McHenry County Blog

Somehow this seems appropriate the day after a Chicago election.

I found it on District 300 school board candidate John Ryan's web site, but have no idea where he found it.

The sign on the back of a California septic tank pumper truck says,

CAUTION.
Truck may be Transporting
Political Promises!

Labels: Political Promises, Pooper Scooper, Septic, Truck

District 300’s board of education voted Monday night to borrow $11 million to pay interest.

It’s a lower rate than the high bench mark of 4.25% a bond expert quoted me Monday, but higher than the possible low of 3.85% he also estimated.

The $11 million is in addition to the $105 million borrowed with which District 300 can actually buy something tangible.

That’s interest that would not have to be paid, if the Carpentersville District 300 school board had been willing to let the tax rate go up in the near term.

That may make good political sense, but it doesn’t seem to make financial sense.

At least it wouldn’t in my household.

To avoid short-term pain, the taxpayers have been saddled with an extra $12 million in principal to repay, plus (if I can use the average calculated by Daily Herald reporter Jeff Gaunt) 1.63 times $11 million or almost $1.8 million more in interest.

That’s $1.8 million interest to be repaid on the extra $11 million borrowed to pay the interest to keep the tax rate lower than it otherwise would be.

Got all that.

Oh, yes, by postponing the repayment of ANY principal until 2015, there will be more people to pay it, so the share for current taxpayers will be less.

And people complain about Springfield politicians putting off making pension payments.

I hope no one on the District 300 board has every voiced that complaint.

Gaunt also notes that the typical suburban school district has to pay $1.53 per $1 borrowed.

District 300’s strategy is costing $1.63—6.5% more than the suburban average.

The headline in Elgin’s Daily Courier News today read,

District 300 saves cash

Yeah. The interest would have been $3 million more under the old, lower bond rating…

But it’s almost $13 million more because of the selected repayment schedule.

Net loss to taxpayers?

Almost $10 million.

"We are working well to help our school system and help our taxpayers,” District 300 school board President Mary Fioretti is reported to have said in Gaunt’s article.

Fioretti is up for re-election the third week of April.

Because of the bizarre school election law only allows three to be elected from the same township in a unit district with multiple townships, Fioretti is effectively running against John Ryan, who opposed both referendums last year.

Both are Republican precinct committemen, Ryan elected and Fioretti appointed by McHenry County Republican Chairman Bill LeFew.

Labels: District 300, John Ryan, McHenry County Republican Central Committee, Premium Bonds. Mary Fioretti

Hampshire insurance agenct Monica Clark is running for the Carpentersville District 300 School Board. Below is her first press release:

HAMPSHIRE – Monica Clark announced she is kicking off her campaign operations today. Clark is running as a candidate for one of the four seats on the District 300 Board of Education.

“Through this all, I want to make sure people know the most important reason I’m running,” said Clark. “I have students in the school district and our board members should always be evaluating their decisions based on the best interest of those students.”

Clark became frustrated with the way the March referendum was supported by the board last year.

According to Clark, the school board engaged in questionable tactics to support the referendum that used students as political tools.

“I should never have had my daughter coming home from school every day with a new reason why I should vote yes to the referendum.” continues Clark. “Her teachers were spending classroom time campaigning for the referendum and this should never have happened.”

Clark is running to make the board more accountable to students and parents, who she believes should be the first consideration in any decision board members make.

With two children in District 300, she’s experienced the downward trend of the education offered students, but also sees a lot of promise in the community with getting parents, teachers, and students involved equally.

“If we challenge our students to excel, they will. First, though, we need board members that can challenge themselves to be honest with their actions and focus on the needs of students before their own,” said Clark.

Labels: District 300, Monica Clark

This press release from newly the organized opponents to the formation of the Kishwaukee Valley Water Authority announces they are coming to the McHenry County Government Center at 2:30 P.M. Wednesday afternoon. They will be right outside the front door.

I thought you might find it of interest. You can see what I guess is their logo at the left. On the web page, the check and dollar sign move.

Taxpayer Group Holds Press Conferences Wednesday, February 28 to Voice Opposition to the Proposed Kishwaukee Valley Water Authority on April 17 Ballot

On Wednesday, February 28, the newly-formed Taxpayers Alliance of Northern Illinois (T.A.N.I.) will hold a press conference to announce its formation and its opposition to the proposed Kishwaukee Valley Water Authority (AUTHORITY).

Supporters of the vote no effort are encouraged to attend press conferences to be held on the courthouse steps in each of the three counties in the proposed AUTHORITY.

The itinerary Wednesday calls for announcements to be made and questions to be answered at 10:00 A.M. at the DeKalb County Courthouse, 133 W. State in Sycamore, at 12:00 P.M. at the Boone County Courthouse, 601 N. Main Street in Belvidere, and at

2:30 P.M. at the McHenry County Courthouse, 2200 N. Seminary Avenue, Woodstock.

At the press conferences, a Top Ten List of “Reasons to Reject the AUTHORITY” will be distributed.

The Taxpayers Alliance of Northern Illinois (T.A.N.I.) has established a web site at www.watertaxvoteno.org and solicits inquiries regarding its efforts at info@watertaxvoteno.org

A series of town hall meetings will be held throughout March and April.

Any group wishing a representative of the Taxpayer Alliance of Northern Illinois to answer questions or speak at a meeting is encouraged to contact interim chairman Joe Wiegand at 847-373-0691.

It is not hard to figure out from this press release that a campaign theme will be that proponents A-LAW, the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water, are trying to give government more power and that is bad.

If you click on the map and read what is underneath (taken from the opponents' web site), it says,

The boundaries of the proposed district have nothing whatsoever to do with the hydrology of our region.

Joe Wiegand, former DeKalb County board member is chairman of opponents. He has previously worked for the Family Taxpayers Network, managed the Jim Oberweis for Governor campaign and Executive Director of the Illinois chapter of Citizens for a Sound Economy.

Wiegnd has a Kirkland address.

With the addition of DeKalb and Sycamore to the district, DeKalb County now has more voters in the proposed authority than McHenry or Boone.

Among other things, the opponents' web site has handouts one can download, duplicate and distribute.

Labels: A-LAW, Alliance for Land Agriculture and Water, Family Taxpayers Network, Jim Oberweis, Joe Wiegand, Kishwaukee Valley Water Authority

Yesterday in Part 1, McHenry County Blog explored questions concerning quality and effectiveness measures for various parts of District 300. There was one obvious omission.

On the next page of the questionnaire that District 300 sent home to parents via their children, there are a series of performance and relationship statements about which the questionnaire wants parents’ opinion:

• There are high academic standards and expectations of students in District 300.
• District schools prepare my child(ren) for the next level of education.
• District 300 schools teach life skills.
• District 300 teachers and administrators are accessible, approachable and responsive to parents.
• District 300 schools are safe.
• District 300 schools provide a positive and orderly learning atmosphere for children.
• District 300 discipline procedures are fair and equitable.
• The District 300 Board of Education understands and represents the parents and the community in its work.
• There is open communications in District 300.
• Parental involvement is encouraged and welcomed in District 300.
• There are adequate avenues for parents to get involved in District 300.
• District 300 is adequately funded.
• District 300 budgets and spends its money appropriately.
• Sometimes it is necessary to increase taxes to maintain the quality of a school system.

Answers to the four questions I have put in boldface type would be useful in crafting a re-election campaign for incumbent school board members, in my opinion.

Comparing the results from parents with those from non-parents, who are being polled separately, could allow campaign consultants for incumbent board members to concentrate on finding their votes among parents.

The next part of the questionnaire concentrates “issues you think are most important to the district.” Parents are asked to pick four of them, plus four that are the least important.

Missing from the questionnaire is

The District 300 Board of Education has been doing a good job.

We can trust our District 300 administrators.

The question is whether you want objective feedback.

I’m not sure District 300's survey questions will provide that. The questions seem to be heavily biased toward a positive response to school district performance.

Tomorrow read about the “issues” District 300 wants your opinions on.

Labels: District 300, ECRA Group, Questionnaire, Survey

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that 33-year old Scott Lempa of “the 2200 block of Climatic Drive” in Algonquin has been arrested “for allegedly asking a female student to send him inappropriate pictures of herself through text messaging.”

Lempa is reported to have taught math at Mundelein High School for 12 years and now serves as an assistant girls volley ball coach.

He faces three counts of solicitation of child pornography, each punishable by 4-15 years in prison.

Labels: Algonquin, Mundelein High School

This row of bridal wreath at Gate 5 along Lake Avenue in Lakewood, Illinois, was simply stunning, all covered with snow, as this winter picture shows.

Compare its beauty with that of the bushes' blooms in late spring.

Which season's beauty do you think is more striking?

Bridal wreath is also called spieria.

Snow covered picture was taken Monday, February 26, 2007.

Labels: Bridal wreath, Lakewood, Spieria

Here’s another tee shirt that I found at a McHenry Marlins Swim Team meet.

This one says,

I’m weird, you’re ugly

Let’s call it even

Sounds fair.

Labels: T-Shirt, Tee Shirt

Getting input from one’s customers is pretty routine, I guess.

I get pleas for feedback on receipts all the time, especially from restaurants. I figure they are mainly trying to get my email address.

Now Carpentersville School District 300 has sent home questionnaires designed by ECRA Group with each child.

Let’s see what they are looking for. (You can enlarge any of the images, by clicking on them.)

First there is a letter from Superintendent Ken Arndt.

Included in the introduction are meeting notices at three schools, including one at Jacobs tonight at 7.

Right at the top is a request for an overall rating of the district. Give a grade—A,B,C, D or F (or “Not enough information to respond”) on “the over all quality of the Education students receive in District 300.”

Then, questions are asked about

• Instruction Programming (quality questions)
• Administrative, Faculty and Staff (effectiveness questions)
• Facilities and Services (quality questions)
• Technology (access and use questions ) and
• School Climate (safety and quality)

Pretty straight forward, it seems.

Except while the "effectiveness" of District services, including administrators is requested, but when we get down to the "quality" of facilities and services, guess what is missing?

No guess?

It’s the quality of administrative management.

There are quality questions about

• Facilities
• Food services
• Transportation and
• Extracurricular activities

But not a word about the quality of the administrators.

Tomorrow read Part 2 in this four-part series. It's about what I characterize as performance and relationship questions.

Labels: District 300, ECRA Group, Ken Arndt, Questionnaire, Survey

If you want to let District 300 know what you want them to do in the future, tonight is the last of three “community focus groups.”

It’s being held at 7 PM at Jacobs High School in Algonquin.

I haven’t a clue what a “community focus group” is, but it is supposed to focus on “on the strategic plan” of District 300.

Labels: Distrcit 300, Focus Group, Strategic Plan

Thought I'd share this press release from John Ryan, one of the non-incumbents running for the Carpentersville School District 300 board of education:

ALGONQUIN – John Ryan announced he is kicking off his campaign operations today. Ryan is running as a candidate for one of four seats on the District 300 Board of Education.“My message is simple. I will be fair to the taxpayers and community members who contribute to District 300, honest and open about my decisions I would make as a board member, and I want to help build a community around our schools,” said Ryan.

“I think our board has lost focus on those important issues.”Ryan cites a number of reasons why he’s a candidate, the most notable of which are the way in which the board members campaigned for the tax referendum last March and the constant change in messages coming from board members. The board asked for a referendum based on enrollment projections of over 7,000 new students in the next few years, only to find later on that realistic projections show half that number enrolling in District 300 schools.

Ryan continues, “between violations of the Open Meetings Act and the link with special interest groups, this board has lost their focus on what’s important – educating our students. That needs to change.”

Ryan plans to campaign the old fashioned way, taking his message to the people and letting them decide on the ballot. “I’m confident that in the end, the voters will choose reform over maintaining the special interest status quo.”

Here's Ryan's web site.

Labels: District 300, John Ryan

I have been reading about the justifiable gnashing of teeth of public officials, parents and the community of Oswego in general with regard to what can be done to prevent future deaths of so many teens.

So far I have not heard anyone mention Operation Cool.

I know of it as a Crystal Lake High School District 155 program. The web site says,

Operation Cool strives to encourage School District 155 students to make a personal decision to wear their safety belts. This is accomplished through positive reinforcement, and prize giveaways.

Operation Cool has successfully raised the seat belt compliance rate among students from 65% to 95%, reducing the number of severe injuries during motor vehicle crashes and saving lives.

Seatbelt use going from 65% to 95%.

That sounds like a program that policy makers might try to replicate.

Maybe even in Oswego.

It seems to be a combination of education and bribery.

And it works.

As Crystal Lake Deputy Police Chief Dennis Harris told me,

We have seen almost a 50% increase in seat belt compliance. That 95% is significantly higher than the national average of between 72 and 75%.

Anecdotally, we do believe that the rate of teen accidents and the severity of those accidents has declined.

Why do the adults do this?

Youth between the ages of 15 - 20 comprise only 5% of the driving population yet they are involved in 14% of all fatal crashes.

Drivers between the ages of 16 - 17 are 6 times more likely to be involved in a crash than ALL other drivers combined.

There’s a quarterly seatbelt survey at each of District 155’s high schools.Charts of the results are posted in each school. I saw one in the cafeteria at Prairie Ridge.

Of the teens that sign a contract to live by the rules imposed, one is picked from each high school to enter a drawing for a new car supplied by Crystal Lake Pontiac-GMC Truck, owned by Sam Oginni. Oginni has just opened another dealership in Fox Lake.

That’s assuming the school’s compliance rate is above 90%

If a school’s compliance rate is over 95%, two students get a chance to win a new car.

It didn’t start out being a new car, just a recent model. That means even a used car dealer could get the ball rolling on a similar teen driving safety program.

There are lots of other prizes, too.

Crystal Lake Police Officer Sean McGrath told Crystal Lake Kiwanis that he pulls over students and, if they are “caught wearing a seatbelt,” he gives them a prize donated by local merchants or community groups.

He told one story of pulling over a mom and her child saying, “Don’t worry, Mom. It’s probably just a seat belt check.” (That’s not exact, but close.) In any event, the youth got a prize on the spot.

There is much more in the way of education and interaction between police and the students, of course. This is pretty much a full-court press to keep teens from killing themselves.

It doesn’t stop accidents.

But, it does save lives.

In one head-on collusion a couple of years ago (the word in the high schools is that they were playing chicken), a girl was sitting in the middle front seat. She had only a lap belt. But, she was wearing it. There's probably was zero chance she would have survived without it. She'll probably have problems all of her life, but she is alive.

And, she and her family probably have Operation Cool to thank.

So, why don't other towns copy this idea?

Maybe they will.

Here’s a link to the Chicago Tribune series on teen driving deaths.

For more McHenry County Blog, click here.
= = = = =
Winner of Operation Cool's car Matt Frederick poses with Crystal Lake Pontiac dealer Sam Oginni.

Labels: Crystal Lake, Crystal Lake High School District 155, Operation Cool, Oswego, Sam Oginni

As I was reading the Chicago Tribune while waiting for my swim conference- bound son to finish a two-hour practice, I read an article on page 14 entitled,

AIDS risk lower than thought for circumcised

Maybe it got better play in the New York Times, where the story by Donald G. McNeil Jr.originated, but page 14 in the Tribune struck me as not good enough.

Especially when put into juxtaposition with the coverage given Merck’s “Gardisil” HPV inoculations.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which I have been calling the Centers for the Spread of Disease since about 1989, say that vaccinated will be protected against 70% of cervical cancers and 90% of genital warts.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, still somehow director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, is quoted in the story thusly,

If we had an AIDS vaccine that was performing as well as this, it would be the talk of the town.

What’s the news you probably haven’t read?

Circumcision reduces a man’s risk (of becoming HIV-infected) by as much as 65%

Seems like the Bible has some good advice quite early on.

Labels: AIDS. Anthony Fauci, Bible, CDC, circumcision, HIV, HPV

Again, found at a McHenry Marlins Swim Team meeting, this tee shirt has a political message:

Vote! John
O’Neill

School Board
VoteMcHenry.com

I found out that he is first on the ballot.

And, there is a web site.

Labels: John O'Neill, McHenry Grade School, T-Shirt, Tee Shirt

I learned this afternoon that investment banking house Lehman Brothers submitted the lowest bid on Carpentersville School District 300 bond issue.

The rate is presumably being announced and accepted tonight.

A municipal bond expert told me that the average interest rate should not be more that 4.2%%.

But, more interesting that the exact rate will be how the school board plans to spend the extra $11 to $15 million over the $105 million face amount of the bonds.

I wonder if that will be shared at tonight’s board meeting.

Labels: District 300, Lehman Brothers

I have to hand it to Daily Herald reporter Chuck Keeshan.

Back in 2004 Keeshan was the reporter who figured out that the McHenry County Board had hired the same construction management firm to oversee construction of the new jail cells that was implicated in the McCormick Place bid-rigging scheme.

Now, he has discovered McHenry County is suing the same firm for what his article calls “substandard work.”

The same day one of the Jacobs Engineering’s ex-employees pled guilty in the McPier bid-rigging case and implicated other company employees, the McHenry County Board hired the firm to oversee the jail’s completion.

In pleading guilty, Jacobs employee James Nagel swore other company employees were involved, although their names were not made public. The next day a second ex-employee, Elizabeth Koski, confirmed further company involvement.

The county board approved the “plan and design” contract only after Brad Simmons, a St. Louis-based vice president, told the board that his firm--$5 billion, multi-national Jacobs Engineering--had no involvement in the Federal McPier corruption case.

Board members had no knowledge of the plea agreements at that meeting.

A tape of the meeting—which, incidentally, was subpoenaed by a Federal Grand Jury—showed the following:

then County Board member Ann Kate (R-Crystal Lake) asked,

"And the investigation has only involved these two? I mean it’s been checked out that this isn’t more widespread within your company? It’s just these two, correct?"

“Absolutely,” Simmons replied.

Earlier Simmons said there wasn’t even “hint of implications” of “charges” against his firm.

Ending the questioning, then County Board Chairman and now State Representative Mike Tryon (R-Crystal Lake) said, “I had had some questions. I think this answers them very well.”

The county board then awarded Jacobs a $699,637 contract to oversee the $10 million project.

After a subsequent board meeting when members had been provided the plea agreements, Keeshan got these quotes:

"I am quite concerned that we are involved in this and we can be tainted by it," (then) board member Don Brewer said Thursday. "The issue here is obstruction of justice and what was known about it by the highest levels of that firm. That's some serious stuff."

"It taints everything and the public perception and our perception is that (Jacobs) can't be trusted," (then) board member Ann Gilman added.

And, now the county is suing Jacobs, hoping to get compensated for damage to underground utilities.

Labels: Ann Gilman, Ann Kate, Bid-rigging, Elizabeth Koski, Jacobs Engineering, James Nagel, McCormick Place, McHenry County Board., McHenry County Jail, Mike Tryon

I don’t know why it took so long to figure out that House Speaker Mike Madigan has plans for suburban tollway motorists to finance his version of the Crosstown Expressway.

The scheme struck me Sunday night when I was reading Chicago Tribune transportation reporter John Hilkevitch’s article entitled,

New Crosstown project has key difference—tolls

Back in the 1970’s Glencoe Democratic Party State Representative Harold Katz passed a bill, which I was pleased to support, requiring that any new tollway pay its own way.

This law, of course, was repealed by DuPage County legislators when they wanted to build I-355.

So, toll tax payers on the Tri-State, the Northwest and the East-West Tollway have been forced to subsidize the old 355, as well as its extension into Will County.

Who cares that Northwest Tollway, Tri-State and DuPage portion users of the East-West motorists have paid for their road more than once?

Madigan obviously plans to use this Pate Philip technique to build the Crosstown.

Why not?

It’s free money, isn’t it?

And suburbanites won’t raise a stink.

There too busy earning money to continue paying tolls that should have been abolished decades ago.

Labels: Crosstown, East-West Tollway, Michael Madigan, Northwest Tollway, Pate Philip, Toll Tax Payers, Tollway, Tri-State Tollway

This is a quiz.

Which of the following employers listed on the Carpentersville School District 300 $105 million bond prospectus

Largest Area Employers

list are not located in District 300?

Sears Roebuck & Co.
SBC Illinois
Community Unit School District 300
St. Alexius Medical Center
Allstate Insurance Co., Business Insurance Div.
Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
Siemens Medical Systems
Center for Commerce & Economic Development, McHenry County College
Revcor, Inc.
Knaack mfg. Co.
Otto Engineering, Inc.
Leopardo Companies, Inc.
Black Dot Group
Seven Worldwide Publishing Solutions
TC Industries, Inc.
W. Kost Mfg. Co.
Althoff Industries, Inc.
Siemens Held Services
Midland Landscape Nursery, Inc.
Seigle’s Component Center
Bulk Lift International, Inc.
Bosch Rexroth Corp., Electric Drives & Controls Div.
Resolution Specialty Materials, LLC
Elteck Energy, Americas Div.
Precision Twist Drill Co.
Baxter & Woodman, Inc.
Crystal Die & Mold, Inc.
Eisenmann Corp.

Sorry if Crystal Lake residents have an advantage on this.

If you have missed Saturday's article on District 300's shrinking enrollment figures or Sunday's on how District 300 is going to get over $116 million out of a $105 million bond issue, you might find them of interest.
= = = = =
Pictured are the two locations of Althoff Industries. Can you tell us where they are in District 300?

Labels: Bond Prospectus, Crystal Lake, District 300

I’ve never read what I would call a school bond prospectus before, so I didn’t know what to expect.

I did know that financial documents such as this were federally regulated.

And that the level of “truth” required is considerably higher than in a referendum campaign.

Yesterday, I pointed out the difference between the referendum enrollment projections and the much, much lower number put in the prospectus.

Today we’ll look at what I found about how much money will be raised.

The cover says,

NOTICE OF SALE
AND
BID FORM
FOR
$105,000,000*
General Obligation School bonds, Series 2007

The asterisk says in the smallest print on the page

Preliminary, subject to change.

So, I’m reading the 40-page document at my son's swim practice and I get to the second page of the text and what do I see?

The bid price may not be less than $116,675,000 nor more than $120,000,000 plus accrued interest from the dated date of March 1, 2007 to the closing date of March 13, 2007.

Now, that is creative financing.

And, how is District 300 going to accomplish this magic?

I really would have liked to have District 300’s explanation, but, since the bonds are going to be sold Monday morning at 11 A.M., I’ll have to make my best guess.

The bonds are back loaded.

Know what that means?

It means that no interest will be paid on the money being borrowed on behalf District 300 taxpayers until 2015.

This sounds a lot like one of those “interest only” home loans so far, doesn’t it?

You know, the ones financial advisors do not advise.

The interest for the next five years (2015 through 2019) cannot be more than 9%.

That’s NINE PERCENT!

For the final five years of repayment (2021 through 2025), the interest rate may not exceed 5.25%.

I can’t wait to make a call to a municipal bond expert on Monday to find out what interest rate more conventional municipal and school borrowers are being charged. Since we are in a relatively low part of the interest rate cycle now, I’ll bet it will be lower that what District 300 will be charged.

Of course, with a regular, straight-line repayment schedule, a borrower wouldn’t get a “bonus” $11.7 million to $15 million dollars.

What will the school board do with the extra money?

Maybe we got a hint at a late October school board meeting.

At the time they were discussing how District 300 could buy Summit School:

"We are looking at Summit School. There is an opportunity…a services opportunity…We’d have to do some creative financing, but they’re willing to work with us."

I think the woman who said that is school board member Mary Warren. (Warren never returned my phone call, although I always returned her phone calls when she was lobbying me to ban leaf burning.)

Later the same woman referred to “creative financing, which this district is really good at.”

Perhaps the bond repayment schedule would help explain what Warren meant by “creative financing.”

Look at this repayment schedule:

2007-2014-Zero, nothing, nada
2015-$1.9 million
2016-$3.2 million
2017-$4.6 million
2018-$6 million
2019-$7.6 million
2020-$9.8 million
2021-$12.2 million
2022-$13.4 million
2023-$14.6 million
2024-$15.4 million
2025-$16.1 million

I don’t pretend to be a bond expert, but not paying a dime in principal for the first seven years of the loan is not something I’d want to do with my home’s mortgage.

I tried to get through to District 300 on Friday afternoon after digesting the lengthy document, but Communications Director Allison Smith suggested in an email Saturday afternoon that I should have informed Chief Financial Officer Cheryl Crates and her that I would need some time Friday to discuss it "earlier in the week."

I asked for the prospectus on February 13th, but didn’t get a call saying it was ready until eight days later. I picked it up Thursday (the next day) on the way home from a meeting.

Since I didn’t get the prospectus until Thursday afternoon, I really don’t have a clue how I could have known that I would want to ask questions in time to give much more timely notice than I gave, which was about noon and three on Friday. When I couldn’t get through to Crates and her secretary did not return my phone call, I emailed the questions to Smith.

Saturday’s email from Smith asked that anything I write

…this weekend about the bonds should NOT state or imply that D300 declined to comment. It would be accurate and fair to say that you had extensive questions and we had just one day to answer them, and that we’ve pledged to do so as soon as possible.

There it is.

Frankly, I don’t think District 300’s turnaround on my Freedom of Information request was at all timely (although it was within the legally amount of time allowed for an answer), considering the district knew the bonds would be sold Monday, but I shall be happy to run any answers I get shortly after I get them.

Tomorrow: District 300 phantom employers.

Labels: Allison Smith, Cheryl Crates, District 300, Mary Warren

With camera in hand and blizzard in the offing, your intrepid correspondent ventured into Huntley High School to visit the booths at the Huntley Expo.

There were a lot of booths.

So many that the aisles seemed narrower than at any Expo I have attended.

And, as state representative, if there were an Expo in my district, I was there.

Usually for the whole time it was open.

Being right-handed, I walked right.

The first political booth I ran into had a banner that read,

"Women for District 158"

Standing talking to people was Huntley School Board candidate Linda Moore.

Sitting in a wheel chair was Huntley School Board candidate Aileen Seedorf. (Politics must really be rough in Huntley. She must have caught some really bad breaks.)

In any event, they were interacting with potential constituents.

I continued around the corner and found a joint booth for State Rep. Mike Tryon and State Sen. Pam Althoff.

But there was no legislator to greet me.

Instead, Huntley entrepreneur Blake Hobson, Nunda Township Precinct 22 Republican precinct committeeman, former Nunda Township Trustee and the man appointed to replace GOP county board member Ann Kate when she moved.

We had a spirited discussion about the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax. Last fall, Hobson served on the county board committee that governed the Health Department and agreed with the cat regulation part of the animal control ordinance. He took the equity approach, arguing that both dog and cat owners should pay for the shelter, especially since such a large proportion of the animals were cats and kitten.

Ironically, Mary Donner, the Nunda Township Trustee that got the party nod to be on the fall ballot, also favored the ordinance.

On I walked until I found the booth of McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi. Manning that booth was 5-week Assistant State’s Attorney Demetri P. Tsillimigras. He’s in charge of prosecuting traffic prosecutions and previously worked in Kane County under two state’s attorneys and elsewhere.

He surely will be one of the few county employees who will be able to walk to work. That’s been pretty difficult since the county board illegally squirreled away money while I was McHenry County Treasurer to build a new courthouse on what I call “the Hebron site.” Tsillimigras has bought a house in the new Ryan subdivision west of the county complex.

I made some tasteless comment about DUI’s and Tsillimigras observed that the one just fired by Bianchi for being arrested for DUI was a good prosecutor who had wanted to make that side of the profession his life’s work.

As I walked on I found a booth for United States Congressman Don Manzullo.

And who was manning it?

The daughter of Marilyn McNally, one of my 1988 fellow convention candidates pledged to support Jack Kemp. Marilyn has moved from Wonder Lake to Rockton.

In any event, her daughter Brigit McNally (now) Johnson and her new husband Ben were behind the table.

As I walked around the perimeter again, I stopped at the Northwest Herald booth. They were giving away free newspapers, but, wouldn’t you know it, I had already bought my second NW Herald of the week that very morning.

I did have a nice talk with reporters/columnist Tom Musick and Jennifer Martikean. Now, because Martikean is a columnist, she gets her picture in the paper every Friday, but Musick is one of those reporters you only know by his byline.

So, I took a picture.

When I went back to the only candidates’ booth, the Women of District 158, I played their game. It involved tossing three blue wiffle balls onto a board with indentations having numbers underneath.

What are the odds of covering the “1,” “5” and “8?”

Pretty high, right?

But I did it.

I was only the second one of the day to do it.

My prize?

A handful of candy.

Not on my diet unfortunately.

It was the end of a long day and the two women candidates looked like they were ready go home.

So was it.

And I would have beat the start of the blizzard, if I hadn’t gone shopping first.

The Huntley Expo will be open Sunday, if you can dig your way out of your driveway.

Labels: Aileen Seedorf, Blake Hobson, Demetri Tsilimigras, Huntley Expo, Linda Moore, McHenry County State's Attorney

This was posted on Illinoize as a response to a column by Campaign Unit District 4 School Board candidate John Bambenek by political consultant Charles Johnson.

I think those running for the first time would benefit from reading it. (I have added paragraphing to make it easier to read.)

"Welcome to my world, John.

"What you write about is why I preach so much to all my conservative friends that idealism and principle are not enough if you want to make a difference.

"First you must develop a largeness of spirit to inoculate you from the vicious personal attacks you will be the target of if you jump into the fray in a public way.

"You will not recognize the strange character that your opponents say is you.

"Just understand that once you go public - you are not really the target. You become a symbol of something - something some elements are determined to destroy.

"It is what you symbolize that people go after and destroying you is the means by which they hope to achieve victory over what you stand for.

"So if it is self-actualization you're looking for, just get out. You can't possibly stand the savageness of the attacks unless you are firmly committed to something greater than yourself.

"Having jumped in, please be careful and please be rigorous in your own self-examination.

"Some people handle the shock of ugly personal attacks by becoming, themselves, bitter and vindictive.

"Others sell out in order to get approval from those they sought to reform or to advance themselves after some initial success. If you can you can suffer attacks with equanimity, without returning like for like, you take a big step in the right direction.

"The next thing is that politics entails specific skill sets.

"Learn them.

"Don't let your good intentions become an excuse for incompetence, a failing that many ideologues fall into.

"With almost every candidate I've ever worked with, there comes a day when it looks like the sky is falling in.

"When those times come, I always look at them, grin, and say, "A lot harder than it looks, isn't it?"

"It's a make or break moment for most politicians. You've had the first shock.

"Now work to become the guy that reassures others with a grin rather than the guy that needs to be reassured.

"There is a prayer I say, often several times a day. Some days it is just about the only thing I say. It is,

Lord, lead me in a plain path, turning neither to the left out of anger nor to the right out of fear. Lead me in a plain path.

"Welcome to the battlefield.

"With courage and resolution may you be one of those who brings honor to the name, politician. (And if you are one who says you are not a politician, quit saying it. Once your name is on a ballot, you are a politician whether you think of yourself that way or not. The only question is whether you will bring honor or dishonor to the profession.)

Crystal Lake consultant Coffee Group, advisor to State Rep. Mike Tryon, among others, adds comments below Johnson’s at Illinoize.

Labels: Charles Johnson, Coffee Group

I found this one on Randall Road on the first Saturday of February when the wind was blowing like a blizzard and the salt trucks had covered the roads.

It says,

OLDER By 6

I wonder if that is an older brother or sister or husband or wife.

Labels: License Plate

Two instances in one week where citizen pressure made a difference in public policy formation! First the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax and now a stem-cell research vote.

Wow!

(Sorry for the college verbiage, but I have taught state and local government at Rockford and Harper Colleges in years past and sometimes lapse into "classroom speak.")

If you even wonder whether McHenry County’s Republican State Senator Pam Althoff will listen to her constituents, take a look at what is under the Senator’s picture on the front page of today’s Northwest Herald.

It says, “Program is too controversial.”

The fight against the bill, which would legitimize the illegitimate Executive Order of Governor Rod Blagojevich to spend $10 million on stem cell research, including on human embryos, was hotly opposed by pro-life groups.

McHenry County’s Right-to-Life lady, Irene Napier, was sending out emails encouraging people to contact Senator Althoff.

Apparently enough did to convince Senator Althoff not to offend a large proportion of her Republican primary voters.

Althoff is up for re-election next year.

Althoff told the NW Herald reporter Brenda Schory that she opposed the bill for two reasons:

• it would cost money the state did not have and
• the state should not be spending money on a program that so many of her constituents oppose

Althoff told the NW Herald that she supported

Senate Bill 19 sponsored by State Sen. William Haine (conservative Democrat from the Metro East area), which would establish a statewide network of umbilical cord banks and supports umbilical cord stem-cell research.

“To date, there are absolutely no successful studies that have shown embryonic stem-cell research will cure or help any of the diseases frequently referenced—like juvenile diabetes or epilepsy,” Althoff said.

SB 4, the bill Althoff voted against, passed the senate 35-23, with 30 needed for passage.

Labels: Irene Napier, McHenry County Republican Cat Tax, McHenry County Right-to-Life, Pam Althoff, Stem-cell research

I ran into two cat ladies at the re-modeled Crystal Lake Jewel this morning.

The one in the parking lot was wearing this sweatshirt, one of four like it she had bought when the opportunity arose.

Can you guess the Northwest Herald reporter, of whom she is justifiably proud, is her nephew?

A hint: she lives near Crystal Lake Central High School, where she says there are a lot of well-fed outdoor cats. She has one that stays inside.

My second was cat heroine Lyn Orphal. She is the McHenry County Board member who made the motion to protect cats from the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax Collectors.

Orphal had mentioned in her presentation that she had discussed the cat tax with her dining partners that very day and the couple was quite negative on the cat tax.

I told her that her floor motion reminded me of the Illinois House of Representatives in thee 1970’s before House Speakers decided to require their personal approval of all amendments to House bills.

The county board discussion of the cat tax really deserved to be televised, but, of course, it wasn’t videotaped.

It was the most vibrant demonstration of democracy in action that I have seen. It is certainly more of a democratic process than anything in the General Assembly since at least 1993.

Both sides had rational points of view and argued their cases well before the 12-10 vote to kill the cat tax.

I asked Orphal, who is in her sixth year on the county board, if she had ever seen anything like it. She said she hadn’t.

She explained that she had called no one ahead of time. In previous split votes, she said, members had been lobbied, and, hence, knew that there was a difference of opinion.

This time it pretty much came without prior warning.

Labels: Lyn Orphal, McHenry County Republican Cat Tax

There was a crisis when Carpentersville District 300 went to the voters a year ago.

New subdivisions were going to grow so fast that the schools would not have enough room.

That was the pitch.

But there is no “truth in advertising” for school districts and tax hike committees like Advance 300.

As Huntley School Board member Larry Snow says, “There is no consumer fraud protection from school officials on referendums.”

There are different rules in the financial markets.

You tell the truth or you get punished.

I filed a Freedom of Information request for District 300’s “last bond prospectus.”

What I got was the “Notice of Sale and Bid Form” for the $105 million being sold next Monday.

Boy, was it illuminating.

It seems that the enrollment figures given potential investors differ markedly from those present by District 300 administrators and its tax hike committee a year ago.

Guess how many more students there are estimated to be between last spring and the 2011-2012 school year—five years.

2,176.

Divide that by five.

That does not exactly sound like a tsunami of new kids, does it?

Here are the numbers listed in the federally regulated financial document:

2005-6 18,689
2006-7 19,117
2007-8* 19,593
2008-9* 20,011
2009-10* 20.471
2010-11* 20,897
2011-12* 21,293

(The asterisks refer to the 2005 Ehlers’ study.)

That’s 440 new students per year (from the base year of 2005-6 for the next five years—through 2010-11), unless my calculator or I made a mistake. (It’s fewer per year, if I use the six-year figures in the document.)

Elgin’s Daily Courier News reported the referendum hype was 1,140 new kids per year.

In the same article, reporter Jeanne Hovanec revealed that the figure now being touted by District 300 was 775 per year.

And that apparently does not exclude the, what, 750 students who will be attending the charter school. (Or if it does, there is no explanatory footnote.)

So, why would the District’s official request to borrow money show 440 or fewer kids per year?

I tried to ask District 300’s Chief Financial Officer Cheryl Crates, starting about noon on Friday, but got no answer.

When I couldn’t reach her after another call between 2:20 and 3, I emailed my questions to Allison Smith, District 300’s Communications Director. She did reply by email, but I got no answers.

Since the bonds are to be sold Monday at 11 A.M., I hope the District 300 folks will understand why I am publishing what I do this weekend without their input.

Labels: District 300, Enrollment

I read a comment that Cary Grade School member Chris Jenner made about his letter to the editor of the Northwest Herald being edited and was so amused, I thought I would share it with you.

Use the link above to read what the NW Herald published. Here is the Jenner's original letter:

To the Editor:

State Rep. Mary Flowers (C-31st) recently introduced HB382, which would make it state law that school children wash their hands before eating. I'm not anti-hygiene, but where does government nannying stop?

In 2005, Illinois passed a law (PA 093-0946) requiring K/2nd/6th graders to have dental exams. It was sponsored by State Rep. David Miller (C-29th), who by coincidence is a dentist and president of the Illinois State Dental Society's Political Action Committee.

Gee, I wonder if Rep. Flowers owns stock in an antiseptic soap supplier.

It's clear you parents are incapable of electing ethical officials who understand the concept of limited government. Are you also completely incapable of raising your children without government telling you what to do every step of the way?

Why stop with washing hands? I call on our legislators to introduce the Clean Posterior Act of 2007, requiring all Illinoisans to wipe in a manner consistent with national standards.

The NW Herald didn't like the last paragraph.

It's so funny it belongs in an editorial cartoon.

I don't know Representative Miller, but I do know Mary Flowers and I would be astounded if she had any conflict of interest.

I agree that it looks pretty bad to have a dentist sponsoring a bill to get his profession more business.

And I think Jenner's parting shot about legislators who aspire to the role of nanny is hilarious.

Someone who would introduce such a bill would obviously be an ally of the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax Collectors.

Got word back from a legislator driving home who showed the letter to Mary Flowers. She told him that she wished she owned stock in an antiseptic soap company. Mary was always such fun.

Labels: Chris Jenner, David Miller, Illinios General Assembly, Mary Flowers

A doting cat owner sent me this photo of her cats.

She is really pleased that all four of her county board members voted to kill the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax.

Here's the accompanying email:

Here are my "dangerous cats". Both neutered and vaccinated. Spock on the left and Sebastian on the right.

Terribly scary aren't they?

RIGHT.

Labels: McHenry County Republican Cat Tax

I presume these were posted by the school’s Student Against Drunk Driving club, as were the others ones on previous days.

They are aimed at drugs in general, not just alcohol.

These were posted on a hallway wall at McHenry West High School.

Again, if you wish to read them, click on the image.

Labels: McHenry West High School, Poster, SADD

This started out as “Why aren’t you running for re-election?” article.

Crystal Lake Park Board President Scott Breeden’s statement about the future, however, changes its emphasis:

As for my future plans, yes, I will probably run for something else after a short hiatus. What that will be is still undetermined, but I feel that the County Board may need my attention at that time.

How interesting, especially in light of the votes by the two District 2 incumbents who terms are up next year in favor of the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax Tuesday night.

Their names?

John Heisler, a long-time member, and

Marie Chmiel, elected in 2004. Chmiel’s husband Mike was just elected to a Circuit Judgeship, so that might mean that she wouldn’t run again. Then again, it might have no impact on her decision. Chmiel also unsuccessfully applied to be appointed County Auditor when Ruth Rooney retired last December. That countrywide office will also be up next year.

But, back to the original story.

What does Breeden think he has accomplished on the park board and why didn’t he run for re-election?

• The business that a friend and I started several years ago is going very well and is demanding my full attention, leaving me little time to devote to other things.


• When I ran four years ago it was to see if I could get the Park Board changed to a seven member board,


• To get the Board and staff to think about saving money for future projects rather than indiscriminately borrowing just because they can.


• To consolidate some of the existing facilities into a true community center, providing services that could be expanded as the greater Village of Lakewood area's needs require.

Getting the above mentioned goals accomplished was as they say, ”like making sausage;” it wasn't pretty, but I was effective.

After looking at the many qualified individuals who will be running for the five open board seats, I feel that no matter who is elected, the Park District will be left in very good hands.

My family has told me that I'm not a “go along to get along” kind of guy and that I may even be a little hardheaded, impatient and opinionated. My personality needs a strong and definite goal, which I feel has been accomplished.

It should be noted that Breeden presided over the contentious Gay Games debate and I didn’t see him lose his cool once.

Breeden previously served as President of the Village of Lakewood.

One final note. All of the information from Breeden came well before Tuesday night's McHenry County Republican Cat Tax vote.

= = = = =
Scott Breeden's slightly fuzzy picture from a Gay Games park board meeting is on top.

Next are McHenry County Board members John Heisleer and Marie Chmiel.

Labels: Crystal Lake Park Board, John Heisler, Marie Chmiel, McHenry County Board., Scott Breeden

One of the people speaking during the public comment period at the McHenry County Board meeting on Tuesday night was Union’s Lisa Stanton. She was kind enough to provide a copy of what she said and I thought you might be interested. (The headings are my own.)

I’d like to speak on a number of points this evening relating to board decisions and public meetings.

Attitude of County Board Members

I’ve attended several meetings previously and while listening to other speakers I have observed the board members as the speakers address them publicly. Body language imparts far more to the public at the meetings than one might realize and I have unfortunately noticed in the past that it frequently appears board members are not truly listening to the speakers, but engaged in other activities or thoughts. This is truly disappointing. I’m sure we would all like to have our elected officials genuinely engage in the comments the public brings…no disrespect intended, just an honest observation.

Cat Tax

Regarding the cat tax, voters have previously expressed they are displeased with this yet additional tax. I’ve not heard of any vicious cat problems. Additionally, only responsible voters whose cats go to the vet and receive vaccinations will even be known. So a large group evades the tax. Voters who might have adopted from the shelter, now may decide not to. If the board had chosen the more fiscally responsible option for a new shelter at the County Seat instead of the CL location, less funding would have been required.

Sheriff’s Office

I’m appalled by the incident