Vermilion County Board – 11-12-2013 – Video –

DANVILLE, IL (ECWd) –

Vermilion County Board

 November 12, 2013 Meeting

Prior to the November meeting, the October meeting was reconvened for the purpose of approving the 2013/2014 budget and the Annual Tax levy.  Without approval at this time, the county would be shut down. The budget was approved by a 17-yes, 7-no and 3 absent vote.  Preceding the tax levy, Linda Anisty was allowed to speak in favor of the tax levy increase although no public comments were allowed.  Board member A.J. Wright questioned the need for the tax increase. He stated that the county was still collecting for the nursing home which was sold, the county was expecting $1.3 million from the sale of the county farmland and he anticipates $287,000 from industrial wind turbines in the coming year.  (I would like to add that the money from the industrial wind turbines does not off-set the negative effects that residents of the county have to face.) Board member Criswell stated that he thought the tax increase would be hard on residents with a fixed income.  Board member Miller stated that he could not vote for the increase because he thought that it would not be positive for the county.  The 3.6% tax levy passed, 17- yes, 7-no and 3 absent.  The continuation of the October meeting was adjourned.

This months meeting was held at 6PM at the courthouse annex, and after the invocation, pledge of allegiance and roll call, a motion was made and the October minutes and the November agenda were approved. Audience comments have been moved back to early in the agenda.  This happened after the embarrassment to the county of county board members leaving early when the audience comments were at the end of the agenda.  The audience comments were previously at the end of the agenda as an attempt to stifle the public comments due to problems with the industrial wind turbines in the county.  The new attempt to reduce industrial wind comments was introduced.  First, audience comments for Vermilion County residents for any item other than wind turbines will be allowed to speak.  I am wondering why they get to speak first?  Are they somehow better than people speaking against the problems with wind turbines?  Are they somehow more important?  Next comes people from outside the county that want to speak, and last of course, the wind people with there continued complaints about the county policy allowing industrial size turbines near their rural homes.  The county needs to take the hint.  THERE IS A PROBLEM HERE!  YOU CA– USED IT! YOU NEED TO FIX IT!

The speakers for this month are:

1. Robert Watson –spoke against the tax levy increase which had already passed during the previous reconvene of the October meeting.
2. John Kraft – Mr. Kraft thanked the board for the cameras at the meetings and questioned the distribution of un-signed memos to the county officials.  He could not determine the person responsible for the memos.  Mr. Kraft mentioned that he also filed a FOIA for documentation of the so-called “violent tones” that were mention in the memos.  He did not receive any confirmation. The reason for the lack of documentation is because they are no violent tones or acts at the county meetings and this is an attempt by the county to put the residents against the industrial wind turbines in a negative light. We believe that the memos are from Assistant States Attorney Bill Donahue.  He has issued memos and papers to the county before, un-signed, as a method of intimidation against the residents of the county as he sees fit.
3. Arthur Cronkite – Mr. Cronkite spoke against the Bill Donahue/Mike Blazer (Attorney for the Invenergy industrial wind complex) collation against the citizens legitimate concerns about the industrial wind turbines in the county. Mr. Cronkite also spoke against the lap dog media that has failed or not reported any of the industrial wind turbine issue in the news.  Rightfully so, Mr. Cronkite questions the media.  For example, the Danville Commercial News reported that the board spent over “15 minutes discussing the budget”, yet at the same meeting, the county residents spoke for over 35 minutes during the audience comments about the problems that they are facing with the industrial wind turbine cluster.  There was no mention of the public comments in the Commercial News story. Mr. Cronkite also questioned the board’s testicular fortitude when standing against the corporate greed of the industrial wind turbine industry. There was loud applause after Mr. Cronkite’s message.  If you don’t watch any other video, Mr. Cronkite’s speech is a must see.
4. Dave Miles.  Mr. Miles is from rural Armstrong and lives in the middle of the Invenergy industrial wind cluster.  Mr. Miles wanted to thank the veterans for their service which gives him the right to speak here tonight. Mr. Miles corrected several lies told by Mr. Blazer at last months meeting. He did not feel that Mr. Blazer needed to come onto his property for a sound study.  They had access to adjoining ground right next to the Miles property.  Mr. Miles also questioned board member Mike Marron’s input to the county position on industrial wind turbines.  Mr. Marron’s family is receiving up to as much as $750,000 for total access to their property for the industrial wind complex.  Yet Mr. Marron is on the county Structural Safety Committee that oversees the industrial wind turbine applications.  Mr. Miles asked that no more wind turbines be allowed into the county until the ordinance is corrected. Mr. Miles asks if there are any questions for him.  There are none from the board, AS USUAL.
5. Next up is Jean Miles.  She invites the county board members to come to her home and see for themselves the noise and intrusion of the Invenergy industrial wind complex.  Ms. Miles also states that she has contacted Invenergy 7 times in 2 weeks to complain about noise from their turbines.  To date, she has not received any response.  Ms. Miles asks “who is accountable” for this mess?  The county board is responsible of course.  They approve applications for this industrial invasion of the rural communities.  Ms. Miles asks that the county board be part of the solution, not part of the problem.  Ms. Miles states that the victims of industrial wind are not the villains and asks for her normal life back.
6. Darrell Cambron – Mr. Cambron tells a story of two Pilot Township wind victims.  One asked the county board for help and has the phone hung up on him and the other asks for help with noise issues from the industrial wind turbine noise.  Mr. Cambron feels that if no one on the county board is going to assist these people then maybe he can help.
7. Ted Hartke – Mr. Hartke is from Pilot Township and lives in the middle of the Invenergy industrial wind turbine complex.  Mr. Hartke, rightfully so, complains that Mr. Blazer from Invenergy is given 26+ minutes to speak last month and Mr. Hartke is limited to 5 minutes.  It is not right and not fair.  Mr. Hartke countered several lies told by Mike Blazer at the last meeting.  Mr. Hartke stated that he had actually offered his bedroom for the noise study conducted by Invenergy.  Mr. Hartke also noted that since the noise study has started, Invenergy turbines have not been operating 16 rpm which produces maximum noise.  Is it possible that Invenergy is manipulating the turbines to influence the noise study?  YES IT IS!  Mr. Hartke corrected Mr. Donahue’s lie about an access agreement to the Hartke’s property.  Again Mr. Hartke is cut off by the board Chairman (Gary Wienard) and not allowed to continue.  The biggest issue to face the county and Mr. Wienard refuses to address the problem and cuts off public comment as if this will make it go away!
8. Kim Schertz – Kim points out that the very things that have caused the county to increase the tax levy, has been caused by letting in industrial wind turbines.  Wind turbines cause increase in utility bills, lower property values, stop development (who wants to live in an area with noisy wind turbines?). Kim points out that the county has a room full of people complaining because the county caused this to happen.  They approved the wind turbine application.  Kim states, the county created this mess, they need to fix it.

After the last speaker, board member Bob Fox suggests that the county look into zoning to better protect the residents.  Board member Jim McMahon seconds the motion.  The motion is arrogantly and illegally ignored by the county board chairman, Gary Wienard (40174 N. 1830 E. Rd., Hoopeston, IL. 60942. 217-339-2310). I think this response by the board chairman shows the lack of regard for the county citizens that have diligently tried to present their concerns to the county.  I doubt that the tactic of burying your head in the sand will make the issue disappear!

Moving along, resolutions for Collection of Delinquent taxes, Execution of quit claim deed, PSB lease and ordinance for Intergovernmental Transportation Study are all approved form the Executive & Legislative committee.  Ordinances for the Coroner’s budget, EMA line item transfer, Animal Regulations, Election Commission & Treasurer from the Finance & personnel committee all passed.  After considerable debate, Item F, the sale of the county land that has been owned by the county for almost 100 years passed, 15-yes, 9-no, 3-absent.  There was one amendment that the proceeds from the sale go to capital improvements only. Resolutions from the Transportation Committee for repairs to the Denmark Road and approval of bid for a new Tandem Bed/Plow passed. Resolutions from the Public Safety committee for PSB building improvements, sidewalk repair and new washers and dryers for the jail (items #1 – 4 on the agenda) were combined and approved under one vote. There was no Executive Session.

Chairman’s comments – it was announced that the courthouse annex is a gun free building as of January 1^st.  There were no comments from the board members other than Alexander noting that they did a good job on the budget.

With even more industrial wind turbines set to intrude into the county, the board continues to deny the obvious issues presented to them.  In fact, it appears that they are actively selling out their own residents by working behind the scene to get more of these industrial machines placed into the rural community.

The question remains: What will the county do about the increased number of Industrial Wind Turbine Complex Victims in the future that will come before them, to tell their truths, of the nightmare they now live in, because of the Turbines and their Noise?  

The next board meeting is December 10th at 6PM at the courthouse annex on the second floor in Danville.