I am happy to report that my worst expectations were not realized from the St. Louis tax hike consulting firm Unicom-ARC-directed citizen engagement process called MAP (which must stand for something, but I don’t know what).

At the last meeting–Tuesday, August 18th–25 were in the room.

One hired gun from Unicom-ARC (John Siemers, arms folded, standing above after the meeting, talking with Claudia Terrones, Coordinator of Personal Development), ten college employees and fourteen citizens.

Some of the citizens were undoubtedly on the steering committee. I don’t know how they should be counted.

Even though there was internet advertising on the Northwest Herald web site, low meeting attendance was expected since it was moved from the main cafeteria to the faculty dining room.

For an effort on which Northwest Herald reporter Brett Rowland has identified about $180,000 in expenditures, the major goal–engaging citizens–seems to have been quite expensive on a per citizen engaged basis.

A similar effort conducted by college employees without expensive outside consulting help could hardly have done worse. (I do wonder why local governments think consultants are so much more capable than their own employees.)

But, back to my expectations.

I thought and still think the insiders who decided to spend all of this money on political consultants (and it all has not yet been spent; stay tuned for the multi-ten thousand dollar public opinion survey) did so with the same expectation of the process’ leading to a hefty tax hike, as local school districts have.

Having said that, the last MAP meeting seemed productive.

Advice resulted that, if followed, will make McHenry County College a better educational institution.

Reports came from only three tables this time around.

The first spokeswoman was Debbie Abraham, whom you see giving the report above.

Besides getting the above photo, I caught that the table was surprised at the 72% transfer rate of the students. A suggestion was made to put questions MCC wanted answered on the front page of the college web site, instead of being hidden inside.

Carole Robertson delivered the report for the table where I was sitting. You see her with Alex Sistko in the foreground.

Among other suggestions were that when the road show was taken to community groups to make it “clearer what you want.”

An idea put forth to involve the business community was to recruit part-time faculty. Companies with employees living in McHenry County, like Motorola, should be included.

The Ridgefield Metra stop having just been announced, the suggestion was made that a better relationship should be developed. (Metra did not contact the college for input from the time the final site was selected January 5, 2009, until August 14th, when a purchase agreement was approved by the Metra board.)

Sending letters to high school parents about how their children could earn college credits by taking classes in their high schools and at the college, in addition to Advance Placement Courses, was suggested as well.

Learning that the nearest state university, Northern Illinois University did not accept all course credits brought the suggestion that it was time to involve local legislators.

Laua Diaz gave the third table’s report.

Suggested were extending relationships to colleges in the neighboring states of Wisconsin, Iowa and Indiana, as well as Illinois, where the major emphasis seems to be now.

Collaboration with unions on training programs was also brought up, as was compressing the number of MAP sessions from seven down to five.

Article about previous MAP meetings can be found below:

Wednesday, April 01, 2009 McHenry County College MAP “Engages” 60 Community Members

Thursday, April 02, 2009 MCC MAP Meeting Light on Community Participation

Wednesday, July 29, 2009 McHenry County College Citizen Engagement Process Attracts 31

Wednesday, July 29, 2009 Northwest Herald Reporter Discerns Real Reason for McHenry County College’s $137,750 Hiring of Tax Hike Firm