To the editor,
I am a resident of the Belvidere area and have lived here for over 20 years.
I have always been proud of our small community and our ability to care about our residents and what affects them. I have been quietly following everything happening in our local government for over three years. It's alarming to say the least.
There are too many office workers to keep track of. Our boss resigned due to health problems. They approved a budget that gave the clerk a raise totaling $28,000 per year (remember, this was approved after the clerk resigned).
So now our “new” clerk, who was our deputy clerk, is making more money than any other clerk who has ever held the position.
In addition to salaries, our town currently “pays” a third party to train its clerks. In my opinion, who should have already known the job, since he was a deputy for more than a year. If we didn't learn her job, what did we pay her for during this period?
Taxpayers are reminded that the Treasurer, who has now held the position for many years, does not approve the current clerk's spending and accounting.
The new clerk wants to cash out the CDs to cover more expenses. The board went over budget last year and is on track to go over budget again.
There are now elections in August and November. One of the candidates, Ken Purchase, who has lived here for a long time, openly belongs to an anti-wind and anti-solar group and has set up a meeting point for people to sign a petition against it. At times, can we open up and represent the community as a whole? What are the current regulations? That's a little alarming to me.
Now, I turn to the candidates running against the current Minister of Finance, Forrest Herzog. Yolanda Lane is our clerk, and when she was hired, we assured the public and board that she would stay on and seek election for her in November.
She quit her job due to family health issues and her inability to focus on work. Now she's running for Treasurer? If she can't dedicate herself to her current job, how will she dedicate herself to another? I sincerely hope some of the residents open their eyes to what's going on locally. I am.
At this rate, our small community will soon be bankrupt.
vicky baggero
Belvidere Township
