Friday, November 28, 2008

New Meeting Location

In order to prevent the numerous cancellations we have had in the past, we have secured a new meeting location. We will continue to meet on the first Wednesday each month, from 6:00 to 7:30 pm. Starting with the December 3rd meeting, we will assemble at the Glen Carbon Public Safety Facility. The building is located next to the Community Center directly behind the Glen Carbon Village Hall.

The December 3rd agenda includes an update on the Village V street issue, a review of last week's candidate training and any new business. It is not too late to get on the ballot for the Spring 2009 elections. Anyone interested in running for public office in Glen Carbon, Edwardsville and the surrounding area is encouraged to attend our December meeting for more information.

Please contact us directly at GlenEdCitizens@gmail.com with any questions.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Candidate Training Program Announced

Whereas one of the goals of the GlenEd Citizens is to “Encourage members and interested citizens to get involved in local government, in volunteer roles or elected positions,” the GlenEd Citizens is providing the program Running for Local Office. Training for potential candidates for elected office in Glen Carbon/Edwardsville and the surrounding area is provided free of charge.

When:
Wednesday November 19
6:30 to 8:00 pm

Where:
St Cecilia’s Catholic Church
Family Life Center
155 North Main Street
Glen Carbon, Illinois

The Program:
Deciding to Run
Getting on the Ballot
Running a Successful Campaign

The first two topics will be addressed in depth on November 19th, with future training sessions covering the campaign itself. In addition, each session will include the topic What I Can Do to Help, for those who wish to support their local candidates.


Whether you are interested in running for office yourself, know someone who would be perfect for the job or wish to support those who will serve based on our group Mission and Goals, please attend the training meeting and bring a friend. We need to build an army to win office!

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Gear Up for 2009!

That's right, everyone. Now that summer is over and the Presidential election is right around the corner, it's time for us to start stumping! No, not for our favorite candidate for President. We're gathering our forces and getting ready to jump into local politics full force. Norma Mendoza's article in today's Edwardsville Intelligencer says it all:

http://www.goedwardsville.com/articles/2008/08/07/local_news/doc489b197e0068f376897641.txt

The GlenEd Citizens are seeking candidates for Trustee and Mayor of Glen Carbon. Could you be the next Mayor? A new Trustee? Please come find out! We will provide training for candidacy as well as elected officials and provide campaign support. The GlenEd Citizens plan to put forth a slate for the Spring 2009 elections. The Mayor is up for re-election, as are three of the six Trustees.

The September meeting will be exciting, to put it mildy. Please join us as we prepare to make more changes in "business as usual" in the Glen Carbon and Edwardsville community.

Next meeting, Wednesday September 3rd, 6:00 to 7:30 pm.
UFCW Union Offices
#1 Sunset Hills Executive Drive
Suite 102
Edwardsville, IL

Link to map:

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Edwardsville&state=IL&address=1+Sunset+Hills+Executive+Dr&zipcode=62025-3711&country=US&latitude=38.766101&longitude=-90.003438&geocode=ADDRESS

Friday, March 28, 2008

Steinmeyer Neighborhood and GlenEd Citizens

I have just been talking to a member of the Steinmeyer neighborhood group. If you haven't been following the local news scene, here it is in a nutshell: The Sunshine Law has been ignored in Edwardsville.

The Sunshine Law is the nickname for two pieces of Illinois legislation designed to provide full access to units of local government in Illinois. These are the Illinois Open Meetings Act and the Freedom of Information Act.

The general purpose of the Open Meetings Act is to provide public access to meetings of public officials, and input into and review of decisions made at such meetings. The Freedom of Information Act, on the other hand, is designed to insure public access to records assembled, gathered, produced and disseminated by public bodies.

A decision has been made to put in a new residential area; the developers are happy, the city gov't is happy, the P&Z and Zoning Board of Appeals had a JOINT meeting to approve the development. But curiously, they waited until two weeks ago to notify the neighborhood within 300 feet of the development. Edwardsville did NOT notify the school district, despite its proximity to Woodland Elementary School.

Links to articles:
http://www.zwire.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=19415130&BRD=2291&PAG=461&dept_id=473648&rfi=8http://www.zwire.com/site/index.cfm?newsid=19421287&BRD=2291&PAG=461&dept_id=473648&rfi=8http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisnews/story/FAFB6EC9CAA9EA978625741700170B35?OpenDocument

Despite a meeting room bursting with protestors, two unanimous votes sent the proposal on its way up the chain. Sound familiar? It should, this is how the WalMart Supercenter issue was handled in Glen Carbon.

I have invited a representative from the Steinmeyer group to come to our next meeting, so we can discuss what GlenEd Citizens can do to get involved with this situation. If any of you live near this development (Timberland Place) or know someone who lives near or have children in the ECUSD 7, please keep up with our efforts. We may be knocking on doors and getting signatures at the school as well. We will need as many people as possible so we can gather many signatures without asking too much of our members.

If you have any thoughts or ideas or information on this issue, please let us know.

GlenEd Citizens
mailto:CitizensGlenEdCitizens@gmail.com

Sunday, March 23, 2008

April 2, 2008 Meeting Announcement

If you did not receive your email, here is the announcement sent out for our next meeting.

Dear Members and Supporters,

Our next meeting is scheduled for, as always, the first Wednesday of the month. The meeting is on April 2, starting at 6:00 pm. We will be meeting at the Union offices located at #1 Sunset Hills Executive Park, Edwardsville. The meeting follows an agenda and does not run over one and a half hours.

At our last meeting, we identified two situations in Glen Carbon that have been ignored by our government. Despite repeated attempts by citizens to get adequate answers and services due tax-paying citizens, no action has been taken by the Village of Glen Carbon. The GlenEd Citizens do not sit idly by while their government ignores its citizens.

Please join us if you would like to get involved in our activities or have issues in the Glen Carbon/Edwardsville area that need our attention.


If you are not on our email list, please send a message to GlenEdCitizens@gmail.com with Subscribe in the subject line.

March 2008 Meeting Minutes

The following are the meeting minutes from March.

GlenEd Citizens for Fair Growth
March 5, 2008 Meeting Agenda

  1. Introductions and roll call
    Eight people present for meeting
    Two new members
    Obtain contact information from all present
    New contact info added to file.
  2. Discuss future goals
    Review and critique the Comprehensive Plan proposal for Glen Carbon
    Comprehensive Plan was passed unanimously by the Village Board (Moggio was absent for vote). The plan is worded vaguely; maps are not explained with verbage, only legends; little or no citizen input was taken into consideration.
    Very disappointing
    Will request that new administration revise the 2007 CP upon taking office; include intense citizen survey.
    Research the Edwardsville Comprehensive Planning Process
    Date(s), process, citizen involvement
    Anyone with information on the E-ville or any other communities CP, please email the information to GlenEdCitizens@gmail.com
    Begin planning for the Glen Carbon 2009 elections, up for re-election are:
    Mayor
    Clerk
    Trustees, three
    4-yr terms
    Volunteers and recommended nominees
    Several names were discussed; our members will approach these individuals to discuss the possibility. Names will not be circulated outside of meetings at this time.
    Campaign manager
    Anyone with experience and/or an interest in this activity, please let us know and join us for the next meeting.
    Other community election cycles not discussed
    Edwardsville
    Troy? Maryville? Pontoon Beach?
    Other citizen positions available
    Resident’s Advisory Board
    in Glen Carbon, 3rd Wednesday
    Five areas, each with one representative
    Terms end April 30, 2008
    Applications still not available from Mayor’s office. We encourage all members and concerned citizens to apply for these positions so we can have more access to the Mayor.
    We will email everyone when the applications are available.
    Commitment is one meeting a month
    Disaster Preparedness
    We would like to see members of our group get involved with this activity. Jenny Hinckle is the head of the Resident’s Advisory Board and will be working with Chief Bradford to create a series of disaster preparedness seminars to present in the GC/E area. Please contact Ms. Hinckle directly if interested, her phone is 288-4312.
    Fundraising
    Monetary needs
    Business cards announcing meeting dates, times, web info
    This is needed immediately. Are members willing to donate $1 to $3 per person to help print these?
    Money for ads in papers regarding our actions
    Campaign funds
    Monetary goal
    We will determine a goal after discussing our future action in GC with an attorney; attorneys fees will be our biggest expense at this time.
    Fundraising ideas
    Please share any ideas you have. Some thoughts are T-shirt sales, benefit concert, chicken and beer dinner…
    Need a dedicated webmaster
    Still need this position filled. If you are interested or know of someone who would be appropriate, please contact us (email)
    Google website or blogspot.com
    No programming needed
    Update info periodically
    Keep track of emails and subscriber list.
  3. Other actions or issues to consider
    Lou Juan Hills
    Brought to our attention was a situation in Lou Juan Hills. Many properties have been increasingly affected by storm runoff eroding land. The result is a former creek now nicknamed the Glen Carbon River, massive erosion, death of vegetation and trees.
    The issue was addressed at the P&Z meeting in November 2007. The presenter was ridiculed by Terry Bruckert and blown off by Will Shashak and the P&Z commission. Joe Hagerty insisted that the Comp Plan would not affect private property, as they would never approve a plan with less than adequate run-off protection. Joe didn’t seem to see the irony that obviously a great deal of building had been done in just such a manner.
    Cottonwood
    Two residents of the Cottonwood Village V area informed us of a reprehensible situation that is being ignored, if not exacerbated, by Village of Glen Carbon officials. While last on the agenda, this was our most discussed issue and is likely to be our next action.
    This section of Cottonwood contains 38 homes. The Village claims that although the area is annexed to Glen Carbon, the Village is not responsible for street maintenance.
    As such, the streets are not paved regularly, are not swept, are not plowed except for one section of the main road, potholes are not repaired.
    These residents pay the same tax rate as any citizen of Glen Carbon, yet are expected to pay for their own street maintenance.
    We created a list of action items to accomplish. After we have gathered enough facts to address the issue properly, the GlenEd Citizens will be taking this issue to the Village Board, Mayor and other appropriate officials.
    Regarding the new car wash on 159 in Maryville. A rather significant number of trees were cut down and green space decreased in order to build the car wash. The developer, Osbourne, has a history of lack of concern for aesthetics, environment and community. It is recommended that we not support this business.