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Legal/Legislative Scene
Park Districts and Forest
Preserves Are Big Winners in the Grant Award Process By Peter M. Murphy IAPD General Counsel  NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR FILING STATEMENTS OF ECONOMIC INTERESTS It is often the case that during a legislative session, good intentions result in legislation that is both confusing and difficult to administrate. The new amendment to the lllinois Governmental Ethics Act (Public Act 88-187) is such a case. A relatively straight forward requirement that all individuals earning more than $35, 000 must file a statement of economic interest has been substantially changed as described below. The administrative chaos this will cause for both the state and local government cannot be understated. Public Act 88-187 requires the following persons to file verified written statements of economic interests: 1. Persons who are elected to office in a unit of local government, and candidates for nomination or election to that office. 2. Persons appointed to the governing board of a unit of local government and persons appointed to a board or commission of a unit of local government. 3. Persons who are employed by a unit of local government and are compensated for services as employees and not as independent contractors and who: a. are, or function as, the head of a department, division, bureau, authority or other administrative unit within the unit of local government, or who exercise similar authority within the unit of local government;
b. have direct supervisory authority over, or direct responsibility for the
formulation, negotiation, issuance or execution of contracts entered into by the
unit of local government in the amount of
$1, 000 or greater; c. have authority to approve licenses and permits by the unit of local government; d. adjudicate, arbitrate or decide any judicial or administrative proceeding, or review the adjudication, arbitration or decision of any judicial or administrative proceeding within the authority of the unit of local government; e. have authority to issue or promulgate rules and regulations within areas under the authority of the unit of local government; or f. have supervisory responsibility for 20 or more employees of the unit of local government. Failure to file a statement of economic interests within the time prescribed shall not result in a fine or ineligibility for, or forfeiture of, office or position of employment, provided that the failure to file results from not being included for notification by the appropriate agency, clerk, secretary, officer or unit of government, and that a statement is filed within 30 days of actual notice of the failure to file. The chief administrative officer of each local government shall certify to the clerk or secretary of the unit of local government the names and mailing addresses of those persons, who shall then certify to the appropriate county clerk a list of names and addresses of persons that are required to file because of their relationship to the entity represented by the clerk or secretary. In preparing the lists, Illinois Parks and Recreation - 10 - November/December 1993 Legal/Legislative Scene
each clerk or secretary shall set out the names in alphabetical order by county of residence, and shall send a list of persons required to file to the county clerks of the counties in which those persons reside, or if any person resides outside of Illinois, to the county clerk of the county in which the principal office of the unit of government with which the person is associated is located. On or before April 1 annually, the Secretary of State shall notify all persons whose names have been certified to him, other than candidates for office who have filed their statements with their nominating petitions, of the requirements for filing statements of economic interests. On or before April 1 annually, the county clerk of each county shall notify all persons whose names have been certified to him, other than candidates for office who have filed their statements with their nominating petitions, of the requirements for filing statements of economic interests. From the lists certified to him, the clerk of each county shall compile an alphabetical listing of persons required to file statements of economic interests in his office under any of those items. As the statements are filed in his office, the county clerk shall cause the fact of that filing to be indicated on the alphabetical listing of persons who are required to file statements. The county clerk of each county shall note upon the alphabetical listing the names of all persons required to file a statement of economic interests who failed to file a statement on or before May 1. It shall be the duty of the several county clerks to give notice to any person who has failed to file his or her statement with the clerk on or before May 1. All statements of economic interests filed under this shall be available for examination and copying by the public at all reasonable times. Any person required to file a statement of economic interests under this Article who willfully files a false or incomplete statement shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. Failure to file a statement within the time prescribed shall result in ineligibility for, or forfeiture of, office or position of employment, as the case may be; provided, however, that if the notice of failure to file a statement of economic interests provided is not given by the Secretary of State or the county clerk, as the case may be, no forfeiture shall result if a statement is filed within 30 days of actual notice of the failure to file. The new legislation governing lobbyist registration will be covered in the upcoming issue of Illinois Parks and Recreation. BICYCLE PATH GRANTS On October 1, 1993, Governor Jim Edgar awarded $2.7 million to 28 communities to acquire or develop more than 90 miles of bicycle paths that will provide expanded, safer recreational opportunities. These grants will allow the acquisition of 41 miles of new trails and development of another 49 miles. Nearly 280 miles of trails have been funded since the inception of the bicycle path grant program four years ago. With the support of the IAPD, Edgar championed the legislation establishing the grant program during his tenure as Secretary of State. The largest grant — $232, 500 for acquisition of a 4.2-mile addition to the Illinois River Trail in East Peoria — was awarded to the Fon du Lac Park District and the city of East Peoria. In addition, the Illinois River Trail will be extended 1.4 miles with a $50, 000 development grant. Four of the applicants — the village of Lincolnshire, the city of Bloomington, the Cook County Forest Preserve District and the Will County Forest Preserve District — received the maximum award of $200, 000 for development projects. There is no funding limit for acquisition projects. Several of this year's projects focus on safety in addition to recreational opportunities. For example, a $93, 4000 grant to the Chicago Park District will resolve a major safety problem for the heavily used Lincoln Park lakefront bicycle trail near the Diversey Community Center by eliminating an existing ramp of the northbound Lake Shore Drive. The grants are available to any local government having statutory authority to acquire and develop land for public recreation. Grants are funded from a percentage of motor vehicle title transfer fees and provide up to 50 percent of an approved project's total cost. Applications for the next cycle of grants will be accepted January 1 through March 1, 1994. For information about the program, contact IAPD or the Department of conservation, Division of Grant Administration, 524 South Second, Springfield, IL 62701-1787, (217) 782-7481. Bolingbrook Park District, $ 149, 100 to develop a two-mile bicycle/pedestrian path within the DuPage River Greenway running parallel to the East Branch of the DuPage River. Buffalo Grove Park District, $42, 600 to construct approximately two miles of asphalt path between Wheeling and Buffalo Grove. This project represents a joint effort by the Buffalo Grove Park District, the Village of Buffalo Grove, the Wheeling Park District and the Village of Wheeling. Chicago Park District, $93, 400 to resolve a major safety problem for the heavily used Lincoln Park lake front bicycle trail near the Diversey Community Center by eliminating an existing ramp of the northbound Lake Shore Drive. It also will provide a bike information center and other amenities. Cook County Forest Preserve District, $200, 000 to develop a three-mile bicycle trail loop in the Midlothian Meadows Preserve. The completion of the project will bring the total length of the Tinley Creek bicycle trail to 18.5 miles. Crystal Lake Park District, $34, 700 to install an asphalt bike path through Fetzner Park, which will connect on the east and west with other paths, either Illinois Parks and Recreation 11 November/December 1993
Legal/Legislative Scene
existing or under construction, for a total path length of three miles. Decatur Park District, $37, 200 to construct a bike trail from the Fair-view Park/Rock Springs Park bike trail, currently under construction, to Kiwanis Park. Fon du Lac Park District/City of East Peoria, $232, 500 to purchase easements for future development of 4.2 miles in the northern section of the River Trail of Illinois in East Peoria. The trail will connect to the urban link trail development project and to the new Robert Michel Bridge. Fon du Lac Park District/City of East Peoria, $50, 000 to extend the existing River Trail of Illinois another 1.4 miles west and connect to the new Robert Michel Bridge. Hanover Park Park District, $102, 400 to develop two portions of bicycle paths, one in the northern part of the city connecting the Community Park and the pool complex, and the other in the southern portion of the city connecting a school and three parks. Kendall County Forest Preserve District/ Oswegoland Park District, $161, 000 to acquire eight key parcels along the Fox River to fill gaps in a greenbelt system that will extend the Fox River Trail through Montgomery, Oswego and Yorkville. LaGrange Park Community Park District, $35, 000 to develop a connector trail with a bridge to provide safer access to the Cook County Forest Preserve property. McHenry County Conservation District, $123, 000 to develop a 3.75-mile trail on a corridor adjacent to a railroad right-of-way from Hillside Road in Crystal Lake to Bull Valley Road in McHenry. McHenry County Conservation District, $151, 800 to acquire approximately 27 miles along an active railroad corridor (Chicago and Northwestern). The proposed trail would run from Crystal Lake northwest through Harvard to near the Wisconsin state line in Sharon. Palatine Park District, $45, 800 to resolve a traffic hazard on a section of the existing Palatine Trail that passes through the Palatine Hills Golf Course by relocating and extending the rail through a nearby park. Rolling Meadows Park District/City of Rolling Meadows, $97, 800 to complete the missing links within the Salt Creek trail system and to provide an off- street bicycle path along Euclid Avenue to the Metra commuter station. Schaumburg Park District. $74, 400 to develop a .7-mile link to the community-wide bicycle trail/route system. The link will provide safer access to schools and parks along the system by providing an off-street path. Will County Forest Preserve District, $200, 000 to develop a 12.25-mile segment of the recently acquired Old Plank Road Trail, an abandoned railroad right- of-way, in conjunction with Rich Township and the Villages of Park Forest, Matteson and Frankfort. Zion Park District, $ 11, 700 to construct a 1.5-mile trail which will tie directly into the 30-mile North Shore/Green Bay Trail. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION TREE PLANTING INITIATIVE Governor Edgar has announced that 61 local governmental units in Illinois will share more than $1.3 million in federal grants to plant trees on public land. "These grants from the U.S. Small Business Administration Tree Planting Initiative help stimulate local economies by providing communities with dollars to hire local businesses, such as nurseries, garden centers and landscaping services, to purchase and plant trees on public areas," the Governor said. "Trees add to the natural character of cities and towns, and citizens reap the benefit of an enhanced quality of life within their communities." The Governor estimated that about 300 small businesses will participate in the program by planting more than 10, 000 trees throughout the state. The SBA defines small businesses eligible for the program as those with fewer than 100 employees. Following is a list of the local governmental units receiving grants, the amount of the grant and a description of the project:
Alton Park and Recreation Department,
$9, 000 for a memorial tree planting in a
local park. Illinois Parks and Recreation 12 November/December 1993
Legal/Legislative Scene
Referenda Results The following are the results of referenda included in the nonpartisan election held on November 2, 1993. The data for this report was obtained from election authorities and jurisdictional canvassing board abstracts. Of the 237 different referenda proposals, 127 passed and 108 failed (1 pending judicial determination). The following is a summary of those referenda affecting park and forest preserve districts.
Illinois Parks and Recreation 13 November/December 1993 |
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