“It’s unanimous”, said Board Chairman Vito Benigno after the roll call vote to overturn the March 24 Board meeting polling place vote.
The approximately 75 residents in attendance in the Drendel Ballroom at the April 28 meeting cheered their approval.
When the actual motion came up on the Board’s agenda, Chairman Benigno read the new motion itself and restated the points in the Sun City Governance and By-Laws regarding signage. He also referenced the State of Illinois Laws on campaign signs, electioneering and campaigning on public lands adjacent to polling places on election day.
The motion itself was that the Board would direct the Executive Director to enter into an agreement with the Kane County Board of Elections for Drendel Ballroom to be a Kane County polling place for Rutland Township in 2022.
The Board meeting began with 20 minutes of comments from the audience. Each speaker was allotted three minutes for their statements. Ten residents spoke against the Board’s decision at the March meeting to not renew the polling place agreement with Kane County.
Bill Clanton, from Neighborhood 9, said that a door-to-door survey resulted in “94 percent of neighborhood residents being opposed to cancelling the polling place agreement.”
Each speaker received a round of applause after their statements.
Board President Benigno presented past Board President Dennis O’Leary with a Certificate of Appreciation for his six years of service on the Board.
Bob McGouey, Board Treasurer, reported that “there was a $176,000 surplus for 2020” and that “the auditors recommended that the surplus be kept in the operating surplus and not moved to the reserves.”
McGouey also reported that “56 homes were sold in the first quarter of the year.”
“The community appreciation event will be held outdoors on July 28,” reported Marilynn Berendt, Board Liaison for the Lifestyle Committee.
Berendt also reported that “the June Golf Cart parade theme will be More Fun in 21.”
Among the New Business items on the agenda was the approval of an unbudgeted $50,975 for the purchase of additional outdoor chairs, tables and umbrellas for use outside Prairie Lodge.
Executive Director Danna Loughran reported that “there were 1,447 responses to the Sun City Satisfaction survey” and that “the survey results will be posted to the website.”
The Board also discussed the continuation of live streaming of the monthly Board meetings. All agreed that it was a good idea and that both the video and the audio equipment needed improvement.
Executive Director Loughran reported that “many Charter Clubs and only a few Neighborhoods have submitted plans for the resumption of meetings and activities.”
She will continue the review of the submitted plans and advise the clubs and neighborhoods if the plans are acceptable or what changes are needed. The club and neighborhood activities will resume once the Board approves the plans.
The Neighborhood Advisory Council (NAC) had conducted an informal opinion poll of the March 24 vote terminating the Kane County Board of Elections agreement on Drendel being a polling place for future elections. The results of the poll had been given to the Board of Directors.
Board Member Russ Howard commented that the “opinion poll wording was not neutral” and leaned heavily in one direction.
After some discussion. Board Chairman Benigno announced that the Board would “not share the results with the community.”
The Board adjourned the meeting and went into Executive session. The next Board meeting will be on May 26.
