From a comment under the article “District 155 Announces 13 Layoffs“:
Just like any good business, it is important to understand what value you are providing to your customers.
The customers here are the students and our teachers are providing the value to those students so eliminating teachers should be a last resort.
I understand declining enrollment but there was an immediate need and the knee jerk was to cut teachers.
So the administration needs to look inside their own organization and understand if those in their departments are efficient and if not what improvements can be made.
Then through attrition people will not be replaced.
I look at D155 organization and how many are staffed in each department and compare it to a manufacturing company with an equivalent “sales revenue” as D155 (approx $100 million),D155 runs heavier in headcount.
Why ?
Example – Accounting in D155 has 9 people.
Most $100 million businesses I have been associated with have 4.
There are currently 24 open positions at D155.
Really, and we laid of 13.
Just an observation as I know some are summer school etc…
Looks like a need is there to possibly improve managing the resources in the district?
Yep that’s 155 for you.
Wasteful and entitled.
Heavy on all administrative people and high priced salaries plus benefits. Has been this way since the hiring of Thomas.
Now they even raised the registration fees and have added sports fees too.
All the while claiming they know this will hurt families and keep kids from being able to participate in sports but oh well, other district are doing it so we will too.
In addition to raising fees, Wagner made sure before he left that we are stuck with Thomas for many years to come by extending his contract 2 years before it was even up for renewal.
Woodstock D200 tried to extend the Superintendent contract years prior to its expiry, and include a substantial bonus to boot.
The agenda labelled this action as “routine personnel matters”.
Vigilant taxpayer watchdogs of VotersInAction objected and filed an OMA complaint. This complaint resulted in Superintendent refusing bonus.
Districts 155 and 47 need taxpayer watchdogs to scrutinize agenda and agenda packets.
Lots of school boards renew Superintendent contracts a few years prior to the expiration date.
All employees should be on a maximum one year contract to protect the taxpayer.
Retirees from Crystal Lake High School District 155 (CHSD 155) receiving a pension $100,000 & up in 2017:
Name – Current Pension – Retirement Age – Pension Received to Date
Anthony P Albert – $110,681 – 54 – $802,715
Gary P Aldridge – $110,562 – 53 – $1,809,032
Donald C Baassler – $104,280 – 54 – $1,199,889
Michael A Bailey – $122,969 – 56 – $1,346,895
Jeanne C Baker – $119,847 – 57 – $1,406.646
Albert C Banker – $112,648 – 59 – $1,902,441
James E Beck – $117,045 – 56 – $1,574,471
Joyce E Bennett – $123,431 – 60 – $1,452,111
Lawrence W Bennett – $158,875 – 55 – $1,963,417
Helga H Berutti – $103,766 – 56 – $523,283
Michael E Buck – $121,135 – 59 – $727,957
March E Calkins – $121,249 – 55 – $1,316,607
Richard J Calkins – $139,589 – 56 – $1,892,373
Richard R Card – $115,298 – 56 – $1,602,876
Gary L Collins – $126,716 – 55 – $1,618,267
Robert D Cryer – $157,810 – 59 – $2,659,510
Daniel L Cysewski – $112,072 – 60 – $179,537
Kim L Danielson – $109,543 – 65 – $1,126,115
Robert E Denny – $102,141 – 59 – $1,774,162
Patricia Deppert – $160,458 – 55 – $1,530,868
Donna J DeVita – $109,588 – 58 – $1,489,071
Timothy W Devries – $110,626 – 55 – $1,342,217
David R Dreyer – $109,447 – 59 – $1,070,895
Stephen J Dunk – $130,375 – 55 – $637,169
Michael R Dunker – $114,303 – 55 – $563,303
Bob G Farris – $109,287 – 62 – $2,140,276
Patrick M Fitzgerald – $119,959 – 57 – $1,546,006
Dana C Floor – $124,674 – 57 – $1,213,698
Russell W Foreman – $104,336 – 62 – $1,485,856
Jeanne E Garman – $122,395 – 59 – $1,197,593
Allen D Gaydosh – $121,860 – 57 – $1,649,380
Kevin L Gerlach – $131,763 – 55 – $1,168,917
Lorena Gorey – $122,702 – 56 – $611,842
Catherine G Green – $142,567 – 54 – $1,815,688
James G Green – $119,592 – 57 – $1,400,709
Robert E Groos – $112,789 – 63 – $1,333,619
Jill W Hawk – $193,623 – 57 – $816,036
Lois R Haydysch – $104,768 – 55 – $1,137,643
Ronald W Henning – $105,082 – 56 – $1,227,724
Verdin F Hull – $101,819 – 58 – $1,196,223
Anne M Jaenicke – $107,760 – 58 – $552,086
Janet K Kasuboske – $104,819 – 60 – $1,305,658
Bruce Kay – $137,688 – 56 – $686,569
George A Kay – $140,433 – 55 – $1,429,991
Christopher B Keyes – $108,890 – 60 – $180,240
David G Klebbe – $116,401 – 58 – $1,297,000
Richard F Kloepfer – $116,836 – 57 – $1,914,311
Dennis Koerner – $102,465 – 54 – $822,387
William Kopanda – $134,516 – 59 – $685,416
Harold E Lachel Jr – $124,455 – 60 – $1,549,906
Therese Lancaster – $103,608 – 62 – $540,122
Mary A Landon – $116,588 – 60 – $1,144,407
Sharon R Larson – $107,381 – 55 – $941,512
Marcia L Lutter – $112,224 – 65 – $678,477
William A Mack – $103,843 – 56 – $1,754,148
John G Mackie – $154,587 – 58 – $2,084,487
Joseph J Maraccini – $100,408 – 55 – $806,039
Ronald K Marks – $115,521 – 57 – $1,574,451
Harry D McCauley – $112,042 – 58 – $1,835,759
Richard B McKelvey – $118,871 – 56 – $1,038,290
Michael E Mills – $209,545 – 56 – $1,998,838
Diana K Morales – $102,016 – 62 – $532,512
William D Moylan Jr. – $103,185 – 60 – $1,220,055
William A Murphy – $138,985 – 56 – $1,433,750
Donald L Nead – $106,468 – 53 – $1,742,054
Donald W Noonan – $109,535 – 56 – $1,409,321
Rita M Oberry – $106,409 – 60 – $1,188,788
David OLeary – $123,733 – 57 – $604,439
Lawrence R OMeara – $160,043 – 57 – $1,759,051
Mary K Omeara – $125,196 – 59 – $1,140,677
William D Phelps – $130,263 – 63 – $2,381,022
Tom F Philips – $124,129 – 55 – $1,436,689
Chris A Phillips – $119,659 – 58 – $1,080,227
Richard P Podraza – $128,538 – 56 – $1,140,302
Susan R Popp – $143,400 – 57 – $1,181,351
Larry D Quick – $109,905 – 59 – $1,565,161
Rhonda J Quick – $116,067 – 62 – $405,401
Ernest P Quigel – $120,114 – 55 – $1,223,093
Richard Rill – $106,217 – 60 – $890,245
James E Rosenberg – $132,261 – 54 – $1,608,084
Karen E Roti – $103,080 – 66 – $785,014
Mary J Roubik – $113,383 – 56 – $1,467,058
Joseph M Saban – $206,769 – 55 – $2,440,696
Willard I Saufley – $105,093 – 60 – $1,031,575
John E Sayles – $104,388 – 54 – $390,004
Leonard G Scheel – $109,191 – 59 – $1,786,604
Gary J Seiler – $120,948 – 55 – $1,324,758
Kathleen a Speaker – $114,047 – 55 – $310,779
Linda A Stoeger – $110,624 – 65 – $285,714
Donald E Stumpf – $125,240 – 54 – $998,701
Harlan W Suffield – $106,925 – 65 – $1,582,551
Theresa D Trumbo – $114,355 – 55 – $1,164,450
Michael N Valley – $114,168 – 56 – $1,066,175
John H Van Horn – $116,748 – 55 – $1,910,252
Dennis F Vanmeenen – $101,797 – 55 – $1,182,012
Joann Waschbusch – $142,483 – 55 – $1,815,787
William A Weller – $114,372 – 59 – $399,481
Janice S Wensch – $104,021 – 55 – $912,052
Thomas P Wensch – $161,281 – 56 – $1,303,101
Herbert G Wierzbach – $124,876 – 58 – $1,845,152
Danny L Wiggs – $127,371 – 59 – $1,338,111
Robert J Williams – $101,607 – 56 – $1,120,971
Wayne V Winkelman – $130,612 – 55 – $1,755,338
Dan Wintersteen – $135,169 – 55 – $1,480,525
Total of above – $12,625,213 – 5,973 – $131,912,214
Average of above – $121,396 – 57.4 – $1,268,387
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There is more information in the reports on the website.
Source:
Taxpayers United of America
11th Annual Report Illinois State Pensions (plus IMRF)
Illinois Government Pensions Exceeding $100,000 in GARS, IMRF, JRS, SERS, SURS, & TRS
http://www.taxpayersunitedofamerica.org/items-of-interest/11th-annual-report-illinois-state-pensions
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Schools in CHSD 155:
Cary Grove High School
Crystal Lake Central High School
Crystal Lake South High School
Prairie Ridge High School
That is 104 retired CHSD 155 employees receiving a pension of $100,000 or higher in 2017.
As of December 31, 2015, CHSD owed $4,863,869 to the IMRF pension fund.
That is the net pension liability (unfunded liability).
Source: Page 38 (pdf page 56) of the CHSD 155 FY 2016 CAFR (Fiscal Year 2016 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report).
IMRF = Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund.
It is the pension fund for most employees other than teachers and certified administrators (most administrators are certified).
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Using the June 30, 2014 actuarial valuation, the TRS net pension liability (unfunded liability) for CHSD 155 was measured on June 30, 2015, and reported in the CHSD 155 FY 2016 CAFR.
The employer unfunded liability was $4,813,820.
The State unfunded liability on behalf of the employer was $172,772,961.
The total CHSD 155 TRS unfunded liability was $177,586,781.
TRS = Teachers Retirement System of the State of Illinois.
It is the pension funded for teachers and certified administrators.
Most administrators are certified.
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CHSD unfunded pension liabilities:
IMRF – $4,863,869
TRS – $177,586,781
Total – $182,450,650.
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As of the those dates, taxpayers owed $182,450,650 to pension funds attributable to CHSD 155 operations.
The State owed the majority on behalf of the school district.
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The IMRF plan for CHSD 155 is probably over twice as well funded as TRS.
Pensions should be fully funded.
Any shortfall is not receiving investment returns, and the taxpayer has to make up 100% of the lost investment returns in a defined benefit pension fund.
Thus, in the long run, underfunded pensions are more expensive to operate than fully funded pensions, assuming the pensions are to be paid in full.
A big problem with the pensions is state legislators hiked the benefits, and local hiked the salaries, even though the pensions were underfunded.
That increased the cost to the taxpayers to fund the pensions.
Stein’s Law: “If something cannot go on forever, it will stop.”
The public employee unions are in for quite a rude awakening when their pension funds become insolvent and they realize that the courts are unable to force the General Assembly to make them whole.
Before a pension fund becomes insolvent there would likely be a lot of tax, fee and other revenue hikes, and service cuts.
In Illinois that means a likely income tax hike with minimal government reform and no sustainable pension reform.
OPEB is a case study of undisclosed entitlements which are direct obligations of local (property) tax payers every year that obligation, which is forced to be publicly disclosed as debt, accrues and grows with inflation.
As the entitlement holders get through the pipeline that number can explode.
Employees in Crystal Lake High School District 155 (CHSD 155) receiving pensionable income of $100,000 & up in 2015.
2015 is the most recent year pensionable income is available in Open the Books
Name – Pensionable Income
Johnnie Thomas – $233,510
Steven E Olson – $191,225
Corey G Tafoya – $182,751
Randy D Davis – $182,243
Jay J Sargeant – $176,293
Scott H Shepard – $168,128
Steven D Koch – $164,599
Joseph L Cole – $162,343
Lisa J Connell – $162,343
Steven J Knope – $161,026
James V Altendorf – $154,915
Jeffrey P Aldridge – $153,918
Kimberly M Dahlem – $151,545
Eric E Ernd – $151,333
David J Shutters – $146,221
James D Kelly – $145,594
Jason J Bott – $145,548
Kathryn L Gilbert – $144,983
Kyle P Mclaughn – $144,421
Emory E Swinney – $144,271
Richard A Eschman – $143,701
Gregory M Hoffman – $142,554
Charles W Ahsmann – $142,306
Robert W Boncosky – $142,228
Scott A Kubelka – $141,933
Rebecca J Saffert – $141,471
Matthew H Timmerman – $140,949
Troy A Bruley – $140,486
Mark C Gilbert – $140,127
Stephen R Greiner – $140,094
Donald J Sutherland – $139,319
Timothy J Blakewell – $139,150
Lorrie B Brandwein – $138,995
Aaron A Perkins – $138,995
Mike R Walston – $137,981
Rodney A Saffert – $136,160
Kevin G Koeppen – $136,047
Frank T Benedetto – $135,741
Stefanie A Otto – $135,603
Jeffrey S Daurer – $135,213
Layne B Holter – $135,155
Robert E Hewett – $134,150
Daniel L Cysewski – $133,972
William E Eschman – $133,909
Dean P Britt – $133,665
Christopher B Keyes – $133,580
Scott A Lemoine – $133,352
Sean T Scotty – $133,161
Martin A Magnini – $132,648
Denis C Obrien – $132,281
Sean K Levitt – $131,967
John T Pellikan – $131,528
George L Divenere – $131,200
Glen C Pecoraro – $131,197
Michelle S Hartnett – $131,085
Cory R Osterberg – $130,579
Gary R Wleklinski – $130,548
William R Altmann – $130,326
Henry J Harvey – $129,969
Laura R Bender – $128,890
Michael R Smalley – $128,511
Tammy R Olson – $128,319
Michael J Manning – $128,253
Craig S Kingston – $126,727
August A Serio – $126,671
Rick C Lima – $126,474
Connie S Kendall – $126,105
David P Otto – $126,036
Therese J Youel – $125,891
Bradley J Snyder – $125,829
Larry M Boberg – $125,778
Kylene T Gott – $125,657
William E Walker – $125,441
William D Wynn – $125,437
David R Jensen – $125,374
Amy S Langelund – $125,301
Jay M Wiese – $124,493
Kristen K Davis – $124,136
Timothy S Garis – $123,975
Richard R Foerster – $123,774
Susan M Smits – $123,650
Brian L Adcock – $123,582
Thomas K Kellner – $123,478
Laura J Jensen – $123,441
Jean C Boddy – $123,313
Brian G Strombom – $123,210
Mark R Anderson – $123,147
Brian K Seaver – $123,129
Paul A Humpa – $123,082
Patricia C Langanis – $122,916
Katherine C Kline – $122,892
Dona M Taylor – $122,499
Brett L Collins – $122,382
Deborah K Cleary – $122,057
Patricia A Hie – $121,876
Kelly L Macdonald – $121,710
Mary C Weisman – $121,463
Keith H Levin – $121,365
Peter L Cook – $121,353
Michael P Adams – $121,325
Michael R Marchewka – $121,317
Arne N Waltmire – $121,243
Pamela S Craig – $121,095
Lisa J Rydberg – $121,058
Kerry A Parrish – $120,400
Michelle C Loeding – $120,281
Nancy H Saurmann – $120,048
Joseph J Jauch – $120,007
Barbara Lamb – $119,983
Michelle A Kidd – $119,496
Kristina M Lemoine – $119,446
Mary R Hanson – $119,427
Michael C Naughton – $119,283
Jeanine K Stantesly – $119,158
Scott S Busam – $119,025
Rebecca J Withers – $118,982
Teresa M Sigsworth – $118,878
Michele C Witt – $118,869
Patricia M Skach – $118,802
Kelly J Muzzy – $118,607
Mary E Alford – $118,601
Sandra K Carlson – $118,586
Deann E Walkner – $118,584
Margaret Gaede – $118,570
Barbra A Knaak – $118,496
Phillip G Albamonte – $118,459
Sharon M Anderson – $118,459
Karen J Guthrie – $118,422
Todd D Huff – $118,401
Richard G Guthrie – $118,385
Catherine P Sullens – $118,363
Christopher H Johansen – $118,348
Nicole L Lydon – $118,348
Aaron C Pheiffer – $118,348
William B Walkner – $118,348
Ryan J Passaglia – $118,302
Stephanie L Wozny – $118,207
Matthew D Berg – $117,885
Richard D Rasmussen – $117,760
Julie M Duncan – $117,748
Zachery A Gimm – $117,725
Judd M Shutt – $117,674
Tamara A Jazwinski – $117,382
Matthew S Svendsen – $117,238
Karen M Hirschey – $116,511
Michael W Hermann – $115,866
Bradley S Seaburg – $115,463
Amy I Taege – $115,306
Raymond S Krystal – $115,232
Elizabeth C Arbir – $114,241
Brenda L Brockland – $114,193
Sharon L Blake – $113,887
Joshua P Norten – $113,545
Steven A Karlblom – $113,352
Mary T Finkle – $113,337
Jeffrey L Delzell – $113,300
Todd L Graba – $113,300
Matthew A Senese – $113,040
Jon T Mclaughlin – $112,752
Matt Fralick – $112,717
Julia A Nadler – $112,529
Katherine J Hatters – $112,069
Victoria A Roberts – $111,940
Victoria G Billimack – $111,821
Patrick M Whalen – $111,744
Jerald H Thiel – $111,608
Michael T Collins – $111,535
Christopher J Schremp – $111,012
Barbara Goeske – $110,564
Jonathan T Byhan – $110,525
Maria J Bidelman – $110,513
Marni J Eschman – $110,429
Diana L Nelson – $110,330
Christine L Lashin – $110,209
Douglas A Wilbrandt – $110,045
Justin M Hubly – $109,834
Benjamin R Stoner – $109,821
Dorothea M Chianakas – $109,553
Amy V Bland – $109,261
Curtis A Wadlington – $109,026
Katy S Resch – $108,948
Judith A Swett – $108,942
Patricia M Secrest – $108,515
Frank R Hoover – $108,404
Gary S Connell – $108,178
Gloria D Maloney – $108,134
Timothy J Bacak – $108,109
Jacoba A Seiler – $108,071
Andrew A Mack – $107,947
Nora B Huff – $107,765
Erica A Bruso – $107,664
Sydney J Deckro – $107,554
Rachel A Hanson – $107,544
Todd M Sherwood – $107,524
Loria A Meyer – $107,433
Katja A Stonebraker – $107,322
Sara V Huser – $107,281
Jay T Mueller – $107,128
Aaron D Cummins – $106,922
Lori A Ratliff – $106,771
Michelle M Mason – $106,332
Joshua T Nobilio – $105,974
Anne A Burns – $105,615
Robert J Fontana – $105,546
Raymond H Card – $105,480
Matthew D Koll – $105,381
Kenneth P Greenfield – $105,318
Timothy N Taege – $105,308
Matthew M Dunker – $105,234
Laura A Mokry – $104,980
Kristin Glover – $104,970
Brian C Bogda – $104,823
Jason M Schwab – $104,791
Jessica L Elder – $104,717
Rebecca M Stevenson – $104,710
Kelli A Claps – $104,382
Theresa A Miller – $104,099
Justen R Lehr – $103,945
Erin M Palese – $103,453
Matthew E Rogers – $103,439
Michelle K Aevermann-streit – $103,376
Laura J Jacobson – $103,305
Erika B Jones – $103,274
Wendy H Guss – $103,089
Kerri E Bowers – $103,070
Robert E Schmitt – $102,977
Christopher H Gotsch – $102,887
Joe A Terhaar – $102,807
Amanda D Senese – $102,647
Anita Theodore – $102,628
Jason A Nawracaj – $102,486
Katie L Koch – $102,414
Amy G Passaglia – $102,361
Jonathan R Powell – $102,349
Anna M Carroll – $102,292
Michael G Romito – $102,225
Jennifer M Fuerholzer – $102,040
Audrey E Mazzuca – $102,004
Ralph K Schuetzle – $101,697
Katherine C Buxton – $101,231
Kate M Binder – $100,960
James V Krol – $100,167
Edward W Weaver – $100,110
Total of 243 employees – $29,548,980
Average of 243 employees – $121,600.74
Typo. Opeb debt are not part of statutory debt maximum limit, so there is no limit to what amount can be placed as a burden on property taxpayer.
And it is disclosed in CAFR and budget if one looks for it.
Point is, unlimited debt burden for post employment benefits can and is placed upon local taxpayers already.
OPEB = Other Post Employment Benefits.
That includes retiree healthcare.
OPEB has been flying under the radar.
It will soon become more transparent with the implementation of GASB 75 (Government Accounting Standards Board).
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An Illinois Supreme Court Decision named Kanerva v Weems found that OPEB is included in the pension sentence that was added to the Illinois State Constitution on December 15, 1970.
Thus, any employee working at the time an OPEB benefit is added or hiked, and all workers employed until the OPEB is rescinded or changed, receive the OPEB for their lifetime.
The same is true of pensions.
Here is the infamous sentence that is part of the Illinois Pension & OPEB Scam.
The scam is that pensions benefits, OPEB benefits, and salaries can be hiked, even if existing pensions and OPEB are underfunded.
Transparency by elected officials, the government, and reporters in the scam was lacking.
“Membership in any pension or retirement system of the State,
any unit of local government or school district,
or any agency or instrumentality thereof,
shall be an enforceable contractual relationship,
the benefits of which shall not be diminished or impaired.
– Article XIII, Section 5 (Article 13)
– 40 words in the sentence.
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Thus “retirement benefits” in the pension sentence was found to include OPEB.
Summary of Crystal Lake High School District 155 Pay (Pensionable Income) and Pensions
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Total of 243 employees with pensionable income of $100,000 or more in 2015 – $29,548,980
Total of 104 retirees with pension $100,000 and above in 2017: $12,625,213
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Average of 243 employees with pensionable income of $100,000 or more in 2015 – $121,600.74
Average of 104 retirees with pension $100,000 and above in 2017: $121,396
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Total of 347 employees with pensionable income (as of 2015) or retirees with pension of $100,000 or more (as of 2017): $42,174,193
And that’s not including current benefits and perks and OPEB…