Report to the People # 85 by Phil Chapman, County Board District Three

The purpose of this report is to provide information and to aid in government transparency.

District Three (3) Grant Approvals: I voted ‘YES” following Park and Recreation Grants at the March County Board meeting for areas in my district. Alhambra $14,590, New Douglas Village $15,000, Worden $15,000, Hamel $15,000, Highland $48,895, New Douglas Township $14,552, and Williamson, $15,000.

Health and Judiciary Committees: (1) Abortion: Given recent abortion initiatives in New York and Virginia and the specter of it coming to Illinois, I will oppose any move to allow so called ‘live birth’ abortions in Madison County, Il. It appears ‘live birth’ abortions violate the Fifth, Thirteenth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution. All citizens, including ‘new borns’ have a right to life which can’t be taken without ‘due process’. The Federal government may have a fiduciary responsibility to ‘live borns’ if state and /or local governments fail to act. (2) Access of ‘Live Borns’ to Medical Care: In an allied issue, it appears that ‘ live born survivors’ of a botched abortion may have a right to medical care according to the provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) ; Section 1557. Section 1557 is the nondiscrimination provision of the (ACA). The law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in certain health programs or activities. Any failure to provide medical care to a one minute old citizen of the United States might be found to be age discrimination according to Section 1557.

Tax Cycle Committee: Appropriate legal authority continues to review the correct procedures for charging Real Estate concerns for county GPS data. The resolution currently in place requires charging any applicant a fee. Some Real Estate concerns would like this changed.

Facilities: Working with Board member Chris Hankins I hope to provide a bi-partisan vision for the use, improvement, and divestiture of county property. A previous lack of preventive maintenance and poor space usage costs the tax payers money. Failure to act will cost tax payers millions upon millions of dollars in the future.

Highland News: VARIANCES: I moved and voted ‘Yes’ during the Planning and Development Meeting April 4. Z-19-0008 and Z190016. (A) Z190008 allowed a variance for Cyril and Jane Korte in order to construct a residence on PIN 1-24-34-00-000-001. An owner should be able to develop a property if it poses no harm to others. No one attended the meeting to object. (B) Z-19-00016 allowed Plocher Family Farms to re-zone five acres from Agricultural District to B-3 Highway Business District. No one objected. The change will assist with development of agriculture, construction, and commerce.

Respectfully submitted,

Phil Chapman

County Board District Three

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