Naperville Smart Meter Battle Continues in Federal Court

A judge ruled Thursday to allow responses to be filed related to smart meter opponent's motion for preliminary injunction.

The ongoing battle between the city of Naperville and opponents of the city’s smart meter installation project went before a judge on Thursday for a status hearing.  A federal judge ruled Thursday that the city may file a response to the Naperville Smart Meter Awareness group’s motion for preliminary injunction and present its motion to dismiss. Meanwhile, more smart meters continue to be installed as part of the city of Naperville’s Smart Grid Initiative, with installation about 40 percent complete.  The Naperville Smart Meter Awareness group filed in federal court on Dec. 30, days before the city was to begin installing the meters. At the time, the group said it was filing to stay the installation of the meters. In a news release …

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Jim Smith

6:40 pm on Saturday, June 9, 2012

Gerard said: "As to Naperville being the most honest city in the country" I did not say that. Why can't you stick with the facts? I said Naperville is ONE of the most honest cities in the country, and I strongly believe that. Maybe you should take a look at Chicago, Cicero, Oak Park, Harvey, etc.. I've lived in a lot of places and this town among the tops in the country.   more ›

Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Take Back Your Power

Naperville Patch accepts and welcomes letters to the editor. Letters may be submitted to Editors Mary Ann Lopez and Collin Czarnecki at naperville@patch.com.

Take Back Your Power: The Power of Choice  There has been much debate nationally and internationally surrounding the utility's highly marketed "smart" meters. Utilities are touting them as the answer to freeing us from foreign oil and a gadget that offers consumer control. On the other hand, power executives are saying that the business case isn't there, physicians are warning of health concerns, and security analysts are warning that the necessary communication network creates security and privacy risks, leaving us vulnerable to hacking and remote shutdowns. When 54 local governments throughout California are placing moratoriums against the installation of "smart" meters and state legislatures in Vermont, Michigan, California and Maine, …

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Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Smart Meters, the Fallacy of the Few

Naperville Patch welcomes the submission of letters to the editor. Letters may be submitted to Editors Mary Ann Lopez and Collin Czarnecki at naperville@patch.com.

Letter to the Editor: The Fallacy of the Few SMAC (smart meter advocacy crowd) paid for by the city; equipment manufacturers, politically connected consultants and various assorted cronies would have you believe only a few people object to smart meters. When it comes to voting only 15 to 30 percent of eligible voters exercise this precious option over local issues. Of this group only 3 to 5 percent are activists advocating politics, school issues or government boondoggles like smart meters. Unfortunately, because of busy lives people don’t pay attention to what is going on around them until or unless it touches their lives, impacts directly their families, finances, health, safety and security. Smart meters does it all and not positively. …

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Smart Meter Opponents Descend on City Manager Seeking Answers

City Manager Doug Krieger fielded a number of complaints from members of the Naperville Smart Meter group Thursday afternoon.

A group of Naperville residents who oppose the installation of smart meters on their homes descended upon City Hall Thursday seeking answers from City Manager Doug Krieger. The residents, members of the Naperville Smart Meter Awareness group, said meters have been installed on homes where signs were placed asking that the analog meters remain and the new meters not be installed. They also said police have been called in some cases when residents have asked installers to cease. The group was small in number Thursday, though they told Krieger thousands are against the installation of the meters. Some members of the group became very vocal during the confrontation and didn’t allow Krieger many chances to fully respond to the questions they …

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Jim Smith

11:10 am on Monday, April 16, 2012

Our meter was just installed. They must still be ahead of schedule because we were expecting them tomorrow at the earliest. We did not have to turn off any electrical devices. There was no disruption of power. I watched the installer and there was no arcing. He was quite professional and he explained everything he did and answered all my questions.   more ›

Smart Meter Opponents' Appeal Rejected

Naperville Smart Meter Awareness group considers further legal action, second ballot attempt.

The Illinois Appellate Court Ruled Tuesday that a proposed non-binding referendum related to the Naperville Smart Grid Initiative was ineligible to be placed on the March 20 primary ballot. Now members of the Naperville Smart Meter Awareness group are debating whether to take the issue to the Illinois State Supreme Court and whether to seek to have another question placed on the November ballot. After Naperville’s Local Electoral Board ruled against the question being placed on the ballot, The Naperville Smart Meter Awareness Group filed in the 18th Judicial Circuit Court, which ruled against the question being placed on the March 20 ballot. The Group then filed an appeal with the Illinois Appellate Court.  The question asked: “Shall the …

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Jim Smith

9:47 am on Saturday, March 10, 2012

We have silence from the smaggers - could they have given up?   more ›

Smart Meter Opponents File Expedited Appeal

The group is seeking to have a decision from the district court overturned.

Judge Rules Smart Meter Referendum Has No Place on Ballot

Judge agrees that there were not enough registered voters on petitions collected by the Naperville Smart Meter Awareness group.

Fate of Ballot Question Left to Electoral Board

After days of contentious hearings, the city's electoral board will rule Thursday whether a non-binding referendum will be allowed on the March ballot.

The city’s electoral board is set to make a ruling Thursday as to whether the Naperville Smart Meter Awareness group’s request to have a nonbinding referendum placed on the ballot will be allowed or denied. After a roughly six hour hearing Monday, the hearing Tuesday was brief with motions dismissed or withdrawn and the proponent’s attorney opting not to call witnesses. Four the last four days the electoral board, comprised of Mayor George Pradel, most senior city council member Doug Krause and City Clerk Pam LeFeber have met to hear arguments from the proponents attorney Doug E. Ibendahl, acting on behalf of the Naperville Smart Meter Awareness group and the objector’s attorney Kevin McQuillan, acting on behalf of William Dawe. City of …

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City's Electoral Board Continues Smart Meter Objection Hearing

The Electoral Board has set two additional hearings related to an objection that was filed against a non-binding referendum being placed on the March primary ballot.

A hearing held Tuesday afternoon to address an objection to the Naperville Smart Meter Awareness group’s seeking to have a non-binding referendum question placed on the March ballot was not resolved and was continued for additional hearings.  During the hearing a number of issues were raised including the objector’s attorney seeking to potentially subpoena 17 volunteers who collected signatures on petitions, the attorney for the Smart Meter group asking that the objection be dismissed, and the Naperville Electoral Board saying it needs more time to make a decision. The hearing was held before the Naperville Electoral Board, which is comprised of Mayor George Pradel, City Clerk Pam LaFeber and most senior Naperville City Council member Doug…

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