The construction of a wind turbine project in Baileyville took a step closer to becoming a reality last night following the approval of a special use permit by the Ogle County Board.
In a 11-9 vote, the special use permit will be for underground cables involving the wind turbines. The proposal has around 40 wind turbines on 5,000 acres of land in Maryland and Leaf River Townships in Baileyville. The project won't be completed until 2013.
Ogle County Board Chairman Jim Barnes of Oregon said that the wind farm project remains a controversial issue for area residents. He believes this project will be built, but future wind farms may have a problem being completed.
The board rejected a special use permit for a halfway house dealing with an addiction program located in the 93 hundred block of Edgewood Road. They did approve a resolution for the northeast section of Ogle County which would be part of the Rockford Metropolitan planning area. This includes Davis Junction, Monroe Center, Stillman Valley, and Byron.
In a 14-6 vote, pay raises were approved for the 3 members of the Board of Review. Last October, the board reduced their pay from $4,500 a year to $2,000. Last night's proposal was a yearly salary of $3,500.
A hearing will most likely take place later this year dealing with the assessment of the Byron Nuclear power plant.
The board also approved a resolution last night in memory of former Ogle County Official Bill Spencer. He died last Friday at the age of 87.
Spencer was an Ogle County Board member for 15 years and former sheriff.
