, Bill may need to make a statement to the board.  See some of the issue:  http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2013/01/sheriffs-reports-bring-questions-from.html

ITEM 11.4 SPEED LIMIT CHANGE ON Newburg Road—Proved to be controversial.  After some discussion Bill requested a roll call vote—the speed change was approved 7-5.  See the Belvidere Republican’s coverage at:  http://www.belvideredailyrepublican.net/news/split-county-board-approves-lowering-newburg-road-speed-limit/

ITEM 13.1 VETERANS ASSISTANCE REFERENDUM Some of the more conservative members of the board may have negative statements regarding the lack of “choice” the county has regarding this matter.  For more details, see Boone County Journal  http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2013/01/bcj-veterans-assistance-commission.html

For information concerning the newly formed Veterans Commission for Boone County go to:

By laws of the commission:  http://www.boarddocs.com/il/boone/Board.nsf/files/93KTQ7786C66/$file/Veterans%20Assistance%20Commission.pdf

State Mandate:  http://www.boarddocs.com/il/boone/Board.nsf/files/93KTNJ782D22/$file/330%20ILCS%2045%20Military%20Veterans%20Assistance%20Act.pdf

States Attorney’s statement:  http://www.boarddocs.com/il/boone/Board.nsf/files/93QKSJ53466E/$file/veterans%20commission%20research.pdf

New Public Hearing Tuesday 1-22-2013 Regarding Wind Ordinance Setbacks Section 7.8.7.H

Apparently Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 7:00 PM is the time of the hearing. 

There may be material errors in some of the setback wording.  Check with the Planning Department

Here is the section of the text amendment subject to the hearing:

Boone County Health Department’s Environmental and Regulatory Services request a 2.25% increase in fees

As many of you know, Bill is a  member of the Health & Human Services subcommittee. 

The Boone County Health department has authorized a 2.25% increase in E&R Services and is now seeking final approval of the county board.  At the January 3 H&HS subcommittee, Subcommittee Chairman Mike Schultz suggested that the fees should be made public before the county votes on the increase.  The subcommittee concurred and requested that a schedule of proposed increases be published on Broad Docs next month so the public will have an opportunity to comment on the proposed increase.

February H&HS subcommittee will have the item on the agenda and it probably be sent on to the February county board meeting for approval.

Below are the proposed fee increases which the Health Department distributed to the subcommittee during the January 3 subcommittee meeting.

Click on the photocopy to enlarge: 

The major reason for the increase is to defray the staff’s increase in salaries.  The total of those costs are approximately $3,000.  If fees increase 2.25% it is anticipated that the entire wage increase in the Health Department’s Environmental and Regulatory Section will be covered.

An accomplishment for our animal friends

A number of the reports from the Department of Animal Services have historically been available only to board members and administration.  Based upon Bill’s  initiative the reports are now published on the website and available to the general public.  More openness, more transparency equals better government.

Click on the photocopy to enlarge:

Citation Report

Impound Report

///Reposting/// Bill’s First Notable Accomplishment: Boone County provides full disclosure of employees’ salary and benefits

First Notable Accomplishment: Boone County provides full disclosure of employees’ salary and benefits

Illinois’ PL 97-609 required Boone County to provide public disclosure of wages and benefits for all employees whose combined cost of wages and benefits exceed $75,000 beginning with the new fiscal year beginning December 1, 2012.

Boone County’s initial disclosure provides no names only the positions.

With the help of Cal Skinner, McHenry Blog ( SEE: http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2012/11/30/crystal-lake-loses-precedent-setting-foia-ruling-on-hidding-high-salaried-employees-names/) Bill relayed to the Boone County Administrator the June 2012 decision from the Attorney General requiring disclosure of names.

Based upon the information Bill provided, full disclosure was provided—:

Click on the photocopy to enlarge:

This information:

Became the much more revealing as the employee names were revealed:

To see all county employees salaries and benefits go to: http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2012/12/boone-countys-pl-97-609-compensation.html

Posted by Bill