Leslie Schermerhorn
McHenry County Regional Superintendent of Education Leslie Schermerhorn is in a fight with some on the County Board, including Chairman Jack Franks, over her budget.
Last week, she asked McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally for an opinion in the following email.
She sent the opinion to County Board members the night before their Thursday Committee of the Whole meeting.
It caused a pretty big stir, with Finance Committee Chairman Mike Skala inviting a suit from the Education Superintendent if the County Board decided to cut her manpower by over 25%. (She now has 3.8 employees. Skala and others favor taking one headcount away.)
The opinion could be released by Schermerhorn, but, so far, she has declined to do so.
Here is the email to Kenneally:
Hi Patrick,
May I have an opinion on 105 ILCS 5/4-6, Employment of Assistants? (Please see letter to F & A below.)
Does this statute give the Regional Superintendent any special latitude/authority over the County Board decisions?
The total amount requested for FY18-19 is less than all prior budget years. The ROE budget was passed by Public Health and Community Services only to have Finance & Audit lop off a position. This cut of one position is exactly what Jack had threatened me with at the ROE budget meeting.
McHenry ROE has less county employees than any adjacent county.
Of course, I need this opinion before the COW on Thursday. I’m apologize for the short notice.
Thank you for your time and consideration of this matter.
Kind regards,
Leslie Schermerhorn
Here is her email to County Board Finance and Audit Committee members:
The budget was previously approved by the Public Health and Community Service Committee.
Funny they cut her employee head count BUT allow Franks’ to triple his office headcount????
And his hires were patronage hires.
Smells of bull crap.
What’s wrong with this board?
The office of Regional Superintendent of schools (ROE) is probably unnecessary in the 21st Century.
It was originally created so someone could ride herd over the myriad of one room school houses in the county and make sure they all had enough chalk and coal for the cast iron stoves.
It is now a redundancy.
However, the Union school does serve a very useful function in providing a place for troubled youth, thus maybe preventing another Columbine or Sandy Hook in McHenry County.
Leslie ought to be given what she needs for that but I am not convinced about some of the other functions of the office.
Someone needs to do a serious analysis of the ROE and see what there is that truly needs doing and what does not.
Cut out the whole regional department and stop charging the taxpayers for this antiquated office.
No budget, no argument!
If you were a teacher, parent or student you may know why McHenry County needs the ROE:
To get and renew teacher licenses;
To provide free professional development;
To get truant students back in school;
To give GED transcripts and diplomas;
To insure student safety.
The whole point just flew right over your head, Jeevo.
The Regional Office does the County a great service for the community with the safe school program keep up the great work