McHenry County Blog

Faced with competing sellers, including perhaps the Crystal Lake Park District and a landowner a mile west in Woodstock, the McHenry County College Board voted unanimously, with Scott Summers absent, to sell 3.67 acres to BMB Communications Management for a solid $6 million.

A 1,500 foot broadcast tower is planned for the property. That will require a special use permit from the City of Crystal Lake.

An additional $1 million could come MCC’s way if the enterprise is successful enough to snag five “subscribers” five years from today.

Although there was no space on the agenda for public comment, it was allowed anyway.

Nunda Township Trustee Kevin Sarnwick, who lives just south of Hillside on the Crystal Lake Blacktop, expressed opposition for perhaps safety and definitely aesthetic reasons.

Given that college officials have released nothing that would indicate any due diligence was performed on the deal, except by a risk manager, I asked,

“Why should anyone in the public think you know what you are doing?”

I pointed out that most governments without expertise in an area where they are making a decision hire a consultant with experience.

Even after the meeting, there is absolutely no indication that MCC talked to any independent expert in the broadcast tower business.

Student Trustee Tom Kedzie asked a really good question. He wanted to know why the five-year limit was in the contract for the receipt of the extra million dollars.

No one came up with a good answer.

Board President Watson Lowe said that he had recently received a call from “a former board member who is an attorney” suggesting that his law firm had broadcast tower expertise and would recommend leasing, rather than selling the land.

Voting on the contract tonight, “We won’t be able to hear him.”

Then, Lowe said, “Right now I am really on the fence.”

Lowe pointed out that BMB originally wanted to lease the land, but one member had been adamantly opposed to leasing. BMB Communications Management Tom Zanck revealed that “over the last 6-9 months Mr. (John) Maguire has been trying to make it (buying, rather than leasing) work for his company.”

Just as with the baseball stadium proposal, a story which McHenry County Blog reported on first, the college kept details of the BMB tower proposal, first advanced and reported upon by McHenry County Blog over a year ago, secret.

And, except for the contract, any thought process used to reach a decision to sell has been kept secret.

It is clear that the major inducement is the money.

And the incentive to act immediately was loss of that money.

“They (BMB) have already signed a back-up contract,” board attorney Sandy Kerrick told the board. “I also dare say the prices of the neighbors are much less,” she added.

“We may get zero unless we get an affirmative vote on this contract, yes or no,” she continued. “We’ve had the contract since December.”

Yet the public had its first chance to see it on February 16th.

“We’re not admitting we know anything about towers,” Trustee Carol Larson said. I, for one, would like to go through with this contract.”

And since the Crystal Lake City Council elections are coming up and the baseball stadium attracted more attention than any other issue in the last two years, let me remind you who killed the stadium with their votes:

Councilmen Ralph Dawson, Brett Hopkins and Jeff Thorsen threw the three strikes with their “No” votes on the proposal to re-zone McHenry County College for a minor league baseball stadium.

Dawson, on the left, and Thorsen, on the right, are up for re-election.

Retiring board member Frances Glosson, who lives in Johnsburg, pointed out that she was in favor of selling the property “will allow us to build more (facilities) and serve all of McHenry County.”

She seemed to be talking about spending the $6 million elsewhere in McHenry County, perhaps an area where the height of the 1,500 foot tower would not be an eyesore.

Donna Kurtz made her decision strictly based on the “educational needs for our county. The other governmental bodies will have to make (decisions based on other factors.)”

“So, you’re going to support it?” Larson asked.

“I thought you could assume it,” Kurtz replied to one of the trustees who was a leader in the effort to censure her and Scott Summers for changing their positions on the minor league baseball stadium.

Senior MCC Trustee Barbara Walters pushed hard for approval. She pointed out this was only the second opportunity “like this,” the first being the baseball stadium.

“There’s always an exercise in futility of how much more we could (have gotten),” she explained, seemingly aiming her comments at Student Trustee Kedzie’s inquiry.

“We as trustees have a great opportunity,” she continued, pointing to potentially using it for nursing school and other facilities, a swimming pool and “for students.”

“What happens to the young students who come behind you 5-7 years from now?” she asked Kedzie. “The recovery will not be completed by then.

“I would ask that you add your voice vote as well.”

Kedzie stood his ground a bit, wondering “why we didn’t go forward” on securing the final $1 million, regardless when the fifth user of the broadcast tower came on line, but ended up voting “Yes” with everyone else.

And Walters seemed more than a little disturbed at the last minute intervention by the unidentified former board member-attorney.

“Had it gone to their firm, they would certainly have handled it differently,” attorney Walters said, suggesting that perhaps the firm might have ended up with a share of the lease income.

“We have competition in our immediate area,” Walters continued. “There’s a very good possibility this could go one mile west in Woodstock.”

And, later, “The (Crystal Lake) Park (District) has new property (Viking Dodge, which has 18 vacant acres out back) the tower could potentially go on.

CPA Mary Miller, who was attending over the phone during this busy income tax season then chimed in.

“I am for selling the land just because of the dollars.

“It will actually bring jobs to the county,” she added. “I think it’s a win-win.”

“I like the idea,” Board President Lowe said. He pointed out that the Capital Development Board (state government) would leverage $6 million to $24 million in new buildings, also citing nursing and its labs.

“They’re not cheap.

“I am troubled by the way this meeting has come about. I don’t know why we had to do this tonight. I don’t know why the regular board meeting (March 26th, wouldn’t be soon enough).

“We were told (the buyer) wanted a delay (at our last meeting).” He pointed out that a vote on the land sale was postponed at BMB’s request.

“This meeting was obviously called in haste,” Lowe, who called the meeting pretty obviously at the request of others, said.

“At the same time, I have to respect other people’s opinions,” referring to the former attorney-board member who suggested the college would fair better under a lease arrangement.

“They came at the last minute. That’s the way things happen sometimes.”

“Mr. Maguire requested a lease,” board attorney Kerrick basically lectured. “You did not want to be responsible (for the liability of owning the tower and potential of having to disassemble it). We also discussed (buying) additional land surrounding it (for a guyed wire) tower.

“Just bear in mind how we got to where we are.”

Kerrick later explained that Maguire’s company had an income tax advantage from purchasing from the college.

“He’ll be able to deduct the contributions (for paying more than market value for the land)…he writes it off and used the other money to build the tower.”

She mentioned the figure $400,000 as the “real value.” I presume she meant the value of the 3.4 acres.

“We know of other suitors out there,” Walters interjected. “The only thing that may happen is that other contracts may be signed.”

BMB is paying $2,500 for the ability to tell the FAA he owns the land over the next six months.

Here are the details of the BMB presentation three weeks ago.

There still is no representation of what this tower will look like with its constantly flashing white and red strobe lights.

= = = = =
Drawings of the towers are seen on top, the one to the left bending under a 40 mile per hour wind and the other in calm weather. Kevin Sarnwick is seen expressing his opposition to the tower in the top photo.

Student Trustee Tom Kedzie is next.

The FM radio coverage area is seen below him.

Trustee Carol Larson is beneath the map.

The Crystal Lake City Councilmen who killed the McHenry County College baseball stadium are identified within their section.

Below is Trustee Frances Glosson and down to the left a bit is Donna Kurtz as she looking right after she voted in favor of selling the land.

Trustee Barbara Walters is below Kurtz.

Viking Dodge, which the Crystal Lake Park District is planning to buy if all the due diligence works out is next.

MCC Board President George Lowe is seen below.

Finally, board attorney Sandra Kerrick is shown giving the board advice.

The 1,500 foot broadcast tower will be built to the north of these Commonwealth high power electric lines. And since it was a beautiful sunset tonight, here’s a view of Crystal Lake that will not be despoiled by the proposed 1,500 foot broadcast tower.

Any fuzzy photos are the result of the McHenry County College Board’s refusal to allow any flash photography.

It took three times as long to write this story as it did for the college board to sell the land.

The McHenry County College agenda for its Committee of the Whole meeting last night was amended before the meeting really got started.

Board Chairwoman Mary Miller announced that MCC attorney Sandy Kerrick had been contacted by BMB Communications Management, which had asked that discussion of its proposal to purchase 3.6 acres of land be delayed.

So much for the rapid approval that I expected to happen at Thursday’s regular meeting, I guess.

If there is great community interest, it certainly did not show itself Monday night. I was the only one to offer public comment. No pilots appeared.

There were two points:

First, the college should show constituents what the tower will look like during the day and the night. Let us see what red and white strobe lights will look like running up and down the 1,500 foot tower during the day and at night.

Surely there is a similar tower someone can video and provide the college. That’s pretty much what I said to promoter John Maguire in my email last weekend.

Secondly, the college should hire an expert in broadcast tower finances since no one on the board has that expertise. I asked if the board were certain that the site wasn’t worth $30 million, pointing out that the college had refused to provide any evidence that anyone had done due diligence on the financial end of the deal.

Guess the next move is up to BMB.

= = = = =
The views of the proposed BMB tower above show it bending in the wind on the left and standing upright on the right. A picture of the Eiffel Tower has be laid in next to the radio broadcast towers now adjacent to McHenry County College. The 1,500 foot BMB tower will be 41% higher than the Eiffel Tower. Unlike the Eiffel Tower, there will be no public elevator or observation deck.

The McHenry County College agenda for its Committee of the Whole meeting last night was amended before the meeting really got started.

Board Chairwoman Mary Miller announced that MCC attorney Sandy Kerrick had been contacted by BMB Communications Management, which had asked that discussion of its proposal to purchase 3.6 acres of land be delayed.

So much for the rapid approval that I expected to happen at Thursday’s regular meeting, I guess.

If there is great community interest, it certainly did not show itself Monday night. I was the only one to offer public comment. No pilots appeared.

There were two points:

First, the college should show constituents what the tower will look like during the day and the night. Let us see what red and white strobe lights will look like running up and down the 1,500 foot tower during the day and at night.

Surely there is a similar tower someone can video and provide the college. That’s pretty much what I said to promoter John Maguire in my email last weekend.

Secondly, the college should hire an expert in broadcast tower finances since no one on the board has that expertise. I asked if the board were certain that the site wasn’t worth $30 million, pointing out that the college had refused to provide any evidence that anyone had done due diligence on the financial end of the deal.

Guess the next move is up to BMB.

= = = = =
The views of the proposed BMB tower above show it bending in the wind on the left and standing upright on the right. A picture of the Eiffel Tower has be laid in next to the radio broadcast towers now adjacent to McHenry County College. The 1,500 foot BMB tower will be 41% higher than the Eiffel Tower. Unlike the Eiffel Tower, there will be no public elevator or observation deck.

In spite of all the hubbub over the minor league baseball stadium, only three people have filed for McHenry County College Board’s two six-year terms.

But, guess what?

One of the challengers, John Darger, was a frequent and vocal opponent to the board majority’s ill-conceived minor league baseball stadium proposal.

Darger participated in MCC board meetings.

Darger participated in Crystal Lake City Planning and Zoning Commission meetings…more than once.

An MCC student at the time, Darger said,

“I don’t see how that will serve the students of McHenry County College.”

Darger participated in Crystal Lake City Council meetings.

This is an active citizen who has probably decided that the majority faction on the McHenry County Board did not represent him.

And decided to do something about it by filing for office.

Darger is last on the ballot and you don’t have to guess if I shall vote for him, even if he is a Democrat.

A second candidate announced the McHenry County Promise at a March 2007 board meeting.

His name is Ron Parrish.

I have no idea whether Parrish supported, opposed or didn’t take a position on the baseball promoters’ attempt to stick McHenry County College taxpayers with paying off the stadium bonds if the baseball team did not succeed.

It is clear that the stadium put quite a crimp in the fund raising. Former board member Irv LeCoque made that clear.

Parish is first on the ballot.

The final candidate is CPA Mary Miller put her Certified Public Accountant reputation on the line by saying about the baseball stadium deal:

“Ms. Miller(‘s) refer(ring) to her CPA standing and stat(ing) that all the figures are in order for us to go ahead with this.”

And, then she and the board would not release the documents that she verified

Another variation of the long-discredited

approach to public decision-making.

Well, the public didn’t trust her and her colleagues.

Thank goodness.

Just goes to show that having passed the CPA test does not mean one can make good public judgments.

Miller is in the middle of the ballot.

Incumbent Frances Glosson’s term is also expiring this year, but she has decided to retire. She joined incumbents Scott Summers and Donna Kurtz in figuring out the numbers were not all in order.

= = = = =
Ron Parrish is seen next the screen, followed by Mary Miller and Frances Glosson.

In spite of all the hubbub over the minor league baseball stadium, only three people have filed for McHenry County College Board’s two six-year terms.

But, guess what?

One of the challengers, John Darger, was a frequent and vocal opponent to the board majority’s ill-conceived minor league baseball stadium proposal.

Darger participated in MCC board meetings.

Darger participated in Crystal Lake City Planning and Zoning Commission meetings…more than once.

An MCC student at the time, Darger said,

“I don’t see how that will serve the students of McHenry County College.”

Darger participated in Crystal Lake City Council meetings.

This is an active citizen who has probably decided that the majority faction on the McHenry County Board did not represent him.

And decided to do something about it by filing for office.

Darger is last on the ballot and you don’t have to guess if I shall vote for him, even if he is a Democrat.

A second candidate announced the McHenry County Promise at a March 2007 board meeting.

His name is Ron Parrish.

I have no idea whether Parrish supported, opposed or didn’t take a position on the baseball promoters’ attempt to stick McHenry County College taxpayers with paying off the stadium bonds if the baseball team did not succeed.

It is clear that the stadium put quite a crimp in the fund raising. Former board member Irv LeCoque made that clear.

Parish is first on the ballot.

The final candidate is CPA Mary Miller put her Certified Public Accountant reputation on the line by saying about the baseball stadium deal:

“Ms. Miller(‘s) refer(ring) to her CPA standing and stat(ing) that all the figures are in order for us to go ahead with this.”

And, then she and the board would not release the documents that she verified

Another variation of the long-discredited

approach to public decision-making.

Well, the public didn’t trust her and her colleagues.

Thank goodness.

Just goes to show that having passed the CPA test does not mean one can make good public judgments.

Miller is in the middle of the ballot.

Incumbent Frances Glosson’s term is also expiring this year, but she has decided to retire. She joined incumbents Scott Summers and Donna Kurtz in figuring out the numbers were not all in order.

= = = = =
Ron Parrish is seen next the screen, followed by Mary Miller and Frances Glosson.

As readers of McHenry County Blog know, McHenry County State’s yours truly, Attorney Lou Bianchi sued the McHenry County College Board for kicking four citizens, including from out of its building while the trustees were meeting in top secret, hush, hush, about what shall we do about leasing land to or from, I assume, a radio station.

President Walt Packard was so desperate to keep any information about what John Maguire was proposing that he rushed to cover the window through which I took the second, more revealing slide (the one below with his head blocking part of the slide) with the American flag. That’s his head behind the American flag above, too.

Although the meeting went on until after midnight and several other top secret, hush, hush meetings have considered John Maguire’s radio tower proposal, all that has leaked out has been two photographs seen above taken through the windows of the McHenry County College board room.

But, another source provided this information about what Maguire wants. If this is correct, wouldn’t you think the public ought to know about it?

But, there’s no paper trail at McHenry County College, except what Trustee Scott Summers took home. And, the college said that was top secret, hush, hush, as well…even after Summers had drawn all those black lines through it.

After the big cover-up, I got this warning letter from Packard.

Then, I found this article about getting permission to put towers on land in Will County. Don’t know if it is related, but I believe the radio station next to MCC’s campus is owned by the same corporation.

While the college board instructed its security officers to cover up the windows the night I took the photos of the broadcast tower slides and, not coincidentally, in my opinion, the night we four were kicked out, now there is a more efficient method.

Newly-installed Venetian blinds prevent us prying taxpayers from seeing inside the board room named after former board members Herb Lutter and Bill Ryan. (Somehow, I don’t think the two, both of whom I knew fairly well, would have approved of all the secrecy.)

I know their names because they are on a plaque right next to the sign informing people outside the room that a secret meeting is going on and right next to the sign saying flash photography is prohibited.

Since one can no longer see the top secret, hush, hush, meetings, all one has to look at now that the college secrecy advocates have installed Venetian blinds to, well, keep prying eyes and cameras from seeing what goes on in a top secret, hush, hush, college board meeting.

I asked some friends who might be attending last Thursday’s meeting to let me know what happened. Here’s one response from a friend of McHenry County Blog:

You missed a lot of interesting information at the MCC Trustees meeting(s) tonight. Here are some highlights:

In response to a citizen question about why Friends of MCC Foundation Director Joe Like is included in closed sessions, when he is employed by the Foundation itself, Dr. Packard stated that Mr. Like is a paid employee of the college and a member of the President’s cabinet.

The decision to buy the $2600 Apple notebook computers instead of the $8-900 PC’s was “curriculum driven.”

Maybe, I dunno.

When the slate of new officers was presented it turned out that Donna Kurtz was not contacted and did not have any input into the process, nor could she get Mary Miller who was the nominating chair (and slated for Vice President) to commit when asked to affirm that the new leadership team would be open minded and willing to consider the ideas and views of ALL the Trustees.

Ms. Miller just deflected, by asserting that the whole board was already pretty open and had made some good progress toward being more so. Mr. Lowe (slated President) deflected by keeping his head down.

When she was distracted from an agenda item by a side discussion with Carol Larson, George Lowe impatiently reprimanded Donna Kurtz that she should pay attention sometimes.

When newly seated (literally five minutes before) Student Trustee Tom Kendzie voted “abstain” from a roll call vote on reappointment of the Board Attorney Sandra Kerrick, he was told he couldn’t do that. He voted affirmative on that and the rest of the agenda. (His vote either way did not change the outcome.)

George Lowe prefaced his comments on the same agenda item with comments that it was too late to make any desired changes at this meeting; that they should work on that and get it ready for next year if they wanted to change attorneys.

Oh, and they watered down Donna Kurtz’s idea to have OM training for the board, into a request for the State’s Attorney to schedule one of their trainings on an MCC Trustees “off-night” so those who wanted to attend could attend and those who did not want to… well you get the drift.

But nothing quite says it all like the irony of going into closed session to discuss the State’s Attorney’s filing an Open Meetings violation against them.

On a more positive note, they did a nice job of presenting Katie Claypool with a plaque and her parents were there to celebrate with her. They swore in the new student trustee and senate officers. And they finished all three agenda’s by 9 p.m. Not a word about a cell tower.

Anonymous

And, a post script:

I forgot to tell you that there were no barricades as Packard had mentioned in the Herald article that there would be. We were very disappointed.

The new student trustee needs to know that he can abstain on anything he wants to, regardless of what anyone says, unless there is something in the board rules specifically saying abstentions are not allowed. It won’t take long for him to see that anti-bullying rules do not apply to board meetings.

Except for the two pictures of the new Venetian blinds, one open from the inside next to Trustee Donna Kurtz and one closed from the outside, the other photos of efforts to cover up the windows occurred at the meeting before the four of us were illegally kicked out of the MCC building.

As readers of McHenry County Blog know, McHenry County State’s yours truly, Attorney Lou Bianchi sued the McHenry County College Board for kicking four citizens, including from out of its building while the trustees were meeting in top secret, hush, hush, about what shall we do about leasing land to or from, I assume, a radio station.

President Walt Packard was so desperate to keep any information about what John Maguire was proposing that he rushed to cover the window through which I took the second, more revealing slide (the one below with his head blocking part of the slide) with the American flag. That’s his head behind the American flag above, too.

Although the meeting went on until after midnight and several other top secret, hush, hush meetings have considered John Maguire’s radio tower proposal, all that has leaked out has been two photographs seen above taken through the windows of the McHenry County College board room.

But, another source provided this information about what Maguire wants. If this is correct, wouldn’t you think the public ought to know about it?

But, there’s no paper trail at McHenry County College, except what Trustee Scott Summers took home. And, the college said that was top secret, hush, hush, as well…even after Summers had drawn all those black lines through it.

After the big cover-up, I got this warning letter from Packard.

Then, I found this article about getting permission to put towers on land in Will County. Don’t know if it is related, but I believe the radio station next to MCC’s campus is owned by the same corporation.

While the college board instructed its security officers to cover up the windows the night I took the photos of the broadcast tower slides and, not coincidentally, in my opinion, the night we four were kicked out, now there is a more efficient method.

Newly-installed Venetian blinds prevent us prying taxpayers from seeing inside the board room named after former board members Herb Lutter and Bill Ryan. (Somehow, I don’t think the two, both of whom I knew fairly well, would have approved of all the secrecy.)

I know their names because they are on a plaque right next to the sign informing people outside the room that a secret meeting is going on and right next to the sign saying flash photography is prohibited.

Since one can no longer see the top secret, hush, hush, meetings, all one has to look at now that the college secrecy advocates have installed Venetian blinds to, well, keep prying eyes and cameras from seeing what goes on in a top secret, hush, hush, college board meeting.

I asked some friends who might be attending last Thursday’s meeting to let me know what happened. Here’s one response from a friend of McHenry County Blog:

You missed a lot of interesting information at the MCC Trustees meeting(s) tonight. Here are some highlights:

In response to a citizen question about why Friends of MCC Foundation Director Joe Like is included in closed sessions, when he is employed by the Foundation itself, Dr. Packard stated that Mr. Like is a paid employee of the college and a member of the President’s cabinet.

The decision to buy the $2600 Apple notebook computers instead of the $8-900 PC’s was “curriculum driven.”

Maybe, I dunno.

When the slate of new officers was presented it turned out that Donna Kurtz was not contacted and did not have any input into the process, nor could she get Mary Miller who was the nominating chair (and slated for Vice President) to commit when asked to affirm that the new leadership team would be open minded and willing to consider the ideas and views of ALL the Trustees.

Ms. Miller just deflected, by asserting that the whole board was already pretty open and had made some good progress toward being more so. Mr. Lowe (slated President) deflected by keeping his head down.

When she was distracted from an agenda item by a side discussion with Carol Larson, George Lowe impatiently reprimanded Donna Kurtz that she should pay attention sometimes.

When newly seated (literally five minutes before) Student Trustee Tom Kendzie voted “abstain” from a roll call vote on reappointment of the Board Attorney Sandra Kerrick, he was told he couldn’t do that. He voted affirmative on that and the rest of the agenda. (His vote either way did not change the outcome.)

George Lowe prefaced his comments on the same agenda item with comments that it was too late to make any desired changes at this meeting; that they should work on that and get it ready for next year if they wanted to change attorneys.

Oh, and they watered down Donna Kurtz’s idea to have OM training for the board, into a request for the State’s Attorney to schedule one of their trainings on an MCC Trustees “off-night” so those who wanted to attend could attend and those who did not want to… well you get the drift.

But nothing quite says it all like the irony of going into closed session to discuss the State’s Attorney’s filing an Open Meetings violation against them.

On a more positive note, they did a nice job of presenting Katie Claypool with a plaque and her parents were there to celebrate with her. They swore in the new student trustee and senate officers. And they finished all three agenda’s by 9 p.m. Not a word about a cell tower.

Anonymous

And, a post script:

I forgot to tell you that there were no barricades as Packard had mentioned in the Herald article that there would be. We were very disappointed.

The new student trustee needs to know that he can abstain on anything he wants to, regardless of what anyone says, unless there is something in the board rules specifically saying abstentions are not allowed. It won’t take long for him to see that anti-bullying rules do not apply to board meetings.

Except for the two pictures of the new Venetian blinds, one open from the inside next to Trustee Donna Kurtz and one closed from the outside, the other photos of efforts to cover up the windows occurred at the meeting before the four of us were illegally kicked out of the MCC building.

Notice how I am trying to catch up to the lingo of the younger generation in my headline.

McHenry County Board member Scott Summers asked a couple of months ago for MCC staffers to explore and cost out whether th board’s meeting could be live streamed on the internet.

Monday night’s Committee of the Whole meeting Kathleen Plinske gave the report.

The biggest objection presented was that band width for 6 or 7 o’clock meetings would compete with high student and teacher use of the internet facilities.

The biggest cost cited was the need for a communications technician at meetings. The pay would be $20 an hour.

Big deal, I’m thinking.

As might be expected, “the staff doesn’t recommend video,” she said.

Summers asked about the band width requirements for live stream audio.

“The requirements for ban width would be significantly less,” she observed, but noted it would still “require a technician.”

“I think it’s a good experiment,” Summers said, pointing out that the only equipment cost would be a $200 recorder.

Ally Donna Kurtz suggested it “gives us a proving ground,” but she asked that the audio be indexed by agenda item.

“Let’s break out the agenda items so people have a menu to pick from,” she advocated.

“In terms of splitting up the audio, that’s not something staff had thought about,” Plinske replied. “It would increase the amount of staff time.”

Maybe a bit, but the board secretary could easily note the time when consideration began on new agenda items.

But, whether it was practical or not was irrelevant, the board majority had made up its mind that this would be too much transparency.

“I’m not really for this,” Mary Miller said.

As they went around the room, Summers, who sits next to Miller, expressed his support for a six-month trial.

“Not in favor,” veteran board member Barbara Walters said.

“I’m not in favor. We have an open meeting. Pelple can come,” Frances Glossen, who often votes on the losing side with Summers and Kurtz, said.

“Not in favor,” MCC Board President George Lowe continued.

“Not either,” Carol Larson said.

Arguing for “transparency,” Kurtz said, “The expense is insignificant.”

“I’m in favor of it,” the youngest, student board member Katie Claypool said.

Kurtz asked if it would be voted upon at Thursday’s board meeting.

“Not on the agenda,” was the reply…from Lowe, I believe.

“So, there will be no vote on it,” Kurtz observed.

Face it.

This board does not want anyone to be able to listen to what they have said.

= = = = =
McHenry County Board member Scott Summers is in the top photo. Trustee Donna Kurtz can be seen talking in the one below. Behind her is Trustee Carol Larson. At the bottom can be seen the board and several administrators. Kathleen Plinske is seated to the left at the table in front of the board.

Thanks for the additional information from the person who left a comment. (I have corrected the spelling mistake.)

Notice how I am trying to catch up to the lingo of the younger generation in my headline.

McHenry County Board member Scott Summers asked a couple of months ago for MCC staffers to explore and cost out whether th board’s meeting could be live streamed on the internet.

Monday night’s Committee of the Whole meeting Kathleen Plinske gave the report.

The biggest objection presented was that band width for 6 or 7 o’clock meetings would compete with high student and teacher use of the internet facilities.

The biggest cost cited was the need for a communications technician at meetings. The pay would be $20 an hour.

Big deal, I’m thinking.

As might be expected, “the staff doesn’t recommend video,” she said.

Summers asked about the band width requirements for live stream audio.

“The requirements for ban width would be significantly less,” she observed, but noted it would still “require a technician.”

“I think it’s a good experiment,” Summers said, pointing out that the only equipment cost would be a $200 recorder.

Ally Donna Kurtz suggested it “gives us a proving ground,” but she asked that the audio be indexed by agenda item.

“Let’s break out the agenda items so people have a menu to pick from,” she advocated.

“In terms of splitting up the audio, that’s not something staff had thought about,” Plinske replied. “It would increase the amount of staff time.”

Maybe a bit, but the board secretary could easily note the time when consideration began on new agenda items.

But, whether it was practical or not was irrelevant, the board majority had made up its mind that this would be too much transparency.

“I’m not really for this,” Mary Miller said.

As they went around the room, Summers, who sits next to Miller, expressed his support for a six-month trial.

“Not in favor,” veteran board member Barbara Walters said.

“I’m not in favor. We have an open meeting. Pelple can come,” Frances Glossen, who often votes on the losing side with Summers and Kurtz, said.

“Not in favor,” MCC Board President George Lowe continued.

“Not either,” Carol Larson said.

Arguing for “transparency,” Kurtz said, “The expense is insignificant.”

“I’m in favor of it,” the youngest, student board member Katie Claypool said.

Kurtz asked if it would be voted upon at Thursday’s board meeting.

“Not on the agenda,” was the reply…from Lowe, I believe.

“So, there will be no vote on it,” Kurtz observed.

Face it.

This board does not want anyone to be able to listen to what they have said.

= = = = =
McHenry County Board member Scott Summers is in the top photo. Trustee Donna Kurtz can be seen talking in the one below. Behind her is Trustee Carol Larson. At the bottom can be seen the board and several administrators. Kathleen Plinske is seated to the left at the table in front of the board.

Thanks for the additional information from the person who left a comment. (I have corrected the spelling mistake.)

Yesterday, I started a three-part article about what MCC might do to regain public trust in order to get support for the baseball stadium that four of its board members (George Lowe, Barbara Walters, Mary Miller and Carol Larson) desire so ardently.

With the public relations disaster that McHenry County College has managed to create, it seems to me that the board has to start from scratch.

That’s what I told Northwest Herald General Manager and Executive Editor Chris Krug before the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation’s dinner last Thursday night.

Admit that the college will be irreparably harmed if it proceeds without starting the process over.

Everyone who thinks the college can pass a referendum, please raise your hand.

Anyone who thinks Mary Miller is not going to be challenged if she runs for re-election next spring, let me know.

And, if you want to run, let me know.

Needless to say, people are organizing to support some opponent of this consistent baseball stadium supporter. In laying her hands on the goodness of the baseball stadium, Miller touted her credentials as a CPA.

Now I know why we don’t let CPA’s run government.

Earning the designation obviously does not guarantee analytical ability on public policy issues.

Here’s how Miller was quoted in the April 26, 2006, board minutes:

“Ms. Miller(‘s) refer(ring) to her CPA standing and stat(ing) that all the figures are in order for us to go ahead with this.”

So, why was a re-do of the numbers necessary after Economics Research Associates savaged Mark Houser’s EquityOne presentation she avowed was ”in order?”

In a Freedom of Information request, I asked for any documentation to back up her professional judgment.

Needless to say, there was none.

I was told to look at an analysis of construction costs by PMA Consultants, the same outfit that advised Huntley School District 158 that it needed a 55-cent tax rate hike.

PMA’s analysis of construction costs speaks not one sentence about whether the baseball team receipts will pay off the cost of the bonds to build the stadium.

And, that, of course, is the real issue in this fight.

Show me a written analysis of the numbers and maybe I might regain the respect I used to have for the designation “C.P.A.”

So, start the process over.

What does this mean?

Do you know there were two baseball promoters who wanted to build a stadium in Crystal Lake?

One was making real progress in Harvard until the McHenry County College Board decided to ink a sweetheart deal with Pete Heitman, a buddy of Equity One’s Mark Houser.

A fresh starts demands that competing promoters be given a fair shot.

Such presentations should be at public hearings, where both the public and the board get to ask questions.

We can hear how much money each group is willing to put up.

How does each propose to pay for the stadium?

What will the amount of public subsidy be, if any?

Harvard’s group, by the way, plans to pay for its own stadium; Heitman’s wants us to bet on the success of his scheme.

There’s absolutely no reason for secrecy.

And, speaking of secrecy, the public has a right to know who the investors are.

When I was at the Crystal Lake City Council meeting looking at the staff reports on various proposals, you know what I found?

Petitioners must reveal everyone who has a beneficial interest in their properties.

The college must demand the same information from those with whom it signs leases.

I was pleased that Krug agreed.

Part 3 tomorrow.