Author Archives: Good Day Illinois

Freeport City Council to Consider Ordinance to Eliminate City Legal Department on Monday, April 4

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The Freeport City Council will be meeting on Monday, April 4, 2016 at 6:00 pm at 524 W. Stephenson Street, 3rd Floor. You can watch it live on Comcast Channel 17. 

One of the more interesting items on the agenda is the ordinance to eliminate the City’s Legal Department. In the last 40 years Freeport’s population has not grown, but the size of City government has continued to grow. 40 years ago Freeport did not have a legal department, but retained private counsel for the City’s corporation counsel. Today we have a separate legal department with a full time corporation counsel, a part time attorney retained to prosecute ordinance violations, and other attorneys retained for “specialized” legal work. Of course, there is the need for office space, equipment, and support staff, all at taxpayer expense in city hall. Every time Freeport hires more firemen, policemen, and other city employees, it is not just the cost of the salaries. You must add on the present benefits for each employee plus the cost of retirement benefits. The State of Illinois is on the verge of bankruptcy due to the horrendous pension obligations incurred by state government, and the City of Freeport is headed in the same direction. Any time you can outsource government work, you normally will save money in the long run. This would certainly apply to the City’s legal department. The City’s legal department should be eliminated. It is luxury the taxpayers of Freeport cannot afford.

If the citizens of Freeport are interested in seeing the real cost of certain employees of the City of Freeport, go to the 2014 – 2015 Total Compensation Report for City Employees over $75,000

Click to access FY_2015%20Wages%20and%20Benefits%20for%20City%20of%20Freeport.pdf

For the complete Council agenda go to

Click to access A20160404.pdf

Illinois Primary Election March 15 – Your Vote Does Count.

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 On the Republican primary ballot there two races that are particularly important to voters in Stephenson County. Carl Larson should be retained as State’s Attorney. He has demonstrated by his exemplary conduct of the office that he should be given a full term. John Vogt, his Republican predecessor in this office, has unequivocally endorsed him. The voters of Stephenson County should do the same, and elect Carl Larson State’s Attorney.

The other important race is for Circuit Judge, and James Hauser should be retained as a judge in Stephenson County. Andrew Smith in the Illinois State Bar Association poll received a NOT recommended rating. James Hauser in the same Bar Poll received a recommended rating. In contrast two former, retired Stephenson County Circuit Judges, Barry Anderson and Theresa Ursen, have recommended James Hauser for Circuit Judge. Again, the voters of Stephenson County should do the same, and elect James Hauser Circuit Judge.

Local Northwest Illinois Papers Fail to Report Allegiant Air Problems!

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The Rockford Register Star and The Journal Standard have not reported on a consistent basis the problems that Allegiant Air has had during this last year. One paper that has reported the problems with Allegiant is the Tampa Bay Times. A recent article stated that one of Allegiant’s planes was involved in four emergency landings in a six week period. http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/airlines/allegiant-air-appoints-new-coo/2262384 

Allegiant had five emergency landings on flights from Florida in a one week period during the holidays this year. http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/airlines/allegiant-air-had-five-emergency-landings-out-of-florida-during-holiday/2259958

A very serious incident occurred on August 17 in Las Vegas. The report by KNTV in Las Vegas began as follows:

 “Is Allegiant Air a tragedy waiting to happen? That’s what aviation experts are wondering as the Federal Aviation Administration investigates the latest mechanical failure at the Las Vegas-based carrier.” See the report at http://www.ktnv.com/news/contact-13/allegiant-aborts-takeoff-after-critical-flight-system-fails

Allegiant is the major carrier serving the Rockford, Illinois airport. Without Allegiant there would be practically no commercial service at this airport. Passengers flying out of Rockford need to know the facts about this airline. Read the articles and watch KNTV report, and then you decide if you want to fly this airline.

Freeport City Council to Meet January 19

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  The Freeport City Council will be meeting on Tuesday, January 19, 2016 at 6:00 pm at 524 W. Stephenson Street, 3rd Floor. You can watch it live on Comcast Channel 17. 
 Some items of interest on the agenda:

Presentation on Economic Data for Northwest Illinois (wherever that is!) by NIDA Director and TCEDA Director. Just look at their titles and you know the presentation will be another bureaucratic disaster. For everyone’s information LWA 3 consists of Boone, Stephenson, and Winnebago Counties. TCEDA stands for Tri-County Economic Development Alliance which consists of Jo Daviess, Carroll, and Whiteside Counties. The Rockford MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) consists of Boone and Winnebago Counties. The report starts out showing the population change in LWA 3 and then the next page shows population trends in TCEDA. This is typical of this report. I guess the NIDA director is paid by counties in TCEDA and Rockford MSA. If the report had been done with consistent comparisons and an emphasis on Stephenson County, it would have shown disastrous trends for the area which should be addressed. 

See the full report at http://www.cityoffreeport.org/OrdRes/NIDA%20TCEDA%20HCC%20presentation.pdf

Ordinance Directing Sale of vacated fire station at 1819 S West Avenue, Freeport. Before proceeding, the Freeport Assessor should give the Council an estimate as to how much the Assessor will assess the property for and how much tax revenue it will generate if it is sold. A prospective buyer would appreciate this information.

For the full agenda go to http://www.ci.freeport.il.us/citygovernment/Agendas/A20160119.pdf

Happy New Year in San Diego, California!

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  Gasoline prices in California are over $3.00 a gallon. The above picture was taken New Years Day in San Diego California. It goes to show that at least one thing is better in Illinois where gas prices are under $2.00 a gallon.

From Malcolm & Heather – McPherson Law Offices

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We will be closed December 24 and 25, 2015. We wish you a Merry Christmas. 

Veterans Day November 11, 2015 – Honoring All Who Served In Times of War – In Times of Peace

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Verbal Agreement or Not – It’s Wrong! 

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 If a city or other government employee enters into a verbal agreement which violates the law, is it enforceable? It would even be worse if that city employee knew that the agreement violated the law, and is enriched personally as a result of the knowing violation. Let’s assume the city employee is the chief legal counsel for the city, and creates a special exception for the city’s legal counsel contrary to the city’s ordinances. Is such conduct acceptable from ethical stand point much less from a legal stand point? You be the judge. The level of corruption in the State of Illinois, real or perceived, is beyond belief. It starts with city governments, goes to the county level, and then ends up at the State level. Let’s be honest and face the facts. Freeport and Stephenson County are not the exception to the Illinois rule: Corruption is ok – just don’t’ get caught.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

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 And don’t forget that daylight savings time (DST) ends at 2:00 am on the first Sunday of November which means November 1 this year. Set your clocks back one hour. DST begins on the second Sunday of March at 2:00 am which means that in 2016 it will begin on March 13.

It’s Been a Bad Day – The Stock Market Is Still Falling, Your Car Has Been Recalled, and Then Your Dog Was Rejected for Doggie Daycare!

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  … and then you get home and check your mail. There is a letter from the local doggie daycare center advising you that your dog has been rejected for the daycare program due to your dog’s inability to socialize with other dogs. What should you do? Do you need a lawyer? The answer is simple – call the daycare center and ask for a personal interview for your dog. Prep you dog for the interview. Your dog must not only look good, but be sure he gets enough rest before his interview so he is mentally ready for difficult questions. If your dog is having anxiety attacks, see your dog’s doctor and get a prescription for anxiety medication such as Xanax. And most important – remember that you are also being interviewed. You do not want your dog to fail as a result of your attitude and your failure to address your dog’s problems. Good Luck!