Saturday Soapbox: Fox Valley
A nice how-do-you-do
It was a pleasant surprise for one of our soapbox writers to get a voice mail at home Monday afternoon from Jose Torres, who was named superintendent of Elgin Area School District U-46 earlier in the day. He said all the things you'd expect a new superintendent to say (he's glad to be in the district, he'll work with parents and staff, do what he can to raise test scores). It was not only a nice touch to leave the voice mail, but it was an even better touch to leave the greeting in English and Spanish. It never hurts to make a good first impression.
And while we're on the subject
Dare we suggest U-46 officials should have had a contract in place before trotting Jose Torres out before the public? The school board has approved only a letter of intent to have a contract drafted. If Torres is unhappy with what the district offers, he can walk and the district will have egg on its face, not to mention the stain left by former superintendent Connie Neale.
Teachers need to play by the rules
Negotiations between Huntley Unit District 158 and the teachers union have already hit a snag. Because the union reportedly would not cooperate, the district last week issued a unilateral bargaining update. While this was against the agreed-upon ground rules, the teachers union had already thrown out the rules by refusing to offer reasonable suggestions for the update. It is understandable why the union opposed open negotiations and seems to disdain the relative openness of negotiations: many rightly find the 10.6 percent salary increase the union proposed ludicrous. But by refusing to comment or contribute to updates, the union allows the district to dominate public discourse. The district should continue to point out perceived inaccuracies in the union's communications to its membership, and the union should start talking -- before it loses public sympathy altogether.
He spoke for how long?
An inventive Carpentersville resident has built a "Rant-o- Meter" to time how long Village President Bill Sarto speaks during board meetings. The large white board that features a clock and LED lights indicating the danger zone made its first appearance at Tuesday's board meeting. It clocked Sarto in at a little more than 21 minutes of rant time. The inventor and other supporters of Trustee Paul Humpfer made sure the Rant-o-Meter was within site of the camera for all to see at home.
Hang in there, Chief Laine
Please keep Algonquin Police Chief Russ Laine, 57, in your thoughts and prayers while he continues to battle double pneumonia from Sherman Hospital's intensive care unit. A family friend says Laine, chief since 1985, has been at the hospital for almost a month, fighting complications that arose from a lung infection. At this point, everyone's waiting for the medicine to kick in, said Ignacio "Joe" Pena, the Laine family spokesman and retired police chief of East Dundee. "I think we're just excited about the possibility of him getting better and out of there," Pena said. Algonquin is, too.
Just tell her -- better yet, go visit
Advertising reminds us Sunday is Mother's Day and we'd better hurry and buy jewelry and perfume. But none of these offerings could ever be an adequate way to thank a mother for what she does best -- caring for her children with all her heart. It's sometimes hard to understand how important a mother is until you lose her. If you're lucky enough to still have a mother -- even if she drives you nuts half the time -- call her Sunday or get together in person. She doesn't need another pair of slippers. She wants to hear you appreciate all she's done for you.