Defending itself against suits from neighbors of Crystal Lake South High stadium bleacher, Crystal Lake High School District 155 has racked up 625.8 hours of legal work.
The total cost the attorney’s billed so far was $117,781.40.
The cost is supposed to be picked up by the high school district’s insurance carrier.
An arrogant display of power that did not need to happen.
So much for respecting the people who pay their salaries.
What would make you think they are concerned about taxpayers?
No school district is why should this district be any different.
You have board members that do not have the guts to say NO when teachers threaten to go on strike.
The boards just say give them more money, the heck with what the taxpayers think.
This is the same remember sports are the most important thing in the minds of school district administrators.
The onus is on the crybabies who bought a house next to a school and expected to be able to dictate usage to the school district.
The Taxpayers are being gored by these hypocritical NIMBYs.
If the NIMBYs fail, which they will, we should file a class action lawsuit against them.
Charlie?
Do you know WHAT a “class action lawsuit” is?
I didn’t think so.
Ask your mother, perhaps she will explain it to you.
In the meantime, please don’t play with her computer while she’s at work.
Hey! Aren’t you supposed to be in school now?
School District 155 should have followed procedure and acquired the proper permits and variances before moving forward with their project. They are in the wrong not the homeowners.
Dave:
I am sure my academic and professional qualifications far excede yours.
Are you willing allow Mr. Skinner to referee this one?
This is an adult forum. Please raise your discourse standards.
Charlie you sound like you are a retired teacher who has more money than he knows what to do with it and more coming from an exorbitant pension. In your small life have you ever thought of others? I didn’t
think so.
Tinkerbelle:
I am fully employed in the private sector and, yes, I am earning a professional living.
I have donated years of service to Continental Baseball, CL Youth Soccer, CL Babe Ruth, CL Raiders (I donanted to the new field), Boy Scout Troop 347, Girl Scout fundraising, Salavation Army, a non-paid recruiter for the US Merchant Marine Academy, and to my Homeowners’ Association, among others.
The issue here is not greedy teachers, it is do we provide support to a handful of NIMBY’s who are trying to extract cash from a public entity (that is, our pockets)? The law is clear, school property does not come under the control of local politicians. It is governed by state law and the elected governing board, the school committee. Meanwhile, we will eventually pay higher taxes through insurance premiums.
When the final cost of this is in, the only hope taxpayers have to recuop some of the costs will be to procede against the NIMBY’s.
Charlie Nelson wrote:
“I am sure my academic and professional qualifications far excede yours.”
No, it’s not necessary to involve Cal. The only axe I have to grind is sharp enough and should be taken to the necks of the District 155 Board and Administration.
As for your credentials exceeding mine? Ah, not so much. A prerequisite is knowing how to spell the word.
Dave Wilson:
Dave Wilson:
Do you have guts enough to send your resume’ to Cal and have him report on who has the superior credentials?
I see that you are graduating from childish ad hominem remarks to “…axe … to the necks of …”
You are gutless as well as childish.
Unfortunately, in this situation, both sides are correct. The real issue is a compromise to settle this dispute in which both sides are satisfied.
I suggest, but it is a costly solution, to install a wall of 25 to 30 ft pine trees as a barrier between the stadium bleachers and the homeowners.
This would provide an all year round green cover and block out the unsightly port-a-potties, the people, and some of the bleachers depending on their height.
Mr. Kyohei:
A wise proposal, but the NIMBYs want to reach in the Taxpayers’ pocket for cash.
For them, its manufacturing victim status to get our money.
The lawyers love it, because of the billings.
They all intend for the Taxpayers to pick up the bill.
We know the courts will not force the knockdown of the $500000 bleachers.
The issue is how do we as a community deal with a small group of people hypeing victim status to extract cash from the Taxpayers?
Decision has been made. T
he District has to go through the city’s zoning process.
From everything I’ve seen and all the research I’ve done the district is in the wrong.
They didn’t give the residence behind these bleachers any warning, any chance to argue this at all.
That is what the zoning and approval from the city is for so crystal lake residence this effects can voice there concerns. As for any of you that think this is anything to do with money its not nor has ever been.
They are requesting the district follows laws with permits and whatever else like the old superintendent has always done.
This Dr T in my opinion is a compulsive liar, and is neglecting his job tremendously along with the district credit card he has racked up more then $35,000.00 dollars with stuff that city home owners like many of you are paying with your taxes.
Funny thing is the old superintendent Dr Hawkins credit card statement was only $300.00 for her last year of service for the school district.
Why on earth do we as taxpaying citizens have to pay for him to be eating at high end restaurants and gas for his vehicles and for his trips to Las Vegas? Everyone needs to stop slamming these tax paying citizens and realize who is in the wrong here.
Which is the district, period.
And again to all of you very misinformed people, THE HOMEOWNERS are NOT and I repeat NOT seeking money in this just that laws amd zoming process are followed that have always been done by the old superintendent .
Read the court papers people.
The district is the one that is reaching into everyone of you taxpayers wallets wanting more.
They have had 6 lawyers in court! For what? The homeowners moved there knowing about the football games, with no problem and have stated that, but they lived behind small vistiting team bleachers, not the giant wall of steel that is there now.
And as for anyone that hasnt seen the news reports and read every thing in the neespapers and thinks they’d be ok with this, as parents, and as homeowners, would you like to have to deal with people invading your privacy every time there’s a football game?
privacy and having to keep your windows and shades closed because people are looking into your children’s windows???
Well the Court has ruled: “The ruling gives the school district a number of options to pursue. The district could decide to go through the zoning process and obtain permits it would have needed for the bleacher expansion, challenge the ruling at the appellate court or attempt to move forward with the bleachers in place and bring future projects through the city process.
Robert Swain, representing the district, said officials would read the full written opinion before deciding on the next move. Chmiel’s written opinion was not available when he gave his opinion and was finalized later in the day.
“We need to read his decision so we can fully understand it,” Swain said of the district’s next move. “I think the city is holding (destruction of the bleachers) over the school’s head as a potential outcome but nothing like that has been decided yet and the judge certainly did not decide that today.”
They have their options as to how to proceed from here, but I’m wondering if Mr. Swain doesn’t understand the meaning of YOU WILL FOLLOW THE ZONING LAWS AND PROCEDURE.
Is the city holding destruction of the bleachers over the district’s head?
Yep as well they should.
If old Charlie Nelson or Dave Wilson put up a non-conforming structure without benefit of permits or zoning variance, do you think we’d be allowed to let it stand, pay a fine and fee for permit and go on our merry way?
Well, Charlie might think that he’s entitled because he’s special, but his neighbors would surely raise hell over his four story chicken coop.
The point here is not so much that the district ignored the permitting process, but that they erected an illegal structure, a structure that the homeowners – had they all consolidated their individual lots into one big lot would NOT have been allowed to build.
It is simply time to disabuse the arrogant board members of the notion that they can do whatever they damn well please because they are the 800 pound gorilla.
No matter how this shakes out in the end, remember their actions, remember this incident when the elections come around.
If you don’t you can expect more of the same crap over and over.
Once again, didn’t your Mother always teach you what was right?
What’s sauce for the goose….