And the Metro saga crawls on....
FIRST....http://blogs.e-rockford.com/editorsnote/
... Remember the MetroCentre, that time-sucking, controversy-creating civic center downtown? The one that needs a taxpayer revenue stream? The one that now has a newly created ad-hoc committee reviewing its finances?

That one. Well, the city’s official position is “all discussions by the ad hoc committee are behind closed doors.” Why? Well, for starters, because they want to. That’s the real reason. They want to. They do not want you or the media there...."

And an hour later,LGC's next post..."Shortly after 5:30 this afternoon, Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey called me to say the MetroCentre ad hoc committee meetings will be open to the press and public...."

"Rockford Legal Director Patrick Hayes wrote in an e-mail to the Register Star last week that because the committee is an advisory group with “no deliberative or investigative function related to the City Council,” it is not subject to the act. Therefore, there would be no agendas or notification of meetings provided to journalists"
Me? I'm like...http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/government/openmeet.pdf
..."Intent of the Act: The public policy provision states that "[i]t is the public policy of this
State that public bodies exist to aid in the conduct of the people's business and that the people
have a right to be informed as to the conduct of their business. In order that the people shall be
informed, the General Assembly finds and declares that it is the intent of this Act to ensure that
the actions of public bodies be taken openly and that their deliberations be conducted openly." 5
ILCS 120/1....Coverage: "All meetings of public bodies shall be open to the public unless excepted in
subsection (c) [5 ILCS 120/2(c)] and closed in accordance with Section 2a [5 ILCS 120/2a]." 5
ILCS 120/2(a). "Meeting" is defined as "any gathering of a majority of a quorum of the members
of a public body held for the purpose of discussing public business." 5 ILCS 120/1.02. "Public body" is defined to include "all legislative, executive, administrative or advisory bodies of the
state, counties, townships, cities, villages, incorporated towns, school districts and all other
municipal corporations, boards, bureaus, committees or commissions of this State, and any
subsidiary bodies of any of the foregoing including but not limited to committees and
subcommittees which are supported in whole or in part by tax revenue, or which expend tax
revenue...."
I got your "legal opinion" right here,Patrick....

Guess I understand WHY they'd want to keep it quiet....
http://www.rrstar.com/news/x1194166943/Finance-Committee-OKs-lending-MetroCentre-270-000
"

ROCKFORD —

Sooner than expected, the cash-strapped MetroCentre Monday night received a second installment on a $600,000 loan from the Rockford City Council.

Officials said the $270,000 was needed to pay off crucial contracts and vendors...."

EXCELLENT!!!!