Followup story: https://blnnews.com/2020/03/10/heyworth-you-are-too-late-to-stop-it/
This was in the Normalite, printed with permission of the author:
HEYWORTH – The Village of Heyworth may borrow up to $500,000 to finance the 50th anniversary celebration of the Kickapoo Rock Festival.
Trustee Clay Wiseman was the lone vote against borrowing the money from First State Bank of Bloomington. The promissory note or line of credit will be used for expenses that are incurred before revenue is generated, such as down payments for bands.
Village Attorney Geoff Dodds told the trustees that the Village consulted with the law firm of Miller, Hall and Triggs, LLC, of Peoria, which issued a legal opinion that the borrowing is lawful both in its amount and use.
The intent is to repay the line of credit or promissory note from the Festival proceeds.
At its November 21, 2019 meeting, the board approved hosting a one-day event, at a cost to the Village not to exceed $305,250. Revenue from the event was projected at $547,500.
The measure approved by the board was a minimum one day event, but the intent is to have a three-day event, August 28-August 30, 2020. The cost to the Village for a three day event is projected not to exceed $1,123,500, with revenues projected to be around $2,062,600.
Former trustee Lynne Barnhill expressed her concern about the festival during public comment. The measure previously passed allows for liquor to be sold and consumed in Centennial Park during the event only.
Although that alcohol consumption was a concern to Barnhill, it was the possible damage to the park that was her greatest concern.
“I am real upset that we are looking at a line of credit or promissory note to borrow money that’s going to just destroy this park that our school system and our Summer League program have worked years, and I mean years, to get it where it is today,” Barnhill said. “And once it is destroyed, it’s not going to ever be as good as it is now.”
Do you know Heyworth has a fancy new website: http://www.heyworth-il.gov/
I don’t see any Agendas, Packets, or Minutes posted.
What are they hiding?
What if the Coronavirus keeps people from coming? What if people don’t want to attend a government anniversary celebration?
When have projections ever been right?
Holy crap! What the he’ll are they thinking! Lawyers have been wrong before so I’m not sure they could really justify this. I hope they have good roads and water / sewer infrastructure. Cause they need to borrow for those things before they take that kind of risk with taxpayer dollars. Just my opinion! Government doesn’t exist to entertain anyone! That is far and above quality of life and for the good of the people! What’s the plan if the event fails? Weather is unpredictable……..
There’s an easy way to tell if this is a good idea – get ‘event insurance,’ kind of like ‘trip insurance.’ Make sure it covers weather, epidemics, and other ‘acts of God’. If you can get it at a reasonable price, then you know you’ve got a viable business plan. If not, you know you’re flushing taxpayer money down the toilet. Proceed or not accordingly. But this is Illinois, they’ll proceed regardless, and if they do buy insurance, it’ll be overpriced, cover next-to-nothing, and be bought from somebody’s brother-in-law.
Are they kidding? Borrowing a half million dollars for entertainment and celebration. How about a referendum. do you serious think the taxpayers of Heyworth would go along with this folly. I bet not.
We didn’t go along but they ignored us
Questions. How many people know the details? How many people did the planning? How many people are playing chicken little from second hand information? Why journalism is dead and feelings and fear mongering replaced it.
Living in heyworth I have been watching this. Many citizens have expressed concern over this and were ignored. The concerns were not only the destruction of the park but the noise,the security the litter and most important the half a million loan just for a rock concert. We the people expressed this but like I said we were ignored. Sound familiar? As for the website, it’s about time! The old site was worthless!
Village Hall has an outdoor display and all agendas are posted. This has been a topic for a while and there has been much community discussion about it. Good idea or not it sounds like it is going to happen. The Normalite also publishes the Heyworth Buzz and this article, and others, have been published.
This event will be bigger than what the council of Heyworth expects, let alone can handle. It’s cool but good luck!
I am a transplant to Heyworth. This confirms every stereotype I ever heard of Heyworth while growing up 20 miles away. It makes us look ridiculous. I hope everyone remembers that Wiseman was the only member to vote no when it is time to vote.