BLACKBERRY TOWNSHIP – Many of the 40 Blackberry Township residents who attended the “Blackberry Township Community Conversation” on Feb. 22 said they came away with a much better understanding of what a township is and what it does.
A question on the minds of many of the people attending the meeting was the proposed Crown development on land near the Route 47 and Interstate 88 interchange. One of the residents asked what authority or influence the township has on what is built on unincorporated land.
Blackberry Township Supervisor Esther Steel responded that the township has no statutory authority over the Crown development. However, she said that because she comes into contact with many people at the county in her role as a member of the Kane County Regional Planning Commission, she does have a chance to influence others in matters of development on unincorporated land.
She said that once Crown began discussions with Sugar Grove to develop the property, it was no longer in Kane County’s jurisdiction. However, if and when Crown disconnects the property from Sugar Grove, the county potentially could become involved.
Steel said that if Crown were to approach the county regarding its development, it likely would be to request a change in zoning from the Kane County Zoning Board of Appeals. She encouraged the residents to follow the Kane County website for a list of meetings and their agendas, attend the meetings in which the development might be discussed, and let their views be known.
Also at the meeting, Steel introduced two township employees, road commissioner Rod Feece and assessor Uwe Rotter, and explained their responsibilities. Steel said her role is similar to that of a chief financial officer, with responsibility for the finances and investments for the township.
Not surprisingly, the first questions were about property taxes. Rotter said the two factors that affect a homeowner’s tax bill are the amount of funding each of the taxing bodies (i.e. schools, fire, etc.) asks for, and each homeowner’s “fair share” of that total tax amount based on the assessed value of their home.
Rotter offers taxpayer workshops on the first Tuesday of every month. Rotter also offered to meet with several people individually who had specific questions about their tax bills.
Steel committed to taking another look at the Ride in Kane program to see what should be done with it in the future after a discussion at the meeting. Former Blackberry Township Supervisor Fred Dornback took the opportunity to ask the residents to consider voting for a road referendum when it is introduced. He said township roads are in serious need of maintenance, and there is not enough money in the budget to keep up with it.
Feece said a road referendum probably would not be on the ballot until the presidential election is over, likely next year. He estimated that if a road referendum were to pass, a homeowner of a $300,000 home would pay an additional $140 a year for better maintenance of the roads.
Dornback also introduced a representative of Inc Board, a local planning and funding alliance for 15 agencies and 35 programs providing services for mental health, intellectual and developmental disabilities and substance abuse disorder needs in the seven southern townships within Kane County.
He said that $55,000 per year comes from Blackberry Township taxes to fund these agencies and programs, which includes Conley Outreach Community Services in Elburn and Sugar Grove. He said he believes it is a good use of taxpayers’ money.
Steel told the residents that she would like to see the township offer more to the seniors in the community. She said there is a group of seniors who meet at the township building on a monthly basis to play cards, but she would like to do more and is open to suggestions.
After the meeting, several residents said they were glad they attended.
“It was very informative,” said Karen Leppert, a Blackberry Township resident who lives in the Mill Creek subdivision.
“I thought it was great,” Carolyn Anderson said. “It was nice to have an open discussion where people were able to come together, especially with all of the struggles over the past year.”
Anderson lives in unincorporated Kane County and has attended a number of government meetings over the past year. She is among those who express an opposition to the Crown development proposal.
Steel said she thought it was a “great exchange,” and she was glad that people had a chance to talk about their concerns, and that she was able to help people understand what the township does.
Source: The Daily Chronicle
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