McHenry County Blog

Vince Gaddis

The McHenry County College Student Peace Action Network continues to bring provocative programs to Crystal Lake.

The next one will be bout privatized prisons, to be held on March 4th.

I wonder if the local version of this phenomenon will be discussed.

What’s that?

The Sheriff’s Department’s making money by housing illegal immigrants on the top floor of the county jail.

The press release is below:

MCC’S STUDENT PEACE GROUP TO HOST EVENT

ON PRISON INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX

[Feb. 23, 2010.Crystal Lake, IL]  The McHenry County College Student Peace Action Network (SPAN) will host an informational seminar featuring Dr. Vincent Gaddis on March 4th, 2010 at 7:00pm in the College’s Conference Center.  The event is titled

“The United States: Leading Jailer of the World.”

According to Human Rights Watch, the United States incarcerates more people than any country in the world, including the far more populous nation of China.  In 2008, the American penal system held more than 2.3 million adults, China was second with 1.5 million and Russia a distant third.

The United States leads not only by the sheer number of inmates but in the rate at which it incarcerates its citizenry, outpacing nations like Iran and Saudi Arabia.  In Germany, 93 people are in prison for every 100,000 adults and children whereas in the United States, the rate is eight times higher or 750 per 100,000.

As incredible as it sounds, 1 in 100 adults are now locked up in America and for Hispanic and black men, imprisonment is far more prevalent.  Dr. Gaddis will analyze the structural flaws within our system that lead to these astounding statistics.

Imprisonment has become the answer to many of the social problems rooted in poverty.

The practice of locking up the poor from racially marginalized communities has become big business.

What once was considered government work has increasingly been turned over to private contractors, creating a monstrous “prison industrial complex” whose profit depends on people to punish.

Dr Gaddis calls for a revolution – “a revolution in values.”  He persuasively argues that what we need is not new prisons, but a powerful movement for social transformation in health care, housing, education, drug programs, jobs, and education.

The event is part of SPAN’s Current American Issues Information Seminar Series. SPAN is made up of students promoting peace nationally and locally through action and education. The event is co-sponsored by Pax Christi and the McHenry County Peace Coalition. The event is free and open to the public.

The college is located at 8900 U.S. Hwy. 14, Crystal Lake.  For more information, contact the MCC Student Activities Office at (815) 455-8772.

The board packet of McHenry County College is posted on its web site, just as I wish every government’s were. (Special hint to the Crystal Lake City Council.)

In it is a recommendation that tuition be hiked $2 a credit hour.

Kathleen Plinski

“At present, other major revenue sources are constrained due to the continued effect of the tax cap, the uncertainty of the level of state funding, and current economic conditions,” writes Interim President Kathleen Plinske.

She notes the Consumer Price Index increased 2.5% last year and that

“A $2.00 increase from $80 to $82 is a 2.5% increase.”

An extra $264,000 would be generated from the fee increase.

The technology fee would remain at $9 per hour.

“Statewide,” she notes, “the range of tuition and fee rates for FY 2009 is a low of $67.00 to a high of $131.00 per credit hour, with the average rate being $88.95.”

It’s about how the 8th District congresswoman got $387,187 for job training in McHenry County. The release came from the county’s public information officer, however, not from Melissa Bean’s office.  Forty-nine individuals will benefit from the program.

As I reflect on the release’s contents, I wonder why the intervention of a congresswoman was necessary. If a program like this is available, shouldn’t the quality of the application have been enough to obtain it?

The release follows:

Congresswoman Bean secures funding for Job Training

WOODSTOCK, IL – Congresswoman Melissa Bean recently obtained a $387,187 in funding for the McHenry County College (MCC) Flexible and Sustainable Training (F.A.S.T.) program. The program is the result of a partnership between

• McHenry County,
• the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation,
• the McHenry County Workforce Network,
• McHenry County Workforce Board, and
• MCC

for workforce training. The training will provide employer-identified, short-term occupational training needs in the specific fields of

• Basic Manufacturing,
• Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) Machining and
• Bilingual Nurse Assistance (BNA).

MCC recently launched the Basic Manufacturing course and plans to follow with CNC Machining later this year and the BNA training next spring.  Program funds cover the cost of training, so there is no fee for qualified participants.

Melissa Bean

“These types of workforce development initiatives are critical to retooling the skills of our workforce to the challenges of our 21st century economy. I commend the leadership of McHenry County for their commitment to improving the employment prospects of their families and businesses,” stated Congresswoman Melissa Bean, who obtained the funding for this program.

The F.A.S.T. program plans to have two cohort groups of 25 participants for Basic Manufacturing and as of February 9, 35 students had enrolled in the Basic Manufacturing course. The Basic Manufacturing class is a 96-hour, 16-week non-credit class that covers

• shop math,
• mechanical blueprint reading,
• measurement, and
• shop safety.

Besides the class, program participants will also be able to work toward a National Career Readiness Certificate, demonstrating to employers the competency level in reading and math.

They will also improve their resume writing and interviewing skills through various workshops and work with the McHenry County Workforce Network to assist them in finding positions in their new field upon completion of the course.

The program funds will also cover 24 participants in CNC and 25 participants in bilingual training for basic nurse assistance. Participants in these programs will also work with Workforce Network staff on job search activities.

After bringing in NIU Law Professor to Talk about a Book of Gitmo prisoner poetry, the McHenry County College Student Peace Group’s next speakers are from Ohio.

They are Art and Peggy Gish,  peace activists and organic farmers.

Mrs. Gish was a kidnapped in Iraq in 2007 as she was a “peace activist and witness.”

Mr. Gish is described as having gotten “in the way of Israeli military and settler violence against Palestinian civilians,” the press release, seen below.

They have both written books.

MCC’S STUDENT PEACE GROUP PLANS CHRISTIAN PEACEMAKING EVENT

Art and Peggy Kish

The McHenry County College Student Peace Action Network (SPAN) will host an informational seminar featuring Organic farmers Art and Peggy Gish who work as human rights activists for Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT), an international organization “committed to reducing violence by getting in the way.”

They have been getting in the way of injustice and violence from Hebron to Baghdad. Peggy was in Iraq as peace advocate and witness before, during and following the 2003 U.S. invasion.

Art Kish standing in front Israeli tank.

In 2007 she was kidnapped but released after only 2 days because she showed her captors a photo of her husband Art standing in front of an Israeli tank which had been smashing the central market in Hebron.

Art Gish has been part of CPT in Hebron since 1995, getting in the way of Israeli military and settler violence against Palestinian civilians.

He led a two day training course in nonviolence attended by Rachel Cory.

Art is the author of several books, including

“Hebron Journal: Stories of Nonviolent Peacemaking.”

Peggy is the author of

“IRAQ, A Journey of Hope and Peace,” a moving story of the horrors of war yet never dimming her vision of peace.

The event is part of SPAN’s Current American Issues Information Seminar Series. SPAN is made up of students promoting peace nationally and locally through action and education.

The event is co-sponsored by Pax Christi and the McHenry County Peace Coalition. The event is free and open to the public.

The college is located at 8900 U.S. Hwy. 14, Crystal Lake.  For more information, contact the MCC Student Activities Office at (815) 455-8772.

Cassidy Tire had this sign up the week that Sgt. Jason McLeod was honored in Crystal Lake.

Donations to the widow and her children may still be made by calling Marie Davis at 815-477-5050.

The McHenry County College Student Peace Group, or course, had no way of knowing its timing would be bad.

They canceled NIU Professor Marc Falkoff’s talk about his book

“Poems from Guantanamo: The Detainees Speak”

Now its on for the Thursday after next Tuesday’s election.

The group’s press release follows:

MCC’S STUDENT PEACE GROUP RESCHEDULES EVENT FEATURING GITMO LAWYER ON FEB. 4th

[Jan. 26, 2010.Crystal Lake, IL] The McHenry County College Student Peace Action Network (SPAN) has rescheduled a controversial event focusing on a book of poetry by Guantanamo Bay detainees. for Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. in the college’s conference center.

The keynote speaker, Marc Falkoff, a Northern Illinois University criminal law professor who represented 16 detainees, plans to speak about a book that he edited titled “Poems from Guantanamo: The Detainees Speak.”  The moderator will be Todd Culp, Ph.D., political science instructor at MCC.

Falkoff initially was scheduled to speak at the college in December, but the event was canceled because of security concerns. SPAN had planned the December speaking engagement well in advance, but publicity about the event stirred up controversy as it coincided with funeral visitation for Sgt. Jason A. McLeod, a 22-year-old from Crystal Lake who died in a mortar attack in Afghanistan.

Northern Illinois University criminal law Professor Marc Falkoff

He will discuss the torture the prisoners suffered, the false information elicited, the disarray of evidentiary files, and the telling resignations of  key military prosecutors.  According to Dr. Falkoff, a very real problem exists,

“politics rather than principle reigns at Guantánamo.  As concerned American citizens, we can learn what action we can take to demand accountability and redress of grievances.”

Following the program, he will be available to sign books.

The event is part of SPAN’s Current American Issues Information Seminar Series. SPAN is made up of students promoting peace nationally and locally through action and education. The event is co-sponsored by Pax Christi and the McHenry County Peace Coalition. The event is free and open to the public.

The college is located at 8900 U.S. Hwy. 14, Crystal Lake.  For more information, contact the MCC Student Activities Office at (815) 455-8772.

= = = = =
Here’s background from NIU on the professor:

Background: Falkoff comes to NIU after three years as an attorney with Covington & Burling in New York. The firm, which is considered the top pro bono law firm in the nation, once named Falkoff the Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year during his time there. He earned his juris doctorate from Columbia and also holds a Ph.D. in literature from Brandeis. While this is his first full-time faculty appointment, he taught for several years as an adjunct member of the faculty at the Brooklyn Law School. He is currently working on behalf of 17 Yemeni men who are being held without charges by the U.S. military at Guantanamo Bay.

Why NIU? “NIU has a very high commitment to public interest law, and that is extremely important to me.”

Goals: “I want to give my students a solid grounding in legal theory, but also instill in them an appreciation for the amount of social good they can do in the world as a lawyer. Personally, I want to not only do excellent scholarly work, but also maintain my real-world focus. It is very important for me to do both, and that is actually something that is encouraged here.”

Time to mark your new calendar on January 15th.

That’s the day that Patriots United have scheduled a candidates’ night for those running for the McHenry County Board.

Below you can see the text of the group’s announcement:

WHAT:  Our PATRIOTS UNITED January Townhall highlighting candidates vying for McHenry County Board seats in the February 2010 Primary Election.  Moderators will offer questions and topics of discussion important to all McHenry county voters for the candidates to discuss while they reveal their visions for the future of our county.

WHERE:  McHENRY COUNTY COLLEGE CONFERENCE CENTER (Building B), McHenry County College, Crystal Lake.

WHEN: JANUARY 15, 2010  – Our event will take place at the McHenry County College Conference center (Building B) beginning with registration at 6:30 p.m.  The forum/discussion and candidate debate will begin at 7:00 p.m.  Time permitting, a question/answer portion will be afforded the audience participants following the candidates/moderators discussion.

WHY? Find out about who represents you locally and find out their positions on a range of topics…Attend to engage the process and stay informed.  We ALL benefit when citizens take an active role in local, county, state and federal governance.

SET THE DATE ASIDE NOW and we’ll look forward to seeing you on January 15th.

For those who think McHenry County College Board members Donna Kurtz (now a candidate for McHenry County Board) and Scott Summers (now running for State Treasurer on the Green Party ticket) were wrong to help kill the minor league baseball stadium on MCC property, take a look at what has happened to a much better situated stadium on I-90.

To put it in pre-teen talk:

Stadium Fail!

First is was Trustee Gerry McMahon.

Last night it was Supervisor Linda Moore.

Trustee Rob LaPorta read what sounded like a bill of particulars listing all the actions that he considered improper and the four trustees, all of whom have been at odds with Moore since she beat incumbent Supervisor John Rossi by 30 votes in this past spring’s Republican primary election.

“Could I have a copy?” Moore asked after the vote was taken.

The main thrust of primary Moore’s campaign was to reverse the approval of a new $3.5 million township hall ($5 million with interest) the then-board, three of whom were re-elected, approved.

Nothing in the resolution of censure referred to Moore’s and her allies’ success in forcing the loan to be repaid and putting the sale of the current township hall to the township road district in jeopardy.

Grafton Township is the second McHenry County governmental board to go in for censure.

The first was the McHenry County College Board. The five-member board majority censured colleagues Donna Kurtz and Scott Summers for changing their mind on using taxpayer-backed bonds to build a minor league baseball stadium at the Crystal Lake McHenry County College campus.

The Grafton Township meeting ended about 12:15 AM and I stayed to the bitter end.

The board passed its levies with one minute to spare, yesterday being the deadline.

The Road Fund is asking for $732,788. On the non-road side, the total is $999,200.

“We’ll only get an additional $19,000 no matter what we do.

There seems to be a one-day problem with public notice. The levy must be filed with the county clerk by December 19th, but it has to be posted 20 days.

Hard to figure out how both requirements can be met.

Back when I was McHenry County Treasurer in the late 1960’s about ten percent of the tax bills were paid under protest. My non-lawyer’s guess is there might be some folks talking to tax protest attorneys about the two deadlines.

Read this press release from McHenry County College and consider telling those listening what you think.

I think my request would be an administration that would be more transparent.

The problem is getting the college board to record their meetings is up to the board members themselves, not the hired help.

I’d also like a contract that prohibits $200,000+ golden parachutes if the new president is found unsatisfactory for whatever reason.

Finally, I’d like someone who has spent some time in a business that needed to cut expenses.

MCC INVITES COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO PROVIDE INPUT ON PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH

[December 8, 2009.Crystal Lake, IL] McHenry County College, in partnership with professional search firm, Isaacson, Miller, is embarking on a search process for the college’s new, permanent president.

In mid-December, special sessions will be conducted with key stakeholders, including the presidential search committee, faculty, staff, students and other constituents to hear feedback on the presidential search, including the short- and long-term objectives for the incoming president.

A special community feedback session has been scheduled for 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 16 in the MCC Employee Dining Room. All community members are encouraged to attend and provide feedback on the following topics:

• Objectives for MCC’s new president
• Qualifications and experience
• Personal qualities
• Source and candidate recommendations

Based on feedback received from this community session, as well as other scheduled feedback sessions, Isaacson, Miller will complete a presidential profile, which will be shared with the search committee and interested candidates and sources in the search.

In one of the first county board fund raisers of the year, McHenry County College Board member Donna Kurtz gathered supporters at The Cottage at the corner of Crystal Lake Avenue and Brink Street Thursday night.

Kurtz is running to replace either incumbent County Board Chairman Ken Koehler or member Lyn Orphal in the early February Republican primary election.

Crystal Lake City Councilman Jeff Thorsen introduced the candidate.

“I am very, very, very enthusiastic supporter of Donna Kurtz,” he said. “We need someone with her honesty and integrity in county board government.”

Kurtz said she was inspired by her mother former State Rep. Rosemary Kurtz’ concern for environmental protection and former State Rep. Cal Skinner’s fiscal conservativeness. Rep. Kurtz defeated Rep. Skinner in the 2000 GOP primary election.

Former State Reps. Rosemary Kurtz and Cal Skinner, plus McHenry County College Board member and County Board candidate Donna Kurtz. (Jeff Thorsen commented that this should be sent to Ripley's Believe It or Not.)

“As many of you know, the world goes full circle.”

Kurtz said she running for the board of directors of a $260 million organization, McHenry County government.

Reflecting on her service on the McHenry County College Board, Kurtz said it had taught her this lesson:

“You gotta do your own research. Everyone’s got their own agenda.”

She didn’t say she was reflecting on her support of building a minor league baseball stadium on college property and, then, changing her mind with the announcement being at the Crystal Lake City Council meeting the night re-zoning was being discussed, but that might be a good guess.

“My courage was driven by my thought I couldn’t stand not to do the right thing,” she stated.

Besides Thorsen, City Council members Carolyn Schofield and Brett Hopkins were in attendance, as were park board members Mike Walkup and Richard Sexton.

McHenry County Recorder of Deeds Phyllis Walters, who actually lives in District 2 in the tiny bit of Algonquin in the district was also in attendance, as was Nunda Township Supervisor John Heisler.

Members of A-LAW, the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water were in attendance. The group recently proposed strict potential conflict disclosure rules for county elected and appointed officials.  The Alden Road Alliance was also represented. District 3 county board candidate Craig Steagall, who actively opposes the location of the proposed Ridgefield Metra station on Country Club Road, also was present.

Touchdown Sponsor

• Tamara Kurtz

Field Goal Sponsors

• Erv & Louise Lecoque
• Dr. Robert & Carol Minkus

Safety Sponsors

• Jeannine Thoms
• Connie Zukowski
• Scott Summers
• Jewel Hahn
• Jill Hartman

Extra Point Sponsors

• Keith & Marge Nygren
• Phyllis Walters
• Bill & Alice Howenstine
• James & Diane Gesler
• Lou Ann & Jerome Majewski
• Jean Plews
• Patricia Floeter
• Brett & Tina Hopkins