Friday, December 14, 2012

2012 recap: What a year it's been!

224 comments:

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Anonymous said...

December 28/9:46 pm. Thanks for setting the record straight. I don't know where such things get started! Joan has been terribly sick for a long time as has been her husband each with their own problems. I will miss Joan very very much. She was a very strong personality and a lovely person at heart. I worked with her for 16+ years and enjoyed everyday with her.

Anonymous said...

Joan never complained she had terminal cancer and develed a brain tumor on top of that I guess it was to much her husband had triple bypass and is still in the hospital

Anonymous said...

Leonard discovered all the cheating going on Feltes is a long time taxpayer, Alumni and resident until the maintenance boys who all live out of town. Get used to it boys there is a new sheriff in town. Hope the sheriff does arrest you maybe it's time to look for a new job.

Anonymous said...

Please! Only reply to this if you know your facts. I want to know the real story. The whole financial debacle. Did it start with B&G/maintenance? The lack of book keeping? I also know there was misuse of district credit cards. Is this another lack of watching the store? Who are the people really at fault in these situations? Who has been disciplined? Who is protected? Why are they protected? I don't want to hear grudge crap. Like Detective Friday would say, "Just the facts!" Educate me oh wise blog. I don't know the details.

Anonymous said...

The financial mess started with Radocvich and Tony Trasino and a lack of accountability. Augustine was hired and never did anything to Clean it up either. Let us not forget maintenance reported to the business manager. Buildings and Grounds was run by Nestor who allowed all these trips and improper awards of contracts. Proof of that was a no bid contract with a retired coach of Nestor's that spent over $100,000 without a competive bid. Noboby kept receipts a fault of Augustine's. The maintenance department lacked procedures, again a fault of Augustine and Nestor's . The Board would ask questions in the form of emails, they would never go into the files and relied to much on what they were told. A procedure the IASB tells them to follow. It was not until Leonard looked at hard copy bills that the mortar started to crumble. Upon that Johnson conducted a audit and found out Augustine and the CPA firm auditing the books did not follow procedure. The auditor responsible for d131 is no longer with his firm and Augustine resigned.

Insurance then became the issue with Johnson getting a call and finding a 2010 requested by her was not done. it resulted in issues that had not been corrected since 1999 again dating back to The Ponquette and Radocovich administration. Again a competent business manager would have spot checked his benefits cordinators work discovering she did not take insurance out fir herself. Other board members had also had questions on people left on the insurance roles. They had also been lied too. The mess did get cleaned up by Johnson auditing the payroll a job the IASB tells board members not to do. The benefits cordinators case is now with the states attroney.

Jerome Roberts also has a part in this by not checking on his reports. However the changes in accounting, paying bills, and auditing have taken place and they have been transparent. No other board would have addressed this or would have swept it under the rug. To date many millions have been saved and it is because of the current board. All of this is FOIA-able.

D131 is changing for the.better and more money will be available for teachers, students and over levy tax policies of the past with regards to the taxpayers have stopped as well.

Anonymous said...

I saw The Beacon was at it again making a laughing stock of are district. This is a call to all residents of the East side stop buying the paper the police pension fund had the same waste with their insurance and no report. Very little coverage on woman who embezzled from the Firemans fund. Then there is the city and friendly bids all the time. Get a life Beacon and start reporting about all of Aurora. There are more gangs, stabbings and 68 people got shot last year in Aurora where is that story.

Anonymous said...

FYI--Most teachers do not have another form of retirement backup. Also we may not collect Social Security. I had no say in what the state tOok out of my paycheck all of these years. Now the corrupt state in Illinois, doesn't pay their share and wants mine as well. Screw that! Chapa La Via, with the knife in all of our backs while she smile's ya sick to your face is going to help them do it. What about holding those corrupt politicians responsible? throwing a few more of them in jail? Divvying up their ill gotten gains which have probably been squirrled away? Chapa La Via- thanks for being a turncoat and joining forces with the union busting republicans-- You see how well this served Romney-- with all of his ridiculous posturing for the top 1%keep it up-- when you forget who got you elected and why you were elected--to protect the interests of students and teachers--you'll be out on your butt too!!!!

Anonymous said...

The Board and Roberts are the ones making a laughing stock of our district. Those things someone is giving credit to Annette for, patting her on the back....she was told about insurance problems and questionable B&G business 4 years ago. She chose to sit on it until she could make it look like she discovered it all on her own, breaking her arm to pat herself on the back.
The Beacon finally has some reporters that are not being hushed by D131 and pointing the fingers in the right direction. Those feeling the heat are now bashing the Beacon. Hopefully,the light will soon shine on the true culprits and not the scapegoats who have been tossed under the bus.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the financial mess recap Annette. Now my next question is how does Nestor stay employed in d131? If a lot of the B & G mess happened on his watch then why did they create a new position for him (that pays six figures by the way) and requires less time than his other position? What kind of dirt does he have on his superiors? Everybody is well aware of his shady past yet he continues to make over 100 grand year after year after year! SERIOUSLY, can anyone explain this?

Anonymous said...

Funny one of the stories of the new year should be a new stem school for east aurora bt the Beacon could not write about that. They always make the east side look bad. Why did they not wite about shots fired on Blackhawks St on the Mayan Calender day. If that would have been Tomcat Lane you bet if would have been on the cover. I also think the Beacons white reporters made Dr Roberts look like someone who could not manage a credit card. That is stereotyping. I have many friends on the West Side and Jim Rydland P Card is loaded with trips all over the country which he takes his wife. I am glad to see that rag close in Surora they are not the paper for all of Aurora.

Anonymous said...

There has been a lot of bad accounting of money in this district but as far as the credit cards or procurement cards The Illinois Administration Code has a policy about this and our district still doesn't.
d) If a school board has obtained and issued credit cards or procurement cards for the use of board members, the superintendent, or other district employees or officials to pay certain job-related expenses or to make purchases on behalf of the board or district or any student activity funds, or for purposes that would otherwise be addressed through a conventional revolving fund, then the board shall adopt a written credit card policy that at least:
1) identifies the allowable types of purchases;
2) provides for the issuing bank to block the cards’ use at unapproved merchants;
3) limits the amount a card-holder can charge in a single purchase or within a given month;
4) provides specific guidelines on purchases via telephone, fax, and the Internet;
5) indicates the consequences for unauthorized purchases;
6) requires card-holders to sign a statement affirming that they are familiar with the board’s credit card policy;
7) requires review and approval of purchases by someone other than the card-holder or user;
8) requires submission of original receipts to document purchases;
9) forbids the use of a card to make purchases in a manner contrary to the requirements of Section 10-20.21 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/10-20.21]; and
10) indicates how financial or material rewards or rebates are to be accounted for and treated.
(Source: Amended at 32 Ill. Reg. 16439, effective September 24, 2008)

Remember some on this board broke this law when they bought liquor with a district credit card.

Anonymous said...

Someone need to look into Jerome Roberts background he was fired in Feb 2004 according to the Southtown which is owned by the Suntimes maybe the Beacon can check. The paper reported fired for undisclosed reasons just google Jerome Roberts fired. rumor is the State is poking around and Adams was coming back and now she is not.. lets bet it's for undisclosed reasons.

Anonymous said...

"maybe the Beacon can check"

Doubt it. The Beacon's editor, John Russell, got a sweetheart deal back in 2005 or so for the sale of his house. Ever since then, the Beacon has gone out of its way to hide and ignore negative things about our district.

Gotta preserve that precious "IMAGE", don'tcha know.

Anonymous said...

Why was Roberts FIRED from his previous job and then hired by D131? Is this for real?

Anonymous said...

Just saw the post about the magnet academy on the district website. It listed the honor roll kids and call the school the Rodgers Magnet Academy. Who the hell is Rodgers and what did he/she do to get the East Aurora school districts magnet academy named after him/her?

Anonymous said...

There is a reason for the saying, "Not on my watch?" I think at this point D131 has to reevaluate who's on watch. Time to make a change.

Anonymous said...

The building that houses the Magnet academy was named for Fred Rodgers before it was owned by the district.
http://www.aurora-il.org/detail_news.php?newsDateID=589

Anonymous said...

Goto www.studentsfirst.us article on sept 9 2005 yes it's true. Only in our district can we hire someone like him. Wondering if Johnson will stick with him, I know it's to late to go back and check but she could fire him if she wants. The board needs to go out of state for a new superintendent rumor is Aird is shooting her month off that when Johnson out she will get the job. If that happens it will be worst. Can anyone save 131. Saw Adams today looks like you screw up they take you back. Central office needs to go.

Anonymous said...

Ok just because the Magnet Academy is housed in a building named for someone does not mean the district has to call the academy by that persons name. How utterly ridiculous. Should it not be named for someone who had a legacy of academic excellence?

Anonymous said...

Yeah. I vote for Carlson/Weaver Magnet Academy.

Anonymous said...

Johnson cannot fire Roberts. The whole board has to approve it. She has the title of president, but it is just a title. She has no more power than anyother member of the board. It is Johnson who wants Roberts there That way she runs the show. It is time for Johnson and Lewis to go.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like they allowed Clayton to name it that. his idle was Fred Rodgers

Anonymous said...

Per the contract the district signed (https://v3.boardbook.org/Public/PublicItemDownload.aspx?ik=32593092)
"(d) District agrees that, regardless of any use District may make of the Property subsequent to its purchase thereof, the Property shall forever continue to have “Fred Rodgers” name utilized and displayed on the Property and/or building located on PIN number 15-22-431-078, commonly known as 501 College Avenue."

Anonymous said...

I believe the Board members made a offer to turn over their IP addresses to each other one said no he has also promised to not get them elected. The price is being board President in April for him so he can sign his daughters dipolma. He also talks about a new superintendent which he will never fire it's all smoke and mirrors because the board has information the public does not, nor can they disclose it because it involves employment. No matter what board Dr Roberts will serve out is contract.

On the subject of Dr Roberts and the board they have a list of accomplishments a mile long. The teachers need to look at what previous boards did for them. That is how we fell behind. Elect the current members and the teachers will continue to get the larger raises along with a no layoff system. Let us not forget that when the school system was in financial trouble after the previous superintendent Dr Roberts never layer anyone off. .Some of the future raises are dependent on the State however as long as the State does not go below funding State aid below 85% we are ok. The teachers also need to ask the union what the first costs coming out on insurance would have been. Because of Johnson ability with insurance the teachers saved over 75% in increases. Next year rates will go down and the board has full intent to disclose how that rate is calculated. The updated changes once cycled in will produce more saving in their pockets . Again ask your Union. Do nt believe in the false lies being spread.

What organization does not change administration if something is not going well. Not changing will result in more rules and regulations from Springfield. Change is hard but not changing will be harder. We can not continue at the pace of bottom 4%.. We also can not continue to waste money every dollar is being saved. Only one board member seems to be fighting savings.

Time for everyone to ask the questions instead of listening to lies. If your afraid ask your Union to ask questions for you. Don't listen to one mans war with himself Also coming to board meeting with show and tell Mr Hull and reading greeting cards that every office gives their boss on Bosses day does not make you better than your fellow board members. However we forgive him every board has one.

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