The Northwest Herald’s Kevin Craver has been a busy guy.
He just posted a scathing piece on his blog, “Opening Doors.”
The subject is the very “special” meeting of the McHenry County College Board to extend the contract of President Vicky Smith’s contract, which does not expire until the middle of 2014.
Craver asks if the meeting notice complies with the new provisions of the Open Meetings Act.
The agenda for Tuesday night’s McHenry County College Board meeting does not say that a vote will be taken on extending President Vicky Smith’s contract.
Undoubtedly any vote will be brought to the attention of the Public Access Bureau of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.
Walt Packard got a Golden Parachute when he was ousted from the MCC Presidency after the minor league baseball and broadcast tower fiascos.
It takes the AG’s Office a long time to render a decision, however.
But back to my headline.
Does anyone on the Board–holdovers or thos whose term of office is over April 25th–think that
- extending President Smith’s contract or
- increasing her salary beyond what the current contract calls for or
- providing her with a big golden parachute similar to the one given Packard
will improve the College’s image?
Carol Larson and Barbara Walters had the best ballot positions, but that did not help them to emerge victorious. If MCC’s image had been favorable, wouldn’t they have won?
Certainly, the “re-branding” under Smith’s leadership didn’t or two of her biggest supporters wouldn’t have lost the election so badly.
So, I ask the current Trustees:
Do you really care about the future of McHenry County College?
If you do, cancel this meeting.
Don’t take action that will get you another negative front page story in the Northwest Herald.
And, who knows, the Daily Herald might even send a reporter and make the situation worse.
The email address is mcctrustees@mchenry.edu for those who wish to comment on the situation.
It’s nice to see the Herald take a strong stand.
I would rather seem them disagree with me than be wishy-washy, and Craver is NOT wishy-washy.
You could think Vicky Smith is the greatest thing since sliced bread; the methods used to extend her contract would STILL be a sleazy abuse of the democratic process.
What’s sad is that people such as Kisser and Miller cannot distinguish between these two issues.
They are convinced their doing the right thing, and so their end justifies their means.
Not for anyone else, of course — just for them.
I wonder if it’s possible to recall community college trustees?
They are beyond redemption.
More new blood, the better.
I am very sick but I plan to attend this and give a three minute sermon of fiscal responsibility.
They need to hear the gospel. They need to hear the truth. Someone needs to call them out.
I will.