| To The Voters and Taxpayers of Pontoon Beach Submitted by Mike Macek, Candidate for Village Trustee I feel that I must address the issue of Nameoki Township owing the Village of Pontoon Beach $60,000 for their share of improvements made to Virginia Street. In November of 2005 I found out that the Village made improvements to the full length of Virginia Street at a total cost of about $180,000. The street is about 900’ long with about 1/3 of that being in unincorporated Nameoki Township, none of the houses on either side of the street in that section are in the Village. The portion that is in the township is just east of Lake Drive for about 300’. I became concerned if the Village spent taxpayers money to improve the portion that was in the Township. I went to a public hearing on a proposed Village Property Tax Increase in November 2005 at which I testified at as opposing the increase. I asked at that hearing if Nameoki Township reimbursed the Village for their portion of the Virginia Street improvement. I was informed by Trustee Dave Levy, who I believe was Chairman of the Road and Bridge Committee, that they had. I asked if I could see proof and he told me to fill out a Freedom of Information request. I filled out the request and filed it with the Village on December 15, 2005. I never received the information from the Village even after several requests. After I filed to run for Mayor in 2007 I sent the Village a final request for the records and informed them that if I did not receive them I would file suit to obtain the records. I also contacted the Attorney General’s Office for their assistance since the Village violated state statues by not complying. Finally after the Attorney General's Office became involved I received some records about two weeks before election. I was going to bring the issue up at the election, but because I received some information I did not. I received a letter addressed to Mayor Denham from Nameoki Township Highway Commissioned Buddy O’ Brian confirming an agreement, and that Nameoki Township would pay their share of the improvements made to Virginia St. once they received a bill. A copy of that letter is below. I felt that the Mayor and his Trustees would address the matter and send a bill to the Township, as it was the right thing to do. In November of that year I once again attended and Village Public Hearing for a proposed 73% property tax increased in which I testified as being opposed to. At that hearing I once again asked if the Township reimbursed the Village for the Virginia St improvements. I was given the usual run around, but was finally told they were not reimbursed. Then a few days later I received a copy of a letter sent to Nameoki Township from the Madison County Highway Department saying that the Township does not maintain Virginia St. in the Village. Which is true, the Village maintains the portion of the street that is in the Village and the Township maintains their portion. It further states that the Township has never received Motor Fuel Tax Funds for the maintenance of Virginia St. A copy of that letter is also below. That letter does not say or imply that the Township does not owe the Village for their share of the Street improvement. Again, all it states is that the Township does not maintain the portion of Virginia Street that is in the Village. Whether or not if the Township has received Motor Fuel Tax money for the maintenance of Virginia Street in their jurisdiction has no bearing if they do or do not owe the Village the money. The fact is that the Township Highway Commissioner signed a letter saying there is an agreement and the Township will pay their share of the costs once the Village sends them a bill. It could not be any clearer. What’s not clear is why the Mayor and the Village has not billed the Township. The Village could use those funds for much needed road and drainage repairs in the Village. One area that needs immediate attention for both especially drainage improvements is the Quiet Valley Subdivision. The Village has told those people they have no money to make those repairs yet the Township owes them $60,000. What’s wrong with this picture? I never received any Village Board or Committee Meeting Minutes where the fact of an agreement, signing a agreement or even a discussion of a agreement was discussed. Never received a copy of a formal agreement. I filed a FOI request with the Nameoki Township Clerk for a copy of such a agreement or minutes discussing such and she replied back to me that she could not find anything. What does come to light is that maybe there was never such a agreement. Maybe the Village (Mayor and Trustees) got caught with their pants down, it was getting close to the election, this was going to be a issue in the election and they had to do something or the voters & taxpayers would find out that they spent $60,000 of taxpayer’s money to repair a portion of a street that was not in the Village. Maybe the Mayor and/or his representatives asked the Township Highway Commissioner to sign & back date such a letter telling him it would go away after the election. The major stumbling block possibly in their plan is that I did not and will not let it go away. How else can you explain even though FOI requests were filed with both the Village and Township no Minutes of meetings where the Township would reimburse the Village were ever produced, no formal agreement was ever produced, just a letter confirming such a agreement. If this was possibly the case was possibly fraud and conspiracy committed? Maybe it’s time The Attorney General’s Office gets involved and calls for an investigation by the State Police on this matter. That would end this once and for all. The voters and taxpayers of the Village needs their money from the Township, 4 years is much too long to wait. I just want the Township to make good on the agreement that was acknowledged by their Highway Commissioner, if indeed such an agreement really exists? After all the Village pays their bills promptly to the Township. At this time I pledge to the Voters and Taxpayers of Pontoon Beach I will bring this matter up before the Village Board and make a motion that we bill the Township for the money they owe the village. PLEASE REVIEW DOCUMENTS BELOW |
