[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6061414,"mediaKeyId","3283230-f2f7859d6c46851bdbbdf3d78095ba81","parentId",3283230,"title","Kane County proclaims May 2025 Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month after brief debate; two members oppose","audioSeconds",182,"startMs",3414000,"endMs",3596000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3283230-f2f7859d6c46851bdbbdf3d78095ba81&start=3414&end=3596","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3283230-f2f7859d6c46851bdbbdf3d78095ba81/thumbnail_3414000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6061414/Kane-County/Illinois/Kane-County-proclaims-May-2025-Motorcycle-Safety-Awareness-Month-after-brief-debate-two-members-oppose","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6061414-56593ba4a640189d4ae2f3cde4ea0f54/orig.mp4?Expires=1771047489&Signature=QkErGUoUeFU00eGcchlp0J1C9vvxzjPfji9lOIAiftUsFJ8FKuxcgilgC~22VLYzw8EWWGQ3BLOIU5rVWa1bsXILPoPqVdl7PCBWociMYbxZ5sZqYAsb7s7QNALxbyAkCTC3cB1Vi6oLi8nkSgVirHEaokmxPe5wHqmyrLkf6SVFdQ~DR0Rz14W9yzEILDaFWdNYpz4RoQXf13gzkoIYrgrcNxDfaJPLtcF36OEc677cT9IVI4~kZqD-050ZDmdQQ5RB2C-BHlVUiET69yvUVTj9kE~HjWupUdTqq9N5i9jo57ZeIE9wZLCxS9dfr1FV8GBHV7z~O1PyeynrDY8vng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kane County, IL","date","2025-05-14T05:28:56Z","article","The Kane County Board proclaimed May 2025 as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month on May 13, recognizing ABATE of Illinois’ local chapter for rider-safety education and charitable work and praising the organization’s school outreach and toy-run donations.

Chris Hansen, president of the DuPage/ Kane County ABATE chapter, told the board the chapter’s members speak to high-school drivers and other groups, reporting more than 5,000 students reached in Kane and DuPage counties last year and 3,000 already reached this year. The board citation noted ABATE’s volunteerism and said all roadway users should share responsibility for safety.

The proclamation passed after discussion. Two board members voted no: one said he opposed proclamations that assign a single month to an otherwise yearlong safety concern, and another cited ABATE’s public opposition to a state helmet bill and said that stance influenced his vote. Several board members and county officials praised ABATE’s community safety and charitable activities, including annual toy runs that benefit children.

Clerk roll-call records show the proclamation was approved with a majority vote; the minutes record that the zoning board and development committees previously reviewed unrelated items during the meeting. Board leaders said proclamations are typically board-directed recognitions and that the sponsoring board member helps craft them.

The proclamation directs county staff to recognize ABATE’s safety efforts during May and encourages roadway users in Kane County to practice shared responsibility for safety while using roadways.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Kane County Board Meeting May 13 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Kane County Board proclaimed May 2025 as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, recognizing ABATE for rider-safety outreach. Two board members voted against the proclamation, citing objections to month-long proclamations and the organization's stance on helmet legislation.","taxTitle","Kane County, Illinois","taxId",12845,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6061418,"Kane County residents and township officials urge deeper cuts, local contracting and budget scrutiny during public comment",1860,946000,2806000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3283230-f2f7859d6c46851bdbbdf3d78095ba81&start=946&end=2806","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3283230-f2f7859d6c46851bdbbdf3d78095ba81/thumbnail_946000.jpg","/articles/6061418/Kane-County/Illinois/Kane-County-residents-and-township-officials-urge-deeper-cuts-local-contracting-and-budget-scrutiny-during-public-comment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6061418-ec277da6bbda19143876e92153a21485/orig.mp4?Expires=1771047489&Signature=VIAsyC44vxgngXVP8gV9Jl0KbzMToSo0RAXPZr2sRAUE7sKEM5AN0iwGkx7KLTXPBFE0h6DkjVhGL8VtNDx-n9UcKChyhQh2g8iQJp6mxSvvDC1~334uHr72qFhWBQQNgo~a8bVftut0cWtX8ePtclB04RnOhVafV4hCCLFER5NLFBj-HKSelAlOlXdH0n5XRXJGMY8BiCdgUYGzKRNkt6pCfh7RvwAIV44O0avCiWJ-7wqYiQz8NJ2WOXxGjQZrkf0jCigr824054QivzZWsbhkc3pzpw5i2QoCQrldlV1dso0-W6h3ASkb3l68Whmn1jfXQHDZr~chkkm5lXTE3w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several Kane County residents and local officials used the public-comment period at the May 13 county-board meeting to press the board on budget priorities, urging greater scrutiny of spending, a return to using full-year budget comparisons, and rollback of contracting rules they say are increasing costs.

Michelle Betek of St. Charles said she has attended board meetings for more than two years and urged the board, as it prepares the 2026 budget, to compare the coming year to the entire previous year’s budget rather than partial-year totals. Betek also criticized the county’s “Responsible Bidder Ordinance,” adopted in August 2023, saying it “has created a huge problem” by raising construction costs and excluding longtime local contractors. She recommended the board consider a resolution to allow local contractors to compete or be registered for county work.

Other speakers echoed concerns about personnel spending and budget discipline. A township official told the board that while attrition is a step, “it’s not nearly enough,” and said personnel costs—particularly positions hired during the COVID period—now drive a large portion of the county’s projected shortfall. The speaker called for a hiring freeze and “department by department” reviews to eliminate nonessential positions.

Several speakers raised questions about the county’s election costs and mail-in ballots. One speaker initially misstated a number as postage but later clarified that the $2 million figure discussed in a finance meeting referred to the overall cost of an election. Another commenter asked the board to investigate how election-related expenses are broken down.

Other public commentators urged against increasing motor fuel taxes and called for greater transparency on department reserves and contracting. Speakers ranged from township supervisors to regular residents; none of the public-comment items led to formal board action at the meeting.

Board members acknowledged the comments and said the budget and strategic-planning processes would consider many of the issues raised. The board also noted a strategic-planning engagement is underway and that work to align long-term goals and budget decisions will continue through the next budget cycle.","Multiple speakers during public comment urged the county board to use full-year spending comparisons, reverse a 2023 ‘responsible bidder’ ordinance that they say raises construction costs, and to pursue deeper personnel reductions rather than tax increases as the county prepares its 2026 budget.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6061421,"Kane County Board approves two Rutland-area commercial solar farms over municipal objections",0,6121000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3283230-f2f7859d6c46851bdbbdf3d78095ba81&start=6121&end=6121","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3283230-f2f7859d6c46851bdbbdf3d78095ba81/thumbnail_6121000.jpg","/articles/6061421/Kane-County/Illinois/Kane-County-Board-approves-two-Rutland-area-commercial-solar-farms-over-municipal-objections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6061421-8dbd39b0d6a8d465be06037470b64191/orig.mp4?Expires=1771047489&Signature=C9mYvZ2PwJQnDqZLTdkyq97TYIz9TfDUGqf5kAYQOJnI643GjjFL5rk1e3c~yTOmO6WEx7btjQilEjDjmP0LUcKvOWPjWlRdkjZemI1~r2np2yp3JHkfmVMeUI9-ZI-51eqtRTIWwnj1vsWQxmqp58eCJknCFOQ28EFUW5Lrrru3Liddg2m0f8VQIHWH35eTBZUZu4q5b2XIDlc1KFVj5smKu9r84q~TwICUBRJmrYHfT5qYho-AX3~3FXH1koVeZdbSX3bo15D9DXo3l1L4h47DdgpCeaRycTdf4TGtpeU0IOjRgYbtpz4KtvDC64DJYwRgVGhi6IsjZTy09fcCKw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Kane County Board voted to approve special-use permits for two commercial solar energy facilities near Hampshire on May 13, approving a 40-acre Rutland East site and a nearby Rutland West site despite formal objections from the villages of Hampshire and Pingree Grove.

The petitions, filed by Rutland East Solar Farm LLC and Rutland West Solar Farm LLC and presented by project attorneys and landowners, sought special-use permits in the F (Farming) zoning district to allow commercial solar facilities on parcels designated Commerce/Employment in the county’s 2040 comprehensive plan. Board members followed recommendations from the zoning board of appeals and the county development committee and carried the motions to approve both applications with stipulated conditions.

The village of Hampshire, represented at the hearing by Mayor Mike Reed and Assistant Manager Malcolm (last name on record), urged the board to deny the petitions. Reed said the Rankin/Route 47 corridor “is poised to be a commercial/retail development” and warned the county that approving temporary (30-year) solar uses on major corridors would “create a precedent … and hinder the development of that corridor for at least the next 30 years.” Pingree Grove raised similar objections and noted the petitions “are not conforming with the Kane County 2040 Comprehensive Plan,” asking the board to reject the special-use permits.

Project representatives, including landowner John Milney and attorney Jack Franks, said the solar proposals meet state and local standards and had been redesigned to address access and future roadway connections. Franks said the projects were altered to “allow for the future extension of Sandwold Road from Big Timber Road to Reinking Road,” and that revisions reduced the development footprint so more land remains available along the frontage for possible future commercial uses.

Petitioners said the sites currently lack utilities and that local market demand for commercial development is limited; they described solar as a viable interim use that would be decommissioned at the end of its operational life. Project representatives confirmed the facilities are planned as community solar/utility-scale projects and said they will survey and repair any drain tiles affected during construction and will restore the land if the sites are decommissioned.

During board discussion members asked about landscape buffers, floodplain and drainage features along the southern boundary (identified during testimony as part of the south branch of the Kishwaukee River/Akins Creek), the potential for future commercial frontage, and whether the projects could be extended beyond 30 years. Petitioners said they had voluntarily reduced project footprints (one site was cut by roughly 70% during redesign) and incorporated extended landscape buffering along frontage roads to preserve opportunities for future development. They also said decommissioning and tile-repair obligations are standard parts of their agreements.

Roll-call votes approved both petitions. For the Rutland East petition (TMP25-485) the board recorded a majority of \"yes\" votes and two \"no\" votes; for Rutland West (TMP25-4655) the board likewise approved the special use with two members recorded as opposed. The zoning board of appeals and the county development committee had each recommended approval with stipulations prior to the full-board votes.

The decisions leave the villages and residents who objected without a change to the county vote; petitioners and county staff said the approvals include conditions intended to address drainage, screening and future roadway alignment. The projects’ special-use status and the 30-year operational timeframe were repeatedly cited by both opponents and supporters as central to the dispute.

Kane County staff will publish the final permit conditions and any AIMA/agency agreements associated with the projects; the petitioners indicated they will proceed with required surveys and utility coordination if the permits are recorded.","The Kane County Board voted to approve special-use permits for two commercial solar energy facilities—Rutland East and Rutland West—after hearings in which the villages of Hampshire and Pingree Grove said the projects would set a long-term precedent and block future commercial development along Illinois Route 47.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Kane County proclaims May 2025 Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month after brief debate; two members oppose

Kane County residents and township officials urge deeper cuts, local contracting and budget scrutiny during public comment

Kane County Board approves two Rutland-area commercial solar farms over municipal objections