By James Fuller
9/10/2010
A program designed to lower Kane County's health insurance costs is also seeing taxpayers help foot the bill for government employees who want to get a massage, join a golf league and hire personal trainers.
Lowering health insurance costs is a major focus of the county every time it hits the negotiating table with its employee unions. Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay recently told members of the Human Services Committee (which oversees the health insurance plan and wellness program) that unions want more of a buy-in to a wellness program that would give employees a break on health insurance premiums if they exercise. Right now, the county's wellness program gives employees $50 of taxpayer money every time they commit to some sort of healthy activity.
Through July, taxpayers have shelled out nearly $4,000 for county employees to join Weight Watchers, enter a soccer league and learn yoga as well as join various gyms.
County board member Mark Davoust, chairman of the Human Services Committee, raised an eyebrow when asked if massages and golf are the type of activities the wellness program should reward.
"We will certainly have to take a close look at which things qualify," Davoust said. "Those are some of those unintended consequences of offering something like this."
But Michael Isaacson, the county health department employee who administers the wellness program, said that $4,000 represents tax dollars well spent. Isaacson said the $50 is designed to get employees into the wellness program. Employees can also receive a "wellness credit" through BlueCross BlueShield to use for co-pays. To get the $50, each employee must submit a form about the physical activity they are involved in. The form is then reviewed and the employee questioned if there are any concerns about the activity qualifying for the $50. Asked about golf and massages, Isaacson said everyone has a different idea of a physical activity that works for them.
"We want to match it to people's lifestyles," Isaacson said. "If you don't ride a bike, pushing you into a bike program may not be the best way to go to get people to be active."
In fact, Isaacson said he wishes the county could offer a cash bonus of several hundred dollars to get more employees interested in the wellness program.
But why should tax dollars be spent to encourage government employees to lose weight and monitor their diabetes?
"If you can get a few people to get their diabetes under control, or prevent a couple heart attacks and get people into a more healthy realm, we're going to save a lot of money," Isaacson said. "Yes, an individual is ultimately responsible for his or her own health, but our responsibility as the organization paying much of the health care costs of those individuals is to lower those costs. If we can help people to be more responsible, that means we spend less of your tax dollars."
Saturday
Aurora man charged in battery in stabbing of woman at hospital
SCOOP! I was the only reporter in any of the major Chicago TV or newspaper outlets to snag an interview with the police officer who interviewed the subject. As a result, we were the only paper to suggest what the motive was.
By James Fuller
9/2/10
One purported murder may have almost sparked another in a case that saw Aurora police charge a 39-year-old man with repeatedly stabbing a woman who shared a hospital room with one of his relatives.
Darrell Franklin, 39, of the 700 block of North Lake Street in Aurora, was charged with one count of aggravated battery to a senior citizen and one count of aggravated battery Wednesday night. The charges stem from the stabbing of a 78-year-old woman at Provena Mercy Hospital Tuesday night.
Police Sgt. Robb Wallers assisted in interviewing Franklin following the stabbing. Franklin was visiting his mother at the time of the incident. She was sharing a hospital room with 78-year-old woman. At some point during the visit, Wallers said, Franklin began repeatedly stabbing the woman sharing his mother's room with a butter knife. The victim sustained multiple cuts to her face as shoulders, a broken nose and a fractured eye socket as a result of the stabbing.
Wallers said police are still investigating what triggered the stabbing.
Wallers said the investigation so far has revealed a claim that Franklin's son was very recently killed, perhaps in Chicago. Police have not yet been able to confirm the death of Franklin's son, Wallers said. However, Wallers said part of the claim includes the possibility that Franklin's family may have told him about the death of his son just before the stabbing incident.
It's unclear where the knife came from, but Provena Spokeswoman Heather Gates said it's possible Franklin obtained the knife from one of the hospital's food trays. But the fact that the stabbing occurred at all is something that may have been avoided if the victim was recovering in a private room as would typically be the case.
Gates said the fact that two patients were in the same room only occurred because the hospital was so busy Tuesday night. Provena Mercy, like all the Provena hospital sites, put patients in private rooms whenever possible, Gates said.
"Despite having the ability to have two people in a room, it actually is not that typical," Gates said. "It just so happened that on the unit this incident occurred on, we had a large number of patients that night.
Gates said the victim is now listed in fair condition as it relates to the injuries sustained in the attack.
She said the hospital has no plans of changing its visitation schedule or screening process.
"This particular incident was unpreventable because of the nature of the attack," Gates said. "The perpetrator apparently didn't bring a weapon into the hospital that we could have screened for. And visitation is part of the recovery process and holistic care that we provide to all our patients. This incident was very atypical. I'm not sure what could've been done procedurally to prevent this incident."
Gates said Provena Mercy is currently in the process of adding even more private rooms to the facility.
Up next for Franklin is a court appearance today to set his bond at the Kane County Branch Court in Aurora.
By James Fuller
9/2/10
One purported murder may have almost sparked another in a case that saw Aurora police charge a 39-year-old man with repeatedly stabbing a woman who shared a hospital room with one of his relatives.
Darrell Franklin, 39, of the 700 block of North Lake Street in Aurora, was charged with one count of aggravated battery to a senior citizen and one count of aggravated battery Wednesday night. The charges stem from the stabbing of a 78-year-old woman at Provena Mercy Hospital Tuesday night.
Police Sgt. Robb Wallers assisted in interviewing Franklin following the stabbing. Franklin was visiting his mother at the time of the incident. She was sharing a hospital room with 78-year-old woman. At some point during the visit, Wallers said, Franklin began repeatedly stabbing the woman sharing his mother's room with a butter knife. The victim sustained multiple cuts to her face as shoulders, a broken nose and a fractured eye socket as a result of the stabbing.
Wallers said police are still investigating what triggered the stabbing.
Wallers said the investigation so far has revealed a claim that Franklin's son was very recently killed, perhaps in Chicago. Police have not yet been able to confirm the death of Franklin's son, Wallers said. However, Wallers said part of the claim includes the possibility that Franklin's family may have told him about the death of his son just before the stabbing incident.
It's unclear where the knife came from, but Provena Spokeswoman Heather Gates said it's possible Franklin obtained the knife from one of the hospital's food trays. But the fact that the stabbing occurred at all is something that may have been avoided if the victim was recovering in a private room as would typically be the case.
Gates said the fact that two patients were in the same room only occurred because the hospital was so busy Tuesday night. Provena Mercy, like all the Provena hospital sites, put patients in private rooms whenever possible, Gates said.
"Despite having the ability to have two people in a room, it actually is not that typical," Gates said. "It just so happened that on the unit this incident occurred on, we had a large number of patients that night.
Gates said the victim is now listed in fair condition as it relates to the injuries sustained in the attack.
She said the hospital has no plans of changing its visitation schedule or screening process.
"This particular incident was unpreventable because of the nature of the attack," Gates said. "The perpetrator apparently didn't bring a weapon into the hospital that we could have screened for. And visitation is part of the recovery process and holistic care that we provide to all our patients. This incident was very atypical. I'm not sure what could've been done procedurally to prevent this incident."
Gates said Provena Mercy is currently in the process of adding even more private rooms to the facility.
Up next for Franklin is a court appearance today to set his bond at the Kane County Branch Court in Aurora.
Millions of dollars for racetracks tied up in court battle
By James Fuller
5/25/10
While Illinois racetracks fear the sounding of their final bugle as soon as this summer, millions of dollars already designed to help save them are sitting in an account untouched.
State lawmakers may vote to allow racetracks, including Arlington Park, to install slot machines as soon as this week. But four years ago, they voted to create a tax forcing the state's four riverboat casinos in Elgin, Aurora and Joliet to prop up the horse racing industry. There is at least $100 million sitting in a bank account as a legal battle involving the ghost of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's tenure crawls through the appeals process.
The state passed a law in 2006 that placed a 3 percent tax on the four riverboat casinos. But that tax sat in limbo until June 2008 while the casinos fought the law's constitutionality all the way to the Illinois Supreme Court. Casinos still paid the tax while the issue was tied up in court, but the cash (some $80 million in 2008) sat in an account awaiting the legal ruling. The court ruled the tax valid, and Arlington Park stood to gain its share of the money waiting in the account plus nearly $11 million a year from the casinos based on 2006 gambling profits.
However, the court handed down the ruling a few days after the tax expired, throwing it into limbo once again. Followers of Illinois politics may be somewhat familiar with what happened next as the push to extend the law became a part of the eventual arrest of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Blagojevich referenced the extension of the law in some of the phone taps released in the case. Even with that, state lawmakers eventually extended the tax until Dec. 15, 2011, or the date when any horse track (such as Arlington Park) gets slots or video gambling, or the state's 10th casino (in Des Plaines) begins operating.
But Blagojevich's arrest opened the door to a new legal battle with the riverboats alleging a conspiracy between Blagojevich and a racetrack owner to extend the tax. That legal battle is now in the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. Meanwhile, the tax continues to be collected and sit in the fund helping neither the racetracks nor the riverboats.
Anthony Somone, executive director of the Illinois Harness Horseman's Association, estimated that there is easily more than $100 million in the tax account by now. That alone is enough money to keep the racing industry in Illinois in business for another year or more, he said.
"The industry is on life-support," Somone said. "The reason is, quite frankly, that our product is (terrible). All the best trainers and owners have taken their horses elsewhere because we don't have purse money to race for. And we have not seen one dime of that tax money. That money is breathing room. I don't know if we race a year from now without it."
But while the tax money is breathing room, finally receiving it won't end the need for slot machines at the racetracks, Somone said. When it comes to gambling, and now video gambling, the racetracks just want to be on a level playing field with the riverboats and local taverns and restaurants, he explained.
"It's absolutely ludicrous to me that you can go gamble at Bob's Tavern across the street from Arlington Park, but you can't go gamble at Arlington Park itself," Somone said. "All we have ever wanted is to be on a level playing field."
5/25/10
While Illinois racetracks fear the sounding of their final bugle as soon as this summer, millions of dollars already designed to help save them are sitting in an account untouched.
State lawmakers may vote to allow racetracks, including Arlington Park, to install slot machines as soon as this week. But four years ago, they voted to create a tax forcing the state's four riverboat casinos in Elgin, Aurora and Joliet to prop up the horse racing industry. There is at least $100 million sitting in a bank account as a legal battle involving the ghost of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's tenure crawls through the appeals process.
The state passed a law in 2006 that placed a 3 percent tax on the four riverboat casinos. But that tax sat in limbo until June 2008 while the casinos fought the law's constitutionality all the way to the Illinois Supreme Court. Casinos still paid the tax while the issue was tied up in court, but the cash (some $80 million in 2008) sat in an account awaiting the legal ruling. The court ruled the tax valid, and Arlington Park stood to gain its share of the money waiting in the account plus nearly $11 million a year from the casinos based on 2006 gambling profits.
However, the court handed down the ruling a few days after the tax expired, throwing it into limbo once again. Followers of Illinois politics may be somewhat familiar with what happened next as the push to extend the law became a part of the eventual arrest of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Blagojevich referenced the extension of the law in some of the phone taps released in the case. Even with that, state lawmakers eventually extended the tax until Dec. 15, 2011, or the date when any horse track (such as Arlington Park) gets slots or video gambling, or the state's 10th casino (in Des Plaines) begins operating.
But Blagojevich's arrest opened the door to a new legal battle with the riverboats alleging a conspiracy between Blagojevich and a racetrack owner to extend the tax. That legal battle is now in the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. Meanwhile, the tax continues to be collected and sit in the fund helping neither the racetracks nor the riverboats.
Anthony Somone, executive director of the Illinois Harness Horseman's Association, estimated that there is easily more than $100 million in the tax account by now. That alone is enough money to keep the racing industry in Illinois in business for another year or more, he said.
"The industry is on life-support," Somone said. "The reason is, quite frankly, that our product is (terrible). All the best trainers and owners have taken their horses elsewhere because we don't have purse money to race for. And we have not seen one dime of that tax money. That money is breathing room. I don't know if we race a year from now without it."
But while the tax money is breathing room, finally receiving it won't end the need for slot machines at the racetracks, Somone said. When it comes to gambling, and now video gambling, the racetracks just want to be on a level playing field with the riverboats and local taverns and restaurants, he explained.
"It's absolutely ludicrous to me that you can go gamble at Bob's Tavern across the street from Arlington Park, but you can't go gamble at Arlington Park itself," Somone said. "All we have ever wanted is to be on a level playing field."
St. Charles mom, kids carry on best they can
By James Fuller
5/14/2010
There's something in Maureen Jordan's voice that triggers an instinctual feeling that something is wrong. She speaks with a faint weeping, a weariness in her tone that betrays moments spent alone in tears and the struggle to suppress them.
Jordan is adjusting to a new life as a single mother of four children, including the baby boy she gave birth to on St. Patrick's Day. The baby, Martin Jordan, carries her husband's name. Maureen Jordan and her three older children carry the memory of watching their husband and father die.
Martin Jordan Sr. died Aug. 1 while saving five young relatives, including his oldest son, from drowning in Lake Michigan when a rip current sucked them out into the deep waters and crushing waves.
The 45-year-old St. Charles resident was with his family and extended relatives on a summer trip when he died as they tried to rescue him. Martin Jordan was able to save everyone that day except himself. For that, he became a hero. For his family, he became the loss their love won't allow them to forget.That was nine months ago, but Maureen Jordan isn't ready to return to work yet. Marty's death is still freshly replayed in her mind.
"For other people, time has gone on," she said. "For me, I just try to get through each day and try to give my children as normal a life as possible without grief consuming me or them."
Jordan is used to seeing that grief. She's worked in hospice for more than a decade. It's a profession that prepares you to deal with death. But that's the death of others, strangers, not those you hold dearest. There's still an element of anger in her grief.
"I wasn't sure I was ready, not so much to be around dying people, but just to have empathy," Jordan said. "If someone is caring for their 95-year-old grandmother, I just would not be able to help them because I'd be like, 'Well, at least you know she's dying.' Or, 'You had 95 years with her. What are you complaining about?' "
Hospice families watch their loved ones die, but not like Marty Jordan's death. To watch, helpless, as he slipped beneath the waves, or to have actually been someone he saved while dying triggers a different level of self-blame, more haunting what-ifs.
Jordan's eldest son, Jack, was in the water with his father when he died. His younger brother, Liam, was on the shore."Liam's immediate reaction was, 'I'll never see my Daddy on Earth again,' " Jordan said. "I told all my children from the beginning that Daddy would not have wanted to be alive if any of the children had to die. We talk about him every day. We talk about how Daddy would always say this or how Daddy cooked something. I don't want to pretend like he wasn't here. That's not going to make it better. I also don't want to just be crying all the time, but they've seen me cry. I try not to show them as much as I may be feeling."
Having young children without the ability the express themselves as an adult also complicates the issue of knowing how they feel about the death of their father. The outside world can be cruel even when you're 9 years old.
"A few weeks after Marty died, on Jack's first day back to school, another kid came up to him and said, 'Did you know it's your fault that your dad died?' When that happened, Jack didn't tell me that was said to him," Jordan recalled. "One of his friends told his parents, and they called and told me. I had to ask him, 'Jack, you know that's not true, right?' He seems to understand that. It's hard for him to talk about what happened that day. But he has other cousins that were there in the water with him. I think because he doesn't blame them it allows him to not blame himself."
Jordan was seven weeks pregnant when Marty died. During her pregnancy, Jordan worried about the impact of her continuous grief and depression on the baby. On St. Patrick's Day, she gave birth to a son that will never have the chance to know his father in person. Now she is learning the monumental task of raising four children on her own."Marty was very hands-on with the kids," Jordan said. "I never had to ask him to change a diaper. Now when the baby cries, it's just me. I'm trying to do things as he would do them. Sometimes I think if I didn't have the kids it would be much easier to just give up or not get out of bed. But they give me the strength to keep going."
Marty Jordan's surviving relatives and close friends have supported Maureen through her grieving process. They've organized a benefit for her and her children Saturday at St. Patrick High School in Chicago (martyjordanfamilybenefit.com). Maureen Jordan prefers to think of it as a big party to celebrate her husband's life. She doesn't like to think of herself as needing charity.
"We used to play the lottery, but now I have some money, and all I want is Marty," Jordan said. "Sometimes I forget for a second and I'll be like, 'Where is he?' That's the hardest part. I still look for him. I still think that maybe he'll be there. I know he won't, but my heart won't let me believe it."
Donating kidney to save sister was "so worth it"
By James Fuller
3/22/2010
Lisa Yario thought she'd just pulled a muscle in her lower back while trying to move around some furniture in a Florida condo. She didn't know at the time the pain would be her body's first message to her that the countdown to a potentially fatal outcome had begun.
Yario, from Lombard, had a severe kidney infection. It was the kind of infection she'd feared for the past 10 years.
Vicki Wieland also knew that day was coming. She'd spent the last decade going to hospital visits with Lisa for regular tests of her sister's kidney function. The St. Charles resident also watched her youngest sister trudge down a slow path where her body betrayed her more and more. Breast cancer treatment in Yario's youth pummeled her kidneys, making it almost certain they would fail her one day.
Yario and Wieland had always had that type of bond where they knew they'd give up their lives for each other if necessary. And when Wieland learned her little sister was laid up in a Florida hospital for five days just to get stable enough to come home, the time had come.
Wieland wouldn't have to give up her life for Yario. But by donating a kidney, she did have the ability to keep her living.
The kidneys are a major part of the body's filtration system. The more poorly Yario's kidneys functioned, the worse she would feel. Some days Yario would feel so drained of life she couldn't get out of bed.
"It's constant fatigue," Yario said. "It just feels like somebody pulled your batteries out. It's a long slide downhill. And it's been this way for so long that people say I don't even realize how much it's changed me."
Yario's chemotherapy and radiation treatment for bilateral breast cancer came at age 24. That was 10 years ago.
For patients with kidneys functioning even more poorly than Yario's, it's a life of having a machine filter your blood in a process called dialysis three times a week for four hours or more at a time. Yario never reached that point.
But she still had some bad days, and even on her worst she knew she could count on Vicki.
'Almost a twin'
Wieland's bond penetrates so deeply with Yario it goes to a rare chemical level. In the world of kidney transplants, antibodies and matching blood and tissue types are key to finding a donor with a compatible kidney. The more compatible a donor is, the better the chance of a kidney withstanding the recipient's natural rejection of a foreign invader. Most siblings will match up well in half of the six general categories on the compatibility checklist. Yario and Wieland matched in every category.
"She's almost like a twin," said Anita Pakiasi, renal transplant coordinator at Loyola University Medical Center, where the surgeries took place on March 11. "This is the ideal situation."
There are about 4,000 people in Illinois right now looking for their own ideal kidney transplant situation, according to the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois. Many of them will fail in that search, said Diane Hollingsworth, director of medical education for the branch. People are living longer, but taxing their kidneys more through rampant increases in diabetes and hypertension thanks to poor eating and exercise habits.
"Those two are kinds of silent killers," Hollingsworth said. "Before they realize they have an issue, their kidneys are gone. Now the wait list for a new kidney is getting so long that people will die while they're waiting."
At Loyola, the average waiting time for a new kidney can be as long as six years. But trends show that wait is getting longer and longer across the nation. In 1999, there were about 42,000 people in the United States waiting for a kidney transplant, according to a study in the American Journal of Transplantation. By 2008, the wait list nearly doubled to about 80,000 people.
That's why some transplant hospitals like Loyola are trying to encourage more donations from people who are still alive, like Wieland, rather than waiting to share the gift of life until the donor's is already over. The recipients of kidneys from living donors tend to experience less rejection of the new organ and longer organ survival rates.
Because of that, Loyola is looking to create chains of willing donors. The chains would amount to a network of living donors with recipients who are the best matches on the checklist of organ donation compatibility.
For someone like Yario with an ideal match, her new kidney from her living sister may last 40 years as long as she takes her anti-rejection medication and goes to her regular checkups faithfully. Pakiasi said living donors go on to live fully functional lives and receive a dual reward. Not only do they save a life, but living donors receive priority if one day they need a new organ themselves. Most donors are back to normal activity in four weeks.
Feeling good
Just a few days after receiving her kidney, Yario was still taking it all in. She's not thrilled about the 25 to 30 pills she's taking to make sure her new kidney likes its new home. But she is happy to be feeling more energetic than she has in maybe 10 years.
"The whole thing just seems unreal," Yario said. "We've talked about this happening for so long that it still doesn't feel like it happened. It doesn't register that I've had a new organ put into my body. Vicki has made this tremendous sacrifice for me, and I really don't know how to say thank you."
Wieland already has her thank you.
"When they came into my hospital room and told me Lisa's kidney function levels were already closing in on normal I just started sobbing," Wieland said.
"It was so worth it."
Coroner addresses allegation of theft involved in criminal probe
By James Fuller
3/13/10
Kane County Coroner Chuck West admitted Friday that he allowed two deputies to remove a television from a dead man's house in 2007, but said he never intended for anyone to keep it.
The admission, made in an interview with the Daily Herald, was described as a "significant development" by a special prosecutor who has been investigating West's office for more than six months.
"In all likelihood, it might help us reach a conclusion in an expedited fashion," said Charles Colburn, the special prosecutor. "This may lead us in some other directions."
According to West, the television was removed after his staff found 18 shotguns and rifles, numerous swords and machetes, and some unused grenades in a Carpentersville home, which also showed signs of a burglary.
West, whose office was there for a death investigation, said he allowed two employees to take the television because of a lack of storage at the coroner's headquarters.
"If you came into my office you'd know that we have no storage," he said. "Anything that we take in has to be stored somewhere. We didn't want gang members breaking into this house and having access to weapons."
It's not uncommon for West's office to take possession of items found at a death scene, he said. Such items can help track down family members and establish a deceased person's identity. They're eventually auctioned off to recoup the cost of cremation if the deceased person's next of kin can't be found.
"It wasn't hidden. It hadn't been stolen," West said of the big-screen TV. "The minute it was asked for and we were informed of the family, it was given to them on the spot."
West said he never told the employees they could keep the television for good, and agreed it is somewhat unusual for his staff to take items from a death investigation home for storage.
"Is that a common practice? No," West said. "Had we had the storage at the time, it probably would've been moved over there. But again, it wasn't an issue to my knowledge. We just weren't aware that any family had been located. This was based on my decision, so I have no problem with (the deputies taking the TV home). I stand behind that."
Also on Friday, West described the investigation into his office as politically motivated, and said his knowledge of it is limited to what he's read in newspapers.
West said his attorney, Gary Johnson, told him Colburn offered to end the probe in exchange for his resignation - a claim Colburn flatly denied.
"I can't talk about where this case may go, but no offers have been made of any type," Colburn said. "(West has) never spoken to me directly. It's a significant development that he's made a statement."
Johnson declined to comment Friday.
West said the public allegations about wrongdoing in his office have been hard to deal with because they are untrue and unclear. He has two years left in office and said he will not resign under any circumstance.
"I love the job, but I hate the politics," he said. "I'm just going to finish my term and get the hell out of here."
Wyatt defends political appointment recommendation
By James Fuller
2/13/10
Kane County Board member Bill Wyatt may soon be out of the political limelight after voters gave him the boot in the recent primary, but he won't necessarily be unemployed.
Wyatt said he's looking forward to doing more work with the Aurora-based Progressive Energy Group when his political days are done. That's perhaps noteworthy because Progressive Energy Group is partially owned by another man recently put on the public payroll named Chris Childress.
Childress was appointed to the Fox Metro Water Reclamation District's board of trustees with a salary of about $12,000 in December. Childress won that appointment after Wyatt pushed forward his resume to a conglomeration of state lawmakers in the reclamation district's service area who control the appointment.
State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia is one of the state lawmakers who signed off on the appointment. Chapa LaVia said she was familiar with Childress because he once came to her with concerns about price gouging during the time he worked for Nicor Gas.
"I was thinking he was a pretty decent guy," Chapa LaVia said. "I know him as having integrity. But usually we don't vet these people ourselves. Usually the lobbyists bring it forward and say this is the recommendation."
Chapa LaVia said the lobbyist who brought Childress's nomination to her was Jay Keller, who counts the Hollywood Casino as one of his many clients. But Wyatt, in an interview, said he used his position as chairman of the Aurora Township Republicans to get the ball rolling for Childress by forwarding his resume on to state lawmakers. Wyatt said there is nothing wrong with what he did.
"The legislators are the ones who make the appointment," Wyatt said. "I don't make the appointment. One of the ways to get your name in front of the lawmakers is to contact me and I send the names on. I thought Chris would be perfect for the job because he worked at Nicor for 30 years."
Wyatt has also known Childress and his family for most of his life. Childress and his brother, Mike Childress, have been big supporters of Wyatt's campaigns in the past. Together they've donated nearly $30,000 in money and in-kind contributions to Wyatt over the years.
Wyatt said those donations came because he's so close to the Childress family. In fact, Wyatt has co-hosted a local cable access show with Chris Childress's father for 20 years.
"Does that disqualify me from passing along (Chris Childress's) resume?" Wyatt said. "All I did was forward on the resume of someone, which is what I'm supposed to do. He's completely qualified. Would you rather me pass along people I don't know?"
As far as Wyatt getting a job with Childress's company, Progressive Energy, Wyatt said it's consisted of five to 10 hours of volunteer work per week for the past two years.
There was no quid-pro-quo job in trade for the appointment, Wyatt said.
"My card says managing partner, but I've never made a penny from them," Wyatt said. "I've never had a paycheck.
"To me, any concerns about this are all a bunch of nothing," Wyatt said. "It's all political. The guy is eminently qualified. To me, that's where it all starts and ends."
Childress said his only interest in the position was to put the skills he learned in his years at Nicor toward a positive public use. No promises for jobs, campaign contributions or any other quid pro quo were made, Childress said.
"To the best of my knowledge I followed all the correct procedures for the appointment," Childress said. "It's the same process all the other trustees on the board followed. And I was appointed by a bipartisan group of lawmakers."
Childress said he used to vacation with Wyatt as children. He said he did invite Wyatt to work for his company, but Wyatt was too busy with his county board work to dedicate the time necessary to be a paid employee.
"He helped my company; I helped his company," Childress said. "I'd love to hire the guy when he's done (with politics)."
Friday
Kane official says no pay to play, but banks big bucks from vendors
By James Fuller
2/9/2010
A comparison of companies that received big checks from Kane County in 2009 shows similarities to companies that cut big checks to county board Chairman Karen McConnaughay's campaign fund in 2009.
McConnaughay, whose post is not up for election this year, said there's no "pay to play" going on, and she'd welcome further campaign finance reform in Illinois.
At least one county board member said he doesn't like how it looks to the public for any county board member to take money from people or companies the county does business with.
More than $17.5 million in county funds went to 43 companies and firms that donated nearly $43,000 to McConnaughay's war chest in 2009. Those donations helped pay back $40,000 worth of a $60,000 loan McConnaughay and her husband gave to her campaign in 2008. It also chipped in for the $27,000 cost of a consultant team that works to raise even more campaign money for McConnaughay.
A total of $2,000 from McConnaughay's fund also went to Jean Weems for "campaign officer support." Weems is a county board employee with a taxpayer-funded salary of nearly $70,000.
McConnaughay said she realizes some people may think the donations look bad, but that's one of the reasons she voluntarily removed herself from the county's vendor selection process. As chairman, McConnaughay only votes in the case of a tie on the board. She said she doesn't sit in on county staff meetings where vendors are selected.
McConnaughay welcomed anyone to look up her campaign contributions and compare them to the county's vendor list. She said the county is moving toward more transparency and has posted all the vendor contract payments on the county's Web site.
County board member Jim Mitchell said scrutiny begins with board members themselves. It's not enough to just direct the public to a Web site, he said.
"One of the things that really bothers me very much is people who take campaign contributions from employees of the county, people doing business with the county or people who they have voted to approve zoning changes for," Mitchell said. "Whether or not it affects the vote, I don't know, but I think it sends a bad message for government."
Mitchell said he'd favor the county board passing some sort of ethics reform that prevents such contributions or at least makes people more visibly accountable.
"If you take this kind of money, people need to know," Mitchell said. "So if you really believe you should be able to take money from people whose contracts you vote on, you should stand up and say it. If they're not ashamed, why don't they publicly say what they took when we vote on the contracts?"
McConnaughay does believe people and companies should have the right to give money to political campaigns.
"Those folks who are donating have First Amendment rights, too," McConnaughay said. "But if a vendor gives me a $20,000 contribution, you should worry about that. That's why in this state we need to have consistent rules, top to bottom, to provide that accountability."
The comment is in light of recent attempts at campaign ethics reform in Illinois that did not include new limits for contributions by the state's legislative leadership or extend to all levels of government. McConnaughay said she has imposed her own rules on her campaign coffers that refuse any donations from a county vendor in hefty amounts such as the $20,000 in her example.
"The challenge here is protecting First Amendment rights, balanced with rules, boundaries and procedures that are applied across the board and really make sure people are behaving appropriately when they are campaigning," McConnaughay said. "Illinois has been a disclosure state. We've said we'll make all the information public, and as a result, there are no rules. It's kind of a 'Wild West' approach to campaign finance."
As far as the use of campaign money, McConnaughay said there's nothing wrong with using it to repay a loan like she did.
"That's what a loan is," McConnaughay said. "You are loaning to the campaign with the understanding that it will be paid back. The bigger issue is when folks use campaign funds for things like vacations or extravagant lifestyles."
As far as her own behavior?
"We have nothing to hide," McConnaughay said. "And if you have nothing to hide, then put it out there for everybody to see. That's what we've done at the county."
Giving and receiving
A list of the companies/individuals that donated money to Kane County Chairman Karen McConnaughay's campaign fund in 2009 and the amount those same companies/individuals received from the county for services rendered:
1. Plote Construction (and its owner, Dan Plote): donated $2,012; received $5,150,200
2. Baker Engineering: donated $750; received $1,698,434
3. Alfred Benesh & Co. (and employees of the company): donated $1,680; received $1,633,984
4. Geneva Construction (and President John Patrick Bryan): donated $1,000; received $1,214,781
5. McDonough Associates Inc.: donated $750; received $1,151,716
6. Wine Sergi & Co.: donated $750; received $842,532
7. Civiltech Engineering: donated $750; received $810,893
8. SEC Group (a subsidiary of the donor, Howard R. Green Co.): donated $750; received $499,921
9. Hampton, Lenzini & Renwich: donated $750; received $480,059
10. Curran Contraction: donated $500; received $443,831
11. Omega & Associates: donated $750; received $435,002
12. AT&T (via a PAC): donated $750; received $425,975
13. Wills, Burke, Kelsey Assoc. and Christopher B. Burke Engineering: donated $2,000, received $411,895
14. ComEd: donated $1,750; received $192,585
15. Entrain: donated $1,560; received $180,740
16. Day & Robert: donated $1,500; received $173,500
17. Crawford, Murphy & Tilly: donated $750; received $135,000
18. Elmhurst Chicago Stone Co. & GFS Fence, Guardrail and Signage: donated $2,750; received $126,977
19. Laser, Muchin, Dombrow, Becker, Levin & Tominberg (via partner Carl Tominberg): donated $750; received $105,513
20. CIORBA Group: donated $750; received $92,480
21. Shales McNutt Corp. (via President John Shales): donated $750; received $91,944
22. Engineering Enterprises: donated $930; received $87,674
23. Patrick Engineering: donated $750; received $78,637
24. Wight & Co.: donated $750; received $59,823
25. Bowman, Barrett & Associates: donated 1,750; received $45,970
26. V3 Consultants: donated $750; received $43,186
27. Grief, Anhalt, Schloemer Associates: donated $750; received $42,375
28. Homer L. Chastain & Associates: donated $1,500; received $38,768
29. Burns & McDonnell Engineering: donated $750; received $41,678
30. Kinnally, Flaherty, Krentz & Loran: donated $1,500; received $34,808
31. AECOM, USA: donated $500; received $33,486
32. Aldridge Electric: donated $500; received $28,170
33. HNTB Corp.: donated $750; received $26,654
34. Union Pacific: donated $500; received $16,058
35. Shodeen Inc.: donated $2,000; received $9,939
36. ESI Consultants: donated $750; received $7,681
37. Welch Bros. Inc.: donated $500; received $5,350
38. Cloverleaf Farms Distributors: donated $750; received $4,471
39. Gaffney's PMI: donated $750; received $3,250
40. Hoving Clean Sweep (a subsidiary of the donor, Kenneth Hoving Recycling & Disposal): donated: $1,500; received $3,224
41. Comcast: donated $750; received $2,657
42. Alliance Mechanical: donated $250; received $935
43. Finkbiner Equipment: donated $250; received $74
SOURCE: Illinois State Board of Elections; Kane County Finance Department
2/9/2010
A comparison of companies that received big checks from Kane County in 2009 shows similarities to companies that cut big checks to county board Chairman Karen McConnaughay's campaign fund in 2009.
McConnaughay, whose post is not up for election this year, said there's no "pay to play" going on, and she'd welcome further campaign finance reform in Illinois.
At least one county board member said he doesn't like how it looks to the public for any county board member to take money from people or companies the county does business with.
More than $17.5 million in county funds went to 43 companies and firms that donated nearly $43,000 to McConnaughay's war chest in 2009. Those donations helped pay back $40,000 worth of a $60,000 loan McConnaughay and her husband gave to her campaign in 2008. It also chipped in for the $27,000 cost of a consultant team that works to raise even more campaign money for McConnaughay.
A total of $2,000 from McConnaughay's fund also went to Jean Weems for "campaign officer support." Weems is a county board employee with a taxpayer-funded salary of nearly $70,000.
McConnaughay said she realizes some people may think the donations look bad, but that's one of the reasons she voluntarily removed herself from the county's vendor selection process. As chairman, McConnaughay only votes in the case of a tie on the board. She said she doesn't sit in on county staff meetings where vendors are selected.
McConnaughay welcomed anyone to look up her campaign contributions and compare them to the county's vendor list. She said the county is moving toward more transparency and has posted all the vendor contract payments on the county's Web site.
County board member Jim Mitchell said scrutiny begins with board members themselves. It's not enough to just direct the public to a Web site, he said.
"One of the things that really bothers me very much is people who take campaign contributions from employees of the county, people doing business with the county or people who they have voted to approve zoning changes for," Mitchell said. "Whether or not it affects the vote, I don't know, but I think it sends a bad message for government."
Mitchell said he'd favor the county board passing some sort of ethics reform that prevents such contributions or at least makes people more visibly accountable.
"If you take this kind of money, people need to know," Mitchell said. "So if you really believe you should be able to take money from people whose contracts you vote on, you should stand up and say it. If they're not ashamed, why don't they publicly say what they took when we vote on the contracts?"
McConnaughay does believe people and companies should have the right to give money to political campaigns.
"Those folks who are donating have First Amendment rights, too," McConnaughay said. "But if a vendor gives me a $20,000 contribution, you should worry about that. That's why in this state we need to have consistent rules, top to bottom, to provide that accountability."
The comment is in light of recent attempts at campaign ethics reform in Illinois that did not include new limits for contributions by the state's legislative leadership or extend to all levels of government. McConnaughay said she has imposed her own rules on her campaign coffers that refuse any donations from a county vendor in hefty amounts such as the $20,000 in her example.
"The challenge here is protecting First Amendment rights, balanced with rules, boundaries and procedures that are applied across the board and really make sure people are behaving appropriately when they are campaigning," McConnaughay said. "Illinois has been a disclosure state. We've said we'll make all the information public, and as a result, there are no rules. It's kind of a 'Wild West' approach to campaign finance."
As far as the use of campaign money, McConnaughay said there's nothing wrong with using it to repay a loan like she did.
"That's what a loan is," McConnaughay said. "You are loaning to the campaign with the understanding that it will be paid back. The bigger issue is when folks use campaign funds for things like vacations or extravagant lifestyles."
As far as her own behavior?
"We have nothing to hide," McConnaughay said. "And if you have nothing to hide, then put it out there for everybody to see. That's what we've done at the county."
Giving and receiving
A list of the companies/individuals that donated money to Kane County Chairman Karen McConnaughay's campaign fund in 2009 and the amount those same companies/individuals received from the county for services rendered:
1. Plote Construction (and its owner, Dan Plote): donated $2,012; received $5,150,200
2. Baker Engineering: donated $750; received $1,698,434
3. Alfred Benesh & Co. (and employees of the company): donated $1,680; received $1,633,984
4. Geneva Construction (and President John Patrick Bryan): donated $1,000; received $1,214,781
5. McDonough Associates Inc.: donated $750; received $1,151,716
6. Wine Sergi & Co.: donated $750; received $842,532
7. Civiltech Engineering: donated $750; received $810,893
8. SEC Group (a subsidiary of the donor, Howard R. Green Co.): donated $750; received $499,921
9. Hampton, Lenzini & Renwich: donated $750; received $480,059
10. Curran Contraction: donated $500; received $443,831
11. Omega & Associates: donated $750; received $435,002
12. AT&T (via a PAC): donated $750; received $425,975
13. Wills, Burke, Kelsey Assoc. and Christopher B. Burke Engineering: donated $2,000, received $411,895
14. ComEd: donated $1,750; received $192,585
15. Entrain: donated $1,560; received $180,740
16. Day & Robert: donated $1,500; received $173,500
17. Crawford, Murphy & Tilly: donated $750; received $135,000
18. Elmhurst Chicago Stone Co. & GFS Fence, Guardrail and Signage: donated $2,750; received $126,977
19. Laser, Muchin, Dombrow, Becker, Levin & Tominberg (via partner Carl Tominberg): donated $750; received $105,513
20. CIORBA Group: donated $750; received $92,480
21. Shales McNutt Corp. (via President John Shales): donated $750; received $91,944
22. Engineering Enterprises: donated $930; received $87,674
23. Patrick Engineering: donated $750; received $78,637
24. Wight & Co.: donated $750; received $59,823
25. Bowman, Barrett & Associates: donated 1,750; received $45,970
26. V3 Consultants: donated $750; received $43,186
27. Grief, Anhalt, Schloemer Associates: donated $750; received $42,375
28. Homer L. Chastain & Associates: donated $1,500; received $38,768
29. Burns & McDonnell Engineering: donated $750; received $41,678
30. Kinnally, Flaherty, Krentz & Loran: donated $1,500; received $34,808
31. AECOM, USA: donated $500; received $33,486
32. Aldridge Electric: donated $500; received $28,170
33. HNTB Corp.: donated $750; received $26,654
34. Union Pacific: donated $500; received $16,058
35. Shodeen Inc.: donated $2,000; received $9,939
36. ESI Consultants: donated $750; received $7,681
37. Welch Bros. Inc.: donated $500; received $5,350
38. Cloverleaf Farms Distributors: donated $750; received $4,471
39. Gaffney's PMI: donated $750; received $3,250
40. Hoving Clean Sweep (a subsidiary of the donor, Kenneth Hoving Recycling & Disposal): donated: $1,500; received $3,224
41. Comcast: donated $750; received $2,657
42. Alliance Mechanical: donated $250; received $935
43. Finkbiner Equipment: donated $250; received $74
SOURCE: Illinois State Board of Elections; Kane County Finance Department
Harassment complaint in Kane Co. coroner's office leads to theft probe
By James Fuller, Josh Stockinger and Larissa Chinwah
1/23/2010
An ongoing investigation into Kane County Coroner Chuck West's office centers on the possible theft of a big-screen television from a dead man's home in 2007, the Daily Herald has learned.
The Kane County sheriff's department uncovered the allegations while investigating a sexual harassment complaint filed against West by one of his female deputies last year, multiple sources have confirmed.
West has not been charged with any wrongdoing. He referred questions Friday to his attorney, Gary Johnson, who downplayed the investigation's seriousness.
"When the entire story comes out, it's fairly laughable," said Johnson, who declined to discuss specifics of the case. "This is exhausting taxpayer money. I think people are going to say, 'What's everybody doing here?'"
Charles Colburn, a special prosecutor called to investigate West's office to avoid potential conflict of interest with the state's attorney, wouldn't disclose details but said the activity in question "doesn't appear to be widespread."
"The investigation continues," he said. "We're working very hard to reach a speedy conclusion."
West's office came under investigation after the coroner was accused of exposing himself to an employee last year, according to multiple sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. It was during the course of that investigation that sheriff's officers received information the coroner's office was also responsible for the theft of a relatively inexpensive big-screen television from the home of Preston Pomykal, 64, of Carpentersville, the sources said.
According to police reports, officers found no signs of forced entry or foul play in Pomykal's death in July 2007. After an initial investigation, reports state, West returned to the home to look for information to identify the man's next of kin but had no success.
While visiting the residence, police said, the coroner discovered a collection of guns and ammunition, which he turned over to police to be destroyed or recycled. A television, however, turned up missing, sources said.
A Republican and former paramedic, West was first elected coroner in 2000. He has said he believes the probe into his office is politically motivated, and he does not intend to seek re-election.
Attorney Ken Shepro, who represents the county board, said Friday that West's job status has not changed. "There is no authority in the board or anybody else to suspend or remove an elected official short of a criminal conviction," he said.
County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay said it's too early to tell whether West should resign. She said she wants to see a final report from prosecutors first.
"That report is critical," she said. "I don't think it's responsible to say much about it yet. Anything you're hearing or anybody's hearing is really accusation, hearsay and rumor. But the county board has been made aware that there is an investigation ongoing. And I think we all are anxious to hear the outcome."
Mike Kenyon, Kane County's GOP leader and chairman of the county board's judicial and public safety committee, said he, too, is awaiting the investigation's outcome.
"He (West) is in line to get a pretty nice pension," Kenyon said. "If I was him, I would ask myself, do I want to take a chance on losing my pension? Do I want to resign and walk away from this, or do I want to stand and fight? And if I stand and fight, am I willing to risk losing everything? If there's any truth to it, I would think his lawyer would be telling him to resign. But then again, not everyone listens to their lawyer."
If the theft allegation turns out to be true, Kenyon said, it would be among the worst breeches of the public trust that could happen in a coroner's office.
"That office has to be built on trust," Kenyon said. "There are two things that would be bad if they happened in that office. Those are if you couldn't be trusted in somebody's house and if you couldn't be trusted with a body."
1/23/2010
An ongoing investigation into Kane County Coroner Chuck West's office centers on the possible theft of a big-screen television from a dead man's home in 2007, the Daily Herald has learned.
The Kane County sheriff's department uncovered the allegations while investigating a sexual harassment complaint filed against West by one of his female deputies last year, multiple sources have confirmed.
West has not been charged with any wrongdoing. He referred questions Friday to his attorney, Gary Johnson, who downplayed the investigation's seriousness.
"When the entire story comes out, it's fairly laughable," said Johnson, who declined to discuss specifics of the case. "This is exhausting taxpayer money. I think people are going to say, 'What's everybody doing here?'"
Charles Colburn, a special prosecutor called to investigate West's office to avoid potential conflict of interest with the state's attorney, wouldn't disclose details but said the activity in question "doesn't appear to be widespread."
"The investigation continues," he said. "We're working very hard to reach a speedy conclusion."
West's office came under investigation after the coroner was accused of exposing himself to an employee last year, according to multiple sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. It was during the course of that investigation that sheriff's officers received information the coroner's office was also responsible for the theft of a relatively inexpensive big-screen television from the home of Preston Pomykal, 64, of Carpentersville, the sources said.
According to police reports, officers found no signs of forced entry or foul play in Pomykal's death in July 2007. After an initial investigation, reports state, West returned to the home to look for information to identify the man's next of kin but had no success.
While visiting the residence, police said, the coroner discovered a collection of guns and ammunition, which he turned over to police to be destroyed or recycled. A television, however, turned up missing, sources said.
A Republican and former paramedic, West was first elected coroner in 2000. He has said he believes the probe into his office is politically motivated, and he does not intend to seek re-election.
Attorney Ken Shepro, who represents the county board, said Friday that West's job status has not changed. "There is no authority in the board or anybody else to suspend or remove an elected official short of a criminal conviction," he said.
County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay said it's too early to tell whether West should resign. She said she wants to see a final report from prosecutors first.
"That report is critical," she said. "I don't think it's responsible to say much about it yet. Anything you're hearing or anybody's hearing is really accusation, hearsay and rumor. But the county board has been made aware that there is an investigation ongoing. And I think we all are anxious to hear the outcome."
Mike Kenyon, Kane County's GOP leader and chairman of the county board's judicial and public safety committee, said he, too, is awaiting the investigation's outcome.
"He (West) is in line to get a pretty nice pension," Kenyon said. "If I was him, I would ask myself, do I want to take a chance on losing my pension? Do I want to resign and walk away from this, or do I want to stand and fight? And if I stand and fight, am I willing to risk losing everything? If there's any truth to it, I would think his lawyer would be telling him to resign. But then again, not everyone listens to their lawyer."
If the theft allegation turns out to be true, Kenyon said, it would be among the worst breeches of the public trust that could happen in a coroner's office.
"That office has to be built on trust," Kenyon said. "There are two things that would be bad if they happened in that office. Those are if you couldn't be trusted in somebody's house and if you couldn't be trusted with a body."
Furloughed Kane Co. sheriff's employees will get money back
By James Fuller
1/4/2010
A Kane County Board decision to furlough 26 sheriff's department employees to close out 2009 has turned into more of an extra paid vacation than a message about failed leadership.
Sheriff Pat Perez confirmed Wednesday the county has struck a deal with the employees to pay them every penny they would've received if they'd worked the four days they were furloughed. The decision comes after some of the 26 employees hired Naperville attorney Steven Calcaterra, who fired off a letter to the county saying the furloughs had an unjust impact to the pensions those employees will receive upon retirement.
While there was no expressed threat of a lawsuit in the letter, Perez said it was clear a lawsuit was possible. Calcaterra could not be reached for comment.
To avoid a potential suit, Perez said he and the county board have agreed to resolve the grievance by paying the employees what they would've received. The money, about $32,000 total, will be paid from 2009 surplus funds, which the county board gave Perez to close his budget deficit at the end of the year.
"I think the main beef was, while none of them had an issue with being furloughed because the economics dictated it, they would've liked a little bit more notice," Perez said.
At the time the county board approved the furloughs, Perez said the employees didn't know the unpaid days off were coming.
Following that furlough vote, Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay said the furloughs were, in part, to send a message to the command staff about its budget failings.
"These are the folks who needed to come up with a solution at the eleventh hour," McConnaughay said of the command staff. "And those are the people who got furloughed."
Perez said the relationship between his staff and the county board is much improved following recent successful union contract negotiations for concessions in 2010. However, he couldn't answer whether or not the message behind the furloughs is lost with the employees now receiving their pay.
"That question should probably be asked of somebody from the board," Perez said.
McConnaughay could not be reached for comment.
• Daily Herald staff writer Josh Stockinger contributed to this story
1/4/2010
A Kane County Board decision to furlough 26 sheriff's department employees to close out 2009 has turned into more of an extra paid vacation than a message about failed leadership.
Sheriff Pat Perez confirmed Wednesday the county has struck a deal with the employees to pay them every penny they would've received if they'd worked the four days they were furloughed. The decision comes after some of the 26 employees hired Naperville attorney Steven Calcaterra, who fired off a letter to the county saying the furloughs had an unjust impact to the pensions those employees will receive upon retirement.
While there was no expressed threat of a lawsuit in the letter, Perez said it was clear a lawsuit was possible. Calcaterra could not be reached for comment.
To avoid a potential suit, Perez said he and the county board have agreed to resolve the grievance by paying the employees what they would've received. The money, about $32,000 total, will be paid from 2009 surplus funds, which the county board gave Perez to close his budget deficit at the end of the year.
"I think the main beef was, while none of them had an issue with being furloughed because the economics dictated it, they would've liked a little bit more notice," Perez said.
At the time the county board approved the furloughs, Perez said the employees didn't know the unpaid days off were coming.
Following that furlough vote, Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay said the furloughs were, in part, to send a message to the command staff about its budget failings.
"These are the folks who needed to come up with a solution at the eleventh hour," McConnaughay said of the command staff. "And those are the people who got furloughed."
Perez said the relationship between his staff and the county board is much improved following recent successful union contract negotiations for concessions in 2010. However, he couldn't answer whether or not the message behind the furloughs is lost with the employees now receiving their pay.
"That question should probably be asked of somebody from the board," Perez said.
McConnaughay could not be reached for comment.
• Daily Herald staff writer Josh Stockinger contributed to this story
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