The New Faces of Illinois Government
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March 2015 The New Faces of Illinois Government Governor Rauner Appoints New Leadership Statutory Sources of Municipal Revenue Home Fire Sprinklers Save Lives Test Your Home Sprinkler • Water damage from a sprinkler system System IQ will be worse than damage. F sprinkler systems. Are they true or false? system will be much less severe than the • When one sprinkler goes all the sprinklers go F • Home sprinkler systems are activate. expensive. • A sprinkler could accidentally go F causing severe water damage to a home. percent of the total building price. F • Residential sprinklers are ugly. False! Sprinklers for home use tested to reduce such accidents. are now being designed to fit in with most any decor. For more information and resources: www.usfa.fema.gov HomeLifeSafety.com 2 | ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL REVIEW | MARCH 2015 ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL EDITOR IN CHIEF Brad Cole 5 From the Editor’s Desk MANAGING EDITOR Roger Huebner 7 IML Director’s Comments PUBLICATION COORDINATOR 8 IML Legislative Update: Rebecca Turner IML Legislative Website Has Much to Offer (ssn 0019-2139) 10 Governor Rauner Appoints New Leadership Telephone (217) 525-1220 15 Municipal Calendar — March Volume 94, No 03, March 2015. Total number 1,073. 16 IMLRMA Today: The Illinois Municipal Review (USPS 258-180) is How to Ensure Safe Excavation Projects published monthly in Springfield, IL, by the Illinois Municipal League, Editorial and Executive Offices, 18 Statutory Sources of Municipal Revenue 500 E. Capitol Ave., Springfield, IL 62701. 22 Municipal Revenue Trends Subscription per year: Member $15.00. Domestic $30.00. 2002-2012 Periodical postage paid at Springfield, IL 62705-5180. 25 Awards & Grants www.iml.org 26 Professional Services Directory POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Illinois Municipal 27 Municipal Exchange Review, PO Box 5180, Springfield, IL 62705. 27 Fun in Illinois! March 2015 Festivals MARCH 2015 | ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL REVIEW | 3 NEW to ILLINOIS HR Green’s longstanding Building Department & Code Enforcement Services For over 100 years, HR Green has focused on business accountability through every step of the journey: design, construction, ownership and operation. Aurora | Evanston | McHenry | New Lenox | Yorkville Toll Free 800.728.7805 | Learn more at HRGreen.com TRANSPORTATION WATER SENIOR LIVING ENERGY GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES LAND DEVELOPMENT 4 | ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL REVIEW | MARCH 2015 OFFICERS OF THE FROM THE Editor’s Desk ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE PRESIDENT Gov. Rauner has appointed Arlene Mulder to the serve Mayor Gerald E. Daugherty, Mascoutah on the Illinois Racing Board, the state board that regulates FIRST VICE PRESIDENT horse racing. Village President Thomas Gray, Chatham Mulder is the former long-time mayor of SERGEANT-AT-ARMS Arlington Heights, a position she held for 20 Village President Dale B. Adams, Rockton years before retiring in 2013. Throughout her career she also served on numerous boards EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR including the IML Board of Directors, Brad Cole Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, and U.S. VICE PRESIDENTS Conference of Mayors. Mulder is a graduate of Mayor Thomas J. Weisner, Aurora the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Village President Karen Darch, Barrington Mayor Mark W. Eckert, Belleville Mayor Michael Chamberlain, Belvidere The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Village President Joe Cook, Channahon Opportunity (DCEO) has received 67 applications for Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Chicago Mayor Kevin B. Hutchinson, Columbia Enterprise Zones from communities throughout the state. State Mayor Aaron Shepley, Crystal Lake law requires proposals for new and existing Enterprise Zones to Mayor Michael T. McElroy, Decatur compete for up to 49 available designations. DCEO will score Village President Teresa Kernc, Diamond each application that was submitted prior to the December Mayor Gail Mitchell, Fairview Heights 31, 2014, deadline and submit its fi ndings to a fi ve-member Mayor James L. Gitz, Freeport Enterprise Zone Board by June 30, 2015. The board is expected Mayor Joe W. Bisch, Grayville to approve or deny the applications by September 30, 2015, and Village President Rodney S. Craig, Hanover Park the new zones will take effect January 1, 2016. State law gives Mayor Andy Ezard, Jacksonville the new zones a 15-year term, with a review by the board after Mayor Keith Snyder, Lincoln 13 years for a possible 10-year extension. Mayor Joseph J. Broda, Lisle Village President Eugene Williams, Lynwood To be deemed eligible for a zone, applications will be Mayor Michael J. Inman, Macomb measured according to 10 criteria. They are: 1) a relatively high Mayor Robert L. Butler, Marion unemployment rate; 2) potential for signifi cant job creation Mayor Timothy D. Gover, Mattoon Mayor Mary Jane Chesley, Mount Vernon and investment; 3) relatively high poverty; 4) abandoned coal Mayor Leon Rockingham, Jr., North Chicago mines, brownfi elds, or federal disaster declarations; 5) major Village President Jack Reidner, Ogden layoffs; 6) high vacancy rate of industrial and commercial Mayor Jim Ardis, Peoria buildings; 7) existing plans to improve the local tax base; Mayor Scott J. Harl, Peru 8) plan for improving public infrastructure; 9) career skills Village President Rick Reinbold, Richton Park programs at high schools and community colleges; and 10) Mayor Chet Olson, Rochelle unusual changes in the taxable value of business properties. Mayor Dennis E. Pauley, Rock Island Mayor Lawrence J. Morrissey, Rockford For a list of communities that have submitted applications, Mayor Richard H. Hill, Round Lake Beach please see the web index version of this article at www.iml.org. Village President David L. Owen, South Chicago Heights Mayor Greg Brotherton, Taylorville Mayor Ricky J. Gottman, Vandalia A recent study published by CreditDonkey.com lists the 20 Mayor Gary W. Manier, Washington happiest cities in Illinois with populations of 25,000 or more. Mayor Tom Jordan, West Frankfort The City of Moline took the #1 spot. Cities were ranked based on restaurants, crime rate, commute, departure time, PAST PRESIDENTS Mayor J. Michael Houston, Springfi eld income, divorce rate and housing. Rounding out the top fi ve are Mayor Roger C. Claar, Bolingbrook Bloomington, Batavia, Normal, and O’Fallon. To see the full Village President B.J. Hackler, Saint Joseph report go to: www.creditdonkey.com/happy-illinois.html. Mayor Gerald R. Bennett, Palos Hills Mayor Gary L. Graham, O’Fallon Mayor Al Larson, Schaumburg Mayor Scott Eisenhauer, Danville Mayor Darryl F. Lindberg, Loves Park MARCH 2015 | ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL REVIEW | 5 RISK MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION Contact us today for a free, no-obligation Don’t let conversation! insurance costs dig 217.525.1220 or on our website at you into a hole. www.imlrma.org. 6 | ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL REVIEW | MARCH 2015 Empower. DIRECTOR’S COMMENTS BY BRAD COLE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, IML There is a composite photo We are already engaging in a more ambitious and interactive hanging on the wall behind role with the General Assembly and statewide elected my offi ce desk that shows offi cials, we are enhancing our internal and external the pictures of each of the communication tools to advise on important and timely former directors of the issues, we are opening channels of dialogue with numerous Illinois Municipal League other trade associations and special interests to build more (IML). There have been six coalitions that can support our efforts, and we are focusing directors in the 102 years on the three tenets of our mission (educate, advocate, of our association’s history, empower). As we move forward, we will also be asking for making me the seventh to your help, direction, and input along the way… so please now serve in this role. The keep us in mind if there is something we should be aware of tenure for each of those men or if you have a great idea to share. ranged from about fi ve years to twenty-fi ve years in IML’s Getting back to that composite photo, it’s nice to have those top administrative spot, although former directors watching my back every day and knowing several also spent much or all of their professional career that they’re also looking forward to the great things to come elsewhere within the organization and had decades of from IML. The view from my offi ce also gives them a direct experience working with local government affairs. line of sight to the state capitol building, and I trust they’re keeping a watchful eye in that direction, too. I mention this because there has obviously been a great deal of stability in the organization and a lot of experience developed over time with just a handful of leaders. Fortunately, behind those directors were – and still are – a great SAVE THE DATE working staff of colleagues that provide for the everyday activities of the League and our IML Lobby Day member municipalities. Many organizations April 29, 2015 talk about having talented, educated, and devoted staff, but it is spot-on for us. When Springfield, IL supplemented with our equally professional and dedicated board members, who serve diligently as elected leaders in their own communities across Illinois, we truly have a great team. With any organization, there are both individual and group dynamics that are affected by a change in senior leadership and I’m sure that will be the case, at some future point and to some small degree, within IML. What will not change, however, is the League’s commitment to serving the best interests of cities, towns, and villages throughout the state. Instead, we are strengthening that approach with the goal of improving and expanding the return on investment given to our members. MARCH 2015 | ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL REVIEW | 7 Advocate. IML LEGISLATIVE UPDATE The IML Legislative Website Has Much to Offer BY JOE MCCOY, LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR, IML The IML Legislative Program strives to make a vast amount legislative year will be available as of legislative information available and accessible to our the session progresses.