By: Diane Benjamin
Tap-On Fees of course were mentioned by Stan Nord again Monday night. Of course Chris Koos called him out of order. Same story, different meeting.
Pam Reece decided to deflect Nord’s comments at the end of the meeting. She claimed there is no favoritism in who is charged and who isn’t.
She must have missed this story that proves some developers pay and some don’t regardless of what legal documents are signed: https://blnnews.com/2021/10/07/is-this-incompetence-or-corruption-normal/
Pam stated developers are charged based on ordinances and annexation agreements. The Council doesn’t write either. Who does?
Cue the Jeopardy music – you have 30 seconds to write down your answer.
Ding ding ding. The correct answer is STAFF. Staff as in Pam Reece and her minions. Who is responsible for the Fee Map? Again, Pam Reece and her minions. The Council just does what they are told. They are foolish enough to believe the “professional staff” can be believed 100% of the time. Developers that should be charged can easily avoid being charged by WHO writes the annexation agreement. The rubber-stamp Council never asks obvious questions, like why aren’t they being charged?
Tap-on fees recoup the cost of running sewer lines. When developers aren’t charged – citizens are!
Hey Pam and Chris: If you hadn’t been stupid enough to charge Stan Nord for fees the Town “forgot” to charge a previous owner of his property, Stan might not be making this an issue.
If you need a review of the Stan Nord facts, see this story: https://blnnews.com/2020/03/17/normal-a-council-of-frauds/
Forcing Stan to pay close to $12,000 because the Town forgot to charge the owner in 2008 was a political hit job. Since the Town persecutes those who refuse to kneel before them, it isn’t a stretch to believe those who do kneel get political favors. Got it Pam?
No she doesn’t, listen to her speech. She insists there isn’t a problem. Of course she doesn’t mention Kerrick Road.
Both the Town Attorney and the City Manager need replaced!
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No favoritism? LMAO! Liar, liar, pants on fire!
The reason we keep having this conversation is that there are widespread variations among the annexation agreements and ordinances. There is no consistency to how these are drafted or enforced. What may be true on one side of town is different on another.
I don’t know why this is so hard for Pam Reece to understand.
This is referred to as RED-LINING by all Regulatory Agencies
EXCEPT the sharp ton lawyer, mclean county states attorney, illinois state attorney general…
Koos, Pam, and the (un)professional staff can do whatever they want because the Council has been conditioned not to ask any questions. (Same goes for the local media.) If you even try to ask an informational question, however basic it may be, you can expect to be maligned and ostracized. This is reinforced almost every meeting with how Koos and Pam engage Stan. They’re basically saying to the other Council members that this will happen to them if they step out of line. Of course, they also don’t want to lose their seat at the “cool kids” table in the lunchroom. Kudos to Stan for being willing to stand up for the taxpayer and take the slings and arrows. The rest of the bunch is either gutless or incompetent.
Annexation agreements (contracts) are negotiated between the developer and staff. They are presented to Council as an ordinance for approval. Whatever flaws are a result of previous councils failing to review & question the content of the agreement.
What details are in the most recent annexation agreements approved by this council?