December 2009 Newsletter
Our Mission: To promote and protect the interests of the Ledges Community
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Lunch with Santa
Santa will soon be checking his list twice – so reserve your spot at this year’s Lunch with Santa event at the Ledges Clubhouse. Join the fun from 11:30 to 1 on Sunday, December 13th. It’s rumored that Santa will again have a loaded bag of goodies for kids in attendance, and there will be enough good food for the kids and parents. The cost is $5 per person, and you can sign up by calling Fern Nelson @ 815-389-1632. You can pay at the door, but please let us know if you plan to attend!
Keeping an eye out
We’ve all seen the neighborhood watch signs posted throughout the Ledges community, but we wanted to take time to remind you that the LPOA is here to help with any issues you may have in your particular neighborhood. Being mindful of activity in your area will help keep the Ledges a safe and welcoming place to live. With a number of vacant properties in the area, it’s especially important to be aware of what’s going on. If you have any concerns about suspicious or illegal activity, obviously you will want to call the police with any information. But feel free to contact an LPOA board member about the concerns as well, or if you just have questions about things like local ordinances or concerns that don’t necessarily need to involve the authorities. Like a famous insurance company slogan – be a good neighbor!
Hazardous waste wrap-up
Our clean up in October didn’t net nearly as much paint, waste oil, aerosol cans and other items as we did in 2008, but we still managed to keep lots of items out of the waste stream. To those of you who participated, thanks for helping keep these items out of landfills! We expect to wait until 2011 to do another cleanup given the lower turnout last month. In the meantime, don’t forget you can take your own leftover paint and other hazardous materials to the Rock River Reclamation District household waste site every weekend throughout the year. Used motor oil can also be recycled at most quick-lube and automotive repair shops. You can contact LPOA secretary Chris Hankins any time for more details. Have a very ‘green’ 2010!
Annual Meeting wrap-up
Thanks to those of you who attended our annual meeting on Nov. 12th. We had approximately 20 Ledges residents in attendance to hear about current and future LPOA projects, in addition to hearing about the state of Winnebago County and some exciting plans for improved roads in our area in the future. County board member Kyle Logan was gracious enough to take time to answer questions and give us some insight into what kinds of things are happening in the county. One of Kyle’s bigger projects is to see to the expansion and development of the Rockton Road corridor between IL 251 and I-90. He’s hoping that the project will bring extra tax dollars to the area to offset property taxes, but the project is admittedly a bit ‘down the road’. One of the themes at the meeting was that the LPOA board is looking for feedback from residents on how to make the organization work better for the residents. Whether it’s planning different social events or becoming more active in our larger community, if you have an idea, feel free to share with one of us!
LPOA Board
Alan Stolldorf has been added to the LPOA team for 2010. If you are interested in serving on the board please call Gary Acaley at 815-389-9087. We meet once every month to discuss any Ledges issues and plan future events.
Condolences
Don Owens, long-term Ledges resident, will be remembered for his many contributions to our community. It was back in 1981 when I first met Don and Dolores Owens. As part of the Roscoe Township Taxpayer Association, we were putting together a slate of candidates to run for the Township offices. Fern Nelson recommended that I talk with Don Owens, who had just retired as Beloit’s Postmaster. Fortunately, he agreed to run for a four-year term as Roscoe’s Township Assessor. Don, with Dolores at his side, not only won that election but also served five consecutive terms from 1981 to 2001. Don served the public well in a position where public trust and integrity are paramount. During his service Roscoe Township was one of the fastest growing townships in Winnebago County. Don handled the growth with professionalism and a performance that earned a reputation in the County as one of the best Township Assessors. He was chosen by the Winnebago County Assessors Association as their Vice President. Don exemplified the ideal qualities of a public servant. He treated everyone with respect, and served the public with fairness, a sense of humor and a sincere interest in answering constituent’s questions. Don was a proud WWII veteran having fought in the South Pacific for 2 ½ years. Served as President of the PTA, Boy Scout representative, manager of several little league teams and President of Roscoe Baseball Association. He was also Past President of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees. Don was train enthusiast, enjoyed golf, traveling and going on cruises with Dolores. Don passed away on Sunday September 27th in Beloit Memorial Hospital. We send our sympathies to his wife Dolores, son John and daughter Catherine, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Jim Benkovich, Past President, LPOA
© 2012, Ledges Property Owners Association