Politics & Government
Plainfield Town Meeting Preview: Zip on Agenda
While Wheatland Township voters decide on new township hall, Plainfield electors next Tuesday will vote on nothing.
Wheatland Township voters are gearing up for a nail-biter at Tuesday's annual town meeting, where electors will have a chance to decide the fate of a .
In ? Not so much.
More than 55 Wheatland Township voters signed a petition to put the building vote on the annual town meeting agenda. Under state law, any 15 or more registered township voters can band together to place items on the agenda for the annual town meeting, held the second Tuesday in April all across the state.
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What’s on the Plainfield agenda?
Same thing as last year, township officials told me. Nothing.
Find out what's happening in Plainfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The township published notice of the meeting in Patch and other local media outlets, as required by statute. But Plainfield Township electors didn't take advantage of their once-a-year opportunity.
A throwback to the first governments put in place by early settlers, the annual town meeting is a rare opportunity for regular people to have a say in what happens in their local government. This is the one time every year where citizens’ votes carry the same weight as elected officials.
On Tuesday night, township clerks all around the state will call town meetings to order. They’ll read off some township info, the financials and such. Then the group selects a citizen moderator to conduct the rest of the meeting.
The electors have far-reaching authority, including “exercise of their corporate powers,” in making all “orders for the purchase, sale, conveyance, regulation, or use of the township's corporate property (including the direct sale or lease of single township road district property).” According to Illinois township code, if the people decide they need to raise the tax rate to buy something, they can do that, too, with signatures of 10 percent of the registered voters and public notice.
Nothing on your wish list, Plainfield? If there is, mark next March 15 on your calendar and call a few of your friends.
This Tuesday, Wheatland citizens may be voting themselves a new $1.5 million township hall. Or not.
We’ll let you know how it turns out.
