Prairie State Problem

Posted on September 7, 2015 by seektruth

Update–Report from the meeting:  1) The City Council understands we have a big problem.
2) They’re looking for solutions, and they’re contracting with the attorneys who filed the citizens’ class action lawsuit to go through information.
3) They will not join the citizens’ lawsuit (likely killing it for good), though they may entertain their own litigation (details of which they can’t discuss).
4) We will have another electricity rate increase “similar to 2015”, probably in January 2016–just 8 months after the last 6.5% increase, which came one year after a previous 6.5% increase + $4 monthly fee increase +.5% sales tax, and which doesn’t take into account possible restrictions on carbon emissions, a coal pre-wash plant, or coal ash clean up costs.
5) This must never happen again. Continue reading →

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School Budget Hearing, City COW tomorrow

Posted on August 24, 2015 by seektruth

There are 2 important meetings tomorrow, Tuesday, 8/25:

7pm–Batavia School Board–public hearing for the 2015-16 budget. They’ve issued another budget in a different format. It contains a bit more information in that it shows % increases in major categories, but still offers no details or explanations. Continue reading →

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Judge dismisses Batavia lawsuit

Posted on August 18, 2015 by seektruth

As reported in the Chicago Tribune, 8/17/15 and Daily Herald, 8/18/15, a Chicago judge dismissed the lawsuit filed by Batavia citizens intended to get Batavia out of a 30 yr contract that could end up costing Batavia citizens an estimated $19+ million in overcharges for electricity. Continue reading →

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New School Website, New Budget

Posted on July 27, 2015 by seektruth

BPS101 has unveiled their redesigned website. If you want to see the tentative budget for 2015-16, (as of 7/27/15) don’t go to the “District Budget” on the drop-down menu under the “About” tab where it would logically be. Instead, click on “Finance and Business” under “Departments” at the bottom of the Home page.  In “BPS101 Annual Budgets” you’ll find the “Tentative Budget 2015-16” that has been put on display. As usual, there is little detailed information in the budget. And as usual, maximum tax increases have been assumed, with property taxes being increased by the projected Consumer Price Index (CPI) in 2016 (2015 levy).

The public hearing for the budget will be on Aug. 25, 7pm. The board will vote on the budget Sep. 22. Mark your calendars. Continue reading →

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Busy Week Ahead: City Council and School Board Meetings

Posted on June 22, 2015 by seektruth

At May’s School Board meeting, John Dryden did a good job of raising the issue of teacher pay increases. Teachers are paid according to a union-negotiated step-and-lane pay scale. For every year of employment they get a “step” raise, and for taking extra college classes they get “lane” increases. These can add up to as much as a 10.8% increase for a step+lane change. Dryden suggested making it more difficult to get the lane increases in order to slow down the rapidly escalating costs of salaries. Continue reading →

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Proposed Median on Rt 31

Posted on June 22, 2015 by seektruth

Update: City Council voted to keep the intersection as it had been, without the raised median. Interestingly though, when IDOT painted the pavement markings, they added a left turn lane from northbound Rt 31 onto westbound Houston St., which we had been told would not be allowed. Common sense prevails.

For discussion and vote Monday night, 6/22/15 is a proposed raised median in the center of Rt 31 on the south side of Houston (by the Mobil just north of Wilson–the intersection by the Hardee’s) where the striped lines currently are. A 4/17/15 staff memo with drawings can be read here. Continue reading →

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Belated Reports

Posted on June 22, 2015 by seektruth

From May:

School Board Meeting:
The school district excels at hiding information. You have to go to Tuesday night’s meeting (or watch it on BATV) to see what’s in the proposed budget for next year. The agenda for May 26 is extremely vague.

Of the few details hinted at in Item 6.4, “Preliminary 2015-16 Budget”, is “Medical increased by 11.5%, Dental by 3.23%”. Like much of the rest of the country, health insurance costs are going up. Unlike the rest of the private sector, the taxpayers will pay the cost for their increases.

In 2013-14 (no compensation reports are available yet for 2014-15), a common health insurance cost per teacher was $18,111.82, with dental an additional $1183.54.

This current year, 2014-15, the district started its own self-insured plan through Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Without the current compensation reports, I don’t know what that ended up costing us. But whatever it is, it will cost us much more next year.

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City Council– report from May 15 COW meeting:
Stormwater infrastructure is aging and they haven’t been saving money for replacement. They tax just enough for yearly maintenance, patching here and there, not enough to replace or reline the existing pipes in the coming decades. There are many sections of pipe over 90 yrs old. Continue reading →

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Tax Bills Are Coming

Posted on April 20, 2015 by seektruth

Kane County has issued a document to answer common questions regarding the property tax bills its residents will soon be receiving. Batavia School District 101’s tax extension will increase by 1.24%, while the City of Batavia’s will decrease by 4.80%.

Despite BPS101 taxing to the maximum allowed by law, you’ll note that it is second lowest in % increase among school districts. Why is that? If all the districts taxed to the tax cap limit, one would expect them all to have the same % increase. But the tax cap only applies to the previous year’s operating extension and does not apply to new construction or debt service. Batavia did not see much new construction last year and its debt payment declined slightly to just under $10 million.

The City of Batavia leads the field in % decreases (kudos to City staff and aldermen). But before you get too comfortable, your electric bills are scheduled to go up again by 6.5%, starting May 1st, due to the Prairie State debacle that we are currently trapped in.

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Join Us

Posted on April 8, 2015 by seektruth

While the results of the election were disappointing, we will continue on our quest to hold elected public officials accountable to the people of Batavia. Would you please join us?

When only 18% of registered voters care enough to vote and make decisions that affect 100% of the citizenry, there is something seriously wrong. The level of apathy is stunning. But we know that there are others who are concerned about their government and instead of just complaining, would like to get involved, but maybe don’t know how, or don’t think they have the time. We at BRG would like to give you that opportunity.

Sign up for our email list, offer what skills you have, volunteer to record meetings so we can post them at our site, etc.–help us in our efforts to wake up the sleepers in town, please. Democracy doesn’t work so well when too few participate.

Click here for our contact page. We look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you.

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VOTE

Posted on April 7, 2015 by seektruth

Just a reminder: Today, April 7 is Election Day. Please be sure to vote.

School board candidates GRO–Gabriel, Rechenmacher, and Olache–are facing some stiff competition from the teachers union and its candidates. The union PAC paid for 3 candidates’ signs (some planted personally by the union president, as was caught on camera). Now it comes down to a matter of voter turnout. Continue reading →

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