McHenry County Blog

Here's what the sunset looked like from the end of the boat pier at Gate 7 in Crystal Lake.

I see pastels worse of all and my guess is that there are lots of pastels in this picture.

I hope you enjoy it.

And, if that one doesn't please you, here's one taken a couple of minutes before across the north end of the Crystal Lake Park District's Main Beach.

Labels: Crystal Lake, Gate 7 Beach, Main Beach, Message of the Day, Pastel, Sunset

What on earth is going on in Island Lake?

Here is a follow-up post on the blog “What's Happening in Island Lake?” complete with video of the arrest!

You will remember from yesterday that disabled marine veteran Greg Kachka was threatened with arrest because of the tee-shirt he wore to the last village board meeting.

At least that guy in neighboring Prairie Grove didn't arrest me when the school board thought I laughed too loud and when I took pictures through the District 46 school library's Venetian blinds.

Maybe there's something in the water along Route 176.

BREAKING NEWS! GREG KACHKA ARRESTED

Posted by Laurie at 6:08 PM

Today, Island Lake resident, Greg Kachka, a disabled Vietnam Veteran of the United States was arrested by VOIL Police at his home for charges of disorderly conduct stemming from alleged misconduct during a March 13 VOIL Board meeting.

According to Mr. Kachka, he was accused of making a hand gesture of shooting a gun at trustee Debbie Herrmann.

During the video of said meeting, I have found no such evidence that any hand gestures were made or any fear or intimidation of the resident, an outspoken resident who attends meetings regularly.

Video (1 minute, 44 seconds) of the arrest can be found on this link.

I posted bail after an anonymous citizen put up the $400 bail money needed to release Mr. Kachka from the VOIL jail.

After being released, Mr. Kachka was in good spirits but noted he was in pain from tightly bound handcuffs and from having to maneuver his body in ways that were next to impossible due to his many disabilities.

When asked, Mr. Kachka said he was not read his miranda rights and was not shown any warrant for his arrest, only that he was told by the police that they had a warrant for his arrest.

In my opinion, this situation can really only be summed up as retaliation.

This is a man who came to Board meetings on a regular basis, confronted the Board many times, confronted the Mayor and asked questions, pointed out wrong doings.

And in return, in my opinion, this is what happens to a regular citizen who in my opinion, "gets out of line" and "isn't afraid of Mayor Hyde and his cronies."

Posted by Laurie at 5:50 PM

You will notice that Vietnam Vet Greg Kachka is wearing the same tee shirt he wore at the Island Lake village board meeting as three policemen in two cars take him into custody.

An indication that the Village of Island Lake isn't a complete police state yet is the apparently lack of an arrest of the person taking the video footage.

Oh, well. There's still time. The village board meeting was a couple of weeks ago, I think.

I also note that Richard Garling, the Democratic Party candidate against State Rep. Mark Beaubien (R-Barrington Hills) is on the Island Lake village board. I wonder what he thinks of all of this.

Pictures of the arrest are from the linked video may be enlarged by clicking on them. The photo of Island Lake Village President Tom Hyde is from the village web site. All photos may be enlarged by clicking on them.

The "friendly community" line is from the village web site the day of the arrest.

Labels: Greg Kachka, Island Lake, Richard Garling, T-Shirt, Tee Shirt, Tom Hyde, What's Happening in Island Lake?

The McHenry County Health Department, a.k.a, the wannabe McHenry County Republican Cat Tax Collectors are back.

The have identified two rabid bats in Cary.

That's pretty close.

And, one got inside.

In a basement.

Don't play coy.

You know about basements.

You run through the basement door any chance you get.

Then Cat Mom has to use those cat wipie dipes to clean off the dirt.

Now, if she reads this article, she might be more worried that you would get bitten by a rabid bat.

You are so lucky that she doesn't read McHenry County Blog.

No word on whether the McHenry County Board will try to force house cats to have rabies shots, while ignoring those barn cats that may be in real danger.

"If it's all the same with you, Cat Dad, I'd rather sleep."

Labels: Cary, Keely, McHenry County Public Health Department, McHenry County Republican Cat Tax, Rabit Bat

In the

category is legislative language proposed by

• Oak Park State Senator Don Harmon, plus
• Mattie Hunter,
• Donne E. Trotter,
• James A. DeLeo,
• Iris Y. Martinez,
• Michael Noland,
• M. Maggie Crotty,
• Kirk W. Dillard,
• Jacqueline Y. Collins and
• John J. Millner and supported in committee by
  
• Kwame Raoul,
• Michael Bond,
• James Clayborne,
• Mattie Hunter and
• Antonio Munoz

Two who might run for governor--Republicans Bill Brady and Dan Rutherford--voted against the bill in committee, as did the GOP's Brad Burzynski . Dan Cronin, also a Republican, voted present.

The supporters want to allow auto mechanics and body guys, sign hangers, auto attendants and, would you believe, messengers to retire at full pension benefits after 25 years.

Lots of other tollway folks, too:

lane walkers, toll collectors, section clerk and parts clerk, warehouse workers, money room truck driver, money room cash handlers and custodians.

Make no mistake about these employees being your bed rock patronage types. They work not only for the tollway, but for Agriculture, Transportation and Central Management Services.

This is one audacious bill.

Jim Tobin's National Taxpayers United of Illinois flagged this atrocity for me. NTU's press release is the top one on its new web site.

Ultimate credit goes to Kristen McQueary, however, I was told. These abuses of the taxpaying public were featured in her Sunday Daily Southtown column.

Can anyone in Springfield spell 401(k)?

= = = = =
In the photo of the O'Hare toll plaza at rush hour, note that one of the cash booths is unmanned. Probably out lobbying a state senator for a pension increase.

Labels: Don Harmon, Donne Trotter, Iris Martinez, Jacqueline Collins, Jim DeLeo, John Millner, Kirk Dillard, Kwame Raoul, Maggie Crotty, Mattie Hunter, Messengers, Michael Bond, Michael Noland, Pension

I finally found something I could agree with Barack Obama's former pastor on:


With that I agree.

Labels: Barack Obama, God's Will, Jeremiah Wright

Politico has written a profile of 8th congressional district U.S. Representative Melissa Bean's chief of staff.

Thought you might be interested in reading it.

His name is John Michael Gonzalez and he hales from Texas.

Labels: 8th Congressional District, John Michael Gonzalez, Melissa Bean

When I skimmed Family PAC's email announcing the defeat of the Democratic Party-backed constitutional amendment to allow a progressive income tax in Illinois, I saw the number 35 and thought, “That was close.”

It takes 36 votes, a two-thirds majority, to pass a constitutional amendment in Illinois.

But when I found the roll call, I saw that the measure got 35 “No” votes.

That meant almost half of the senators in the Democratic Party bailed out.

Perhaps the phone calls that Paul Caprio's group made to Downstate Democrats helped win the day. His press release follows:

SPRINGFIELD - 4:28PM - APRIL 29
GRADUATED INCOME TAX AMENDMENT DEFEATED IN ILLINOIS SENATE

Downstate Democrats joined with Republicans today in decisively defeating an attempt to put a graduated income tax proposal on the Illinois ballot this
November. The vote of 35 no/19 yes and 1 present was so decisive that the proposal is now dead for this session.

The taxpayers of Illinois have been saved from hundreds and millions of dollars of excessive taxes and the business climate in Illinois has been saved from further erosion.

Family-Pac made more than 23,000 live transfer calls in six target Senate districts that resulted in more than 766 constituent calls to legislators in these districts during the past week. In addition to that, we made more than 81,000 calls across the state where voters were asked to call their state senator.

April 29, 2008 - A good day... for Illinois taxpayers.

Paul Caprio

Maybe Senate Democrats have been following the travails of their favorite presidential candidate and concluded that his coattails, even in Illinois, may not be as long as they thought.

Labels: Family PAC, Graduated Income Tax, Income Tax, Income Tax Hike, Paul Caprio, Progressive Income Tax

Coming home, I detoured along South Shore Drive at Gate 9 in Lakewood and saw that the boat piers have been put in for the season.

It's going to have to be a lot warmer than yesterday to convince me to put our pontoon boat in our slip.

Next we came upon a truck with a new pier for Country Club Additions Property Owners Association Beach 7.

They seem to be less slippery and there go in both directions at the end. I've read there will be two benches.

There's also a pile of new sand that will end up on the bottom of Crystal Lake by mid-summer.

The raft isn't out yet. You can see its edge at the bottom of the lower photo.

Labels: CCAPOA, Country Club Additions Property Owners Association, Lakewood, Pier

In phone records this time.

Here is what the Chicago Tribune is reporting on its internet site, in a 4-28-8, 2:32 PM post, story I just noticed:

”FBI agent Charles Willenborg, who already testified earlier in the trial, is now back testifying about an analysis of phone records that he did during the investigation.

“The agent told the jury the FBI analyzed records of phones associated with Rezko and numerous government witnesses or figures whose names have come up in testimony:

Stuart Levine, fundraiser Chris Kelly, William Cellini, Tom Rosenberg, Allison Davis, Thomas Beck, Jeff Ladd, Edward Kelly, Sheldon Pekin, Joseph Aramanda and Lon Monk, former Blagojevich chief of staff.”

Labels: Jeff Ladd, Tony Rezko

Not that I would imagine the company cares, but Peoria's Caterpillar is safe from the liberal Methodists who wanted to condemn it and worse for selling heavy equipment to Israel which was used to construct the wall to keep terrorists from blowing themselves up.

The so-called Board of Church and Society capitulated before the once-every-four-year international conference. These folks settled for talking with Caterpillar representatives.

Whatever.

Similarly motivated efforts to take Methodist investments out of Israel are being defeated in committee.

As some readers probably have gathered, I am a Methodist. For decades my church has been in decline, having lost the evangelical fervor of its founder John Wesley. In 1965, there were 11.5 million members. Two years ago, membership was under 8 million.

Northern Illinois conference leaders like former Bishop Joseph Sprague, whose views would have astounded Wesley, have driven faithful Christians from my denomination, not to mention from my First United Methodist Church of Crystal Lake. We lost two finance chairmen, for example.

National leaders are more interested in supporting radical political positions than Christian conversions and deepening members' faith.

So far, there has been no national coverage of the Houston general conference, but there will be.

Four years ago, you would have been excused if you thought Methodists cared about nothing but the endorsement of the homosexual agenda. That was about all there was in the news.

It was if the delegates were more into politics than Christianity.

And, a lot were.

But, the conservatives or more traditionally minded delegates narrowly carried the day.

This mightily upset the liberals, especially, the frank comments of the rapidly growing African conference delegates about the subject of the incompatibility of homosexuality with traditional Biblical teaching.

They do not even understand why the subject is on the general conference agenda.

Methodists are committed to its quadrennial conferences being broadly representative of local membership.

Because of the rapid church membership growth in Africa and other parts of the world where the traditional Wesleyan message has found fertile ground, the liberals hope of wresting control of the law-making conference has dimmed.

In fact, those forces have at the top of their agenda the separation of the United States from the worldwide Methodist Church. The liberals want to follow the examples of American Episcopalians. They want to run their own show without meddlesome reminders from abroad about what Wesley's movement is all about.

If the liberals fail in their restructuring effort in Houston, future international Methodist gatherings will begin tilting back toward traditional values.

I'd say, “I can't wait,” but I have learned that it's God's time table, not mind, that counts.

= = = = =
The photos are various pictures of the First United Methodist Church of Crystal Lake.

Perhaps there is some symbolism in the order of the photos. The one on top might represent the winter of decline which the national church has undergone over the past four decades, having lost at least one-quarter of its members. The storm clouds in the next photo could represent the dissension that surfaces ever four years at the Quadrennial General Conferences. No storm clouds during the summer outreach effort. David Hill, the man you see singing at the right of the float said he could see members of the crowd enchanted by the snappy modern religious songs. As some saw they were Christian songs, however, they seem confused, as if they shouldn't be liking the music. The final photo might represent the church as a whole flowering after it winter of discontent.

The float with the band in front of the church was taken at the 2007 4th of July Parade.

Labels: 2008 Geenral Conference, 4th of July Parade, First United Methodist Church of Crystal Lake, General Conference, Methodist Churchj

Look what the Carpentersville School District 300 Policy Committee is discussing:

Random searches in middle and high schools

Unfortunately, you will have to click on the image to see this part of the proposal.

Labels: District 300, Random Searches

This is pretty hard to believe, but this is what is appearing on the blog “What's Happening in Island Lake?”

BREAKING NEWS!

Island Lake Resident Told to Turn Himself In...

BREAKING NEWS!

Greg Kachka of Island Lake was told by Island Lake police to turn himself in to the police department or he would be arrested by police.

Why?

I've gotten word it is due to Misconduct during a Board Meeting in late March.

I carefully reviewed the video of that meeting and did not see any misconduct by Greg Kachka.

More notable was the lack of a "threatened" look by ANY BOARD members. The facial expressions and body language by the Board members signaled nothing was unusual. And even more notable is the timeline.

This incident of misconduct occured on March 13.

Today is April 28—it takes the VOIL(Village of Island Lake) over a month to compile a case of misconduct against a resident attending a village Board meeting? Why over a month later?

Because, in my opinion, you can't go against some people on the Board and even some employees, remember, my opinion or you will face consequences called the Village of Island Lake.

Dirty politics, dirty games.

We live in America, and, according to my sources (unable to reach Greg at this time) a veteran, a resident, is being arrested for alleged misconduct in a Board meeting...what?

He asked questions?

He wasn't afraid.

He stood up for himself?

Is this a tactic to scare the people of Island Lake away?

Scare them off this blog?

Does the VOIL realize this conduct makes them look petty, scared, malicious and incredible?

Watch the video on http://www.cbgil.com/ and decide for yourself. Greg, the people are behind you!

The tee shirt has a picture of a Marine sniper and says,

DON'T MOVE

IF YOU

RUN

YOU WILL

ONLY DIE

TIRED!!

USMC

I wonder if the village board want him to turn in his guns, too.

Might as well go after both the First and Second Amendment, right?

= = = = =
The tee shirt comes from the Lori & Johnny blog.

Labels: Greg Kachka, Island Lake, What's Happening in Island Lake?

I'm not much of a sports fan.

Haven't been since the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn, although I did win some money betting from irrational White Sox fans betting on the LA version when they faced off in the World Series right while in my final two years of high school after moving from Middletown, New York, to Crystal Lake.

But, still, this Cubs flag deserves more publicity than it gets from being on a busy corner in a Lake in the Hills subdivision.

Don't you think?

Half mast and all.

As you can see I took it during winter.

Or was it late spring?

I wonder if it is still at half mast.

Labels: Baseball, Brooklyn Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Flag, Half Mast, LA Dodgers, White Sox

As readers of McHenry County Blog know, McHenry County State's yours truly, Attorney Lou Bianchi sued the McHenry County College Board for kicking four citizens, including from out of its building while the trustees were meeting in top secret, hush, hush, about what shall we do about leasing land to or from, I assume, a radio station.

President Walt Packard was so desperate to keep any information about what John McGuire was proposing that he rushed to cover the window through which I took the second, more revealing slide (the one below with his head blocking part of the slide) with the American flag. That's his head behind the American flag above, too.

Although the meeting went on until after midnight and several other top secret, hush, hush meetings have considered John McGuire's radio tower proposal, all that has leaked out has been two photographs seen above taken through the windows of the McHenry County College board room.

But, another source provided this information about what McGuire wants. If this is correct, wouldn't you think the public ought to know about it?

But, there's no paper trail at McHenry County College, except what Trustee Scott Summers took home. And, the college said that was top secret, hush, hush, as well...even after Summers had drawn all those black lines through it.

After the big cover-up, I got this warning letter from Packard.

Then, I found this article about getting permission to put towers on land in Will County. Don't know if it is related, but I believe the radio station next to MCC's campus is owned by the same corporation.

While the college board instructed its security officers to cover up the windows the night I took the photos of the broadcast tower slides and, not coincidentally, in my opinion, the night we four were kicked out, now there is a more efficient method.

Newly-installed Venetian blinds prevent us prying taxpayers from seeing inside the board room named after former board members Herb Lutter and Bill Ryan. (Somehow, I don't think the two, both of whom I knew fairly well, would have approved of all the secrecy.)

I know their names because they are on a plaque right next to the sign informing people outside the room that a secret meeting is going on and right next to the sign saying flash photography is prohibited.

Since one can no longer see the top secret, hush, hush, meetings, all one has to look at now that the college secrecy advocates have installed Venetian blinds to, well, keep prying eyes and cameras from seeing what goes on in a top secret, hush, hush, college board meeting.

I asked some friends who might be attending last Thursday's meeting to let me know what happened. Here's one response from a friend of McHenry County Blog:

You missed a lot of interesting information at the MCC Trustees meeting(s) tonight. Here are some highlights:

In response to a citizen question about why Friends of MCC Foundation Director Joe Like is included in closed sessions, when he is employed by the Foundation itself, Dr. Packard stated that Mr. Like is a paid employee of the college and a member of the President’s cabinet.

The decision to buy the $2600 Apple notebook computers instead of the $8-900 PC's was "curriculum driven."

Maybe, I dunno.

When the slate of new officers was presented it turned out that Donna Kurtz was not contacted and did not have any input into the process, nor could she get Mary Miller who was the nominating chair (and slated for Vice President) to commit when asked to affirm that the new leadership team would be open minded and willing to consider the ideas and views of ALL the Trustees.

Ms. Miller just deflected, by asserting that the whole board was already pretty open and had made some good progress toward being more so. Mr. Lowe (slated President) deflected by keeping his head down.

When she was distracted from an agenda item by a side discussion with Carol Larson, George Lowe impatiently reprimanded Donna Kurtz that she should pay attention sometimes.

When newly seated (literally five minutes before) Student Trustee Tom Kendzie voted “abstain” from a roll call vote on reappointment of the Board Attorney Sandra Kerrick, he was told he couldn’t do that. He voted affirmative on that and the rest of the agenda. (His vote either way did not change the outcome.)

George Lowe prefaced his comments on the same agenda item with comments that it was too late to make any desired changes at this meeting; that they should work on that and get it ready for next year if they wanted to change attorneys.

Oh, and they watered down Donna Kurtz's idea to have OM training for the board, into a request for the State's Attorney to schedule one of their trainings on an MCC Trustees "off-night" so those who wanted to attend could attend and those who did not want to... well you get the drift.

But nothing quite says it all like the irony of going into closed session to discuss the State's Attorney’s filing an Open Meetings violation against them.

On a more positive note, they did a nice job of presenting Katie Claypool with a plaque and her parents were there to celebrate with her. They swore in the new student trustee and senate officers. And they finished all three agenda's by 9 p.m. Not a word about a cell tower.

Anonymous

And, a post script:

I forgot to tell you that there were no barricades as Packard had mentioned in the Herald article that there would be. We were very disappointed.

The new student trustee needs to know that he can abstain on anything he wants to, regardless of what anyone says, unless there is something in the board rules specifically saying abstentions are not allowed. It won't take long for him to see that anti-bullying rules do not apply to board meetings.

Except for the two pictures of the new Venetian blinds, one open from the inside next to Trustee Donna Kurtz and one closed from the outside, the other photos of efforts to cover up the windows occurred at the meeting before the four of us were illegally kicked out of the MCC building.

Labels: Donna Kurtz, George Lowe, Joe LIke, John McGuire, Katie Claypool, Lou Bianchi, Mary Miller, MCC, McHenry County College, Sandy Kerrick, Tom Kendzie, Walt Packard

This past weekend was a men's Walk to Emmaus.

It's a Thursday night through Sunday night experience from which most derive a significant spiritual experience.

It is described as a “short course in Christianity,” but it is more.

For some, it is a transformational experience. For others, it is a chance for renewal away from the world of clocks, cell phones and a constant barrage of news.

You've all heard the prodigal son story, surely one of Jesus' most well know parables.

All the participants were represented at this weekend's retreat at Resurrection Center.

There was the father and son reunion.

The faithful son, who in this version, realized that patience was what he needed.

And the joyful onlookers.

One man told me he was running on empty when he went, but now was filled with the spirit.

I've never served in the armed forces, but the brotherhood that develops there and the one forged in this long weekend may have similarities.

I won't bore you with the details, but, if you even have an interest, my email address is in the entry on top. The next men's walk is in September. The next women's walk is next weekend, but it's chock-a-block full. There will be summer and fall women's walks. (Funny how more women than men are interested in such events.)

= = = = =
I see from the sign at the facility's entrance that the name has been changed. It seems to be called “Compass Ridge Conference Center.” (The photo on top was taken at dusk, so you will have to click on it to be able to read the words.)

Oh, well. It will remain Resurrection Center for most locals, just as Centegra is still McHenry Hospital. And, glory be, I see there is a second sign with the old name. I was told that the old part is called Resurrection Center, while the new part with more amenities is called Compass Ridge.

Labels: Compass Ridge Conference Center., Resurrection Center, Walk to Emmaus

I found this car sticker at the Algonquin Public Library.

It advertises St. Margaret Mary School in Algonquin.


“Family –
"Faith –
"Friends”

is the emphasis under a cross.

Labels: Algonquin, Catholic School, St. Mary Margaret School

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley held something called a “gun summit” Friday.

But, you know what?

He didn't offer to disarm his body guards.

And, he didn't ask aldermen and women to turn in their guns (which they are allowed to have...unlike ordinary citizens in need of personal protection).

There has been other recent news on Chicago African-American views on guns and those of the McHenry County Board.

Labels: Aldermen, Gun Control, Gun Summit, Richard Daley

What's this all about?

Salary Proposal Clarification

On the salary schedule of the Board of Education’s first proposal, most existing HEA members would receive a minimum 4.25% salary increase.

Teachers who have advanced to the maximum step in their given lane, or move from a lane that no longer exists, will receive a minimum 2% increase.

Thus, under the Board of Education’s first proposal, no current HEA member will receive less than a 2% annual increase during the term of the contract (emphasis in the original).

Who on earth would think that a school teacher would ever get a pay cut?

= = = = =
Last May the women in the picture were leaders of the Huntley Education Association. They were praising the retiring school board meetings when they made this appearance.

Labels: HEA, Huntley Education Association, Huntley School District 158, Teacher Negotiations, Teacher Salaries

If not, here's how to get it.

Labels: McHenry County, McHenry County Treasurer, Property Tax, Real Estate Tax

It's time to pay the piper, in this case the owners of the Gilger property which the McHenry County College Board voted to purchase during a Crystal Lake City Council meeting on March 4th.

MCC contract attorney Sandy Kerrick announced that the closing would be Monday.

That's when the 57-acre property will be purchased for $67,000 per acre or about $3.8 million.

But the interest rate is quite low—3.771%--as McHenry County College Board President George Lowe pointed out at Monday's Committee of the Whole meeting.

Referring to the low interest rate, college President Walt Packard pointed out after the meeting that bad economic times can sometimes yield some good results.

The bonds will be paid off over a twenty year period.

= = = = =
The fuzzy photo of a smiling George Lowe was taken without a flash, as the sign beside the door instructs.

Both photos may be enlarged by clicking on them.

Both

Labels: Debt Certificates, George Lowe, McHenry County College, Walt Packard

There's been quite a debate on character education.

Should parents inculcate values or should teachers?

I thought of that controversy when I realized that teachers made a big deal about being able to make an extra $10,000 a year just five minutes away.

Here is what appears on page one of the Huntley Education Association's proposal:

"We want to be treated like our peers in the surrounding consolidated districts.

“We want to make sure that our great teachers don't leave our district because they can get paid $10,000 more five minutes away."

When I looked at the list of teacher contracts (click to enlarge) that were submitted to the Huntley School District 158's board of education, there was a glaring omission:Was that because Woodstock's union is not associated with the Illinois Education Association? (I remember being lobbied by Woodstock High School teacher Jim Birch on behalf of the Illinois Federation of Teachers before he started teaching at McHenry College. I assume it still is.)

So, what do Woodstock teachers get paid?

They are about five minutes from Huntley, straight up Route 47.

Here's what I found:

I looked at a teacher with 13 or 17 years of experience with a bachelor's degree, a master's degree and the highest education on the Huntley chart, which is master's, plus 45 credits. This master's, plus 45 credits, is the equivalent of 2 masters' degrees, plus an additional 13 credits. Overkill for kindergarten, first and second grade teachers, if you ask me.

This year a Huntley teacher's (with 13 years of experience) salary is:

$52,416 with a bachelor's degree

The Woodstock teacher's (with 13 years of experience)salary is:

$42,466 with a bachelor's degree

Wait a minute!

This bachelor's Huntley teacher can travel 5 minutes away to Woodstock and make about $10,000 less in salary!

In fact, the Woodstock teacher has to wait until year 17 to make only $45,607.

What about a Huntley teacher who has a master's degree?

This year, a Huntley teacher's salary (with 17 years of experience) is:

$65,106 with a master's degree

The Woodstock teacher's (with 17 years of experience) is:

$55,194 with a master's degree

This Huntley teacher can travel 5 minutes away to Woodstock and get a $10,000 lower salary!

What about a really educated, really experienced Huntley teacher having a master's degree, plus 45 credits beyond a master's degree, and 21 years of experience?

This year that Huntley teacher's (with 21 years of experience) salary is:

$80,869 with a master's degree, plus 45 additional grad school credits

The Woodstock teacher's (with 17 years of experience) salary is:

$68,102 with a master's degree plus 45 additional grad school credits

This most educated, most experienced Huntley teacher can travel 5 minutes away to Woodstock and get a $12,000 lower salary!

So should Huntley District 158 parents be concerned about

a) the Huntley teachers' analytical skills?

b) Huntley teachers' imparting values to their children about whatever you can get away with?

c) all of the above?

Or is there one standard of "truthfulness" for students in the classroom and another one for teachers outside the classroom when they are seeking big pay raises?

Even if you include the Woodstock school district's Teacher Retirement System (TRS) benefits (that Huntley Teachers want, along with over a 10% regular pay hike) given to Woodstock teachers, it's a gross misrepresentation for the Huntley teachers to say their elementary grade teachers can go five minutes away and make $10,000 more money.

The union proposal is obviously designed to create a false impression with residents. The union wants Huntley taxpayers to think that Huntley District 158 is not competitive on salaries and their teachers haven't received increases in summer school stipends for years. (See page 38.)

Oh, really.

Where's the evidence of that claim?

And comparing Huntley grade school salaries to Crystal Lake High School District 155 might not be fair either.

Teachers say they wanted to be treated with "professional respect." It's easy to find. The Huntley union puts it in the second line of its proposal.

Professionals I have dealt with tell the truth.

= = = = =
Click to enlarge the page of school district union contracts entered into the District 158 negotiating record. Cars in the District 158 administration building parking lot are mainly from teachers at an early negotiating session. The photo is of union leaders as of last May.

Labels: HEA, Huntley Education Association, Huntley School District 158, Jim Birch, McHenry County College, Woodstock Unit School District 200

Look at this pansy that volunteered itself on the patio that I call “the helicopter pad.”

It's even the favorite color of this color impaired individual. (Note the politically correct language.)

Yellow

From the window, it looked like a dandelion to me.

I should have been suspicious. There are none anywhere else around the yard.

My wife called it to my attention as she was cleaning out the borders to the house.

And, in a booklet my mother kept about my childhood, she wrote in the mid-1940's that my favorite flower was the pansy.

Labels: Bricks, Flower, Helicopter Pad, Message of the Day, Pansy, Patio

If not, here's how to get it.

Labels: McHenry County, McHenry County Treasurer, Property Tax, Real Estate Tax

Or can't stand the expense of your McHenry County tax bill?

McHenry County Treasurer Bill LeFew's office has posted all the tax bills on the internet.

There are three ways to find your tax bill.

Of course, virtually no one knows their tax identification number, so go to Plan B or Plan C.

I typed in my address using Crystal Lake.

“No parcels found.”

I changed the town to Lakewood.

“No parcels found.”

I decided to try my name, “Cal Skinner.”

“No parcels found.”

I tried my and my wife's name.

“No parcels found.”

Getting a bit perturbed, I typed in “Skinner.”

I got all the Skinner homeowners in the county and “Calvin” came in on top. All fourteen.

That's the first time I can remember benefiting from alphabet discrimination.

No, the second. The list of blogs on Illinoize alphabetizes with the first names of the bloggers, putting me near the top of the list.

$8,537.”

I guess I should say, “$8,537!”

That's a big bill.

Up $113.

But, it would have been up more had I not entered official gizzerhood.

Assessed value up 5.2%.

But because of the “Elderly Homestead Exemption” of $3,500, our taxable assessed valuation only increased 2.5%.

Because the value of property over the three-year period used to determine the assessment increased more than the Consumer Price Index, my tax rate decreased 7.71 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. That's puts tax districts with a tax rate limit further under their limit.

The better to make up for Mayor Aaron Shepley's tax increment financing tax shifts onto to those of us not living in the three business corridor TIF districts he has created.

So, thanks all you younger folks and business owners.

But, $8,500 is still a lot of money.

And you wonder why I bird dog the avaricious local tax districts.

There's part of the answer.

That, plus the fun of watching decent people morph into “officials” to whom people increasing suck up as they are perceived to gain power. Too many get to acting SO important, so above the people who elected them.

Been there.

Tried not to do that three times. Tough not to though.

Interesting phenomenon.

Labels: 275 Meridian Street, Alphabet Discrimination, Bill LeFew, Illinoize, McHenry County Treasurer, Real Estate Assessments, Real Estate Tax, Tax Bill

This is the second article on this suit. Here is the one published yesterday:For the first time while Lou Bianchi has been McHenry County State's Attorney, he has filed suit against a local governmental entity for breaking the Open Meetings Act.

On February 28th four people, myself, Kim Willis, Jane Collins and Iris Bryan, were evicted from the building prior to the end of the meeting, which lasted until well after midnight.

The flow of events cited in the complaint are as follows:

The board went into secret session about 9:30.

“...a short time later, security officers were called to the boardroom where said meeting was taking place to assist in talking with an individual, Cal Skinner, about not taking photographs through the windows of the boardroom while the proceedings were in closed session.

“...shortly thereafter, McHenry County College President (Walt) Packard, called the head of security, Harriet Johnson, and asked her to send a security officer to the boardroom to cover windows for the closed session because Cal Skinner continued to take flash photographs through the window of the proceedings which was purportedly causing a disruption to the closed session. Security then assisted in covering the windows of the boardroom.

“...around approximately 10:00 p.m. Security Officer Daniel Wrobleski and Security Officer William Schultz advised the four citizen, Kimberly Willis, Jane Collins, Cal Skinner, and Iris Bryan, who had been attending the meeting and were standing outside the boardroom waiting for the closed session to end, that it was after 10:00 p.m. And the college was closed to the public, and they would need to leave the building.

“...the four citizens explained to the security officers that a public meeting was in session and they should be allowed to remain. However, the security officers told them that they were following standard operating procedures for security.

“...Officer Schultz stated to the individuals that if they did not leave they would be issued trespassing violations.

“Thereafter, the four individuals were escorted to the exit doors and forced to leave the building...

“As a result of the conduct set forth above, these four individuals and any other member of the public, were denied the right to be in attendance for the duration of the public portion of the meeting after the closed session and until adjournment.

“The MCC Board violated Section 2.01 of the Open Meetings Act (5 ILCS 120/.01) which states

'all meetings required by this act to be public shall be held at specified times and places which are convenient and open to the public.'”

The civil complaint asks that the college board “has violated the Open Meetings Act” and be “enjoin(ed) from future similar violations of the Open Meetings Act” and “order Defendants to make their public meetings open and convenient until the adjournment of the public meeting.”

The assistant state's attorney on the case is Mamie M. Rein

Sounds like a slam dunk to me.

Jane Collins, one of those evicted filed a complaint with the state's attorney's office. I asked her to comment on the suit and here is what she wrote:

"I continue to believe that the selective expulsion of 4 constituent taxpayers from a publicly owned property was not done for security purposes, but to shield the broadcast tower proponents from any further public scrutiny and photographing by Cal Skinner after the closed session concluded."

Here is the reaction of Iris Bryan, who writes the Town Crier:

It is sad that it was necessary to take the issue to legal heights with the need to go through court proceedings when the situation has been resolved by the College, as evidenced by a Board Policy Revision, to be enacted by the Board at its meeting this evening.

As a long-time member of the Society of Professional Journalists, (36 years) I have always felt the need for governing bodies to conduct the public's business in the open, as much as possible. The Illinois Open Meetings Act does state that certain matters MAY be conducted in closed session. Security is one of those and in view of occurrences in other universities; it is understandable that security is a touchy topic.

I was happy to receive a personal apology from College President, Dr. Walter Packard in response to my letter regarding the February 28 incident. I was also delighted to hear apologies issued publicly by Dr. Packard and Trustee Scott Summers on behalf of the Trustees.

As has been stated, the matter serves as a lesson to other governing bodies regarding how they conduct their meetings.

= = = = =
At the top you can see efforts from inside the board room to keep me from taking pictures of the power point slides that John McQuire was showing the board. You can click on them to see a much bigger image. On the top left is MCC President Walt Packard moving the American flag in front of the window. The head you can see is his. Freedom of Information Officer Pat Kriegermeir can be seen applying opaque plastic to the other window near the American flag. It is the only flash picture I took and, obviously, it did not penetrate the room. You can see other photos in


The photo of the security guards putting up yellow plastic is from that night, as are the two photos of Officer William Schultz telling us we must leave the building. The clock shows the time I walked past it on the way out of the building. The woman taking notes is Iris Bryan. Jane Collins can be seen in the background in the first picture. A head shot of Collins appears next to her comments. Between the two photos of Schultz and Bryan is one of John McGuire, the man making the top secret, hush, hush presentation about radio towers to the MCC Board. The picture would not have been so fuzzy, if I had used a flash. The bottom picture was taken at an early February meeting. It shows McGuire sitting in the center flanked by Mark Saladin and Cindi McDonald. The article from which it was taken is


Articles written about the incident are listed, with links, below:

MCC - One Step Forward, Two Steps Back – Part 1

MCC - One Step Forward, Two Steps Back – Part 2

MCC - One Step Forward, Two Steps Back – Part 3

MCC - One Step Forward, Two Steps Back – Part 4

MCC, the Junior College That Just Keeps on Giving

Labels: Iris Bryan, John McGuire, Lou Bianchi, MCC, McHenry County College, Pat Kriegermeir, Walt Packard, William Schultz

Just what we need.

Another McHenry County tax.

Another McHenry County Republican Tax.

A McHenry County Republican Hotel Tax.

Trying to pass a McHenry County Republican Cat Tax wasn't good enough.

Passing Republican Mayor Aaron Shepley's 75% Crystal Lake sales tax increase wasn't enough.

Just having a half percentage point RTA sales tax enacted, half of which ($9 million a year) will be spent by the McHenry County Board without political consequences, wasn't enough.

Now the McHenry County Board is being asked those same folks who doubled the Regional Transportation Authority sales tax to pass a 3 percent tax on hotel and motel rentals.

I rush to point out that none of McHenry County's legislators voted for the RTA sales tax hike.

But, the McHenry C