AREA UPDATE
Area update
Rantoul airport reopens after runway repairs
RANTOUL – The Rantoul National Aviation Center has reopened after being closed for two months for repairs to a runway intersection.
"Now we can bring in jets without the rise they would feel (before)," Airport Manager Bill Clayton told the village board.
A bump at the intersection of the north-south and east-west runways has been smoothed. It had launched an incoming jet back into the air briefly, resulting in a drop in the number of jets using the airport.
Clayton said he expects 80 to 100 aircraft at the airport Saturday for an instructor renewal clinic.
The board will meet Tuesday to set the annual property tax levy.
Trustees will also act then on a contract with a consultant to update the business plan for the former Chanute Air Force Base in connection with construction of new facilities for Lincoln's Challenge.
Other items on the agenda include appointment of Sam Hall to the Fire and Police Commission, an amendment to the Community Development annual action plan, a request for exemption regarding a conflict of interest on the part of a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee, annual insurance renewal and purchase of a lead-based paint analyzer.
DEBRA RAWLINGS
See details in next week's Rantoul Press, www.rantoulpress.com.
Mansfield Village Board
Mansfield board OKs tax increase
MANSFIELD – Village trustees voted 4-2 to seek approximately $2,000 more in property taxes in 2010 than in 2009.
Trustee Bambie Roy argued that an alternative to raising taxes would be to curb spending.
Treasurer Don Wack said that the three funds named as needing more money in 2010 were related to labor, including the police fund.
"Well, really, our labor shouldn't be that high when it comes down to it," Roy said. "We have one full-time employee, a couple part times ... Maybe we need to look at our labor."
Trustee Jeff Lindenbaum said that the increase would average about $3.50 to $4 more a year in property tax per household.
In other news, Wack said that six months into fiscal year 2009, the village has spent $11,000 more than it has taken in. The reason for the deficit is that the state is three months late in paying income tax money to the village, a sum of about $20,000.
Trustees voted 6-0 to approve an ordinance concerning animals and the removal of excrement from public and private property.
If animal owners do not comply with the ordinance, they can be fined no less than $100 and no more than $500.
The ordinance does not apply to individuals with guide dogs.
Trustees voted 6-0 to donate $500 to the Mansfield Village Christmas, which will be held on Dec. 5 in the village.
Participants can buy gift items, go on horse-drawn carriage rides, listen to carolers, and view decorated homes and trees.
MARGO L. DILL
N-G Correspondent
Farmer city council
Hearing set for latest land swap proposal
FARMER CITY – A public hearing on a proposed land exchange between Farmer City and the Farmer City Fair association will be held at 6 p.m. on Nov. 23.
The council expects to vote on the proposal during a regular council meeting beginning at 7 the same evening. Both will be held at the council's regular meeting room at city hall. Council members expressed a wish to allow only Farmer City residents to speak at the upcoming hearing.
Each speaker will have to sign in and comments will be limited in length.
Asked about a plan if attendees exceed the room's capacity, officials said the meeting could be relocated that same evening. They do not, however, expect the large crowd that attended the last hearing on the subject in August 2007.
City Manager Trent Smith said the property exchange is much the same as proposed two years ago.
He said the difference is in contract "language" and the fair board has agreed to language changes following the council's Oct. 19 meeting.
The fair board is offering the city 20 acres of land they have purchased near Interstate 74, valued at $200,000, plus South Park, valued at $150,000. In exchange, the city would transfer ownership of the fairground property, valued at $350,000, to the fair association.
The complete language of the proposal will appear as a legal notice in this week's Farmer City Journal. City statutes' minimum 15-day notice for such a hearing prompted the council to move its regular meeting date. As a result, no council meeting will be held Nov. 16.
JEAN NOELLSCH
N-G Correspondent
monticello city council
Aldermen eyeing wind power potential
MONTICELLO – City council members are carefully considering their options after getting information about wind turbines at a study session meeting.
Council members, minus Kevin Hiller and Tim Hayes, who were absent, talked with village of Atwood trustee Joe Streit about partnering on the already-established Atwood wind project. In addition, John Wolar from Alternate Energy Solutions in Eastpointe, Mich. also presented information to the council about wind energy projects and options.
Monticello Mayor Chris Corrie said it will take at least one more meeting to sort out all of the options and decide if the city is interested in getting involved with Atwood's project or even starting their own wind energy project.
Atwood has been working on its wind energy project for a year. In September a meteorological tower began measuring data, like wind speed, wind direction, temperature and humidity. That tower will be gathering data for a minimum of one year, Streit said.
The data will be used to determine what type of turbine is most appropriate for the area, the location for the tower and even if the wind quality is good enough for a turbine.
The village of Atwood and the Atwood-Hammond school district are estimated to use only 25 percent of the electricity they would generate from a wind turbine.
Streit said the village could purchase a small turbine to handle its usage, but in the end they would end up overpaying.
"It's a better deal to get a bigger turbine and partner with someone," Streit said.
Therefore, the village of Atwood contacted City of Monticello officials for a possible partnership. With or without a partnership, Streit said he is certain Atwood will continue on with the project.
"We're going to go forward with something. I feel confident about that. Although we may do a smaller project," he said.
MICHELLE HANSEN, Journal-Republican
ford county board
Zoning board favors wind farm
PAXTON – The Ford County Board is expected to vote Monday night on whether to grant a request for a special-use permit that would allow the development of the first phase of the proposed Ford Ridge Wind Farm.
The Ford County Zoning Board of Appeals voted 5-0 to recommend the county board approve the permit request during its meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday in Paxton.
If approved, the special-use permit would allow Houston-based BP Wind Energy North America Inc. to build 67 wind turbines on 137 parcels of land east and southeast of Sibley, as the first phase of a massive wind farm spanning from Sibley, to near Gibson City and Elliott.
There was "very little" public comment and "no opposition" to the wind farm voiced to the zoning board on Tuesday during a public hearing in Sibley, said Supervisor of Assessments Candace Short.
The Ford Ridge Wind Farm is targeted for construction late next year or in early 2011, said Roger Brown, business developer for BP Wind Energy North America Inc.
The first phase would span from east to west about 6 miles, starting at County Road 200 East and ending at County Road 800 East. It would have a total nameplate capacity of about 100 megawatts.
Phase two will essentially be an extension of the first phase of the wind farm, Brown said, and will also likely total about 100 megawatts.
The third and final phase would be located along a roughly 7-mile stretch of land south of Illinois 9, between Gibson City and Paxton. Although
Brown could not estimate the number of turbines in the third phase yet, he said it would be "fairly small."
BP has completed or is in the process of building wind farms in Colorado, Kansas, Texas and Indiana. BP was currently building the first phase of a 400-megawatt project in Fowler, Ind.
WILL BRUMLEVE, Paxton Record, www.paxtonrecord.net
tolono village board
Overpass project backers optimistic
TOLONO – Tolono officials are moving forward with plans for the Rocket Road overpass.
The project involves the construction of an overpass extending County Road 800 N, also known as Rocket Road, across railroad tracks.
Foth Infrastructure & Environment engineer Tom Overmyer said he had recently met with State Rep. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, and State Rep. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, about holding funds for the project.
Springfield attorney Dan Schuering has been hired to file a petition with the Illinois Commerce Commission, which administers the Illinois Grade Crossing Protection Fund, state money used for safety improvements at grade-level rail crossings on local roads.
As part of its five-year plan, the commerce commission's Railroad Safety Program solicits applications from local governments. Tolono has been included in the plan since 2005.
Overmyer said that Build America Bonds, which are interest subsidized bonds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, might be a way to help pay for the project. With the bond, there is an approximate 30 percent reimbursement on interest.
"It's really attractive," Overmyer said. "It's almost like getting a grant."
Overmyer suggested that next month the board schedule public informational meetings for 2010.
"You could reintroduce why we need it, why it's there and why the Commerce Commission is putting up $5 million to get it done," Overmyer said.
Trustee Jeff Holt said he wanted to have more information before committing any more money toward the project.
"I want to make sure we're taking care of people in the old part of town, too," he said.
Trustee Vicki Foley questioned whether the overpass is still needed since Tolono no longer has a problem with trains stopping to switch between the Norfolk Southern and Illinois Central.
"The Commerce Commission committed the funds because of safety issues," Overmyer explained. "Any time they can separate rails from roads they're generally highly in favor of that."
CHRISTINE WALSH
See details in next week's County Star
Also on this date
- Burger King on Prospect reopens after fire
- Cause unknown for fire that hit Rantoul home
- Urbana critics wary of proposed Carle merger
- Unit 4 holding forum on high school redistricting
- Consent decree over for Champaign schools
- Four Danville budget plans look far ahead
- Speaker offers advice to youths dealing with loss
- A Woman's Place shelter in dire financial straits
- Frerichs giving energy bill a push in committee
- Obituaries