Poll watching is a way to spend a couple of volunteer hours supporting a party, candidate, or ballot question. Usually, poll watching is a means to keep track of which voters have already cast their ballots, in order to focus get-out-the-vote (GOTV) efforts on those who haven’t. Some poll watchers will approach it as a…
Letter to the Chronicle
The letter to the editor published April 1 in the Daily Chronicle is here for the moment. What follows is the version I sent to the paper originally. Cohen Barnes is a sharp cookie, a local success story and a civic Energizer Bunny. We need all three. However, my aim with this letter is to…
Comments on Wednesday’s Aldermanic Forum
Fifth Ward Alderman Ron Naylor seems very proud that the FY2011 budget is down $700,000 from FY2007. I went through those budgets and counted more than 40 positions eliminated since FY2008 — but, assuming a little hiring has been done this past fiscal year, let’s say we’re down about three dozen. There’s been virtually nothing…
From the “Chicago Tribune,” South Elgin Parents Raise Money for Stadium
“High school parents dig deep to give kids a home-field advantage With district strapped for cash, South Elgin High’s booster club has raised $500,000 to begin work on athletic stadium” Here is a great quote: “Cheryl Latsonas said the district had never had enough money for its daily operations, and she doubted that it ever…
Reduction in Force Outcomes
DeKalb’s FY2011 budget included a Reduction in Force (RIF) plan to close a budget gap of a couple million. Here is how it played out for about a dozen AFSCME union members who got laid off as part of the RIF in June 2010. [table id=12 /]
Council to Vote on More Econ Development Help
Council members will vote Monday on a resolution to outsource economic development services from Hopkins Solutions, LLC. Hiring an economic development director was recommended by the financial consultants’ (EPI) report released May 2009. The Roger Hopkins who established Hopkins Solutions last year is probably none other than the past director of the DeKalb County Economic…
TIF Protest in Chicago
Chicago Sun-Times: “Anti-TIF marchers demand $4M from N. Side auto dealer”: About 150 teachers, parents and activists marched into the Grossinger City Autoplex and demanded a check for $4 million Saturday. That would be the “TIF” money — protestors called it “The Mayor’s Slush Fund” — diverted from the public schools and given to developers…
City Managers’ Contracts
The Sycamore City Council will decide Monday whether to renew the city’s contract with its city manager, Bill Nicklas. Residents of DeKalb might well ask when the contract with its own city manager expires. The answer is: Never.
FPC Discussion of High School Track Expansion & Stadium “Infrastructure”
This is Part 3. Current candidates are highlighted. Click on any image to access larger versions and the whole album.
FPC Vote on High School Core Capacity
As noted earlier, District 428 cannot find a way to fully staff the new DeKalb High School with custodians. Decisions made in 2008, as detailed in the following Facilities Planning Facility meeting minutes below, helped lead to today’s failure.