PUBLIC COMMENT SUMMARY FOR PUBLIC HEARING HELD TO COLLECT INFORMATION FROM DEKALB COUNTY CITIZENS REGARDING A PETITION RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY BOARD CHAIRMAN TO RENAME MOOSE RANGE ROAD BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL NAME OF CHARTER GROVE ROAD

Public Comments were received in the Conference Room of the DeKalb County Highway Department at 1826 Barber Greene Road, DeKalb Illinois at 6:00pm on December 1, 2005.

A notice of this meeting was placed in the Daily Chronicle and individual notices were sent to all land owners located on Moose Range Road as identified through the Tax Assessments Office.  Notices were also sent to the City of Sycamore, Sycamore Road District, Postmaster of the City of Genoa, Postmaster of the City of Sycamore, the 911 Board and the DeKalb County Sheriff.

Two petitions were presented to the Chairman of the DeKalb County Board and were presented to the Highway Committee prior to this scheduled meeting for their review. 

Petition One was dated October 12, 2005 and submitted by Ms. Georgina Yeager, containing 59 signatures, of which 57 remained in favor of the name change.  Of those 57, 10 were landowners living on Moose Range Road.  An additional 3 residents live on Moose Range Road that signed this petition, but are not listed as landowners by the Assessments Office.

Petition Two was dated October 19, 2005 and was submitted by the Residents of Moose Range Road and other Concerned Citizens to not change the name of Moose Range Road.  This petition contained 9 signatures of which 8 were property owners living on Moose Range Road.  This Department also received a notice from the Kenyon Brothers (land owners) stating that they were not in favor of the name change.

A roster of those Citizens that signed in is attached hereto as attachment 1.

At this hearing Residents of Moose Range Road and Other Concerned Citizens presented to the Committee Petition Two with an additional 85 signatures listed on their petition.  Also presented to the Committee was a letter from Mr. Harold Knaak stating he was not in favor of the name change.  It was noted that Mr. Knaak had signed the petition as not in favor of changing the name of Moose Range Road. 

The Highway Committee Chair presented an e-mail from Sheriff Scott address to the 911 Board that was interpreted as stating the 911 Board would have very little trouble and expense with changing 21 residents within their data base should the County so approve the name change.

The following Citizens spoke to the Committee and their comments are summarized below:

            Mr. Gaylord Carley:  Stated he was a land owner and resident of Moose Range Road and was not in favor of the name change due to the cost and inconvenience involved.  He felt that if this action were being taken to preserve a bit of history that an appropriate way to accomplish that might be to place a historical marker at an appropriate place detailing this history.  Mr. Carley would contribute to the cost of the marker as well as be willing to donate a space on his property to accomplish this placement.

            Ms. Georgina Yeager:  Ms. Yeager read her letter of September 30, 2005 (attached hereto as attachment 2) that was submitted with her petition to the Chairman of the DeKalb County Board on October 12, 2005.  That letter stated in part that she was requesting that Moose Range Road be returned to its original name of Charter Grove Road that is was known as for over 137 years.  That sometime during the 1960’s when the County placed road signs on all roads the name was changed to Moose Range Road.  Ms. Yeager is requesting the name change to preserve a place in history for the Village of Charter Grove that was settled in 1835 and at one time or another contained a train depot, post office, lumber yard, grain elevator, school, creamery, Community Club, Grange Hall, grocery store, and the Charter Grove Cemetery that still stands today.

            Cheyenne (NFI):  Cheyenne was considered the spokesperson for the counter petition for those citizens against changing the name of Moose Range back to Charter Grove Road.  She presented the Committee with the petition with the additional 85 signatures on it.  Of those signatures 9 are listed as landowners on Moose Range Road by the Assessment Office.  Two additional signatures are residents living on Moose Range Road.  There is no need for residents to foot the expense and inconvenience to change the name of the road.

            Mr. William Black:  Stated that he has owned property and lived on Moose Range Road for over 25 years and did not know why he needed to come and defend the road name.  He is not in favor of the change due to expense and inconvenience involved.

            Mr. David Larson:  Not in favor of changing name.

            Mr. Ronald Hammes:  Has lived/owned property on Moose Range Road since 1970’s and sees no purpose for change.  Reviewing earlier Platt Books it would appear to him that most of Charter Grove was located on what is now known as Lucas Road and maybe that is the road name that needs to be changed for this purpose.

            Ms. Yvonne Carley:  Not in favor of change.  She would be willing to contribute to historical marker and the donation of property for the placement in lieu of road name change.

            Mr. Mark Secco:  Has only lived on Moose Range for short period of time.  He is in favor of change to preserve a bit of history.  It is not expensive to check a block that states new address on correspondence needing attention.  Road signs needing changing would be only three and that cost would be minimal.

            Mr. John Emerson:  Not in favor of change.

            Ms. Marilyn Challand:  Loved Charter Grove growing up as a child.  Remembers riding her bike down the gravel road.  Would be in favor of changing the name back to Charter Grove Road.

            Ms. Linda Odom:  Is the owner of Circle K-D Trail Riders and they would incur considerable expense to redo all of their literature associated with their business should the road be renamed.  Therefore she is not in favor of this change.

There being no further person signed up to speak before the Committee, the Committee Chair closed the hearing to further comments.  Chair LaVigne informed those present that the Committee would be considering all the information submitted to them and would discuss this issue at a later date.  Citizens should watch the Daily Chronicle and the Internet @ dekalbcounty.org to see when this issue will be placed on the agenda for Committee consideration.  With that Chair LaVigne thanked everyone for coming and for their input.