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Broadband's Connection to Agriculture & Farmland Values

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Broadband's Connection to Agriculture & Farmland Values Upcoming March/April 2016 Volume 7 Issue 2 Dates: April 6-7 Broadband’s Connection to Governmental Affairs Leadership Conference Agriculture & Farmland Values April 12 Annual Town Meeting Recent studies suggest a link between broadband access and farmland By Brenda Matherly May 1 The 2012 Census of Agriculture conducted by Access to high-speed Internet is important to Deadline for Rural Nurse the U.S. Department of Agriculture offers rural Illinois. In all areas of the state, broad- Practitioner Scholarship some insight into that discussion. According band plays a critical role in agriculture as Applications to the Census, 70% of all farms have internet well as healthcare, education and economic access. This is up from the 2007 Census that development. The failure of any one of May 30 reported only 57% coverage. That’s good these industries in a rural area could equal Memorial Day news in terms of widespread connectivity. the end of a viable community. But, what However, what about the question of speed? specifically does a lack of connectivity mean July 6-7 Additional data from the Census shows that for agriculture? Recent studies would suggest Resolutions Committee many of these connections were via technol- a solid link between broadband access and ogies that might not be “up-to-speed” when farmland values. it comes to accessing and delivering the large quantities of data that are associated with It’s certainly a sign of the times when a buy- today’s advanced farming practices. Speeds er of farmland askes these questions, “what that can keep pace with today’s precision is the level of internet connectivity within Did You Know…? agriculture and the increasing use of each field,” or, “what are the available up- telematics (the ability to combine telecom- load and download speeds spanning the prop- munications with remote data in order to erty?” The Ice Cream send, receive and store that information gathered by remote/mobile objects, such as Sundae originated So, that begs a question of our own: “How a tractor). in Evanston, IL connected are our farms?” (See Broadband on page 3) Twinkies were invented in River Forest, IL Funding 9-1-1 Services As of January 1, 2016, all lines, both wired and wireless, will pay 87 cents per line. The world’s larg- est bakery is the By Brenda Matherly Funding for 9-1-1 services comes primarily Nabisco factory in from a surcharge that is placed on phone bills Over the last few years, 9-1-1 services have Chicago, IL. for both wired (land lines) and wireless (cell) (1,800,000 square begun facing what some may call an emer- phone lines. Until a recent legislative gency of their own. Funding levels for 9-1-1 feet!) change, the surcharge on wired lines varied services had been significantly reduced caus- among the 200 9-1-1 systems within Illinois, ing some 9-1-1 systems to consider cutting but ranged from $0.00 to upwards of $4.00 a back on skilled personnel as well as delaying line. Those wired surcharge costs were in the valuable technology upgrades. These cuts hands of the voters. If additional dollars would impact important emergency services were requested by the local system it was up that are critical to all Illinois residents, and to the voters to approve that increase via a especially vital to farmers and those living in referendum. rural areas. (See 9-1-1 on page 7) Page 2 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Annual Town Meeting Actions Require Advance ANNUAL TOWN MEETING Work NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN By Kevin Rund To the legal voters, residents of the Town of ____________ The electors present at the annual in the County of __________ and State of Illinois, that the Annual Town Meeting of said Town town meeting have significant powers, even the power to create will take place on taxes or to raise existing tax rates. Tuesday, April 12, 2016 However, that action is treated being the second Tuesday of said month at the hour of 6:01 o’clock P.M. at [Location] very much like a standard referen- for the transaction of the miscellaneous business of the said town; and after a Moderator having dum in that it cannot simply be been elected, will proceed to hear and consider reports of officers, and decide on such measures brought up and passed at the an- as may, in pursuance of law, come before the meeting; and especially to consider and decide the nual town meeting. Instead some following: preliminary actions are required. [Agenda] First of all, a petition must be passed. Illinois statute provides that: “Notwithstanding the provi- sions of any other Act, except as provided in Section 6‑620 of the Illinois Highway Code, before es- tablishing or increasing any town- Mark Your Calendars for April 12: ship tax rate that may be estab- Plan to attend your township’s Annual Town Meeting lished or increased by the electors at the annual township meeting, a By Brenda Matherly tor present. petition containing the signatures Notification of the meeting That notice (above) will be of not less than 10% of the regis- is to be given by the town The powers that may be appearing soon on bulletin tered voters of the township must clerk by posting written or exercised by voters at the boards, light poles, town be presented to the township printed notices in three of Annual Town Meeting are hall doors and in store win- clerk authorizing that ac- the most public places in extensive and include tax dows. It can also show up in tion.” [60 ILCS 1/30-20(b)] the town at least 10 days rate increases and disposi- local newspapers. It heralds before the meeting, and if tion of property. For a com- the coming of a form of true Secondly, any actions to be carried there is an English language plete list of those powers, democracy still functioning out at the annual town meeting newspaper published in the visit: https://www.toi.org/ must be included on a published in 20 states in this nation. town, by at least one publi- Resources/Download- agenda for the meeting. That cation in that newspaper, Center/, and select “Powers agenda needs to be created by the Every township in Illinois before the meeting. of Electors” towards the township board at least 15 days in must hold an Annual Town bottom of the list. advance. Then the township clerk Meeting on the second Tues- A moderator, elected from day of April. It should be must give notice of the meeting among all electors at the Special Town Meetings may held after 6:00 p.m. (unless and its agenda by posting written meeting, presides over the be held when the board of the electors fix some other or printed notices in 3 of the most meeting making announce- trustees of the township, or time) at a place in the public places in the township at ments of the business, pre- at least 15 voters of the township picked by the least 15 days before the meeting serving order, and deciding town, shall file in the office [60 ILCS 1/30-10(b)]. If a newspa- township board. all questions of order. The of the town clerk, a state- per is published in the township, moderator has the same ment, in writing, that a spe- then at least one notice of the While anyone is welcome to power as an election judge. cial meeting is necessary for meeting and agenda shall be pub- attend these meetings, only the interests of the town, the electors of the township lished there. At a town meeting, the town and setting forth the objects (persons registered to vote clerk is the only elected of the meeting. In this manner, state statute pro- in the township) are eligible township official to have an to vote on questions put vides some assurance that voters assigned role; he/she must For more on the Annual before the assembly. All are made aware of any actions keep minutes of the pro- Town Meeting, visit the questions on motions are that might be taken at the annual ceedings. The other elected Township Officials of Illinois determined by a majority of town meeting regarding taxes and officers of the township website at: https:// the electors present and other significant issues. have no special authorities; www.toi.org/TOI-Events/ voting. A call for a "division they are like any other elec- LINK of the house" may be made. LINK March/April 2016 LOCAL GOVERNMENT Page 3 Broadband (Continued from page 1) Purchasing and ordering farm supplies concerns through education and aware- through online services ness in rural areas, private providers will A breakdown of these technologies shows gain a stronger "customer" base. Creat- 7% of farmers are still using dial-up and To the advanced: ing demand provides incentives to pri- 13% are relying on satellite. An addition- Full application of precision agricul- vate providers and the opportunity for al 13% have skipped right over computer ture technology price reduction for service in rural areas. technologies and are using cellular net- works – can you hear me now? The adoption of data transfer from Efforts to drive broadband demand field-to-home through telematics should also include support for the de- In most cases, these would not be con- Collecting, processing and accessing velopment of public and/or private sidered reliable connectivity and fall on-demand information through “big training and consumer education pro- short of the Federal Communications data” participation grams targeting rural residents.
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