District 6 Democrat Gets Ready for Campaign, Critiques Local Government Organization

Posted on by March 8, 2010
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District 6 is the largest in area. No Democrats are on the ballot yet, but can be put on by a vote of the McHenry County Democratic Party Central Committee.

After receiving this email from District 6 McHenry County Democratic Party Chair Drew Georgi, I asked if I could share it with you.

He agreed, so here it is:

Cal,

I’ve spent the last 2-3 weeks taking the names of all the government officials from the newest yellow county year book.

Do you know how many names I ended up with?

1,324!

Lets cut 100 names off the list for the Federal, State, and those holding more than one office.

That leaves 1,224! names from the school boards to the county level.

Granted quite a few are non-paying jobs but those positions don’t come for free, there are still operating expenses for those positions and boards or whatever government group they are a part of.

This does not include the actual workers like the teachers, police, firefighters, highway workers, office workers, building maintenance workers, etc.

How are the Republicans in this county cutting down big government?

Also you would be very surprised at the number of duplicate last names I found.

I’m not talking about common names like Jones or Smith tho there were quite a few of those.

Looks like there are a lot of family members spread across our county governments. Some even have the guts to flaunt it so bad as to be members of the same government board.

So how are the Republicans of this county any better than those “corrupt Chicago Democrats” with their pay to play and hiring of family when it looks like the McHenry County Republicans are making Chicago officials look like they are just playing at it when the Republicans here are the real pros at it?

Plus why are you not screaming at Lou (Bianchi), Keith (Nygren), and other elected officials when you look at their campaign filings and see that the same people that are giving them money are many of the same ones doing lots of business either with their office or the county? Again showing how they are the real pros when it comes to pay to play and keeping it on the down low so nobody hears about it.

We are cutting the average workers from our government payrolls while the top people are getting raises or are making such high salaries that they can handle a raise freeze.

How about the school Superintendent of these little two and three school districts making almost or over $200,000 a year taking a pay cut?

When I asked different school board members about this insane amount they are making, I get the song and dance that we need to be competitive with other school districts.

At the same time I watch four teachers get their pink slips and six teachers told that they will be teaching two grades in the same classroom.

For the first time since my kids started to have to take the ISAT’s, the school sent home a study guide for it so the kids will score better.

That tells me that this doubling up is not working.

Again I hear that they are doing this to increase the scores so they can keep what funding they have.

When the school board came up with this plan they told us parents that they have done this same thing in the past and the kids did not suffer, yet they could not show us any thing to back up their claims because it was before the ISAT type testing.

This is just one government controlled department.

How many others are doing the same thing of cutting staff, giving us less services, yet asking for more money?

It is time we cut out duplicate departments like the 17 township highway departments and consolidate them at the county level and maybe create a central purchasing department like we had in the Marines for every government body from the villages to the county to be a part of.

It has been when it comes to the salt for the roads, (when they get their order in on time) so why not with all the other items they all use like one big group insurance policy for all of their insurance needs from car insurance to health instead of 18 or more policies for each thing the county and local governments need to insure.

It is time that our local officials see what is going on around them and stop think that the tax payers are an endless bank. They need to make the money we give them work smarter for them.

But you never thought you would hear a Democrat saying we need to reduce government did you?

Andrew “Drew” Georgi

Aging Dept. Plans to Waste $3 Million in Unnecesary Office Consolidation While Cutting Circuit Breaker Benefits in Half

Posted on by March 9, 2010
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Credit my Google search for “Jack Franks” name for this story.

How ironic is this January press release headline when compared to the cutting of last year's property tax relief benefits in half.

I wrote how the Illinois Department of Aging, now in charge of the Senior Citizen and Disabled Person Property Tax Relief program, was cutting benefits in half.

The cutback takes total benefits back to the level distributed in the early 1970’s, when I was closely watching the program in my first eight year stint in Springfield.

Today, a story in the Murphysboro American reports on a meeting of State Rep. Jack Franks’ House Government Administration Committee.

It seems that having taken control of the Circuit Breaker program from the Revenue Department that Aging Department officials have decided that they have to have those 38 ex-Revenue folks sitting right next to the other 140 employees.

The solution?

Take them out of the two state-owned buildings and put them in rented office space that will cost over $3 million over five years.

But, not to worry, the landlord, Springfield’s Charles Robbins (who was around when I was campaign manager for failed mayoral candidate Denny Kelley in 1971), will cut the price from $662,000 a year to $532,000 a year the first twelve months.

Well, we can certainly see the priorities of the Department of Aging:

Jack Franks

Employees first; seniors later…if we don’t spend it all on the employees first.

Almost forgot.

Since Jack Franks’ name in the article led me to this story, it’s appropriate for me to tell you what he thinks of the idea.

As he put it succinctly,

“Absolutely ridiculous.”

Buy a House, Help Someone Else Do the Same

Posted on by March 8, 2010
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The following popped into my mailbox yesterday. Since the legislation would allow county boards to impose fees on the sale of homes, I thought folks might be interested in it this memo from the Illinois Association of Realtors:

Illinois Home Buyers to Get Whacked With More Little Fees — This Time for an “Affordable Housing Trust”

On Wednesday the Illinois Senate Local Government Committee approved legislation OPPOSED by the Illinois Association of Realtors.

Senate Bill 3001, sponsored by Senator Susan Garrett would permit all counties the authority to establish an affordable housing trust fund by imposing ANOTHER surcharge on the recordation of any real estate related documents.

Fees would be imposed by ordinance of the county board WITHOUT VOTER APPROVAL for the purpose of providing financial support for affordable housing activities for low and moderate income households “as determined by the county board.”

Pam Althoff

The bill grants a county board the authority to impose a charge that begins at $5 in 2010 and 2011 which can be increased up to $10 after 2019.

Voting AGAINST the REALTOR position: Senators Maggie Crotty, Gary Forby, Linda Holmes, Toi Hutchinson, Terry Link and Pam Althoff (emphasis added because of her representation of this area)

Voting WITH the REALTOR position: Senators (Larry) Bomke and (Brad) Burzynski

Sounds like another government boondoggle to me…  Take from the poor homebuyer (or perhaps it will be levied on the seller) and give to Government Bureaucrats with pennies going to some sort of trust that supposedly helps homes be more affordable for someone (who probably shouldn’t be buying in the first place – because they can’t afford it)

Rick Hauser

The only local legislator mentioned is State Senator Pam Althoff.

90 Minutes and We Are Out of Here!

Posted on by March 10, 2010
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Karen Aylward

I wrote about how Karen Aylward, now the top special ed administrator in Huntley 158, objected to having the meeting with special ed parents run five or ten minutes longer last month.

Ninety minutes. That was the time limit.

This month the Supt. John Burkey administration seems to want no misunderstanding whatsoever about strictly enforcing an hour and a half time limit for the Parent Advisory Committee meeting.

Pretty heavy handed about a 90-minute meeting that doesn’t allow for a question and answer period…unless it is specifically on the agenda.

Maybe the committee should be renamed the “Advise the Parent Committee” rather than the “Parents Advisory Committee,” inasmuch as administrators don’t want to listen to parents about something as simple as being flexible about when the meeting ends.

Fortunately the teachers of special ed students in Huntley are far more dedicated and less time rule obsessive than administrators.

Meanwhile Supt. Burkey likely feels it’s so unfair that parents don’t trust him or his administrators.

One summer, 2009, open-ended Special Ed Town Hall Meeting

Apparently Burkey has opted for the “containment” approach to parents.  A new model in community outreach, I guess.

As opposed to last summer’s Special Education Town Hall Meetings, where at least some school board members listened.

Common sense might dictate that, if an administrator has to leave promptly on a given night, he or she does that.

Huntley administrators leave board meetings early all of the time, so this would be hardly something new.

But this seems to be about more than just getting home to see the wife/husband and kids.

It’s about making the meetings as meaningless as possible, while being able to publicly tout the sincerity of how administrators are listening to parents…if only for a part of ninety minutes

Here’s the limitation on the meeting, which can be found here.

Any community member interested in adding items

to the agenda please contact kaylward@district158.org

(*Note- Our meetings will begin and end promptly

as scheduled, allowing staff and community to

respect professional and personal commitments.

“Please drive safely, everyone.”)

8th District Watch – Walsh Urges Bean to Vote Against Obamacare

Posted on by March 8, 2010
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The following press release was received from the congressional campaign of Joe Walsh. He is incumbent Melissa Bean’s opponent this fall.

Walsh to Bean on Health Care Vote:
Vote Your District Not Your Party

(Lake Zurich, Illinois) –  8th District Republican congressional nominee Joe Walsh today called on his liberal Democrat opponent Rep. Melissa Bean to swallow her pride and vote “No” on the Obamacare federal takeover of health care legislation nearing a vote in the House.

“For the first time in a long time Melissa Bean needs to listen to her constituents and vote her district,”  said Walsh.

“A government takeover of health care is absolutely the wrong approach to fix what ails with health care in America- and 8th district voters know it.

“Melissa Bean was not elected to represent public sector unions and march in lockstep with her party.

“She was elected to represent the interests of 8th district families and support policies that speak to their very real economic insecurities.  This legislation will worsen the quality of care we have access to and increase unemployment,” Walsh said.

The proposed takeover of health care that would cost Illinois 169,000 jobs, $4,418 per person, and shrink Illinois’ economy by 5.1 percent, according to a study by the Illinois Policy Institute.  This is against the backdrop of a state with 11% unemployment.

“A vote for this health care bill is vote against the economic interests of 8th district families, plain and simple,” Walsh added.

The legislation would also drastically reduce senior citizens’ access to the popular (and private) Medicaid Advantage program.

“I’m not in the camp that says the president is overly ambitious to take on health care,” said Bean, who votedfor the federal takeover of health care  late last year that passed the House by a slim 220-215 margin despite a sizable Democrat majority.

Town hall meeting on health care that Melissa Bean refused to attend, as she did all other public events discussing the subject last year.

Prior to her vote last year, Bean, unlike most members of Congress (Republicans and Democrats), declined to hold any town hall meetings or public forums where residents could weigh in and ask questions about this legislation.

“Melissa Bean has made it very clear that if she is not interested in the opinions of concerns of those she was elected to represent,” said Walsh.

In his keynote address to the McHenry Medical Society at their annual meeting, Walsh said there is no way the country can afford the trillion dollar takeover of one-sixth of our nation’s economy.

“There are other ways to reform health care without sending our children and grandchildren into even greater debt and forever altering the doctor-patient relationship,” Walsh said.

Walsh said incremental reforms such as allow the sale of insurance plans across state lines increase competition among insurers and passing meaningful tort reform are key to reducing costs while protecting quality of care.

Bill Dugan, Long-Time, Now-Retired, Head of Operating Engineers Local 150 Indicted

Posted on by March 8, 2010
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Buffao feeding at a state park in South Dakota.

The U.S. Attorney has released the following press release about the indictment of Bill Dugan, long-time president of Local 150 of the Operating Engineers.

The Operating Engineers are the only Chicago-area union that tends to side with the Republican Party (see local GOP contributions), although they also contribute to Democrats like State Rep. Jack Franks (D-Marengo).

Locally union members have lobbied vigorously in favor of video gambling as a way to finance public works projects.

The charge, as I read it, amounts to a South Elgin extortion of $900 worth of concrete buffalo feeders from company whose workers were represented by his union local.

The charge is a misdemeanor under Federal labor law.

RETIRED HEAD OF OPERATING ENGINEERS LOCAL 150 CHARGED WITH
ILLEGALLY OBTAINING FEEDER FOR HIS MARYLAND BUFFALO FARM

CHICAGO — The retired leader of a regional labor union local was charged today with violating federal labor law by allegedly demanding and accepting livestock feeders from a company that employed the union local’s workers for his buffalo farm in Maryland.

The defendant, William E. Dugan, was charged in a single-count criminal information filed in U.S. District Court, announced Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; James Vanderberg, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General in Chicago; and Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Dugan, 76, of Hancock, Md., and formerly of Mt. Prospect, was president and business manager of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, headquartered in Countryside.  The 23,000-member local represents workers in construction and a variety of other industries in Indiana, Illinois and Iowa.

Dugan will be ordered to appear for arraignment on the misdemeanor charge, which is violation of the U.S. Labor-Management Relations Act, at a later date in U.S. District Court.

According to the charges, in April 2005, Dugan demanded and accepted concrete buffalo feeders valued at more than $900 from Company A, whose workers were  represented by Local 150.

The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick King.  Other Labor Department branches that participated in the investigation are the Employee Benefits Security Administration and the Office of Labor Management Standards.

The labor law violation carries a maximum penalty of a year in prison and a $100,000 fine.  If convicted, the Court would determine a reasonable sentence to be imposed under the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.

The public is reminded that an information contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Another County Board Ethics Idea

Posted on by March 8, 2010
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The McHenry County Board has the opportunity to plow new ground by enacting the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water’s conflict of interest revelation ordinance for elected officials, employees, appointees and consultants.

Someone in Kane County has come up with the idea of enacting an ordinance to prevent revolving door money making by retiring Kane County Board members.

Such folks “would be forbidden from being employed by the county for one year after leaving office or serving on paid commissions while in office, under a proposed ethics ordinance,” according to the article by Nick Swedberg.

The measure would also limit annual contractors contributions and affiliated Political Action Committees to board members to $1,000.

The article says the idea started in DuPage County.

Will Reichert’s Get a Reprieve?

Posted on by March 7, 2010
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Crystal Lake’s Reichert’s Chevrolet is waiting for the mailman this morning (assuming the letter didn’t come Saturday).

Will Reichert’s win its arbitration with General Motors and be allowed to keep it franchise or not?

Reichert's Motor Group building on Route 14

Here’s hoping General Motors has the good sense to allow John Reichert and his employees, not to mention Crystal Lake, reason to celebrate.

Out of 1,100 dealerships, six hundred will be throwing parties today.

Pat Quinn Cuts Seniors’ Circuit Breaker Property Tax Relief Program in Half

Posted on by March 7, 2010
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Circuit Breaker form, page 1.

Circuit Breaker form, page 2.

That’s what Pat Quinn’s Department of Aging put in the Circuit Breaker forms being mailed out to seniors and the disabled.

That’s what I learned in Sunday’s article by Daniel T. Zanoza of Republicans For Fair Media.

Here’s the announcement on the departmental web site:

NOTICE: In past years, the Department on Aging has been able to issue Circuit Breaker grants at the maximum allowable amounts. However, the state budget for fiscal year 2010 (July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010) did not fund the Circuit Breaker program at those levels. In order to continue to provide the Circuit Breaker grant benefit to older adults and persons with disabilities on and after July 1, the Department made the difficult decision to cut each grant awarded in half. This decision based on budgetary cutbacks cannot be appealed.

Thank you for your understanding.

That’s what happens when the General Assembly moves a program out of a big department—the Revenue Department—to a little one—the Department of Aging.

Circuit Breaker form, page 2.

Circuit Breaker form, page 2.

Revenue might have been able to find money elsewhere, but no Aging…at least not while keeping everyone on the payroll.

And, that’s what Illinois government is all about, isn’t it?

Let me note that when I was running for State Representative in 1972, the circuit breaker real estate tax relief program was being pushed by the Richard Ogilvie administration. The 2 1/2% income tax had been imposed in 1969 and money was pouring in so fast that Ogilvie couldn’t spend it all.

So, he allocated $29 million for the program.

It the program has only grown to $40 million (before being cut in half by Governor Quinn), it certainly has not kept up with inflation.

My first year in office, I figured out that the entire $29 million had not been spent.

That’s because not everyone eligible for benefits had applied.

So, I figured out how much the benefits could be increased without spending more than $29 million, wrote a report explaining what I wanted to do and introduced a bill.

It passed through the Illinois House—as did 11 other of my bills, more than any other freshman state rep—and took it to the Senator Revenue Committee, chaired by Terrel Clarke of Western Springs.

He was impressed with the presentation and the bill got out of committee, passed the Senate and was signed.

At the time, Pat Quinn was a patronage employee in Dan Walker’s Department of Local Government Affairs.

Now, under his leadership, the property tax relief is about what it was in 1972 before I passed the bill to increase benefits. I would not that property taxes have not decreased.

Immanuel Lutheran Brings Entertainer to New School Behind Jewel

Posted on by March 7, 2010
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Entertainer Tim Hannig will perform just after 6 on Wednesday evening. His flyer says he does commedy, illusiion, music and drama.

Entertainer Tim Hannig will grace a new stage at the new Lutheran School in Crystal Lake behind Jewel this Wednesday night AT 6:05.

Most local residents probably haven’t seen the school up close and personal. At most they may have noticed it driving into Jewel from the traffic light on Route 14.

So, early evening Wednesday would be a good time to take a closer look…and have some fun with the kids.

I found the flyer at the U.S. Bank while paying $3.52 in income tax for my campaign fund.  It had to be paid through the bank.  A check wouldn’t do.

Gnashing of Municipal Teeth

Posted on by March 7, 2010
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Article announcing Govenor Pat Quinn plans to propose taking away 30% of the amount of income tax revenue sharing now provided cities and villages.

When city leaders read this Tribune article saying that Pat Quinn expects them to “share the pain,” there will be gnashing of teeth.

Apparently Quinn has decided to cut the $1 billion a year income tax revenue sharing by 30%. That will save $300 million, of course.

The cities got a cut of the income tax when the deal was put together by Republican Governor Richard Ogilvie way back in 1969.

It never made sense to me.

Why should local officials get a pot of money without taking any heat for hiking taxes?

10% of the total amount collected?

Better to take any heat little that comes with raising taxes, e.g., the 75% Crystal Lake city sales tax hike that Mayor Aaron Shepley and six of his city council members (all but Jeff Throsen) supported.

Will You Be Running in Cary Next Sunday?

Posted on by March 4, 2010
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Runners in last year's March Madness Half Marathon in Cary (click to enlarge)

The Hillsrtiders Run Club will hold its 32nd March Madness Half Marathon next Sunday at Cary-Grove High School. It took five hours to sell the 1,000 spots.

The group’s press release is below:

On Sunday, March 21st, the local Hillstriders Run Club will host the 32nd March Madness Half Marathon (13.1 miles) at the Cary Grove High School. This race has become very popular in the Chicagoland race circuit. The 1,000 entries for this year’s event were sold out within 5 hours.

The course is renowned for its hills. The March Madness Half Marathon Course has been dubbed the most challenging in Northern Illinois and an excellent training race for spring marathons.

Proceeds from this race fund the Hillstriders Distance Running Scholarship. To honor a former member and President, Fritz Kaufman, this scholarship is for McHenry County, High School, Senior distance runners.

Four $2,000 awards will provided this year. These scholarships are awarded based on the best essay on how running has influenced and changed their young lives. Officers of the club, local educators and representatives of the press judge the entries. Scholarship applications have been sent to all McHenry County High School running coaches and can be found on the club’s web site; www.Hillstriders.com.

The Hillstriders Running Club was founded roughly 30 years ago. The Club consists of nearly 100 members, runners from around the McHenry County area. Members come from all levels of running experience and are committed to sharing their joy in running.

Authorizing Government Spending Without Collateral

Posted on by March 7, 2010
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SIU cash flow as of the end of Feburary. The Fiscal Year started July 1st.

No, this isn’t an article about the money the U.S. Senate voted to spend without any source of revenue to pay for it.

It’s about the Illinois State Senate.

State universities have not been paid money promised in the state budget. It amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars.

The answers of Southern Illinois University, the University of Illinois and, I presume the others, is to ask for authority to borrow hundreds of millions of dollars.

Collateral?

Glad you asked.

The university are going to tell those lending the money that the State of Illinois will pay them back.

With the Illinois budget having been run into the ground by Democrats who have been in control since I ran for Governor in 2002 against Rod Blagojevich and Jim Ryan, what folks will be optimistic to think state government can repay what it did not pay in the first place.

Of course, the “responsible” Republicans and Democrats are just waiting until after the fall election to hike the income tax, what, 50% or the 67% Senate Democrats supported last year.

Take a look at the roll call of Senate Bill 642, the one passed last week to allow SIU to sell such bonds:

Illinois Senate Roll Call for Senate Bill 642, the bill that would allow SIU to borrow money using unpaid appropriations as collateral.

Locally, it shows McHenry County’s State Senator Pam Althoff voting, “Aye.”

The other county senator, Dan Duffy, voted, “No.”  So did Chris Lauzen, the senator who represents Northern Kane County.

If SB 642 makes it through the legislative process and is signed into law, SIU will be able to borrow up to 75% of the money the state hasn’t paid.

Commenter “Joey” on AlestleLive.com put it well:

“This can be a dangerous move. If the university borrows money, eventually the lender would want to be paid back (with interest, most likely). If the state continues to fall behind and miss payments, then when it comes time to make payments, the university may not have the money to pay them back, forcing them to take money out of other funds, thus just deferring the problem instead of solving it.

“You should never borrow money unless you are certain you’ll be able to pay it back. Since the state is being useless when it comes to providing money it owes, the university likely will not be able to say, with certainty, that it can repay debts on loans.”

Oh, Joy

Posted on by March 6, 2010
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My first throught when I saw this Saturday’s Chicago Tribune headline about trying 9/11 terrorist mastermind in Thomson, Illinois, was

”In Your Guts You Know They’re Nuts!”

but I thought the understated “Oh, Joy” might be appropriate.

Bryon Nuclear Power Plants

Obviously, the “key presidential advisers” don’t live downwind from a nuclear power plant.

Which way do the winds blow?

But, they probably have friends in the currently planned trial site, New York City.

Grafton Township Meeting on YouTube

Posted on by March 6, 2010
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You can read about this past week’s Grafton Township meeting in these articles:

Downsizing the Grafton Township Supervisor’s Office – Part 1

Downsizing the Grafton Township Supervisor’s Office – Part 2

Downsizing the Grafton Township Supervisor’s Office – Part 3

That’s the meeting where the township trustees, led by Rob LaPorta, moved Township Supervisor Linda Moore into the windowless township clerk’s office, moved newly-appointed Township Administrator Pam Fender into Moore’s outer office and the township clerk into Moore’s inner office.  To complete the game of musical ofices, Moore’s assistant was put where Fender was, the conference room through which one must go to find the bathroom.

Now, you can not only read my articles, but you can see all the action and raised voices yourself.  The index to the approximately 10-minute segments of YouTube videos, which you see below, is here.  (For some reason, they are not listed in order.)

YouTube Postings of March 2, 2010, Grafton Township meeting at which Linda Moore lost her office space.

Just in case you have an abnormal interest in public affairs,  you can see a lot of the meeting on YouTube.

The early reaction of LaPorta to David Moore’s taping you see below.

Trustee Rob LaPorta holding up paper to block David Moore's video taping of the March 2nd Grafton Township meeting.

Or, if you are into juvenile antics, take a look at the first YouTube posting.  Four minutes into it, you can see a man blocking the video taping the meeting.

Paper blocking David Moore from taping all township trustees but Barbara Murphy at March 2nd meeting.

You will see who is is below.  He took a photograph of David Moore after being admonished for his obstructive behavior by Supervisor Linda Moore.

Man who was blocking David Moore's videoing of the township trustees takes a picture of Moore after Supervisor Linda Moore admonished him for his obstructive behavior.

If you are really, really interested in what the township board does, here is a link where you can find the January 14, 2010, videos.  I see 20 parts, although they are not listed in order.  That was one long meeting.  These were not posted by the township.

As you watch the videos, remember that the Township Trustees voted not to operate under Robert’s Rules of Order.  The board operates under no rules of order.

Snippets from Huntley School District 158’s Board Meeting

Posted on by March 6, 2010
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Below are four snippets from Huntley 158’s board meeting of March 4th. If you had taken the time to listen to or be at the board meeting, you would have heard the quotes below. (My apologies for any minor discrepancies.) Before each quote you see the context of what was being discussed.

1. After the board discussed the Middle School Handbook and how it had a homework policy in it for Huntley middle schools, Huntley High Principal Dave Johnson stepped up to the rostrum and commented on the absence of a homework policy in the high school handbook:

Mark Altmayer

“I think it would be difficult to come up with a policy.”

2. When the board was discussing whether further cuts should be planned for, Chief Financial Officer Mark Altmayer referred to $1.4 million by saying:

“It’s a lot of money, but it’s not that much money.”

3. When the board was discussing the appointment of a new board member to replace Shawn Green, who resigned at the end of the meeting, board member Donald Drzal commented on whether candidates should answer questions from board members at a public meeting:

“It’s not healthy to allow for a public Q & A.”

4. When Superintendent John Burkey’s proposed to have the last day of school for students be only two hours this year before a long weekend several board members balked, beginning with board member Aileen Seedorf questioning how this made a lot of sense.  After a lengthy discussion by the board Burkey offered this admission:

“I didn’t ask any parents about this.”

If administrators or board members were wondering at times about the audience reaction, these quotes might provide some hints.

Misdemeanor Battery Charges Filed Against Five Prairie Ridge Wrestlers

Posted on by March 6, 2010
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Five Prairie Ridge High School wrestlers were charged with misdemeanor battery for hazing other team members, an article in the Daily Herald by Chuck Keeshan reports.

The arrests were made about a month after the issue surfaced on WMAQ-TV.

In the only press release on the matter, the Crystal Lake Police Department wrote,

“The investigation has revealed that a number of wrestlers may have been involved in activities that include the restraining of wrestlers by other members of the team who then slap them on the stomach.

“Additionally, police are investigating alleged actions on the part of some members of the wrestling team that may have included certain parts of the restrained wrestlers’ private areas being touched through their clothing.”

Asked today about what happened, McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi wrote McHenry County Blog,

“Our Chief of the Criminal Division, Phil Hiscock, Chief of the Juvenile Division and Felony review, William Stanton and I met with Chief Linder and several detectives concerning the incidents at Prairie Ridge involving the Wrestling team and students.

“After our meeting at the Crystal Lake Police Department, our office re-reviewed all the police reports, discussed the facts at length and found no felonious conduct.

“Crystal Lake made the decision to charge misdemeanors and our office is supportive of that decision and those charges.”

Prosecution will take place behind closed doors in Juvenile Court.

McHenry County Blog printing Police Chief David Linder’s press release in this February 4th article entitled,

“Prairie Ridge Wrestling Hazing May Have Included Sexual Molestation”

Some of the more sanitized comments under the above article give details of the incident. (Sorry, but some of the comments were a bit too graphic for me to want to post, but I thank the posters for them anyway. It added to my knowledge of the reason for the police report.)

Rules which Crystal Lake High School District 155, Huntley School District 158 and Carpentersville School District 300 apply to coaches can be found in the following article:

“Locker Room Rules for High School Coaches, Huntley Makes Recent Changes”

YR’s Plan Candidate Rally, March 11th Crystal Lake Happy Hour

Posted on by March 5, 2010
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YR Chairman Bryan Javor and Vice Chairwoman Erica Poremba

Erica Poremba, Vice-Chairwoman of the McHenry County Young Republicans has sent out the following weekly newsletter:

Weekly Newsletter

We hope that everyone is enjoying the sunshine and warmth.  Spring is fast approaching.  We would love if you would join us at the March Happy Hour which is being held at the Cottage in Crystal Lake on March 11 from 6 to 8 pm.  Its time that we all come together and have some fun before elections begin.  We hope to see you there!

We are proud to announce our Education Chairman Jon Heideman has ran yet another successful campaign (previously Precinct Committeeman) and is now the Vice Chairman of the Nunda Township Republican Central Committee.  A big congratulations to Jon!

We sincerely thank and welcome our two newest members of MCYR; Thomas Kantner of Crystal Lake and Mike Clarke of Harvard.  Its always great to have new and active members join us.  Welcome!

Don’t forget that MCYR is looking for a new logo.  We are offering a $25.00 gift card to a local bar or restaurant of your choice to the winner.  The deadline is March 10, 2010.  Forward your logo to the webmaster@mchenryyoungrepublicans.com  We will vote on the logo at the April meeting.  Good luck.

Jon Heideman the MCYR Education Chair is working on a Candidate Rally for the Spring/Summer that will include candidates from the area running for public office.  They will introduce themselves and explain their visions and plans for building better communities.  More information to come.  This will be a great way for MCYR members to meet the candidates and find campaign volunteer activities.

Also, Jake Justen, the MCYR Membership Vice-Chairman is working with the McHenry County GOP for this summer’s upcoming parades.  If you would like to be involved or volunteer for any of the parades please contact Jake at jakejusten@mchenryyoungrepublicans.com

That’s it for now.  I hope this e-mail finds you excited about the upcoming MCYR events and political events in general.  If there is anything in particular that you would like to see highlighted in the emails please let us know.

Huntley School District Seeks Board Applicants – Version 2.0

Posted on by March 5, 2010
Reply

Earlier today I posted the “Notice of Vacancy” sent out by Huntley School District 158.  I noticed that it did not seem to mesh with school board policy.

Now the district has sent out a revised version of its original notice, which is below.

The difference seems to be that three reference letters are now not required, but may still be submitted with one’s resume.

Maybe you can find other differences.  The original requirements are found here.

Notice of Board Member Vacancy – revised
03.05.10 p.m.

Shawn Green speaking to Special Education Town Meeting attendees last summer.

At the Committee of the Whole March 4, 2010 meeting, the Board of Education of Consolidated School District 158 of McHenry and Kane Counties, Illinois received the resignation of Mr. Shawn Green, Board President. Mr. Green has served the District as a Board Member since April 2005.

Interested parties in becoming a board member and applying for the vacancy, please submit your information as follows:

  • A letter of interest
  • Resume and up to three references

Submit to: Naomi Fettes, Executive Assistant and Board Operations, Consolidated School District 158, 650 Academic Drive, Algonquin, Illinois 60102.

Applicants are also required to provide proof of the following:

  • A United States Citizen
  • At least 18 years of age
  • A resident of the State of Illinois and CSD158 and Illinois for at least one year
  • A registered voter in the State of Illinois and McHenry or Kane Counties, Illinois

Deadline for submission by close of business day before 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 18, 2010

Contact the Superintendent’s office at (847) 659-6103 or via email at nfettes@district158.org for further information.
The Board will review the resumes, that will be made public, and discuss the next step at the March 18, 2010 regular Board meeting.
Policy 2:40

A Board of Education member must be, on the date of election or appointment, a United States citizen at least 18 years of age, a resident of Illinois and the District for at least one year immediately preceding the election, and a registered voter.

Reasons making an individual ineligible for Board of Education membership include holding an incompatible office and certain types of State or federal employment. A child sex offender, as defined in State law, is ineligible for School Board membership.

LEGAL REF.: Ill. Constitution, Art. 2, ¶ 1; Art 4, ¶ 2(e); Art 6, ¶ 13(b).
105 ILCS 5/10-3 and 5/10-10.