McHenry County Blog

What's going on behind closed doors over at the Huntley School District?

I thought everything was supposed to be kept as secret as the McHenry County College Board discussions about leasing land to John McGuire for a radio broadcasting tower, but here comes a press release from the District 158 school board aimed directly at the Huntley Education Association.

Negotiations must not be going as the teachers' union desired. Isn't the board agreeing to the 22% pay hike request? No recession yet. The economy was still growing by 6/10 of one percent during the last quarter, right?

Of something.

Here is an interesting comment found in the press releases last paragraph:

"...the proposal presented by the HEA would bankrupt the District within two years. All Board members present at the session stated to the HEA they would not approve any contract which included annual deficit spending."

Here's the press release:

Consolidated School District #158 Board Press Release

Re: Board of Education Negotiation Update

The HEA (Huntley Education Association) and the Board (Board of Education of Consolidated School District #158) presented their initial proposals on April 7, 2008. Two negotiation sessions were subsequently held. To date no items have been tentatively agreed to between the parties.

The first session was primarily spent on questions and challenges the Board had with the accuracy of some of the statements made in the rationale sections of the HEA proposal. Additionally, the Board addressed the overall financial position of the District and asked if the HEA needed clarification or assistance with understanding the Board’s proposal.

The second session started with the HEA addressing some of the Board’s questions from the previous session. Changes to the Job Sharing language were discussed. The Board and Administration expressed concerns with providing benefits to part-time employees, who are Job Sharing, which would be in conflict with current District policy. Both sides agreed to come to the next session with additional information on the matter.

The Board addressed its salary schedule portion of the proposal. The Board reiterated from its original proposal presentation that every member would receive a minimum 2% salary schedule increase for every year in the contract proposal if they were “off schedule.” Also, the Board stated the vast majority of the members would be “on schedule” and receive the 4.25% salary schedule increase in the first year. Additionally, the Board stated there are no annual salary schedule decreases for any member in any year in the Board’s proposal.

The Board provided their understanding of the overall additional increase to the compensation cost contained in the HEA proposal. The Board stated that the proposal presented by the HEA would bankrupt the District within two years. All Board members present at the session stated to the HEA they would not approve any contract which included annual deficit spending. Teacher Evaluations was placed on the agenda for discussion at the next negotiation session.

5.2.08

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

Rumors are endemic to campaigning.

I remember when I was running for McHenry County Treasurer at age 23.

I was single, living at home, having just returned from a grueling job as a budget examiner at the U.S. Budget Bureau.

It was 1966, Vietnam War time.

So, why wasn’t I drafted?

My opponents started this rumor:

You know, there are only two reasons that a guy his age isn’t drafted. One is physical. He certainly looks healthy enough, knocking on all those doors and all.

The other reason is moral. You know he lives with his parents and doesn’t have a girl friend.

In short, I must be a homosexual.

A rumor impossible to refute. Nothing to do but continue campaigning.

For the record, I had a 1-Y deferment. It was physical, enough to keep me out of the Marine Reserves, but not out of the Marines, if I volunteered. (A story for another time.) I could have been drafted anytime that congress declared war, which it never did.

I understand similar rumors are being spread about at least one single young Republican candidate in Illinois this year.

8th congressional district GOP primary candidate Steve Greenberg is fighting a rumor campaign of a different nature.

He send out the following press release:

Setting the Record Straight
More Lies from the Morris Campaign

LAKE ZURICH 1/14/08— Eighth District GOP frontrunner Steve Greenberg has been the subject of lies spread by Kirk Morris' desperate campaign and its surrogates.

Morris, his campaign and his campaign's surrogates have spread utterly false rumors that Greenberg has been involved in business ventures that ended in bankruptcy. In fact, no company Greenberg has ever invested in or managed has ever declared bankruptcy.

Brad Goodman, Greenberg's Campaign Manager, said,

"Steve Greenberg has spent his career creating hundreds of good paying jobs in Illinois. No company he has been involved with has ever filed bankruptcy, and he has also never filed personal bankruptcy of any kind."

Goodman continued,

"Kirk Morris tells fairy tales. First, he told 2 editorial boards that he greatly influenced Rudy Giuliani's immigration policy when he later admitted that all he really did was have his picture taken with the former New York City Mayor. Now, he's lying about Steve Greenberg's companies declaring bankruptcy. When will Morris' lies stop?"

I talked to Greenberg and here’s what he told me,

“There’s a lot of fluff out there. They sure don’t let facts get in the way of a good story.

“For the last six years I’ve taken companies that are losing money and potentially leaving the market place, closing shop. We would acquire them, fix them up and create jobs that would not have been there otherwise.

“I have never had a business go bankrupt.

“We’ve had an 80% success rate on the turnarounds.”

He gave his brother the credit for the operating side of the business.

Bankruptcy seems to be something that someone could find if one looked for it. If anyone has any documentation, please send it to me.

Labels: 8th Congressional District, Bankrupt, Bankruptcy, Kirk Morris, Steve Greenberg