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Siting, Zoning and Taxing Conference


Wednesday, February 24, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Peoria Civic Center - Peoria, IL


This conference discussed issues of importance to County Board and Zoning Board members. Topics will address resonsibilities and best practices of boards, taxation, roads, leases, decommissioning, and property value guarantees.

 



CONFERENCE AGENDA*:


8:00 AM – Wind Energy 101
(Pre-session for those new to wind farm projects)


9:30 AM – Welcom

 

9:35 AM – Responsibilities and Best Practices of County Boards and Zoning Boards


11:00 AM – Taxation of Wind Farms


11:45 AM – Lunch and Exhibits


1:00 PM – Roads and Decommissioning


2:30 PM – Property Value Guarantees


4:00 PM – Adjourn

 

SPEAKERS INCLUDE*:


Kyle Barry is an attorney with McGuireWoods LLP and a vice president in the State Government Relations group of McGuireWoods Consulting. An experienced commercial litigator and former deputy general counsel for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, he has established relationships with leading federal, state and local officials in Illinois. Kyle has an extensive background in business expansion services and economic development. While serving as deputy general counsel for the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Development, Kyle managed the legal affairs for the Large Business Development Division, the Energy and Recycling Division, the Office of Coal Development, the DCEO Grants Unit and the Illinois Trade Office. Kyle has provided guidance on general business development projects as well as on energy projects, including wind energy developments, ethanol plants, coal projects and a geothermal energy enterprise. In addition, Kyle recently helped form a trade association for wind energy developers in Illinois, and he now helps manage the government affairs for the association.

Kevin Borgia is founder and Executive Director of the Illinois Wind Energy Association, a non-profit trade group working to improve the business environment for wind power in Illinois. Previously, Kevin worked as editor of the federal energy and environmental policy newsletters Energy Washington and Inside EPA. He is an Illinois native and received his BA degree at Illinois State University.

Jim Griffin is a partner in the Chicago law firm of Schain, Burney, Banks & Kenny. Jim and his firm have counseled clients regarding several wind energy projects, representing both wind energy companies and local government. Jim has advised wind energy clients on siting and land use matters, environmental issues, state and local taxation, real estate transactions and in contract negotiations. He has also served as lead counsel in two lawsuits challenging wind energy projects. Jim is a member of the American Wind Energy Association and served as a presenter at AWEA’s 2008 national conference. He serves on the executive committee of the Illinois Wind Working Group, and has lectured on wind farm siting, taxation and other topics. In addition to his wind energy experience, Jim represents clients in other land use, environmental, litigation and business matters. He obtained his law degree cum laude from John Marshall Law School after earning a degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University.

Jerry Hicks is the LaSalle County Board Chairman. He was elected to County Board District #19 in November 1998, elected by County Board Members as
Chairman of the Board in December 2006, and elected at large by the electorate to a four year term as County Board Chairman in November 2008. He is the owner of Hicks Accounting & Tax Service in Marseilles for the past 28 years, and past and current member of numerous local volunteer boards.

Ben Hoen is under contract to Berkeley Lab to investigate community responses to different renewable energy sources.  In addition investigating property value impacts surrounding wind facilities Ben is currently working on a analysis of the impact of solar energy systems on home selling prices as well as an investigation into public acceptance of households living near wind turbines.  Mr. Hoen is a graduate of Bard College with a Masters Degree in Environmental Policy with specialties in econometric modeling and GIS, and holds Bachelors degrees in Finance and Business from University of Maryland.

Fred Iutzi manages renewable energy programs at IIRA, overseeing a Sustainable Development staff of seven that includes specialists in wind energy, biofuels, value-added agriculture, and Geographic Information Systems.  He holds an MS in Agronomy and Sustainable Agriculture from Iowa State University, an AB in Geography from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and is a Certified Crop Adviser.  Previous professional affiliations include the Western Illinois University School of Agriculture and Iowa State University Extension.  He is a frequent speaker on bioenergy and wind energy topics within Illinois.  Founded in 1989, the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University is the state's designated academic clearinghouse for rural research and initiatives.  IIRA is the lead agency in Illinois for wind resource assessment, and provides technical assistance to local governments on wind energy issues.  IIRA's wind information webpage is located at IllinoisWind.org.

Dan Litchfield is a Business Developer with Iberdrola Renewables and has worked on the company’s Providence Heights, Otter Creek, Midland, and Spring Creek projects in Illinois. He is responsible for turning early-stage development concepts into profitable, construction-ready projects by leading efforts to obtain the land, permits, and conceptual engineering necessary. He has an engineering degree from the University of Illinois.

David Loomis, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Economics at Illinois State University where he teaches in the Master’s Degree program in electricity, natural gas and telecommunications economics. Dr. Loomis is Director of the Center for Renewable Energy and Executive Director of the Institute for Regulatory Policy Studies. As part of his duties, he leads the Illinois Wind Working Group under the U.S. Department of Energy. Dr. Loomis is part of a team of faculty that has designed a new undergraduate curriculum in renewable energy at Illinois State University. Dr. Loomis earned his PhD in economics at Temple University. Prior to joining the faculty at Illinois State University, Dr. Loomis worked at Bell Atlantic (Verizon) for 11 years. He has published articles in the Review of Industrial Organization, Utilities Policy, Information Economics and Policy, International Journal of Forecasting, International Journal of Business Research, Business Economics and the Journal of Economics Education.

Christina Mills has been with Windustry since the summer of 2008. Her work involves tracking on local, state and federal regulatory proceedings both legislative and administrative. She also focuses efforts to updating and increasing the educational materials for landowners on the Windustry website as well as collaborating with other organizations to ensure Community Wind grows with federal and local support. Prior to joining Windustry, Christina received her B.A. in Biology from St. Olaf College and her J.D. from Hamline University School of Law.

Wendy Ryerson has worked in the Lee County Assessment Office for 23 years – the last nine years as the Chief County Assessment Officer.  She is currently the 1st Vice President of the Illinois Association of County Officials (IACO) and served as the President of the Illinois County Assessment Officer’s Association (CAOA) for 2004 and 2005.  Wendy has been involved with the assessment of wind energy projects since the idea was first introduced to Lee County in 2000.  Lee County ultimately became the site of the first commercial wind project in Illinois and currently has two completed projects and two more that will be constructed in the near future, totally approximately 200 MW of wind generation.

Chuck Schopp has been the Livingston County Zoning Administrator for 26 years. He is a graduate of Western Illinois University.

Ruth Anne Tobias was appointed to the DeKalb County Board in 1999, and has been elected and re-elected several times since.  She has served as Chair of the DeKalb County Board since 2004.  As Chair, she represents DeKalb County on the Metro Counties of Illinois Board, and serves as the Metro Counties representative to the Illinois Counties Association.  She has been president of ICA since 2006, and as President has served as an Illinois member of the National Association of Counties Board of Directors since 2008.  For NACo, Ruth Anne has served on the Community and Economic Development Committee since 2003. She has been a research associate at the Center for Governmental Studies at Northern Illinois University since 1981, with extensive experience in public data management and use for community, economic development and spatial analysis activities.

Jim Webster is Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals for Winnebago County. He has worked to bring alternative energy sources to the county by allowing wind power in the County. As Chairman and past member of the County Zoning Committee, Jim worked to protect the rural environment from spot zoning and growth. As County Board Member, he led the effort to win impact fees for schools, and brought back controlled rural burning. For the past 35 years, he has owned and operated a tree farm, growing and selling landscape size trees.

R. Todd Weegens is a Firm Principal of Fehr-Graham & Associates, an engineering and science consulting firm employing 100 professionals in five offices.  He is also the manager of the Renewable Energy Services section, including Wind Power Development Services. Todd received his B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in 1983.  With seven years at the Illinois Department of Transportation and 20 at Fehr-Graham & Associates, he has over 27 years of experience.  Licensed as a Professional Engineer in nine states, Todd has developed an extensive engineering background.  He has led several high profile private and public development projects, utilizing his strong relationships with federal and local agencies to facilitate project coordination.   As Manager of Wind Development Services, he manages staff resources to meet a wide variety of client needs from permitting and environmental studies, site assessments, land surveying, engineering design, special studies, transportation aspects and on to construction management.  His wind related experience includes nearly 20 projects (10 in Illinois) with over 2,000 MW Capacity.

 

MODERATORS INCLUDE*:


Jim Greenberger is co-head of the Cleantech Practice Group in Reed Smith’s Business and Regulatory Group. He concentrates his practice in advising high growth companies working in cleantech and alternative energy on debt and equity transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and project development. Jim represents developers of wind farms, biofuels projects, and waste-to-energy projects as well as companies developing new technologies designed to supplement traditional sources of energy. He has represented some of the leading venture capital and private equity firms in the country in cleantech investments. Jim has particular interest in wind power and energy storage technologies. He is a co-founder, secretary and director of the National Alliance for Advanced Transportation Batteries (NAATBatt), a consortium of more than 50 companies planning to build the first large scale lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant in Glendale, Kentucky. Jim has been representing high growth technology companies for over twenty years. He is a frequent speaker and author on topics relating to renewable energy, private equity and venture finance.

William Shay is a founding partner in Cover, Shay & Evans, LLP, recently formed and based in Peoria. The firm provides legal services to businesses and individuals, and is involved in energy projects. Previously, Mr. Shay was associated with two separate major Chicago law firms, and served as General Counsel for approximately seven years for CILCORP, a major, NYSE electric and gas public utility holding company. He has also served in other operating and business positions for two different energy companies, as well as another small business. Mr. Shay is licensed to practice law in Illinois and is a Certified Public Accountant. He is a 1974 honors graduate of Bradley University, with a B.S. degree in Accounting. He earned his J.D. from the University of Illinois, where he graduated cum laude in 1978 and was a member of Law Review and a Harno Fellow. Following graduation, Mr. Shay clerked for two years for Justice Thomas J. Moran of the Illinois Supreme Court. Mr. Shay’s practice is concentrated in corporate/business law, alternative energy project development, and utility regulation. He has represented parties involved in wind energy, ethanol, biodiesel, and other alternative energy projects.

M. Hope Whitfield is an associate attorney at Stahl Cowen Crowley Addis, LLC., where she practices in the areas of land use, environmental law, and commercial litigation.  She graduated in 2004 from Chicago Kent, where she also received a certificate in the Program for Environmental and Energy Law.   As a litigator, she has represented plaintiffs and defendants in disputes involving contracts, trade secret infringement, breach of fiduciary duties, and other commercial matters.  She has also represented defendants in federal court on RCRA and CERCLA violations.  Ms. Whitfield has been heavily involved with large-scale subdivision development projects, and has experience with annexations, disconnections, and tax incremental financing districts. She has assisted clients with planned unit development applications, and has initiated appeals of zoning classifications by way of map and text amendments. She has also represented clients in numerous wind energy projects, including the siting process and post-siting litigation from objectors.  In addition, Ms. Whitfield serves as the Chairwomen of the Women of Wind Energy – Chicago Chapter, and is a member of the Illinois Wind Working Group. 

Jolene Willis is a University of Illinois Extension Community and Economic Development Program Coordinator and in that capacity serves as the Executive Director of the Western Illinois Economic Development Partnership, a public- private, non-profit organization serving as the economic development entity for Warren County. The Partnership’s primary focus is to create a climate in Warren County that encourages capital investment and job creation. She has seven years of professional economic development experience and 13 years of experience in non profit organizational management and programming. Willis’ previous career experience was with the Jo Daviess County Farm Bureau/Illinois Farm Bureau and the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Foundation. She is a certified Business Retention and Expansion Consultant and has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

 

COST TO ATTEND:


Government Attendee: $50.00

Non-Government Attendee: $$100

Click on above catgory to register online with your payment by credit card. Click here for a printable brochure to mail in with your check.

 

SPONSOR:


Sponsorship of this event is $1,000 and includes company name or logo on all conference promotion materials and website, recognition at the event, a 10'x10' exhibit space, and three complimentary attendees.

Click here for SPONSOR details.

 

DIRECTIONS:


Click here for directions to the Peoria Civic Center.

The entrance to the Peoria Civic enter is at the corner of Jefferson and Kumpf, and there is a parking lot at that corner for $7.00. There is another parking lot at the corner of Fulton and Monroe, and that rate is $6.00.

The Conference will be held upstairs, room #401. When you enter the building there are elevators to your right, escalators to your left.



HOTEL:


The HOST HOTEL is SOLD OUT at this time.
(The Hotel Pere Marquette is located just across the street from the Peoria Civic Center and offered a special rate for our guests, $99 per single room, $109 per double room. The Hotel provides complimentary deck parking for all overnight guests. Click this link for more information about the Hotel Pere Marquette. For reservations, please contact the hotel directly, 800-447-1676 and refer to the "Siting, Zoning, Taxing Conference.")

 

OTHER QUESTIONS?


Contact by email at RenewableEnergy@ilstu.edu, or call 309-438-7919.

 

CONFERENCE ORGANIZED BY:

The Illinois Wind Working Group, its members, board members, Director, agents and other representatives expressly disclaim any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of information posted on this site, directly or via a link, authored by others. Any person that relies on any such information does so at his or her own risk, and shall not attempt to hold the IWWG or its representatives liable or responsible in any way.

 

*Agenda and speakers subject to change

 

 

Illinois State University

RenewableEnergy@IllinoisState.edu

Center for Renewable Energy
Illinois State University
Campus Box 5020
Normal, IL 61790-5020 Phone: (309) 438-7919