Rep. Mike Bost probably offered the most concise description of circumstances surrounding a bill that would allow the city of Carterville to leap-frog miles of Federal Wildlife Refuge land and annex property sitting within Carbondale's long-term planned development.

"It was a turf battle," said Bost, a republican from Murphysboro.

The legislation would allow municipalities that butt against federal wildlife land as contiguous land to annex other non-incorporated property that also touches the perimeters of the same refuge area. Rep. John Bradley, who was the house sponsor of the bill, said such an allowance is a "no brainer" and is similar to the exceptions used in upstate communities surrounded by forest preserves.

While countless forest preserves can be found in and around the Chicagoland area, there is only one National Wildlife Refuge in Illinois: Crab Orchard Lake.

So Carterville now has the opportunity to capture a "no-man's-land" section of property that once was considered out of its reach - a sliver of area just at the western edge of Williamson County.

The problem? The desirable stretch of land is currently on Carbondale's long-term plan for development, as it falls in the mile-and-a-half planning and zoning of Carbondale's buffer perimeter.

Carbondale City Manager Jeff Doherty said the city already has intentions to enter into annexation agreements for some of the land parcels. Doherty said there is flawed reasoning behind allowing the city of Carterville to control land that is miles away from its true municipal boarders. He said the land is poised to become part of Carbondale because growth and the proximity of the city would eventually move into the leftover section of Williamson County.

Therein lies the rub.

It appears that hardly anything can penetrate the impervious barrier known as the county line, a divider so strong that it doesn't seem to allow for conversations from one side to the other occur. For example, Doherty said he was not made aware of the pending legislation allowing Carterville's annexation until it was introduced.

Bradley said there was no need for him to notify Carbondale of the bill, since the city is not part of his district. A committee meeting on the bill was scheduled in March, the same time Carbondale Mayor Brad Cole and Doherty were in Japan and unable to attend. However, there were representatives in attendance from the cities of Marion and Herrin, as well as the Williamson County Republican and Democrats who were all in favor of the proposed litigation.

Instead, Bradley kept his loyalties to the people he represented and gave them what they asked for.

"Why shouldn't people have the option of voluntary annexation if they want to be in Carterville," he said. "This legislation doesn't take away the options - it offers another option to all of it."

Carterville Mayor Charles Mausey called the passage of the bill a plus, but said it will take some time to see all the benefits come to fruition.

The bill passed the senate unanimously in March. As the bill came to the house, Bost launched a full-court press and began tacking on notes to the legislation, in an effort to slow down any potential action on the measure.

When the time finally came for house action on May 4, the vote was split purely down party lines, 63-42. The only Republican representative to support the bill was Art Tenhouse of Liberty, who a week later announced he was resigning as a legislator in July to become a lobbyist for Illinois accountants.

But Bost didn't vote on the bill, either. He had left the capitol and was in route to see his son's swearing-in to become an attonorney. He said he wasn't 20 miles outside of Springfield when he learned the measure had been called.

"Everybody knew I was going," Bost said of the need to leave Springfield. "A legislator's word is his bond. And if Representative Bradley said he didn't know, then I'll believe he didn't know."

Bradley said all he knew was that Bost had been present at the quorum call.

"There are some guys who wait for people to leave to have enough passing votes," Bradley said. "But unfortunately, I'm not that smart."

SB835 awaits ratification from the governor.

nicole.sack@thesouthern.com

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