McHenry County Blog

Here’s the press release explaining what is planned. You can register here.  The price is $15.

ECONOMIC SUMMIT EVENT – What is the government doing with YOUR MONEY? We have a better idea!

Patriots United is pleased to announce that we will be conducting a Forum on September 29, 2010 at McHenry County Community College.  The Forum will start at 7 pm.  Please put this event on your schedule and invite your friends, neighbors and colleagues to join us.

Register for the Event

Recently we have seen a surge by the Current Government to take over out banking system and auto industry and generally run rough shod over businesses.  Meanwhile they are passing legislation without giving legislators or the voters an opportunity to do a thorough review.  They are suing states who are trying to protect their citizens and being sued by states that object to their Healthcare Mandates. At the same time the State of Illinois one of the countries’ leaders in unemployment and State Deficits. Our economy is crumbling with no solutions in sight.

We are very fortunate to have a panel of Experts to guide us through:

• An Overview of Illinois Fiscal Crisis
• Factors contributing to this Crisis
• Solutions – that will last

Mr. Behrend will open this session by explaining the extent of the deficit problem in Illinois and the Federal Government. He will discuss the impact of the political parties “patronage model,” the impact of state and federal mandates, and the urgency of drastically reforming the programs before going after initiatives such as ethanol and wind power.

Joining our Panel will be:

Bruno Behrend

Bruno Behrend, J.D. is the Director of the Heartland Center for School Choice.  He comes to Heartland with a strong

In 2008, Mr. Behrend co-authored Illinois Deserves Better – The Ironclad Case for an Illinois Constitutional Convention, which coincided with a campaign to pass a referendum calling for a Constitutional Convention.  He also served as an adviser various groups seeking to rewrite the Legislative article of the Illinois Constitution, an effort which may be voted on in the 2010 election.

In 2009, Mr. Behrend served as the Policy Director/Strategist to a Gubernatorial Candidate in the Illinois Primary election.

From 2006 through 2008, Mr. Behrend hosted a radio show in the Northern Chicago Metropolitan area.  The show showcased various authors and policy specialists, ranging from publisher, Steve Forbes, Phoenix University Founder John Sperling, columnist Mark Steyn, author Shelby Steele, and Heartland Senior Fellow Jay Lehr.

He is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, where he earned his degree in Finance. He earned his J.D. from IIT-Kent College of Law in 1990, and is licensed to practice law in the state of Illinois.

Dr. Gary Wolfram

Dr. Gary L. Wolfram, an adjunct scholar at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, is the George Munson Professor of political economy at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan, and president of the Hillsdale Policy Group, a consulting firm specializing in taxation and public policy analysis. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of California-Berkeley, and he has taught at several colleges and universities, including Mt. Holyoke College, The University of Michigan, and Washington State University.

His government experience includes a stint as Washington chief of staff for Michigan Congressman Nick Smith, being senior economist for the Michigan State Republican policy staff.

Dirk Beveridge

Author, educator, consultant, and owner of four growing businesses, Dirk Beveridge is an experienced proven business executive whose international consulting firm serves clients such as General Motors, Continental Grain, Haagan Daz, W.R. Grace, Union Oil, Spacesaver, John Deere and others. He lectures at the Management Institute School of Business, University of Wisconsin, and is ad-hoc faculty at several other universities.

Since the Huntley-based Grafton Township has spent so much on legal fees, the report on legal fees to the Huntley School Board caught my attention.

You can read the detail below by clicking on the images and a summary not provided the school board below the images.

But, there is a second reason for showing you this detail. It is not available from McHenry County College.

That’s right. The McHenry County College Board refuses to allow people to see what its rather considerable legal fees have been spent upon.

Construction problems at the two new elementary schools on the Square Barn campus cost the most.  Labeled “Con-Mack Leaks,” it cost the district the most – $143,724 for lawyers’ advice.   $127,368 to Hinshaw and $16,356 to Miller.

Second most was spent by the school board – $29,539 in all. Hinshaw got $28,447 and Miller $1,092.

The next highest category was Special Education. It totaled $24,916. Sraga billed $18,148 and Miller $6,768.

Human Resources cost $15,415 in legal fees. $10,839 to Hinshaw and $3,567 to Miller.

Legal expenses dealing with the unions cost $12,404. All but $36 was billed by Hinshaw, the rest by Miller.

“Other” came in at $10,558. $10,559. Hinshaw’s share of the billings was $8,565, while the Miller law firm snagged $1,993.

Superintendent John Burkey claimed $5,836 of the total, $3,388 for Hinshaw and $2,448 for Miller.

The Operating and Maintenance category came in at $7,370. $6,838 went to Hinshaw and $1,532 to Miller.

I find it strange that neither the above totals were included in the legal expense report nor the total tax dollars spent on lawyers.

Why should I be surprised that the local government that has been least transparent—even to the point of

• ejecting press and taxpayers from its building during a secret meeting,
• being sued by the McHenry County State’s Attorney and
• being admonished in court for having unlawfully done so

—would follow the Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access Division’s Matthew Sebek’s recommendation to release ex- President Walt Packard’s performance evaluations?

I just received the following email from Pat Stejskal, McHenry County College’s Freedom of Information Officer:

“In accordance with Section 11.5 of the Freedom of Information Act, the College will be filing an action for administrative review of the Attorney General’s August 17, 2010 determination.

“As such, the College is not required to provide the records at issue pending the administrative review process.”

It is clear that MCC officials plan to keep fighting the issue in court until after the election, when they hope the Illinois General Assembly will override Governor Pat Quinn’s amendatory veto of House Bill 5154.

It is completely in keeping with this college board’s past lack of trust of the public, but does not bode well for transparency under newly installed President Vicky Smith, to whom the Freedom of Information Officer reports.

Do you think hiding this obfuscating will help the college pass it next tax rate hike or bond issue?

The stalling tactics of McHenry County College didn’t work.

OK, so it's photo shopped. You get the point, right?

You may remember that I filed a Freedom of Information request for the performance evaluations of ex-President Walt Packard.

You remember him.

The one sent packing Feb. 26, 2009 with no explanation, but with a golden parachute that kept him on the payroll through this summer and he and his sick wife on tax-paid health benefits through August 21, 2012, according to the MCC press release.

That’s three and a half years.

The reason given for hiding this man’s performance evaluations follows:

“because it contains personal information, which if disclosed, would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.”

The denial letter then quotes Section 7(1)(c) of the Freedom of Information Act thusly,

an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy means “…the disclosure of information that is highly personal or objectionable to a reasonable person and which the subject’s right to privacy outweighs any legitimate public interest in obtaining the information.”

Now comes Public Access Division Assistant Attorney General Matthew Sebek telling the college that it has not met its burden of proof in its lawyer-prepared denial.

Ex-MCC President Walt Packard

“Evaluations of public employees directly address the manner in which public employees perform their public duties.  Public bodies use these evaluations to determine the public duties of public employees for purposes of Section 7(1)(c) of FOIA.  Accordingly, disclosure of such evaluations would not constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.”

The letter goes on to say,

“We further note that MCC’s citation to Section 24A-7.1 of the Illinois School Code and House Bill 5154, in support of its 7(1)(c) assertion, is unpersuasive.”Section 24A-7.1 of the Illinois School Code, which exempts from disclosure performance evaluations for certain public educators is simply not applicable to MCC, which, as a community college, is governed b y the Public Community College Act [citation given] and not the School Code.”

Is that a smack down of MCC law firm Robbins, Schwartz, Nicholas, Lifton & Taylor or what?

But there’s more.

“With respect to House Bill 5154′s proposed amendment of Section 11 of the Personnel Record Review Act to exempt performance evaluations of public employees, that Bill was amendatorily vetoed by the Governor on July 26, 2010 in a manner that significantly limits the scope of that legislative change to certain law enforcement personnel.

“In accordance with this letter, MCC may release the requested records to the requester.”

The opinion is below. Click to enlarge it.

McHenry County College has issued the following press release on the contract signing with new President Vicky Smith:

MCC WELCOMES NEW PERMANENT PRESIDENT

[July 9, 2010.Crystal Lake, IL] At a special board meeting held on July 9, 2010, Dr. Vicky Smith and MCC Board Chair Mary Miller signed a contract confirming Smith’s agreement to serve as McHenry County College’s next president.

Vicky Smith and new MCC Board President Mary Miller sign contract with board member Donna Kurtz looking on.

After an eight-month presidential search process, the Board selected Smith as the College’s new president due to her extensive leadership experience, her can-do attitude and her ability to move higher education institutions forward.

“The Board is excited about working with Dr. Smith,” said Miller.

“She brings new ideas and great experience to the College. With our current economic conditions, we expect MCC’s enrollment increase to continue. Dr. Smith has experience with moving a college forward while increasing its financial security. She did all of that at Neosho.”

Over the past seven-and-a-half years, Smith has served as the president of Neosho County Community College, a two-campus, comprehensive community college in eastern Kansas. Before going to Neosho County Community College, she was the vice president for Academic Services at Monroe Community College in Rochester, New York, where she oversaw the Damon Center urban campus and the suburban Applied Technology Center, as well as the academic and student services operations on the main campus.

Her prior experience includes her role as president of Austin Community College, a small community college in the Minnesota State Colleges and University System. She is passionate about community colleges and their role in changing peoples’ lives. She has devoted her career to ensuring that students are learning and that an environment is created where they can succeed at whatever they choose.

For Smith, the decision to come to MCC wasn’t a difficult one. A native of Illinois, and raised on a grain farm outside Decatur, Illinois, she is excited to come back to her home state and be near family again. More importantly, Smith sees tremendous opportunity at MCC.

“I like working with institutions that have good bones, dedicated employees and a strong focus on the student learning experience. There are great possibilities at MCC, and it’s in a growing and thriving community. I want to help move the College forward and take it to the next level,”

Smith added.

On a personal level, Smith said she feels a connection with MCC and the county itself.

“The community has a sincerity about it, and the people seem great. Plus, it will be nice to be in an area that is accessible and provides many things to do.”

According to Dr. Tony Miksa, vice president of Academic and Student Affairs, there is a general excitement around Smith’s arrival at the College.

“I personally am eager to start working with Dr. Smith. She brings a great deal of leadership experience to MCC at a time when things are really starting to move forward.”

When Smith begins her new role at MCC, she will focus much of her efforts on partnering with the Board to set a strategic direction for the College, followed by finalizing the institution’s strategic plan.

Smith said,

“I look forward to working collaboratively with trustees to establish a common vision for MCC moving forward. I also plan to devote a great deal of time to talking with employees one-on-one, as well as getting out into the community and speaking with citizens.”

Other areas of focus for Smith will include enrollment, the College’s ERP project, and funding, including grant writing.

Smith received an Educational Specialist (Ed. Spec.) and B.S. degree from Eastern Illinois University, an M.S. from the University of Illinois, and an Ed.D. from Northern Illinois University.

“We look forward to her leadership and thank everyone for their continued support of the College. It is a fantastic place to learn,” Miller concluded.

Smith will officially begin her new position on Monday, August 16, 2010. Dates for Smith’s installation and reception will be announced soon.

Vicky Smith

In Qi GU’s Daily Herald’s story about the appointment of appointment of Vicky Smith as McHenry County College’s new president appears the following sentence:

“She will focus on the expansion of facilities and academic programs, especially in health care and manufacturing, to meet the needs of the McHenry County work force.”

To expand college facilities, financing would have to be obtained.

The last time expansion of health care facilities and academic programs was discussed was during the baseball stadium consideration.

You will remember that the stadium was going to help pay for the nursing program labs and classrooms.

The only way to get such money now, it seems to me, is with a bond referendum.

So, is one of the tasks Smith has been assigned to accomplish is to pass a bond referendum to finance the “expansion of facilities” about which she spoke?

Of course, the board could take up my suggestion to approach local hospitals and nursing homes who would directly benefit from a nurses’ training program to finance such a facility.

Here’s McHenry County College’s official take on the selection of Vicky Smith as its new president:

MCC BOARD ANNOUNCES NEW PERMANENT PRESIDENT

Vicky Smith

[July 2, 2010.Crystal Lake, IL]  At a special meeting on July 2, 2010, the McHenry County College (MCC) Board of Trustees voted to take action on finalizing the contract of a new college president. The Board approved hiring Dr. Vicky Smith as MCC’s new, permanent president for a 3-year contract and at a salary of $195,000 per year. Dr. Smith has agreed to this final salary, and the contract is in the process of being finalized.

Her most recent role has been as the president of Neosho County Community College, a two-campus, comprehensive community college in eastern Kansas.

Before going to Neosho County Community College, Dr. Smith served as the vice president for Academic Services at Monroe Community College in Rochester, New York, where she oversaw the Damon Center urban campus and the suburban Applied Technology Center, as well as the academic and student services operations on the main campus.

Her prior experience includes her role as president Austin Community College, a small community college in the Minnesota State Colleges and University System.

She received an Educational Specialist (Ed. Spec.) and B.S. degree from Eastern Illinois University, an M.S. from the University of Illinois, and an Ed.D. from Northern Illinois University.

Dr. Smith was one of three final presidential candidates selected by MCC’s presidential search committee, facilitated by national executive search firm, Isaacson, Miller.

Trustee Dr. Bob DeWitt has acted as the presidential search committee chair since its inception.

“We started this process in November. The committee put in many hours in order to finalize a list of strong finalists. Such an inclusive process is what led us to an impressive list of finalists. I am so pleased that after a lengthy deliberation, we chose an excellent candidate in Vicky Smith.”

Also effective at today’s meeting, the Board reorganized its leadership. Mary Miller was appointed Board Chair [replacing in mid-term George Lowe, who replaced Scott Summers in mid-term], and [newly-appointed] Dr. Bob DeWitt was appointed Vice Chair. The Board believes that this structure will allow them to work both efficiently and collaboratively with the new College President.

Upon Dr. Smith’s arrival at the College, a formal welcome reception will be scheduled. For a complete overview on Dr. Smith, please visit this web site.

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That web site provides the following information:

Dr. Vicky R. Smith is currently the President of Neosho County Community College, a two-campus, comprehensive community college in eastern Kansas. While at NCCC, she has initiated new academic programs in health care, “green” construction, computer science, and sustainable energy, as well as developed collaborative partnerships with K-12, business and industry, four-year colleges and universities, and other community colleges.

Under her leadership, NCCC has been the fastest growing community college in Kansas for the last seven years, rising from 18th out of 19th in size to 12th in size through increasing student retention, expanding on-line education, and implementing successful student support services and programs.

Before coming to Neosho County Community College, Dr. Smith served as the Vice-president for Academic Services at Monroe Community College in Rochester, NY, where she oversaw the Damon Center urban campus and the suburban Applied Technology Center as well as the academic and student services operations on the main campus.

Under her leadership the enrollment grew by 17% to a total of 25,000 student headcount; the college became the leader in on-line, asynchronous learning in SUNY LearnNET with 21% or 3000 of all New York State students enrolled in the program; and a $26 million Public Safety Training Facility was constructed in partnership with the City of Rochester and the County of Monroe.

Prior to Monroe Community College, Dr. Smith was the president of a small community college in the Minnesota State Colleges and University System—Austin Community College.

While there she developed the first new degree programs the College had initiated in 10 years, oversaw the renovation of the campus and construction of a new library/LRC, computer classrooms, a Center for Student Success, fitness lab, dance studio, and general classrooms. In addition, she was instrumental in the successful merger of her institution with the adjacent technical college campus to become Riverland Community College.

Dr. Smith is passionate about community colleges and their role in changing peoples’ lives. She has devoted her career to ensuring that students are learning and that an environment is created where they can succeed at whatever they choose. Her favorite time of the year is graduation, where she has the honor of shaking the hand of each graduate as they cross the stage after receive their degree or certificate.

A native of Illinois, Dr. Smith was raised on a grain farm outside Decatur, Illinois. She received her Doctorate in Education (Ed. D.) from Northern Illinois University, her Educational Specialist (Ed. Spec.) and Bachelor in Education (BS. in Ed) degrees from Eastern Illinois University, and her Master in Science (MS) from the University of Illinois.

Here's a view of the bus ride. The man you see second from the left is the one who breaks out in song. (Click to enlarge any image.)

This is third portion of an overdue story about a Chinese delegation of young political leaders who visited McHenry County three years ago, way back in June of 2007.

The trip was sponsored by the American Council of Young Political Leaders.

I got involved because I went on an ACYPL-sponsored trip to Europe in 1976 when State Senator Mark Rhoads, who had much better Washington connections than I, couldn’t make it.

Come 2007 and I learned a visiting delegation from China was spending the weekend in Chicago and I thought I owed.

They took the train from Chicago to Crystal Lake and we drove to Lakeside Center for lunch.

After leaving the Crystal Lake Gala’s carnival and food tents, we drove past McHenry County College

It was just a drive-by.

We drove east on Lucas Road to Route 14, I pointed to MCC and it was off to the

Better than the "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall" song that my Methodist Youth Fellowship busload sang on the way to Lake Geneva in 1956 when I first moved to Crystal Lake was the melodic Mongolian folk lullaby that entertained the Chinese delegation as we drove to Woodstock to tour the McHenry County Jail.

As we entered Woodstock, the man from Mongolia was singing a pleasant folk song.

Woodstock Opera House

We drove around the Square to give a view of what historic buildings look like in our young country.

McHenry County Jail

Sheriff Keith Nygren had arranged for us to the tour the county jail.

“]

The group pose in front of the Algonquin Township Bus, which provided our transportation, thanks for Road Commissioner Bob Miller. Richmond Township Supervisor Tamara Valentine-Garza can be seen on the back row to the right."

Before we went in they posed for a photo in front of the jail.

Correctional Officer Mike Lucas welcomes the Chinese to the McHenry County Jail.

Mike Lucas was the officer who conducted the tour.

This photo of the welcome caught most of the men in the delegation.

Lucas led us down the hall.

We walked down the hall toward the cell blocks.

We were told not to take photos of any of the inmates.  Fortunately for us photographers, it was shift change and the prisoners were locked in their cells.

Some instrutions while visiting.

Then, we walked through a door with the sign you see below saying, “No weapons beyond this point.”

NO WEAPONS BEYOND THIS POINT

We climbed up to the ICE floor.

We climbed the stairs.

There we saw the exercise room.

Here is the exercise room.

I asked why there was no basketball hoop. Vandalism was the answer.

More of our jail tour tomorrow.

Lots of television screens in the control room.

There we looked at the control room.

We were on an observation floor.

I wasn’t the only one taking pictures.

Mike Lucas explained more about the way prisoners were housed.

Here’s the day room we saw.

This is where prisoners spend their time in the McHenry Jail when they are not in their cells. Steel tables and chairs.

There was a cell isolated from the others we were allowed to examine.

We were given a closer look at a cell. Everything is indestructable.

It was a room with a view…of the parking lot behind the courthouse.

A room with a view at the McHenry County Jail.

A phone was nearby.

One woman pretended to be phoning home.

It was time to leave.

Milling around before leaving the observation floor of the McHenry County Jail.

The photographers had taken their pictures.

The tour guide is to the right wearing the Cubs tee shirt.

It was back to the bus.

Mike Lucas held the door as we left the cell block area.

Although I thought all the photos in the jail had been taken, some more were desired.

More photos were taken of the McHenry County Jail's "tour guide," Mike Lucas.

Then, the delegation wanted a photo of him with their leader.  She agreed.

After the tour of the McHenry County Jail, Mike Lucas poses with the Chinese delegation leader at her delegations' request. She was President of the Hunan Provincial Youth Federation at the time.

For some reason, they even wanted me in a photo.  It embarrassed me, but I complied with their request.

Tomorrow we’ll take a look at what was clearly the hit of the visit to McHenry County.

It’s June 30th, the last day that former McHenry County College President Walt Packard will be on the payroll.

Walt Packard

He and his wife will get health coverage through mid-August 2012, however.

Heading north on I-55, here's the new sign you see.

Memorial Day, Normal’s CornBelters Frontier League team played its first game in its new stadium, called the Corn Crib.

They lost 3-2 to Windy City, but filled the new stadium.

The stadium is near the intersection of I-39 and I-55. I think you see a photo of it above.

It’s built on the campus of Heartland Community College.

White Sox owner Bill Veeck’s son Mike is the most familiar name.

The lights lead me to believe this is the Corn Crib statium.

Subsidies from both the college and the town of Normal subsidized the construction.

This article in All Business, a reprint of a Bloomington Pantograph article, reports the “ownership group, and not the city, owns the stadium and pays for its construction.

“‘It is an unusual deal, but I think it will be the wave of the future,’”

said team President Steve Malliet.

This drive-by shot may show the entrance of the Corn Crib.

So far, 700 season tickets have been sold. As with all minor league teams, group sales are the key to success, said Malliet.

Meanwhile, McHenry County College’s pioneering effort got mired down in Crystal Lake watershed problems and objections to MCC taxpayers guaranteeing the 25-year bonds while minor league teams go belly up every five years or so.

Developer Mark Houser showed up again in Woodstock, where he was more successful with the city council. Although he has been granted $3.5 million in TARP loan authorization by the McHenry County Board, so far he does not seem to have marshaled the financial resources to follow in Normal’s footsteps.
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Meanwhile Meijer’s has partnered with the Kane County Cougars to give away free tickets, as you can see from the press release below

MEIJER TO GIVE AWAY FREE
KANE COUNTY COUGAR TICKETS

Attention all you Cougar fans! Meijer has partnered with the Kane County Cougars for the 2010 baseball season. Customers should present their Meijer receipt at the Elfstrom box office when purchasing a 2010 Cougar General Admission ticket for any Monday home game and receive a second General Admission ticket FREE!

This offer is good for up to four free tickets with the purchase of four tickets using a single receipt. Offer begins NOW and expires September 6, 2010. Don’t miss this chance to see the Kane County Cougars in action on their home field!

For complete schedules and rosters, visit the team Web site at http://www.kccougars.com/