County Board Hears Bad News From LRA . . . Final Property Transfer Bumped to 2023

LRA asks for resolutions of support

By Tom Kocal

The Jo-Carroll Depot Local Redevelopment Authority (LRA) update to the Carroll County Board at its January 21 meeting in Mt. Carroll was not what anyone wanted to hear.

Diane Komiskey, Executive Director of the LRA, reported that the U.S. Army has bumped the final date for the transfer of Army property at the closed military base by 9 years, to 2023.

Komiskey said that to date, the LRA has received 35% of the designated property prior to 2009. They received no property last year.

“This is not the desire of the LRA,” Komiskey stated.

The LRA is officially petitioning the Carroll County Board and other regional communities to approve resolutions supporting the expeditious transfer of the property in the time frame that was initially set - 2014.

“The LRA is being conservative, but it is difficult to envision extending LRA funds that far,” Komiskey said. “I urge you to support a resolution to expedite the land transfer process.”

She was asked what the future of cleanup operations by the Army looked like. She said lack of funding was the reason cleanup was so slow.

Chuck Wemstrom (D-3) said the cleanup was almost at a standstill. “Last year they spent $2 million, this year, maybe $1.5-$2 million. They still have almost $150 million of work to do before transfer can take place, using 2000 estimates . A resolution won’t do it by itself. We need to ask the government to spend a lot more.”

“But cleanup of the land is not what’s holding it back,” Komiskey stated. “It’s bureaucracy. Bureaucracy will bring this country to its knees. All of the property turned over to the LRA was not contaminated. It has taken 18 months in some cases to give a deed to property that was uncontaminated. So it’s not just a matter of cleanup funds, it’s also a matter of getting them to get that paperwork off the desk of someone in DC.”

She also said they had to cut through the bureaucracy of the Illinois EPA before they can sign off on property.

Komiskey later told the Prairie Advocate, “The delay in transferring property is abominable, unconscionable and abhorrent. There must be a way that our federal and state lawmakers on both sides of the aisle can work together to see that the property earmarked for economic development is turned over to the LRA so it can be used to stimulate the economy, improve the tax base and create jobs in northwest Illinois. Together we can do it. We must do it. The people of this region are counting on us to do it. Why?

“This regions needs a diverse economy. It needs the federal jobs that can be created by the sale of the Thomson Correctional Center to the Bureau of Prisons and lease to the Department of Defense.  It also needs the private-sector jobs like those that have been created by Rescar, a nationwide company, that wants to expand its operations in the Savanna Depot Park in tandem with Riverport Railroad.  The delays in property transfers are something that the taxpayers of Jo Daviess and Carroll County and the unemployed and underemployed of the region cannot afford,” Komiskey stated.

“There is no question that some property designated for the LRA has environmental issues. There are areas of the Depot that qualified it as a Superfund site. But not every parcel is dirty. Not every parcel is contaminated. Not every parcel needs to wait  13 months, 15 months or 16 months from the time the Finding of Suitability to Transfer has been sent to the regulators until the deed is signed by the Corps of Engineers as some did. No year should pass, as 2009 did, without any property being transferred to the LRA. The process must be expedited.”

In a letter sent to area municipalities and agencies on January 21, Komiskey and the LRA are requesting all local area public bodies, civic groups and individuals to act upon a Resolution or Letter of Support to encourage the Army to speed up the remediation / cleanup / clearance / transfer process of the remaining 1,914.41 acres to the LRA in order to facilitate economic redevelopment activities at the Savanna Depot Park property.

 “We can relate to the LRA’ s frustration here in Lanark as we are all too familiar with how long the remedial process has and still is taking for the cleanup / clearance of the former Hart Automotive Building,” said Lanark Mayor Ed Stern in a request to City Attorney Ed Mitchell to prepare a Resolution for the Feb. 2 Lanark City Council meeting. 

Board Supports UMRPAD

The Board was asked to approve a resolution indicating support of the Upper Mississippi Port Authority District. After a brief explanation by State’s Attorney Scott Brinkmeier, Paul Hartman (D-1) made a motion to approve the resolution, seconded by Kurt Dreger (D-1).

Gerald Bork (D-2) made a motion to table the vote, “since we really haven’t had a chance to look at it (the resolution). The motion to table was seconded by Ron Preston (D-2). On a roll call vote, the motion failed by 9-no and 3 yes votes to table, with Bork, Preston and Wemstrom voting yes.

On the original motion to approve the resolution to support the Port District, there were 10 yes and 2 no votes, with Bork and Preston being opposed. (For more information on this important issue, see “The Future of the UMRPD Legislation in the Hands of the Voters).

Hartman recommended that Dept. heads or their designee and the County Administrator Mike Doty be appointed the Freedom of Information Act/Open Meetings Act officers.

The Board then approved the transfer of $2000 from VOCA to the General Fund for a loan repayment; a transfer of $3767.75 from Social Security to the Health Dept. as per budget; and a transfer of $6018.50 from IMRF to the Health Dept. as per budget.

Chairman Rod Fritz encouraged participation to develop incentives to build in Carroll County. “We want to attract new people if the prison opens.”

Several incentive “visions” will be discussed in the near future.

The Board also approved an annual agreement for Maintenance of Roads at the Savanna Depot Park. They approved the appointment and re-appointment of 2 people to the 708 Board. Pat Cauldwell was reappointed, while Jim Anderson will replace Patti Kloepping.

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