WE THE PEOPLE MAKE A DIFFERENCE

[William M. Finley]

Just when you thought "We the People" couldn't make a difference...

Last night both Naperville and Wheatland townships held public meetings.  And what a difference "We the People" made!  Naperville Township's board responded to what they knew the people would say and took action ahead of time.  In Wheatland Township, democracy was on display as the people demanded and will receive a special meeting to reconsider a previous vote on a new building.  No matter how you see the issues, it's great to see the people take charge!  See details below, which are taken from today's Patch.                Wheatland Residents Demand Another         Look at Plans for a New Township Hall Record crowds turned out for Tuesday's annual town meeting, voting another special meeting to re-visit town hall options.  By Robyn Monaghan | Email the author | 1:13am        More than 130 people attended the Wheatland Township annual town meeting Tuesday, where a vote was made to stop all action on a proposed $1.5 million town hall until township officials can provide more details.       Supporters of the new building, including township Supervisor Todd Morse and trustees Frank King and Doug Haddad, launched Tuesday's meeting by telling voters that a decision to build a new town hall was a done deal and that the design plans are to go before the Naperville Plan Commission next month.       "Everybody thinks we're here to vote on whether to do the new building or not," King said. "That vote has already been taken."       "There is nothing on the agenda related to current plans for a town hall," Krafthefer said. "Voters cannot undo the previous three votes electors took on a new township hall."       In the end, Debra Holscher, of Naperville, put together an impromptu coalition of 17 people to sign a petition calling for a future special meeting on the subject of the new building.  Holscher made a motion to halt all proceedings and expenditures on the project until officials complete a detailed needs-assessment analysis, including price tags on the cost of leasing or buying an existing building. The motion carried 62-24.      Many Wheatland Township voters in attendance at the Tuesday meeting said the issue should be revisited because the economy has shift since the decision to build new was made seven years ago. Click here for full story:  http://plainfield.patch.com/articles/wheatland-residents-demand-ano...               Voters Table Benefits Referendum                  Tuesday at Annual Township Meeting Naperville Township trustees beat residents to the punch by voting last week to eliminate Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund and health benefits for part-time elected officials. By Carrie Frillman | Email the author | 1:26am   Naperville Township residents and trustees tabled a decision Tuesday that could have put the question of paying for trustee's retirement and health benefits in the hands of the voters. Forty people favored tabling the issue and 28 voted against it at the township's annual meeting. Discussion centered on whether paying for Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund and health benefits for part-time township trustees should be placed on the ballot of an upcoming election. The question would be in the form of a non-binding referendum. But trustees beat residents to the punch by unanimously approving a motion at their last regular meeting-held on election night-that they say will eliminate footing the bill for the perks in the future. "A referendum just isn't necessary now," Naperville Township Supervisor Gary Vician said. "The referendum would have been advisory. The resolution we voted on is binding." Current trustees will not be affected by the change though, Vician noted. Trustees' current perks have been in place since 2006. They are available to all of those serving in local trustee positions, which are part time and in 2010, came with a salary of $7,300, according to a township document outlining trustee and elected officials' annual compensation. Full-time elected officials can also take advantage of the benefits. The combined cost of health insurance coverage for all of the township's elected officials-eight total-accounted for about one third of its nearly $400,000 insurance spending in 2010, according to township documents. Trustees Fred Spitzzeri, May Yurgaitis and David Wentz are all enrolled to receive benefits, documents state. Trustee Esin Busche has never opted in. Documents show that as of Feb. 25, Wentz owed $1,000 to the township, which has fronted a total of $28,924 in premiums to cover his family's medical insurance from July 1, 2009 to Jan. 1, 2011. Spitzzeri had also fallen behind in the past-specifically in 2009, when he made a $761 payment in August for a $4,056 July tab that had been accruing since May. He paid the $3,294 balance in December of 2009, documents state.   Click here for full story: http://naperville.patch.com/articles/voters-table-benefits-referend... 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