St James Church Feasibility Study

A two page summary of the Feasibility Study was given to the parishioners before the campaign began.  I lost my, so the photocopies below are from another parishioner.  The notes on the report belong to that other parishioner.  However I agree with some of the questions which their notes  infer—that is—what validity is there to this survey of 339 families when there are nearly 2000 families in the parish?  On page 2 if you combine the negative and unsure answers a majority often occurs.  This is not true of the question, “If the campaign proceeds as proposed, will you support Father Geary and the parish leadership to the best of your ability to help ensure that the campaign is successful?”  If this not a leading question which leaves the respondent little room to answer in the negative?

The area in yellow area of page 2 states that it is “vitally important that this information [site plans, costs and timelines] is available during a campaign as many parishioners had a number of questions concerning the building on a new church”. Has the parish complies with this suggestion?

 

 

 

BCJ Letter to Editor 7-29-2011—Lincoln’s prayer for St. James

Is St. James admitting that there is a “problem” with their zoning request for a new church?

St. James’ agent, Jeff Linkenheld,  has requested a postponement of the August 1 vote by the Belvidere City Council on their zoning request.  They are working out compromises on some of their requested variance from the city zoning.  If the postponement is granted, the detail will not be submitted to the public for another 15 days.

 

Reports from the neighbors ,who lodged a formal protest regarding  the zoning change, indicate that beginning last Tuesday Fr. Geary has made personal visits requesting that they consider selling their property to the parish and drop their protest.  As a parishioner whose contribution might pay for such property I wonder where the money will come from.  I understand that the building project is already over the $5.5 projected cost and that is the upper limit as to the amount the parish can spend.  (See letter from Diocese by clicking on following:  http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/07/will-fr-geary-be-able-to-comply-with.html). Or is that letter from the Diocese no longer in effect? Does Fr. Geary have authority from the bishop to negotiate such property purchases?  Meanwhile parishioners have been told nothing about these details either from the pulpit or in the bulletin.

Shadow Pictures which Mr. Lickenheld chose not to show the Planning Department

Much has been made of the shadow effect on some of the neighbors.  As it turned out studies were done but St. James’ agent, Mr. Lickenheld , chose not to submit the computer generated pictures to the Planning Department.  The Planning Department instead went and did their own guess of the shadow effect.

 

The following pictures were obtained from Mike Mattus, 320 Church Street ,when Father Geary was attempting to talk Mike into stopping his formal protest and give Father “a price” to sell his property to the church.  

 

An excellent bargaining technic—show the seller how much he will be in the dark if he does not sell.

 

The first series are for a slightly shorter church (67’10’’ versus the requested 70 feet).  However note shadows until 11 AM, full sun is available less than one hour in December/January for the kitchen area of the home.

 

Click on the picture to enlarge:

8:00AM

9:00AM

 

10AM

11AM

 

Here are the shadow-effects for a flat roof. They were also given to Mike by Father Geary. These may become important because the church maybe changing its building/site plan.  See later posting or click on following:  http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/07/is-st-james-admitting-that-there-is.html

 

 

FLAT ROOF—54 FEET HIGH

 

 

 

Here are some more shadow pictures—however where is the analysis for the other neighbors such as the neighbors across Caswell Street or the other neighbor on Church Street?

These are if the church is moved 15 feet towards the school.

The Goal: $3,000,000 pledged; $1,000,000 in cash

 

UPDATED 7-29-2011

 

 

Old St. James Church Belvidere

This is from a post card which is available at:  http://www.cardcow.com/116441/st-james-catholic-church-belvidere-illinois/  The cost is $19.95

What institutional zoning of St. James could mean?

St. James, its school and church, are grandfathered institutions within a residential zoned area. Based upon that current zoning the school and church buildings can be altered or expanded however should the property be sold the zoning would not necessarily follow to the new owner.  However if “institutional zoning” is granted the zoning would actually go with the building.  The city would have no control over what type of institution is set up.

So what is the big deal.  Let us go back four years to the big zoning question of that year—Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission and St. Joseph Hospital.  Because St. Joseph had only grandfathered zoning the city has a say.  Here is the story just as a reminder.

 

The proposal prompted four months of boisterous debate within the Boone County community, which ended this month when the Belvidere City Council rejected the group’s plan to convert the property into a monastery and convent. The discussion reopened questions about the secretive organization, which some say has torn families apart. ….

The council rejected the plan, however, because it would create too much activity in the residential neighborhood. The hospital had been there before the current zoning, but the proposed new use meant the group needed to get permission to operate in a residential neighborhood, he said.

For the complete article go to:  http://www.religionnewsblog.com/18722/in-belvidere-controversial-sect-stirs-worry

A look at what happened at St. Peter’s in South Beloit

This and additional information on the canceled school expansion at South Beloit is available at:  http://www.beloitdailynews.com/articles/2011/07/26/news/local_news/news2601.txt  The link is no longer active (9-25-2011)

This may shed some light of the process of the new St. James Church Belvidere and the Diocese of Rockford.    Remember to click on the link there is information on the current situation in South Beloit.

 

A look at the plan through the years Important dates in the timeline of St. Peter’s proposed building project follows:
April 18, 2007: Diocese grants permission to create a conceptual plan which completes the earlier feasibility study.
March 24, 2007: Diocese reminds parish that the building moratorium is now in effect.
June 28, 2007: Diocesan Building Commission agreed that permission should be given to parish to enter upon a fund raising campaign.
June 21, 2007: Diocese gives permission to have the architect create a schematic design for the entire proposed project.
March 26, 2008: Parish receives notification from Diocesan Building Commission of the following: “At this time I am directing you not to do anything further on the proposed project since there is a possibility it will not be able to proceed. This would include any further fund raising on your part since the moneys raised may have to be returned if the project is not approved.”
March 19, 2009: Parish reminded that “of critical importance for the Diocese is the parish’s ability to fund the entire project in its construction and then in its maintenance, while not failing to maintain its other diocesan assessments and commitments.”
April 14, 2009: Parish informed that there is a distinct possibility that breaking ground will not come to pass.
Summer 2010: Diocese suspends building project indefinitely, saying no final approval has been given by the Diocese for this project and that the parish has not raised sufficient funds to gain the necessary approval to go forward with the project.
Summer 2011: Building project officially canceled by Diocese of Rockford.

Source: Abbreviated list from bulletin passed out at St. Peter’s masses Sunday, July 24.

 

As the newspaper accounts allude, much of the problem may surround their pastor, Rev. Nicholas Federspiel

 

Also take a look at this posting on the situation at  St. Peter’s South Beloit.

Click on the following: http://boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/2011/09/aftermath-of-south-beloits-failed.html

Rockford Register Star, July 25-6 web/paper edition

 

Letter to Editor: Wrong place for church

 

When St. James Church was built in Belvidere in 1886, there were few homes nearby and certainly no automobiles. The school was built years later.

What will it cost to buy enough homes for adequate parking for a new church? Where will you store antique artifacts when you tear down St. James?

Let’s design and build a more modern church on 22 donated acres on the town’s western edge. The building could have a large commercial well and septic system.

We are interested in building a church in a proper location with a proper building committee, hoping this facility will last us for 125 years.

Mayor Brereton has asked us to concentrate on proper zoning for our community. The zoning committee and the City Council should do the same thing.

No way should they consider this residential area near downtown Belvidere as meeting local building codes. The location violates every rule of proper zoning.

When you see the problems with the parish in Boone County and the parochial school in South Beloit, parishioners must ask whether they are obligated to serve the priests and the diocese, or are the diocese and priests supposed to serve the parishioners?
— Jack Wolf, Belvidere

The above is taken from:  http://www.rrstar.com/opinions/letters/x371610673/Letter-Wrong-place-for-church and also appeared in the 7-26-2011 Insight page of the paper edition.

 

Below is another letter from that Insight page.

 

7-26-2011:

Beloit Daily: St. Peter’s School building project canceled

School building project canceled
St. Peter’s Catholic Church and School has canceled its multimillion dollar new school building funding project.
Parishioners of the South Beloit congregation, at 620 Blackhawk Blvd., were informed through Sunday’s church bulletin that the $2.2 million raised since 2004 will not be used for construction of a new school. Those who donated will have the option of recollecting their money or allowing St. Peter’s to keep it for other uses.
The memo reads, “At the direction of Bishop Doran, the suspended Building Fund has been officially canceled by the Diocese of Rockford.”
A town hall meeting will be held for interested parties at 7 p.m. today in the church basement.

 

“This meeting will discuss what the Diocese of Rockford is doing to cancel the Building Fund, why and how it is canceling the Building Fund,” it reads

Can St. James afford to operate a bigger Church?

Below are the income and expenses for the parish for the last three years.

Operating expenses exceeded operating income for each of the past three years. (The operating net loss ranged from $36,073 to $50,701).  Debt rose dramatically in FY 2008 due to  the $148,671 assessment for the Diocesan Administrative Building.   Because of the Debt Reduction program in FY 2009 and 2010, $317,738 of debt was retired and total debt decrease to  $194,169 as of 6-30-2010.

My understanding of the current New Church Pledge drive:  To begin building  this debt ($194,169) must be retired and then there must be $1,000,000 in the DIAL deposit account and a total of $3,000,000 pledged.  Upon completion of the new church the parish will be left with a debt of $2.5-3.0 million.  At just 5% interest on a $2.5-3.0 debt is an annual interest expense of $125,000-$150,000;  I understand that the DIAL (Diocese Investment and Loan) interest rate will be 6%.  Is there a way that operating income can bear this large expense?  Basically regular contributions FY 2010 (see operating revenue) need to increase approximately 20% from $831K to $997.  In FY 2009 such contribution were flat and in FY10 increased only by only 1.5%.   Rollover of the interest to an ever increasing debt seems inevitable .

 

Income figures for FY 2011 should be available soon.  Hopefully a detailed accounting of the New Church Pledge drive will be included. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are the regular Sunday contributions:

June 11-12, 2011

June 18-19, 2011

June 25-26, 2011

July2-3, 2011

July 9-10, 2011

July 16-17, 2011 

July 23/24, 2011

Boone County Journal: July 15, 2011—Both Editorial and Letters to Editor pertain to St. James

Here are several Letters to the Editor regarding St. James’ new church

 

 

Click on the photocopy to enlarge:

 

St. James: What do your neighbor’s think of the new church? Oh Yes—they are not selling.

For more details on the St. James expansion project go to:  http://www.boonecountycatholics.blogspot.com/