Ideas into Action: The Comprehensive Development Plan

A Renewed Comprehensive Development Plan. In 1992 the City Council approved the 2010 Comprehensive Development Plan. As with most plans aspects have changed over time due to circumstances. I believe it is time to make an overall reassessment of future development in the City. - 2013 Campaign Platform, Christopher Fischer for Commissioner

When I first started exploring the possibility of running for Commissioner in the City of Zion, I put a great deal of research and thought into my platform.  Focusing not only on addressing current concerns, but also what steps need to be taken to build the future of the city. One of the key parts was a renewed comprehensive development plan to chart a path for the city for the next 20 years.

Just a couple of months after the April 2013 election, the City announced that they had applied to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning for a Local Technical Assistance grant develop a new Comprehensive Development Plan. Then, just a couple of months ago it was announced that the grant had been awarded, and the process of selecting a consulting agency to facilitate the creation of the plan had begun.

Last week, I received a letter from Sonolito Bronson, Economic Development Coordinator for the City of Zion, inviting me to participate in the kickoff meeting for the development plan process, where the consultants from Teska Associates, Inc. would provide an overview of the process, and the invitees would be asked for their interest in participating in the Planning Committee.

I attended the meeting, found it very informative, and indicated my willingness to be a part of the Planning Committee.  Currently I am waiting to hear if I will be included.  While I am waiting, I thought I would share with you, a copy of the meeting handout. Please excuse my scribbled notes.

Part of the process outlined is the solicitation of citizen input to the plan, so if after looking these pages over, you have any ideas, feel free to share them here if you like.

The goal is to have a plan that the City Council can vote to approve (or not) in April of 2015.  

Ideas and Action are required if we want to build a City we can take pride in, without them, it's just a pile of paper on a shelf.   Speaking for myself, I'm ready to get to work.

Trustee No.7 - Infrastructure

What’s the deal with infrastructure?

In the several months since my appointment to the Lake County Public Water District Board of Trustees, one topic has occupied my attention above all; the fundamental importance of civil infrastructure. 

Infrastructure consists of everything we take for granted as essential elements of our modern society; roads, bridges, electricity, flood control, dams, waste treatment, and drinking water. 

According to the “American Society of Civil Engineers 2013 Report Card For America’s Infrastructure” the national status of drinking water infrastructure rates a "D", due to the advanced age of most of the delivery systems, many of which are 100 or more years old, and nearing the end of their operational lifespan.  Just replacing pipes and mains over the next couple of decades is estimated to cost close to $1 Trillion according to the American Water Works Association.

 

Here in Illinois, it is estimated that we will need at least $15 Billion in drinking water infrastructure needs over the next 20 years. I want to emphasize this; $15 Billion, just for drinking water.

 A little research, so you don’t have to.

 

Here in Northeast Illinois we benefit from having access to Lake Michigan for the bulk of our water needs, but it is not an unlimited resource.  As part of my research into water infrastructure I have been studying the “Water 2050: Northeastern Illinois Regional Water Supply/Demand Plan” that was issued by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning in March 2010.  If you aren’t the type of person who enjoys curling up with a 200 plus page report on current water usage and the long term trends for the 11 counties that comprise the Northeast Illinois region, I wouldn’t recommend it, but there are some relevant facts that can be gleaned from this tome. 

Using data from 2005 as a baseline, the report projects three supply/demand scenarios:

1.    Current Trend (usage remains at current levels, increased by population growth).

2.    Less Resource Intensive (usage is moderated by conservation and “true-cost” pricing).

3.    More Resource Intensive (usage is increased to a level at or above available supply).

 

There are five water use sectors to be considered in any supply/demand scenario:

1.    Public Supply

2.    Power Generation

3.    Industrial and Commercial

4.    Agricultural and Irrigation

5.    Domestic Self-Supply 

The annual average per-capita usage per day is 169.3 gallons, for the region the average is 1,408.3 million gallons per day (mgd).  

The source of all this water can be broken down as follows; 69% from Lake Michigan, 17% from groundwater (wells), and 14% from rivers.

As fortunate as we are to have such an abundance of fresh water so readily available, we should keep in mind this is not a static condition. 

 The report outlines a projected population growth of 38% over the 45 years between 2005 and 2050.  The Less Resource Intensive scenario keeps the growth in water demand down to 7.24% over that period of time, but under the Current Trend that demand raises to 36%, and the More Resource Intensive increases demand to 64% above current usage. 

If you want an example of a water resource over-used to the point of its demise, you only have to look at the Colorado River, which has been diverted so much that it no longer flows to the Gulf of California.  The image of Lake Michigan reduced to a plain of cracked dry mud surrounding a shallow shadow of its former glory may seem far-fetched, but it isn’t completely out of the realm of possibility. 

Closer to home, communities in western Lake County that rely on groundwater , are already discovering their limitations, and have started to consider joining up with existing water districts that supply Lake Michigan water.  The biggest roadblock to making the switch is the financial costs that their residents would have to bear to put the infrastructure in place.  Eventually, a tipping point will be reached where the need for reliable and safe water service will (probably) overtake the financial concerns.

In short, if we don’t take common sense steps to use our water resources efficiently, the long term costs both financially and environmentally will be staggering.

One of those steps is to ensure our water infrastructure is well maintained and upgraded as needed. 

Littoral Drift and the Water Intake Pipe 

Littoral transport has been defined as the movement of material along the shore in the littoral zone by waves and currents. The material thus transported is referred to as the littoral drift. The littoral drift originates from beach material, being picked up by the water and transported along the shore and deposited in another location.  Shore erosion, littoral transport, and deposition of drift are all factors in the littoral process. – from the abstract of the report; Littoral Transport in the Great Lakes, by Dr. L. Bajorunas, U.S. Lake Survey, Corps of Engineers (1960). 

One of the great things I have discovered since deciding to run for office, and engaging in public service, is the many opportunities to learn about something new.   After I sat in on my first meeting at the Water District, Don White, the Operations Manager took me for a tour of the Water Filtration Plant.  At the end, he pulled out a set of engineering drawings that diagrammed the water intake pipe.  He explained that the intake pipe extends approximately 3000 feet out on the lake bed, and had been covered by four feet of sand.   

But, in the years since the construction of the North Point Marina at Winthrop Harbor, most of the sand has eroded away, exposing and undermining large sections of the pipe, apparently due to the marina interrupting the natural flow of the littoral drift. In effect the break walls surrounding the marina are keeping sand from being deposited on the lakeshore to the south, resulting in greater beach erosion, and thus exposing the water intake pipe.  This is how I first learned the importance of littoral drift in coastal engineering projects.   

How important is illustrated in a recent announcement by Governor Quinn, of a $1.3 million dollar project to protect the shoreline at Illinois Beach State Park, due to the extensive erosion just south of the North Point Marina. This includes the area where the water intake pipe is located.  Here is a relevant quote from the story about the announcement that appeared in the Lake County News-Sun on January 29, 2014; “The problems on the shoreline of the Adeline Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park have been ongoing ever since North Point Marina and another marina just into Wisconsin began trapping the natural movement of sand south along the shoreline.”   

In 2013, the Lake County Public Water District commissioned an inspection of the Intake Pipe.  A diver examined the length of the pipe from the intake cones, back to the shoreline.  The resulting report notes that there are sections of the pipe, especially on the southern side, where the lake bed has definitely eroded; in some instances the drop-off extends to depths over a dozen feet. 
 

So, we know we have a problem, how do we fix it?

Introduction to “The Bent”

 

To protect the pipe, the Water District has undertaken a project to install a system of “bent clamp supports” which are designed to secure the exposed sections of the pipe to the lake bed independent of the level of the surrounding sand.  Each “bent” is a large steel clamp that is secured around the outside of the pipe.  On either side of the clamp is a channel through which a steel piling is inserted. Each piling is driven down until it hits hard pan under the lake bed, the excess portion of the pilings are then cut flush with the top of the clamp, and the whole assembly is then secured.  Each bent can support 32 feet of pipe, which, if you do the math, gives you a total of 93 bents to cover the entire 3000 feet.

 

Photo of an open bent to be deployed.

The long-term goal is to place bents along the entire length of the pipe, as needed, and once they are in place, they are expected to last 50 or more years. The short-term goal last year was to install six of the bents in the most critical areas.  I say that it was the goal, because there is another facet of infrastructure that often isn’t considered by the casual observer; obtaining permits.

 

Hey, have you got a permit for that? 
 

In an extensive examination of the Obama Administration’s $800 billion dollar stimulus, and it’s often unrecognized successes; Michael Grunwald’s book “The New New Deal, The Hidden Story of Change in the Obama Era”, also describes one of the biggest hurdles, that a “shovel-ready” project is a lot harder to get underway than you might think. 

In the case of our water intake project, the hurdles consist of getting approvals from various agencies to conduct the necessary work in Lake Michigan.  These are the; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE), Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA).

 

When I sat down for my first official meeting with the Water District Board in July of 2013, the hope was to complete the permit process soon enough to allow the contractor time to install three of the bents before the end of the season when the coming winter weather would put a halt to any underwater work on the lake.

 
The district had submitted a request for a ten-year permit, to the IDNR, which had filed for a 30 day public comment period regarding the request, scheduled to conclude on the 26^th of July.  At the time, the IEPA had not made any substantial comment on the request.  Since that meeting, the IDNR completed its comment period, the COE determined it needed its own comment period, and the IEPA included another comment period. All of which meant, that 2013 ended without obtaining the permit, and none of the projected work had been done.  But, that wasn’t the last hurdle, because after the IEPA comment period completed, someone there took a look at the file and determined that yet another requirement had to be met before they could sign off on the project.  Sediment and water samples had to be collected from the site, and sent to a lab for analysis to determine what kind of contaminants might be released from the material that would be moved in order to place the bent around the pipe. If the quantities are considered hazardous, then the contractor would be required to place the disturbed material in barrels, which would be transported to an inland waste disposal facility.

At the time of this writing, in March 2014, the District is awaiting the lab results, and hopefully will finally receive the final approval for its permit, almost a year since beginning the process.

Looking at the bureaucratic labyrinth it is very easy to get frustrated, you have to wonder how anything can get done, and if we are going to effectively tackle that $15 billion in water infrastructure we better figure out some ways to streamline the process. But, we shouldn’t do so in a way that puts our natural resources at risk. Ask the citizens of West Virginia who had their entire water supply contaminated if they would prefer a little more environmental regulation or not.

In the end, despite all the hurdles, I believe that our little infrastructure project will move forward, and I will do my small part to make sure that it is successful.

Final Thoughts

Our society, our economy, our very civilization depends upon a network of interdependent systems, many of which are taken so much for granted that they are essentially invisible to our day-to-day consciousness, until they fail.

Highways, railroads, electric grids, sanitation, and water systems aren’t as glamorous as a skyscraper or a sports stadium but they touch us, and support us in our daily lives beyond mere monetary measure. It is our responsibility to ourselves and the generations that follow that we not only maintain them, but make them better; an investment in our posterity. So that one day, they will look back on what we accomplished and say that they truly stand on the shoulders of giants.

 

Postscript, April 30th

 

Earlier this week, I received word that the Illinois EPA has issued the permit for the intake pipe project, and the paperwork will be finalized with the Corps of Engineers.

 

A Vibrant Advocacy

A lot has been happening in Zion over the past few weeks, much of which I have commented on over at the Fischer for Zion facebook page.  When I first sat down at the keyboard this morning, my intent was to look at these stories in turn, analyze each one, and comment on them.  Then I started writing, and realized that I was wandering into a labyrinth where each event brings forth more questions, other issues, and then it spirals off in a new direction, sometimes coming to a dead end. So, I stepped back from trying to parse each issue separately to looking at how to approach them overall, as a government, and a constituency.

Over the past month or so, it seems that Zion only appears on the radar of the wider world when there is a tragedy, a murder, or a scandal to report.  But, that's not the whole story, and I think we can all look around and see good people doing good work, each in their own way trying to make the city better.  That is the narrative we all need to work on presenting to the world. Not simple civic boosterism, but one that acknowledges our problems, and also shows that we are actively working to solve them.

This is going to require a real change in habit and philosophy on the part of the Mayor and our Commissioner's.  For too long, especially since the troubles with the baseball stadium started, there has been a tendency to remain silent in the face of accusations, to avoid the press, and to clear public statements with legal counsel.  As I see it, this strategy of standing mute and waiting for the truth to come out in the end is fundamentally flawed, and it is actually hurting the city's prospects by feeding that negative narrative that has become the face that Zion presents to the world.

What we truly need from our civic leadership is a vibrant and articulate advocacy on behalf of the city and it's people. An advocacy that establishes a new narrative that isn't couched in nostalgia, but expresses a confident and progressive vision of the future.  Whether our current leaders are capable or willing to take up the challenge remains to be seen.

Silence and indifference are two of our greatest foes, to defeat them we must speak out with voices clear and strong. All of us, together.

A quick note:

For the one or two people who might be interested, I am still doing research for the long promised "Trustee No.7" post about infrastructure.  In the meantime, if you ever want to give yourself a good scare, I suggest that you take a look at the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 2013 Report Card for America's Infrastructure.  After reading through it, you will probably never want to drive across a bridge again.

What is an Acceptable Business?



A bit of seedier history in Chicago's River North - author's photo.

At this past Tuesday's City Council meeting,  I took special note that Lloyd DeTienne was the lone vote against  both the zoning text amendment, and special use permit to allow a tattoo parlor to set up shop on Lewis Ave. He offered no explanation for why opposed this particular business, so we can only speculate at his reason.  Perhaps he will enlighten the public some time in the future.

 

If the reason was that he found the idea of a tattoo parlor in Zion to be inappropriate, or morally offensive in some way,  his action was in marked contrast to what occurred later in the same meeting.

 

One of the last items on the agenda was a request from the owners of the Dungeon of Doom haunted house. After discussion with Finance Director David Knable,  the owners approached the Council to gauge their reaction to a proposed deal on entertainment taxes that would give them incentive to invest a half-million dollars to purchase a building near their current location, and expand their business. 

For those who may not be aware of the history, when the Dungeon of Doom was first proposed some three years ago there were a number of objections from some citizens, based on their moral and religious beliefs.  Others raised concerns about traffic problems, or the potential for disruptive behavior.  

In the discussion at this meeting, it was noted that none of these concerns had come to pass, and that the Dungeon has become a major revenue generator for the City, and other businesses. The proprietors have been engaged with the community, and have donated to local charities. In other words, they have become the type of acceptable business that we want to have in our city.  With those facts in consideration, the council indicated that they would be open to the proposed arrangement. Altogether, a win-win for everyone concerned.

Which leads me back to the question of the tattoo parlor, and to ask whether by it's very nature is it an unacceptable business?

Historically, tattoo parlors were restricted to "red light" districts that catered to those seeking entertainment involving sex, booze, or drugs in any combination. A world that usually operated on the edge of, or outside the law, and often encompassed pawn shops, circus sideshows, and haunted houses.

 A past that is exemplified by the sign in photo above, which I took on Clark Street in the Courthouse District of Chicago. The building, which had until recently hosted an adult bookstore was being rehabbed, revealing an even older incarnation as a strip club, when the neighborhood was truly "red light". Today the area is filled with high-end restaurants, pricey condos, and office towers. 

But, cultural norms have shifted in the last thirty years, and a practice that was once only the province of sailors, bikers, and gangsters has become commonplace.  Skin art, has become an accepted form of personal expression, and style at all levels of society.  Of course, part of the appeal is the patina of  being an "outlaw", being just a little more sexy, or outrageous for having one.  

Images of butterflies and Hello Kitty not withstanding.

In the end, I think what makes a business acceptable depends not so much on what they do, but in the behavior of the owners and the employees.  If they provide goods and services in a friendly manner with honesty and integrity, then I think they become an acceptable addition to our business community.  I hope the owners of this new venture in our city operate in that manner, and may they have much success.

If you, having read this want to share your thoughts on what is an acceptable business, put them into the comments below.  I look forward to hearing from you.





 

 

"One-Time Dollars"

Fielders Stadium in 2012

The August 20th, 2013 City Council meeting centered on a lengthy discussion around the necessity of raising water, sewer, and waste collection rates to cover the projected costs of those services this fiscal year.  Under ordinary circumstances, a minor rate increase would probably pass unnoticed by most people, until they looked at their quarterly bill from the City.

In this case, the reasons for the increase merit special notice, because they are the unintended consequences of decisions made over a period of years.

The first decision, which to my mind is stunning in it's short-sightedness is that the City had not changed the water rate for almost ten years.  Apparently, the city got into the habit of relying on the surplus in the Water Enterprise Fund to cover the difference.

That surplus was created in part by the connection fees collected from new construction and service connections to the Midwest Regional Medical Center. Dave Knable, the city Finance Director described these as "one-time dollars", a windfall that will probably never occur again. According to published reports this surplus amounted to at least $2,300,000 dollars or more.

Now, the fund is so depleted that it is necessary to raise the rates to keep it from going into deficit. 

Where did that money go?

The First Loan

In 2009, the City discovered that they were facing a critical deficit.  At the March 17, meeting the Council approved a loan from the Water Fund in the amount of $3,200,000 to the General Fund to help with the debt. The plan was that the city would eventually repay that borrowed money back to the Water Fund.

At this recent council meeting Mayor Harrison gave a spirited defense of this action, that by doing so, jobs and services were maintained without resorting to raising taxes. It is a legitimate argument, after all a crisis was averted, and the taxpayers were spared the pain of cut services, or higher property taxes.  Where else did that money go? To answer that, we need to provide some background.

The Baseball Stadium

Just a month before the $3 million dollar loan was taken from the Water Fund, the Mayor announced that in 2010, a new minor league baseball team would be coming to Zion, along with a stadium that would include year-round retail and banquet facilities.  Press reports emphasized that local taxpayers would not bear any of the costs. The team owners, investors, and a development grant from the State would pay for the project. Even until March of 2011, an announcement was still posted on the city website about the imminent start of construction on the stadium that stated; “The team owners and developers are accepting the responsibility for the full cost of the project, including the parking and land lease commitments.”

It didn't quite turn out that way. 

After the announcement, those of us who were excited about the possibility of having a minor league team just down the road, watched as groundwork was started at the announced location at the corner of 9th and Green Bay Road. Then, everything suddenly came to a halt, why?

The answer can be found in the minutes of a special City Council Meeting, held on April 9, 2010. Here is the relevant text:

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT/BASEBALL STADIUM

 

Delaine Rogers stated without State assistance the 9th Street and Green Bay Road site for the Lake County Fielders baseball stadium will not be possible, therefore, developers and staff have been reviewing alternate sites for the baseball stadium. Ms. Rogers introduced Jason Rosenburg, Panattoni, Rick DeLisle, Lee and Associates, Rick Ehrenreich, President of Grand Slam Sports and Entertainment, and Warner Briske and Andrea Ceclia, Partners in Design with the following proposal:

• Locating the baseball stadium on the northeast corner of Route 173 and Green Bay Road, directly northeast of CVS Pharmacy
• Over $1 million in improvements are at this site, including zoning, permitting infrastructure, etc
• The site plan would include retail stores along Route 173, as well as a retail corridor and possible theater on Green Bay Road
• A press release is being prepared by the developers

Rich Ehrenreich stated the aggressive plan includes groundwork starting next week involving a private landowners partnership. Mr. Ehrenreich stated, because of the added retail attraction, private investors are interested. The construction plan would include bleacher seating this year with the building by next season. Ms. Rogers stated the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs did provide some funding, which can be used at this site.
 
Ron Colangelo stated he has a meeting with Lake County Stormwater Management next week for permitting and discussing the multi-phase construction. Ms. Rogers stated the plan includes a 25-year lease with a property agreement. The City would lease the property from the partnership, in order to control the project and allow it to remain tax-exempt from real estate taxes until such time as retail is added. This plan would allow the project to start as soon as possible. Mr. Ehrenreich stated it is a 6 – 8 week process to build the field. Rick DeLisle stated he is meeting with Veolia regarding a plan to help provide the material for the berming.

Commissioner Jim Taylor questioned the impact on the residents to the north of this property. Mr. Ehrenreich stated he would be meeting with the homeowners association, noting plans have already been discussed to make sure the area is kept clean and noise doesn’t become a factor.

Commissioner Flammini questioned when they would actually move dirt. Warner Briske stated activity would start next week.

Commissioner DeTienne questioned what would happen with season ticket holders. Mr. Ehrenreich stated
there would be various options depending on exactly what date the field opens. The best case is that the field can still open on June 11, with July 15 as the last anticipated opening date. Possible options for season ticket holders include
1) keeping the season ticket and giving free general admission for 2010, or 2) offering a complete refund with the ticket holder releasing the seat, or 3) something in between these two options.

 Mr. Ehrenreich stated if the June 11 opening can’t be met, an alternative site for one month could be the Schaumburg stadium, noting Simmons Field in Kenosha would take several thousand dollars to bring it up to a semi-pro level for the safety of the ballplayers.

Mr. DeLisle stated the 25-year lease between the City and Grand Slam Sports has a termination clause and property agreement, and will be forwarded to the attorneys for review. Mr. Colangelo stated site work done on the original site at 9th Street and Green Bay Road can still be utilized for future commercial use.

There was Council consensus to support the concept of the Lake County Fielders baseball stadium’s location at Route 173 and Green Bay Road, with agreement to place this issue on the April 20 Council meeting.

At the meeting on April 20, 2010 the city approved the plan to move the project to the new site, and over the next couple of months, the council passed various measures and agreements needed to complete the construction of temporary facilities in time for the 2010 season.  The Fielders ended up playing their opening "home" game at Carthage College in Kenosha, but eventually, the temporary field was ready, and the team played the rest of their inaugural season there. 

Despite the loss of promised State funds, the City moved ahead with the project, with the assurance that investments and grants would be enough to bring it to completion.  The benefit of hindsight argues that it might have been more prudent to shelve the project until solid funding had been obtained, or invoke the termination clause, and let everyone walk away, accepting the losses and moving on.  But, confidence still held sway in early 2011, resulting in an escalation of commitment that leads us back again to the Water Fund.

The Second Loan

At the City Council meeting of February 15, 2011, Director of Finance Pannell made a recommendation to the Council to transfer $1,764,000 dollars from the Water Fund to the General Fund in the form of a 10 year loan.  The stated purpose was to pay Panattoni Construction for work completed on the baseball stadium in 2010, in order to proceed with Phase 2 of the project. The Council approved the loan unanimously. From the meeting minutes:

BORROWING FUNDS FROM WATER FUND 

A memo (11-DOC-15) was received from Larry Pannell, requesting to borrow funds from the Water Fund. Mayor Harrison stated the City unsuccessfully attempted to secure promised funds from the State of Illinois. Initially the State did give the City $1,000,000 for the ballpark project on the northeast corner of Route 173 and Green Bay Road, stating the balance would follow soon.  

In November 2010, a certain state politician was not re-elected, after which the City received a letter stating the grant was now denied. Promised funds did not materialize, therefore the City is now in the position of facing debts owed to the general contractor. Mayor Harrison stated the contractors operated in good faith, based on promised funds from the State. The City feels it is the right thing to pay these vendors by borrowing funds from the water fund. Mayor Harrison noted support remains for the ballpark, but it cannot start on another phase leaving the vendors without payment for past work. 

Mr. Pannell stated Panattoni Construction is owed a total of approximately $1,764,000, and payment will allow the project to move forward to Phase 2 unencumbered. The total amount would be repaid over the next 10 years with interest and payments included in the fiscal year 2012 budget.  

It was moved by Commissioner Jim Taylor, seconded by Commissioner Shantal Taylor to approve borrowing $1,764,000 from the Water Fund for payment to Panattoni Construction. The vote on roll call was: Commissioners Jim Taylor, aye; Flammini, aye; DeTienne, aye; Shantal Taylor, aye; and Mayor Harrison, aye. Motion carried.

That brings the total borrowed from the Water Fund to $4.9 million.

It is important to note that there were three subsequent requests for authorization to pay vendors for work done on the stadium in 2010 totaling about $823,064. But it is not stated in the meeting minutes that the funding source was from the Water Fund. So we will set those aside, along with another $78,050.07 from the Water Operating Budget for utility relocations for the ball field in March of 2011. But, if all these expenditures were considered along with the $1.7 million loan to pay Panattoni, the total city funds expended on the stadium would be in the area of $2,665,114.07 by July of 2011.

Of course the expectation was that revenue from Grand Slam Sports (the Lake County Fielders organization) would offset these expenditures, and the money would eventually be repaid to the Water Fund.  Apparently, Grand Slam was already in financial difficulty before the start of the 2011 season, and by July the team imploded, with managers and players walking out en masse over non-payment. A shell of the team limped through the rest of the summer, not even affiliated with a league at the end.

At the City Council meeting of September 6, 2011, authorization was given to the legal counsel for the city to begin proceedings to file a suit against Grand Slam Sports for non-payment of rent, and breach of contract. Grand Slam also filed its own suit against the City, and both cases are still in the courts today. 

The Loans Forgiven

On March 6, 2012 the City Attorney put a recommendation before the Mayor and Council, that converting the loans from the Water Fund of $3,200,000 and $1,764,000 to permanent transfers would be in the best interest of the city:

RESOLUTION/MODIFYING WATER FUND TRANSERS 

Attorney Randall stated that in 2009, the City of Zion enacted a resolution to transfer funds in the amount of $3,200,000 from the Water Fund to the General Fund with specific repayment terms, and then a subsequent transfer was made in the amount of $1,764,000. It is now in the best interest of the City that these transfers be deemed permanent transfers with no repayment obligation.  

Commissioner Shantal Taylor asked the City Council to consider the sensitivity of the City’s financial outlook with reference to the Water Fund being a resource to rely on in cases of emergency. She stated that the City should be proactive and stick to the original plan to repay the Water Fund and that the upcoming budget talks should include repayment of the Water Fund. She stated these funds may be needed for repairs to the aging system.  

Mayor Harrison stated that the need to use these funds was well known. He stated that some of the funds have been repaid and the fund has recouped nicely. He stated that the City will be looking at severe budget cuts in the upcoming year and the City has no means to repay this fund. It was moved by Commissioner DeTienne, seconded by Commissioner Flammini that a Resolution (12-R-6) be passed modifying transfers from the Water Fund to the General Fund, in the amounts of $3,200,000 and $1,764,000, by deleting any and all repayment obligations. The vote on roll call was: Commissioners Shantal Taylor, nay; Flammini, aye; DeTienne, aye; Mayor Harrison, aye. Motion carried. Resolution passed.

The Final Accounting

With the $4.9 million forgiven, and an additional outstanding loan of $1.3 million, the total taken from the Water Fund comes to $6.2 million.  Much of that $4.9 million consisting of those "one-time dollars", that won't likely be seen again.  Whether those dollars were spent wisely or not, I'll leave it to you the reader, to judge.

Epilogue: The Rate Increase

In the time since I started writing this post, another City Council meeting was held on September 3, 2013.  At that meeting, the rate increases proposed by Director Knable for water, sewer and waste removal were approved.  In my opinion this was the correct and responsible course to take. If we want services, we should expect to pay for them. 

It's unfortunate that the circumstances require a larger increase now than if they had been adjusted incrementally all along as they should have been.  Equally unfortunate is that all of those "one-time dollars" have been expended as I outlined above instead of being used to improve an infrastructure that truly needs it. An opportunity lost. Let's hope that a lesson has been learned and the city does better in the future.

Trustee No. 7 - "Paperwork, Open Meetings, and You"

Just a short installment this time, I am spending part of my Sunday reading through my Board Packet for the upcoming meeting on Tuesday.  I've had a draft of this post sitting around for over a week, so I thought I should go ahead and get it out there for you to read.

With any new job, even an appointed position, there comes the inevitable paperwork; like tax withholding, for the record, Trustees are paid $1,200 a year in monthly installments, (after taxes that comes to a whopping $87.35 a month), a surety bond (the district picks up the tab for that), and required certifications.  The last item came in the form of an email from Karen with the attached text.

Open Meetings Act

Elected and Appointed Members

OMA Electronic Training

Effective January 1, 2012, elected or appointed members of a public body subject to OMA must
complete the electronic training once during their term of election or appointment as follows:

• Any person who is an elected or appointed member of a public body subject to the Act on January 1, 2012, must complete the electronic training between January 1, 2012, and January 1, 2013.

• Any person who becomes an elected or appointed member of a public body subject to the Act after
January 1, 2012, must complete the electronic training no later than the 90th day after taking the oath
of office or, if not required to take an oath of office, after otherwise assuming responsibilities as a member of the public body.

 Elected or appointed members need not complete the electronic training on an annual basis thereafter unless they are also designated to receive training on compliance with the Open Meetings Act.

The Public Access Counselor’s Office’s OMA electronic training is available free of charge at:

http://foia.ilattorneygeneral.net

I have included the link, which opens in a new window, so that if you are curious, you can take the training yourself, the only difference is that you don't get a certificate at the end. 

Overall, the training is pretty forgiving, if you get an answer wrong you can keep going back until you answer correctly.  The main concern is ensuring that the concepts of the Open Meetings Act are understood by the trainee, and hopefully will abide by them in their official actions.

This leads me back to my thoughts about how our government communicates with the public.

During my campaign for Commissioner, I advocated for more open communication between government institutions and the public they serve, and as I become more familiar with laws like the Open Meetings Act, and the Freedom Of Information Act, I become more convinced that government has a responsibility to inform and educate the public, and the public have a corresponding responsibility to learn how their government functions and performs.

I am under no illusions that such open communication would be easy.  There are those in the public sector; elected officials, and civil service employees that regard the provisions of the OMA, and especially FOIA as nuisance that diverts time and resources unnecessarily away from the work that they are doing. It is true that there are those who use those laws as a bludgeon to harass public officials that they disagree with, or even just dislike for some reason.

Whether complying with these laws is a nuisance, a hassle, or just a waste of money is beside the point. These laws were implemented to redress a history of public bodies acting in a secretive and high-handed manner that rewards select insiders at the expense of the rest of the population.

In my opinion, if a public entity takes that extra step to educate their constituents about what they are doing, and illustrate for them how those actions are for the benefit of everyone, the less cause for suspicion by the public.

That doesn't mean the average citizen is off the hook,  democracy is a team sport and we all have our parts to play.  So, every once in a while, just take a look around at all those things we take for granted on a daily basis; streets, electricity, water, sewer, fire department, and police. Ask yourself, how are these services provided, and do I know who is responsible for running them?

If you don't know, devote a little spare time to educating yourself, a little knowledge can be a great advantage, especially the next time you step into a voting booth.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions, either through the comment feature below or directly via email at fischerforzion@gmail.com .

Trustee No. 7 - "Introductions"

In the previous post "A New Opportunity" I announced my appointment to the Lake County Public Water District Board of Trustees.  I want to share with you my experiences as a first-time office holder as best as I can describe them in an irregular series that I am calling, "Trustee No. 7". Since I am filling the last spot on a seven member board, hence the title.

I want to emphasize that this post and the ones that will follow are not official communications of the LCPWD Board, but merely an account of my own thoughts and impressions as I take on a new role in public service.

After the Lake County Board approved my appointment, I checked in with Mr. Brent Paxton, the District 4 Board Member who had asked me if I would fill the trustee vacancy, to see what the next step would be.  He told me that I should expect a letter from the County Board confirming my appointment, along with a copy of the resolution. A similar letter would be sent to the Public Water District, and then they would take over the process of my orientation and so forth.

Just for reference, that information was given to me on June 12, and as of this writing, that letter hasn't yet arrived. In my conversations with Mr. Paxton prior to my acceptance he had asked if I wanted to speak with the Board Chairman about the Trustee position. I declined to do so because I wanted to approach the position, and the process without preconceptions.  Keep these points in mind as we move on.

The following Saturday,  I took a bike ride to the lakefront, and as part of my route I decided to scout out the location of the filtration plant.  I also discovered something interesting when you plug the plant address into Google Earth.

 

 

The Google map centers on the water intake pump station at the lake shore, you have actually pan out to see the plant itself, which in the image above is on the upper left side of the picture.  So now I knew where the plant was.  Surprisingly, or maybe not if you think about it, almost everyone that I have spoken to about the Public Water District were unaware of it's existence, or the location of the filtration plant.

 

Looking at the published meeting schedule on the District website lcpwd.com, I saw that the next meeting was set for June 18, at 5:30 pm.   I decided to attend as an observer since I hadn't received my official notification yet.  I arranged to catch an early train home, which arrived in Zion at about 5:23 pm, and drove directly from the station to the plant on 17th Street. 

 

For security reasons, the plant is fenced and gated to prevent unauthorized access to the facility. I pulled up to the gate and pressed the call button.  A woman's voice answered, asking if I needed help, and I told her that I was there for the Board meeting.  I think there was a little surprise in her voice, but she told me to come on in, and the automated gate started to open.  I pulled in, parked, walked up to the entrance and rang the call box at the entrance.  She answered, and told me to come upstairs as the door buzzed open. 

 

I followed her directions up to the second floor, and was met at the office entrance by a gentleman who introduced himself as Arlyn Albrecht, the General Manager. I gave him my name, and he asked me to sign in on the visitor's book, and if there was a particular issue I wanted to speak to the Board about.  The District, like all public bodies subject to the Open Meetings Act, have time built into the agenda for public comment

 

I told him that I had been appointed to the Board  the previous week and I just wanted to introduce myself and observe the meeting if I could.  He was genuinely surprised, because they hadn't received any notification from the County Board that a new Trustee had even been appointed!

 

He then led me down the hall, to the conference room, and introduced me to the assembly as the newly appointed member.  There was a moment's pause, while everyone processed the news, and then Mr. Topcik, the Chairman welcomed me and asked if I would mind giving a brief background of myself and how I came to be appointed.  I did so, with apologies for parachuting into their meeting in such a fashion.   He then asked each person to introduce themselves. The Trustees present were; Douglas Jaeger (Vice Chairman), Michael Ruchti, Amos Monk, and Dorothy Mitchell.  Trustee Richard Moe was absent.  Also present were the previously mentioned General Manager Al Albrecht, Operations Manager Don White, District Attorney Dan Kucera, and District Secretary Karen Johnston (who had been on the intercom), also present was Mr. M. David Cain from the accounting firm of Milburn Cain & Company.  Mr. Cain was there to present the audit report for the fiscal year that ended April 30th.  I was given a seat at the conference table and the office copy of the meeting agenda and the supporting documentation, the normal order of business then proceeded. 

 

I think that it was very fortunate timing that I was present for this particular meeting wherein the financial report was presented and the setting of the delivery rate for the 2014 fiscal year.  Mr. Topcik pointed out that the District is a non-profit operation, and the rate charged is calculated based on the projected costs for operations and maintenance.  After the presentation of the financial report, there were discussions of ongoing projects; concerning the raw water intake pipe that extends 3000 feet out into Lake Michigan, warranty repairs to painting that had been done inside one of the clarifier tanks, and a project to remove and prevent the rusting of stainless steel components in the tanks.

 

At the conclusion of the meeting, Don White took me for a tour of the facility and gave me a short course on the water filtration process along with some of the operational and logistic background information.

 

I must say even though my appearance was unexpected everyone involved was very gracious and helpful, and I learned quite a bit in a short period of time.  One item in particular caught my attention; the erosion of sand around the water intake pipe requires the installation of supporting structures called bents to ensure that the pipe isn't undermined and compromised.  If the pipe is breached along it's length there could be a severe reduction in the water flow to the plant, and that would be a major problem!  

 

In the next installment, I think I'll delve deeper into the intake pipe project, with an overview of the engineering required, and the process that is currently underway to obtain the proper permits to carry out the work on Lake Michigan.

For those of you reading this, if you have a question or a comment, feel free to submit it through the comment section below, or email me at fischerforzion@gmail.com .