Annual report on state of the county
Chairman Christiansen touches on status of 2030 Land Use Plan, Freedom Field, public safety and other county projects
By Barbara Connors, RCC
Almost 500 business leaders attended the Rockford Chamber's State of the County luncheon event on April 17 at Cliffbreakers Riverside Resort to hear Winnebago County Board Chairman Scott Christiansen deliver his annual address.
Chairman Christiansen touched on this year's budget of $211 million -- 25 percent of which is earmarked towards costs for construction of the Justice Center, which opened in 2007 in downtown Rockford, as well as other one-time capital project costs. With the Winnebago County Justice Center opening on time and under the original bid; he said the county saved more than $8 million.
"Now, really, when is the last time you heard of any government project coming in on time and under the original bids!" Christiansen said to laughter from the audience.
"I am proud to say that through good stewardship of the one-cent public safety tax, we are paying down the bonds and will save another $20 million in interest alone. When I took office [in 2004] we had a budget deficit; today we have a balanced budget."
Christiansen touched on the status of a number of other county projects.
2030 Land Use Plan
Christiansen reported that the County Board will approve the 2030 Land Use Plan as early as May. The plan is a vision for how growth and development will affect the unincorporated areas of the county through 2030. "We're taking our time on it," he said. "We've gotten input from all of the cities and townships at least twice."
Alternative Programs to Incarceration
When the voters authorized the one-cent sales tax for the justice center, the county was mandated to dedicate at least $2 million per year for alternatives to incarceration.
In response the county opened the Resource Intervention Center; a one-stop shop for evaluation, counseling, education and training. "Whenever possible we must rehabilitate rather than recycle human beings through the justice system."
WinCART
The Winnebago County Action Response Team (WinCART), established in 2005, has taken more than 60,000 calls and 25,000 walk-ins from residents seeking information and getting answers. Call 815-319-4444.
Emergency Warning System
The county has plans to initiate its county-wide, outdoor siren system later in 2008 as an early warning for natural disasters. Christiansen said that the Reverse 911 system should be deployed in May. The county also will offer discounted weather radios as another initiative to boost public safety.
Economic Development
"Our county's approach to this issue is one of the reasons why we have secured the Chemtool Corporation's plans to move their headquarters to Winnebago County," Christiansen said. The manufacturer and custom formulator of lubricants and specialty products for industry has plans to establish a campus-like corporate headquarters at the site of the former Beloit Corporation, 1165 Prairie Road in Rockton.
"This development will result in $50 million of economic development and will ultimately bring as many as 550 good-paying jobs."
Freedom Field
At the Chicago Rockford International Airport plans are underway for the Freedom Field Renewable Energy Center, a working laboratory developing through a government and private sector partnership to explore the use of solar, bio-mass and other alternative sources of energy. "Our goal is to make Winnebago County less reliant on fossil fuels and geared more toward recycling and other environmentally friendly means of producing energy,"
Sponsors of the event: Alpha Controls & Services; Ballard Companies, Inc.; Hinshaw & Culbertson; Rock River Valley Blood Center; WREX TV 13, and 1330 WNTA.
