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
Friday, March 28, 2008
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.
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
GlenEd Citizens for Fair Growth
March 5, 2008 Meeting Agenda
- Introductions and roll call
Eight people present for meeting
Two new members
Obtain contact information from all present
New contact info added to file. - 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. - 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.
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