The following language was signed into law (Senate Bill 3010) by Governor Pat Quinn on Thursday. July 29th:

“Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, any township may, by ordinance or resolution, build, purchase, or lease a township hall, a multi-purpose senior center, or a combined township hall and multi-purpose senior center within the township without referendum approval, if the building, purchasing, or leasing of the township hall, multi-purpose senior center, or combined township hall and multi-purpose senior center is paid or provided for with funds that are not the proceeds of bonds authorized under this Article.”(emphasis added)

And internalize this, which is also in the bill:

“Notwithstanding any provision of this Section to the contrary, any township may, by ordinance or resolution, purchase, erect, equip, remodel, or renovate a community building without referendum approval, if the purchasing, erecting, equipping, remodeling, or renovating of the community building is paid or provided for with funds that are not the proceeds of bonds authorized under this Article.”(emphasis added)

Not the words “without referendum approval.”

Grafton Township Trustee Betty Zirk extols the virtues of a new Grafton Township Hall to the 2009 Annual Town Meeting. On a tie vote, electors defeated the effort to ratify the unlawful actions to build the new building.

All that is required to build a new township hall is combining it with a senior center and having enough money to build it without selling bonds.

At least that’s how this non-lawyer reads the language.

Maybe my headline is too aggressive, considering the incredible legal fees that the township officials have run up in their separation of powers suit, now before Judge Michael Caldwell.

Grafton Township voters have a referendum on the fall ballot to build a new township hall. No one thinks it will pass.

When I attended the Algonquin Township meeting, the board’s attorney, Lew Matuszewich referred to the bill as “the Grafton Township bill.”

So, my guess is that my interpretation is not too far off the mark.

In the State Senate, Pam Althoff voted, “Yes,” while Dan Duffy opposed the bill.

In the Illinois House, State Reps. Mark Beaubien and Mike Tryon voted, “Yes,” while Jack Franks voted, “No.”