You are currently browsing the monthly archive for July, 2007.
Sarto prepares to address village – The Courier-News
It’s about time we got back to talking about things that really matter in Carpentersville; stuff that the whole community can benefit from.
Sarto plans to address village to laud work, set goals — Daily Herald
The residents of Carpentersville and the surrounding community really need to see that things are moving forward in the Village, and with a more directed effort of all members of the Board, imagine what kinds of positive things could be done in the Village!
C’ville eyes proposal to seize autos — The Courier-News
But, not everyone is ready to turn the page, instead looking for ways to penalize the residents and visitors to the Village. The word around the area is that this is targeted at penalizing illegal immigrants who cannot get a legal drivers license. I guess when you hang your hat on one single issue …
But a U.S. District Court judge in Chicago declared Waukegan’s ordinance unconstitutional in November 2006, saying that by not allowing police discretion in deciding when to impound vehicles it violated Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizures.
Elgin community not afraid after slayings – Daily Herald
So, what’s this story got to do with Carpentersville? Well, two members from Fox Valley Citizens for Legal Immigration were in the audience at the meeting … and, because the victims were Latino, they tried to attribute it to illegal immigration. One question … I thought it wasn’t about race; isn’t this profiling?
What’s this? Could it be the Village of Carpentersville website? Why yes it is!
And, what’s the first item appearing on the front page of the site? It is none other than an advertisement for Federal Border Patrol Agency jobs, to “protect America’s Southwest border”.
Now, the question is … what is that doing on there? Is it the work of a “hacker” or something more heinous? [UPDATE: 11:00am CDT - Obviously this is an intentional notice as, even after notifying the Village, the "notice" remains. Let the count begin...]
The purpose of the website listed on the right-hand side of the site says:
We have designed this site to provide information about our community to those residing or working in, visiting, or planning to move to the Village of Carpentersville.
Is that “information about our community”? What’s the message you think it is sending?
I have given our Village Board an opportunity to explain to all the residents the reason for the “notice” which is inappropriate, offensive and in poor taste, having sent them the following email yesterday:
Ladies and gentleman, including members of the media,
I am writing to both alert you to, and get an explanation for, what I believe to be inappropriate content that was posted to the Village of Carpentersville’s website.
The website lists its purpose as follows:
We have designed this site to provide information about our community to those residing or working in, visiting, or planning to move to the Village of Carpentersville.
However, when visiting the website today, I found listed as the first item on the Home page, under “News/Updates/Notices!!” an advertisement for the Federal Border Patrol Agency (specifically “America’s Southwest border). Checking the websites of other villages, towns and cities around the area, I found no such “notices”.
In light of recent events in the Village, this content seems to be inappropriate and in poor taste, providing one more reason for aspersions to be cast against the Village of Carpentersville.
As a concerned citizen, I would like to know the answers to the following questions surrounding the publication of this content on the Village’s website, an official communication tool of Carpentersville government.
1. Why was this content posted?
2. Under who’s direction was this content posted?
3. Why was this content posted above more urgent notices, such as those citing open committee positions and newly passed ordinances?
4. What does this content have to do with the stated purpose of the Village website?
5. What steps have or will be taken to correct this situation and prevent such abuses in the future?I, along with all the residents of Carpentersville, anxiously await your answers to these questions.
Sincerely,
Chrysippus
Editor and Administrator
Carpentersville Action Network
Now, the last email message sent to the Village Board received no response from Trustees, with the exception of Trustee Ritter who declined to comment and President Sarto who answered my query (Thank you both for the courtesy of a reply.)
Continue to check back with this site to see when and if members of the Board reply. I encourage all those who visit this site to contact the Board with your own query and let them know that you find this inappropriate and irrelevant to the community.
“… the smell of it surrounds you.”
Hexion Chemical plant located off Lake Marian Rd/Cottage Avenue has long been the source of odor complaints. Lately its been particularly bad … and the Village is asking residents to contact Hexion with odor complaints, to help them remedy the issue. Hexion at least seems willing at this point to try to be a good neighbor. Below is the notice from the Village’s website.
NOTICE TO RESIDENTS
Over the past month or so there has been an increase in odor complaints around the Hexion Chemical Plant located on Cottage Avenue in the Old Town section of Carpentersville . We are working to determine where these odors are being emitted from so that remedial action can be taken as appropriate. In working with Hexion , we encourage residents to contact representatives from Hexion and report these odors. It is important that you call as soon as possible after noticing the odor and provide details such as location, wind speed and direction. Hexion has provided contacts who residents can contact when they notice an odor. Please call Robert Usab 847-280-1943 or Chuck Doebler at 630-631-3450. If you would like to discuss this issue with a representative from the Village, please contact Fire Chief John Schuldt at 847-426-2131.
Beginning 6:30am – Normal weekday morning -
Rt 62/Algonquin Rd. Eastbound traffic stretches westward from Randall Road back to past Lakewood Rd; congestion begins near Huntley. Further east, traffic crawls from County Line and Algonquin Road, through Barrington Hills, to Rt 59.
Rt 31. Southbound traffic crawls from Virginia Rd through Algonquin Rd. Northbound traffic congested approaching Algonquin Rd.
Eastbound Rt 72 traffic extremely heavy through Dundee.
Eastbound traffic heavy on Huntley Road, and then through Carpentersville on the Main Street Bridge.
Southbound Randall Rd traffic heavy from Crystal Lake to Northwest Tollway. Crawling at several points, especially between Rt 72 and the entrance to the Tollway.
Eastbound Northwest Tollway, jammed from before the Elgin Toll to Barrington Rd.
This continues until 8 – 8:30am, if you are lucky.
5:00pm — Same day.
Traffic on Algonquin Rd solid from Rt 59 to Rt 31.
Traffic on Rt 72 heavy from Rt 59 to Rock Rd then crawls to Rt 25. Rt 25 heavy.
Main Street congested through Carpentersville, then jammed from before Sleepy Hallow Rd to past Randall …
Randall Road jammed Northwest Tollway to Crystal Lake. Rt 31 heavy northbound and southbound through Dundee and Algonquin. Rakow Rd crawls between 31 and Pyott Rd/Main Street in Crystal Lake/Lake in the Hills.
This continues until 6:30 – 7pm … unless its Friday.
The Longmeadow Bridge and Parkway looking better and better everyday.
Related: Toll bridge proposed for Longmeadow
Can locals enforce border law? – Chicago Tribune
- Carpentersville’s leaders say they’ll study the judge’s ruling for loopholes and press forward with their own immigration law. That’s not good for anybody. Hispanics, who make up roughly 40 percent of the village population, consider the measures a slap in the face. Neighbors are divided. Businesses warn that they will lose too many employees and customers. Immigrants, meanwhile, can simply take their labor and their spending money down the road to a friendlier town.
- Illegal immigration is a national problem that requires a national solution. That’s why the patchwork approach attempted by Hazleton, Carpentersville and others is doomed to fail. Towns such as Waukegan that enlist in a federal program to enforce national immigration laws aren’t taking matters into their own hands. They’re just picking up the ball where the feds dropped it.
Sticking Hazleton with the bill? – Wilkes-Barre News Times-Leader
- Attorneys Thomas Wilkinson and Thomas Fiddler of Cozen O’Connor, one of the groups that represented the plaintiffs, tabulate their costs in excess of $1 million, but total fees and costs will take approximately 10 days to file, Wilkinson said.
- These legal fees are separate from the compensation that could be sought by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, and several other legal counsels that were involved, Wilkinson said.
[If Hazleton loses its case on appeal, the city would very likely be responsible for paying the legal fees of the plaintiffs in the case, which will easily be several million dollars. The city's insurance will not cover these costs, which means they will be paid by taxpayers in the town, as donations (which thus far have been about $360,000) probably not come close to covering those costs. Or, Mayor Lou Barletta may pay for it out of the more than $1 million he has accumulated for a run for Congress. Or maybe not.]
Village President Bill Sarto has always believed that the anti-immigration ordinances that have been proposed in Carpentersville were simply a waste of Village time and resources. Responding to an email from Carpentersville Action Network, Sarto outlined some of the things he would like to see happen in Carpentersville’s near future which he believes will help move the town forward. Other members of the Board did not respond.
Sarto said he intends to begin to talk about:
- [M]y original plan to bring in more economic development and to build an Entertainment complex, with white table cloth restaurants and live entertainment venues, off of Randall Road.
- [T]he new Bolz Road Bridge plan that should make that bridge a reality within the next 5 years.
- [C]reating TIF districts and how we plan to revitalize the Rt. 25 corridor, i.e., the shopping center and surrounding areas.
Quibble with those ideas if you will, but Sarto appears one of the few who has taken the time to even think about ways to revitalize a Village that is battle-weary from an illegal immigration fight; the settlement of which, if it ever comes, is many years away. Despite this, Sarto remains optimistic and continues to do what he can to move Carpentersville forward …
We just approved new Zoning codes and created Design Standards. Everything is now in place for this Village to begin to move ahead. We continue to replace sidewalks and streets and roads, [especially] on the East side of the village. We will soon have a concept drawing of our new Public Works Facility and Police Station and Training Tower for the Fire Department. This Training Tower by the way will be available for other towns to use for training purposes as well as our own FD.
In a town where the majority of trustees appear determined to focus solely on illegal immigration, Sarto’s ideas should provide a glimmer of hope to residents who want and need property tax relief, cleaner, safer neighborhoods, and a renewed sense of pride in their hometown.
Despite the ruling of a judge that local immigration laws are preempted by federal law, Trustees Sigwalt and Humpfer have vowed to continue to waste the time — and now money– of Village residents and staff.
Of the failures of federal government to successfully pass Immigration Reform, Sigwalt said:
“They’ve proven they can’t handle it. I would think that this (ruling) would really upset the American people to where more and more are going to stand up and say, ‘You know what, enough is enough, we can’t take it anymore.’”
However, Judge James Munley wrote:
“Whatever frustrations … the city of Hazleton may feel about the current state of federal immigration enforcement, the nature of the political system in the United States prohibits the city from enacting ordinances that disrupt a carefully drawn federal statutory scheme.”
One should clearly see that applicable to Carpentersville as well. Judge Munley was crystal clear about setting down the rights reserved to the federal government. Something apparently Trustees Sigwalt and Humpfer don’t understand. A red-light does not mean speed up.
Municipalities all across the country are trying to do what Sigwalt and Humpfer say they want to do in Carpentersville — figure out something that will stand up in court. But, those towns are deciding to drop their attempts because they realize it is futile. Everything they are trying is getting challenged in court.
Mr. Barletta, the Hazleton mayor, has championed the city’s ordinances because he said illegal immigrants had unleashed a crime wave in Hazleton and had overburdened health and other public services.
Sound familiar? It should because Trustees Sigwalt and Humpfer said the same thing. But, in Hazleton, that specific charge of a “crime wave” was debunked.
At the nine-day trial in March, A.C.L.U. lawyers … showed that 4 of 428 violent crimes in Hazleton in the last six years could be attributed to illegal immigrants.
Sigwalt, Humpfer and some of the other trustees, taking a “win at any cost” attitude, have disregarded their rules, disregarded their legal counsel and now they are intending to disregard the ruling of a federal judge. Residents need to understand that this issue is all these trustees have. This is the only thing that Humpfer, Sigwalt and Hinz promised voters. This is the only thing they are intending to work on for the residents of the Village of Carpentersville. But their one-trick-pony has just been maimed. And Carpentersville is suffering for it.
It shows they clearly don’t understand the Village and what makes it tick. As I said in an early entry, the East side is full of homes that most of those inhabiting the West side wouldn’t want. So, what’s going to happen when you tell 40% of your population that you don’t want them there, and enact ordinances to penalize them? They will leave, killing the East side almost completely and lowering your property tax base which means higher taxes for those on the West side in order to do merely an adequate job of maintaining roads, sidewalks, parks, etc.
The residents need to stop and think hard about this. By supporting this ordinance at the local level, you are inciting these trustees to do things that will harm — not help — the Village. You need to contact them today and tell them to stop this fight and get on with the real business of Carpentersville.
Hazleton, in its zeal to control the presence of a group deemed undesirable, violated the rights of such people, as well as others within the community. Since the United States Constitution protects even the disfavored, the ordinances cannot be enforced.
Now is not a time to be fighting the courts and the Constitution. It is time to move on, move past this and start healing the rift that this has created in the community.
– Sources –
• New York Times, Judge Voids Ordinance on Illegal Immigrants
• Daily Herald, Immigration ruling hits home
• The Courier-News, 2 C’ville trustees vow to advance own law
Bob Sperlazzo, chairman for Fox Valley Citizens for Legal Immigration (FVCFLI), wrote a Letter to the Editor of The Courier-News that was published yesterday. The letter was congratulatory of 5 Carpentersville trustees for their actions at the Carpentersville Village Board meeting on July 17th in suspending the rules for public comment in order to allow him to speak.
Mr. Sperlazzo rightly cites the applicable rules set by the Board for public comments, but then proceeds to offer an account of the situation that would rival some of the wildest of fairy tales.
Here, though, Sperlazzo tries pass off his creative writing as non-fiction, providing a creative interpretation of the rules for public comment:
[T]he official guidelines state: “Members of the general public may address the board with concerns or comments regarding issues that are relevant to village business.” This should include any resident’s judgment of what is “relevant” — present or future business.
That might seem reasonable, had the Village Attorney not given the official legal judgment on the matter only a few short days earlier:
Village Attorney James Rhodes supported Sarto’s assessment that the measure didn’t get as far as village business. He also said ending discussion was not censorship, but a matter of debating topics at an appropriate time.
Thus, it is not simply the matter of “the sole judgment of the president” or “suppression by a board member who may simply disagree”, but of the legal counsel for the Village who has been placed in a position to specifically interpret the rules that have been decided upon by rightful ordinance and decree.
Clearly then, the actions of these Board members to make an exception for a friend (Trustees Sigwalt and Humpfer are both members and representatives of FVCFLI) do not deserve commendation, but criticism. To this end, these trustees have allowed residents rightful time to be hijacked by those who want to talk about an issue they neither have the inclination nor the legal standing to do anything about. Along with Mr. Sperlazzo, these 5 trustees have demonstrated their hypocrisy by allowing speech they like, while criticizing Sarto for exhibiting similar behavior. Unfortunately, this is par for the course for Trustees Sigwalt, Humpfer, Hinz and Teeter.
But, if Mr. Sperlazzo and his friends on the Board want it to be this way, where the matter of relevance defers to the resident, then it seems only right that the Board have to also endure talk of members accused of wife-beating, or charges of racism, or maybe even a “story ’bout a man named ‘Jed’ …” Heck, Mr.Sperlazzo, I’m sure your friends on the Board who chose to suspend the rules of decorum for you would be most appreciative for your having given them the opportunity to extend even more Board meetings into the wee hours of the morning so that residents could come and rail on — for their 5-minutes at least — in seemingly endless succession about whatever suits their fancy. Gee, perhaps I could get some folks together so they could go before the Board and just print off and read the posts from this blog that have been published since the last meeting. I’m sure they would find that just swell. Wouldn’t they?
In suspending the rules, these 5 trustees did more than “overrule Sarto” and “uphold our rights as citizens”. They overruled themselves and their legal counsel with such blindness and lack of forethought that they have opened themselves up to a potential flood of public comments that I feel certain they will wish they did not invite.
U.S. District Judge James Munley said the city of Hazleton, 100 miles north of Philadelphia, was not allowed to implement a law that would fine businesses that hire illegal immigrants and penalize landlords who rent rooms to them.”
Federal law prohibits Hazleton from enforcing any of the provisions of its ordinances,” Munley wrote in a 206-page opinion following a federal trial in which Hazleton’s law was challenged by civil rights groups.
This judge has ruled that none of the provisions in the ordinance are enforceable. The Mayor has also expressed that they will appeal and continue the fight. But, at what cost? Hazleton was able to set things up to solicit donations to pay for the defense of the ordinance, but folks are going to have dig deeper — and not every municipality is going to be able to do something like that, and if they try to take on similar actions, are going to have to dig into the local taxpayers’ pocket.
Imagine if Carpentersville had gone ahead and made its draft into a real ordinance … how much taxpayer money would have been wasted! At least 4 Village Board members (Sarto, Ramirez-Sliwinski, Ritter and former trustee Frost) had the sense to say “stop and wait” from the beginning.
“This decision should be a blaring red stoplight for local officials thinking of copying Hazleton’s misguided and unconstitutional law,” said Witold Walczak, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, which represented the plaintiffs.
The question now is … what’s next for Carpentersville?
For those that would like to read the entire decision (206 pages) … Hazleton, PA Decision.
Current federal law (8 USC 1324a(h)(2)) expressly preempts any non-federal law:
“imposing civil or criminal sanctions (other than through licensing and similar laws) upon those who employ, or recruit or refer for a fee for employment, unauthorized aliens.”
In practice, this means that draft legislation should usually avoid (a) direct fines or (b) criminal convictions against employers for recruiting or hiring illegal aliens as a principal enforcement mechanism.
This would mean that levying fines against employers who hire illegal immigrants would not stand up in court because it preempts federal law. Therefore, that portion of the proposal would not be enforceable and would need to be removed.
[Source: IMMIGRATION REFORM LAW INSTITUTE, Planning for State Immigration Enforcement Legislation]
When I started this blog, I knew there were a number of problems that were plaguing Carpentersville. I saw a Village Board that was at each others’ throats. I saw residents battling Board members and Board members fighting back.
Yet, until I started this blog, I didn’t realize how much resident vs resident played into this.
The majority of comments on this blog and via email have stated that I should reveal my identity. When I’ve refused to do so, speculation, and attacks based them, tends to ensue. I can’t believe all the energy expended over who I am. Such things are the very reason for anonymity here. I wanted to get past tit-for-tat banter that I witnessed, and instead focus on ideas.
Unfortunately, most seem unable to do so. They want to toss around their speculations about who is writing this blog so they can continue to berate those people. That’s not what Carpentersville needs.
Awhile back, I met some really nice people from Silverstone Lake. While they were curious about who I was, they didn’t dwell on it. We even had a bit of a chat about … ideas. {gasp} There were some good ideas offered in the exchange. I’d like to see Carpentersville Action Network become something along those lines.
While Carpentersville Action Network has regularly been critical of the actions of Trustees Sigwalt and Humpfer, that is due to what I view as their failures to move Carpentersville forward. Making our elected officials accountable is part of the intent of this site, but not its sole purpose. The overarching purpose is ideas and information. It is my hope that residents, media and government will work together to this end for the benefit of the whole community.
I know that I said that I was not going to confirm or deny any speculation about my identity, but I want to go back on that, just to clear the names of a few people who have been named here … I don’t think they want to be associated with me or this blog, and it seems unfair to them for folks to continue to do so.
I am not President Bill Sarto. Yes, I support much of what I see him trying to do, and I’ve seen some good things happening for Carpentersville before, and then in spite of, the focus shifting to the Illegal Immigration debate. But, I’ve also seen that he’s done some things wrong, and said and done some things that were pretty dumb. I’ll continue to call him out when I think its appropriate.
I am also not Grant Crowell. Yes, I have posted some of his videos, and I do appreciate his efforts to drag Carpentersville — even if its kicking and screaming — into the Information Age.
Sometimes, the way people speak about immigration in the United States, they make it sound like its as easy as walking down to the local Immigration office, signing a few documents, and “you’re in”. But, the days of Ellis Island-like entry into the country are long past. But, what does it take to become a citizen of the United States? An article that appeared in the Kane County Chronicle over the weekend gives some insight …
- Road to citizenship long, expensive
Elburn-based attorney Maureen Kelly often hears that immigrants should stand in line to get their citizenship.
But it’s not always that easy, she said.
“There is no line available for many, many immigrants because the main ways to come to the United States to get your residency are through a family member or an employer,” said Maureen E. Kelly, an immigration attorney based in Elburn.
But if an immigrant doesn’t have a family member or an employer here, there is no line and therefore no direct route to legal citizenship.
“People would be shocked at how much screening a person has to go through to be able to stay here,” Kelly said. “I have a lot of compassion for the honest guys and gals who are just trying to make ends meet.”
Across the nation and closer to home, the immigration debate rages.
Both the U.S. House and Senate have been pondering bills to establish a Comprehensive Immigration Reform Commission. That legislation, which stalled in committee, would have formed a group designed to review immigration reform policies affecting areas including family reunification, employment-based immigration, and refugee protection. The group would include members of both houses.
In Kane County, Carpentersville made headlines in June by declaring itself an English-only community.
Immigration law is one of the most complex forms on the books, yet citizen hopefuls are clamoring for their naturalization in record numbers, Kelly said.
Becoming naturalized
The process to become a citizen of the United States often is long, detailed and expensive, said Karla Avila, director of the New Americans Initiative for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.
“A couple of months ago when immigration was discussed, there were a lot of people talking about citizenship. That immigration reform was planning on giving citizenship to undocumented immigrants,” Avila said. “That’s something that … people don’t know about the process: You have to be a legal, permanent resident first, and that’s not an easy thing to do.”
But Rosanna Pulido, the state director of the Illinois Minuteman Project, said those residents who had gone through the process have said it’s a worthwhile effort.
“They say, ‘You know what? If I had to wait for five years, I did and I became a citizen,’” Pulido said. “ ‘I did what was asked of me because it’s a privilege to be here.’ ”
Before an immigrant can become a naturalized citizen, he or she must first establish a history of legal, permanent residence, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokeswoman Marilu Cabrera said. To get the green card needed for residency, the hopeful must first be petitioned for by either an employer or a legal family member.
Once the immigrant has his or her legal resident status, he or she must hold it for at least five years or be married to an American citizen for at least three years, Avila said.
From there, the hopeful must fill out a written test, submit to a legal background check, and undergo an oral interview that shows knowledge of U.S. history, civics and basic English, Cabrera said. Her agency is piloting a new test this year before a national redesign next year.
In addition, Avila said, the citizenship application fee is expected to increase at the end of the month from $400 to $675. And that, she said, would set only higher one of the main barriers that prevent immigrants from applying for their citizenship.
The additional money will fund capital improvements – such as office renovations and expansions – and staffing increases that could streamline application processing, Cabrera said.
As many as 1,200 people may be naturalized in Chicago on any given week, she said.
“People don’t realize how much scrutiny is involved,” Kelly said. “It’s very rigorous, it takes months. … There’s a lot of [obstacles] before they can say, ‘Yes, you are a U.S. citizen.’”
But those who have gone through the process wonder why others do not, Pulido said.
“The legal immigrants are feeling like, ‘I did it, why can’t they?’” she said. “That’s the voice that is missing in this [debate]: The people who obeyed the law, who did not have to break the law and now are legal. … They’re the best spokespersons that there are, really.”
Immigration in action
Citizenship applications nationwide have increased more than 60 percent for the first part of the year over the same time period last year, according to the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.
On July 14, more than 900 hopeful citizens from across the state were given assistance filling out their applications at six citizenship workshops.
Victoria Almonaci, citizenship coordinator for Rock Valley College’s Refugee Training Program, said that’s a good thing. Her organization coordinates citizenship classes around northern Illinois.
Almonaci said legal residents making the move to becoming naturalized citizens were a benefit to the community.
“Children are growing here, people are buying homes, people are putting down roots,” she said. “The idea of returning home – well, this is home.”
Do you know?
The following are 10 of the 142 questions that citizen hopefuls might be asked before being granted their citizenship.
1. Name one important idea found in the Declaration of Independence.
2. What is the supreme law of the land?
3. What does the Constitution do?
4. What does “We the People” mean in the Constitution?
5. What do we call changes to the Constitution?
6. What is an amendment?
7. What do we call the first 10 amendments to the Constitution?
8. Name one right or freedom from the First Amendment.
9. How many amendments does the Constitution have?
10. What did the Declaration of Independence do?
How did you do on the quiz?
1. People are born with natural rights; the power of government comes from the people; the people can change their government if it hurts their natural rights; all people are created equal.
2. The Constitution.
3. It sets up the government; it protects basic rights of Americans.
4. The power of government comes from the people.
5. Amendments.
6. It is a change to the Constitution.
7. The Bill of Rights.
8. Speech; religion; assembly; press; petition the government.
9. Twenty-seven (27).
10. Announce the independence of the United States from Great Britain; say that the U.S. is free from Great Britain.
Originally published by Kane County Chronicle
http://www.kcchronicle.com/articles/2007/07/23/news/local/doc46a32c1c11519932499626.txt
The email-box at Carpentersville Action Network is getting busier these days, as other citizens begin to copy us on correspondence or forward emails they’ve received. I’d like to share with you a portion of one such email that was received recently, specifically about Carpentersville Action Network …
Is his/her name really “Carpentersville Action Network?
Or should it be called the “Bash Paul, Judy and anyone else that trying to make a difference.
Now, I have to say that I thought this was a rather humorous statement. The reason why I found it humorous is because I haven’t seen that “Paul” and “Judy” have done anything that has benefited the Village (ok, I’ll give Trustee Humpfer credit for his work on the Audit and Finance Commission, to help the Village achieve a clean audit). However, let’s take a look at the track record recently …
- Talked about an Illegal Alien Immigration Relief Ordinance, yet never officially brought it before the Board. This is issue #1 on which they have not specifically identified a significant problem of in the Village.
- Got the Board to declare a “fluff” resolution about “English-only” when they realized they did not have the support for an ordinance, because it would have made the jobs of those working for the Village more difficult, and only have saved the Village a few hundred dollars in an approximately $30 million budget. This is issue #2 that was a non-problem for the Village.
- Passed another ordinance addressing something else that has not been any bit of a problem — requiring those working in Village commissions or committees to be U.S. citizens who are registered to vote. This is issue #3 that was a non-problem in the Village.
So, basically what they’ve done is give the appearance of having done something, when they have, in fact, done nothing at all. Not sure how that is called “making a difference”.
But, the question is … am I just “bashing Paul and Judy”? Perhaps, although I am taking on their ideas and arguments, not them personally. Yet, based on everything I’ve said, do you think it’s not without good reason? I mean, seriously, how has any of this brought development to the Village, fixed streets and sidewalks, lowered the tax burden on residents, or kept stores on the Village’s East side? The fact of the matter is that it hasn’t. Yet it is those improvements that Carpentersville needs the most.
President Sarto needs to be doing more to put a stop to these antics, and get on with the real business of the Village. Sarto needed to go at these trustees … hard … over the public comments issue that came up at last Tuesday’s meeting.
Illegal immigration is one of those issues that all the politicians are talking about, but none seem willing to do anything about. Perhaps we shouldn’t be so hard on those such as Trustees Sigwalt, Humpfer and Hinz who ran on an anti-illegal immigration platform, but about which they have yet to do anything significant about. After all, they are just falling in-line with the others who merely give lip service to issues. If they actually solved the problem, they wouldn’t have anything to run for re-election on, now would they?
As our city lays dying …
As was mentioned in an entry last Tuesday, an email was sent to all the members of the Village Board, requesting a few brief comments about their plans and ideas for the future of Carpentersville. Of the trustees, only Trustee Ritter responded. His response was less than favorable.
Here is his reply:
Hi,
I am sorry, but I do not respond to unsigned emails. Please provide a name and phone number and I will be glad to contribute.
Ed Ritter
Now, I will not quibble with the fact that my email was, basically, unsigned. A level of anonymity was established for this blog from the outset. It was setup this way for two reasons, 1) to focus on the information and not the person(s) contributing to this blog; this is also why anonymous comments are allowed on this blog; and, 2) to prevent reprisals against those associated with the blog or bloggers. Based on the track record of Carpentersville politics, the need for #2 should be understandable. While this would appear to some as allowing for freedom to bash officials and those who disagree with us, we realized that doing so would also impugn our credibility. Every effort has been, and will be, made to keep from intentionally slandering someone — except when they really deserve it. 
Next, referring to the response — or lack of it — received from the trustees. First, let me say that I can understand some hesitation in responding to an email from someone you cannot determine the identity of. That said, however, the information requested should not have been, nor did it need to be, of a sensitive nature. In fact, it was initially thought that trustees would jump at the chance to share some of their vision with residents, visitors and those with interests in Carpentersville.
Apparently, though, they consider such things “privileged information.” Or, perhaps the information requested is not something they have thought much about. And, “oppose whatever the other side proposes” doesn’t seem like it would be positive PR for their career. In either case, they should take some of the ideas presented here and work on them. I would be much better for all of us.
If any of the trustees or those who communicate directly with them are reading this (and there is some relative certainty that they are reading), let me just say that they should consider the invitation sent via email to be “open”, and should they choose to reconsider their position, their replies are still welcome.
One will notice that I have not mentioned President Sarto in this entry, but have only referred to the Trustees. That is because President Sarto responded, and provided actual information. The content of his reply will be published in a later entry.
No, you haven’t been secretly whisked away to some other site. (Ok, you sort of have.)
You have arrived at the new home of Carpentersville Action Network.
Options on this blog host are better and more manageable. So, welcome to the new home of Carpentersville Action Network. I’ll have more options available soon for subscribing to this site’s feeds. Also, be sure to update any bookmarks/favorites you have saved, to point to http://cvillecan.wordpress.com
I welcome any comments, questions or ideas you have about the new site.
At the suggestion of Grant Crowell on a previous thread, I have reconsidered the moderation process for comments. Comments are now open, without prior approval required (the exception being someone providing more than a single link to something). However, let me say that if comments get out of hand with language or personal attacks or other such behavior, I will not hesitate to return to requiring moderation for all comments. And, I still retain the ability to delete comments that are inappropriate according to the guidelines that I set forth in the Introduction. To date, only 2 comments have been removed/rejected, which were because they bordered on a personal attack or would have invited a flame war on a personal level. I would love to leave comments unmoderated.
Take it from Aristotle …
Too many consider the first part — “This is about what’s legal” — without considering the second part.
It’s been awhile since I did something of a lazy Friday posting, so I thought today it might be appropriate.
State of the Blog
First off, there’s been a lot of buzz generated surrounding this blog since it was started about 32 days ago. Thanks to everyone for their support, and for the encouraging emails and comments. Definitely keep them coming! And, you can be sure that this blog will continue to work at providing you with solid information, investigation and opinion about what is going on in the Village to help make the Board accountable to what they say they need to do and what the residents need and ask of them.
Get the word out about this blog! Tell your friends and neighbors about this blog. If you see some information here that you want to pass out to others, feel free to print it off, make copies and distribute it. Heck, take it to a Board meeting and read it during the public comments portion, and call the Board to accountability. All that is asked is three things:
- Distribute postings and/or comments in their entirety and distinguish any comments you add from those of Carpentersville Action Network; and,
- Reference http://cvillecan.blogspot.com and Carpentersville Action Network at the top of the copy; and,
- Send an email or leave a comment (which can be anonymous, if you like) that you intend to distribute it. Any other information you feel is pertinent is quite welcome.
Every other fair and legal use should not be a problem.
Is this “Reality TV”?
When you go to a Village Board meeting, like the one this past week, do you ever get the feeling that you are just off-camera watching a live version of the reality show “Survivor”? (Does anyone actually even watch that show anymore?) You can see the “alliances” formed and plotting. Even look at the approach that is taken to things being done in the Village …
Little more than a month ago, Trustee Sigwalt was quoted as saying:
“I’ve got four more years on the board and so does Paul, so [the Immigration Relief Act is] not going to fade away. If we have to wait, we have to wait.“
When we look at the way things are being handled on the Board, we can definitely see that there are some who prefer to wait and do nothing, and others who are trying to move this Board forward. Despite not wanting to talk about the Immigration ordinance itself, Sigwalt and company appear to be single-minded in making all things about immigration. Which, of course, does nothing positive for the Village.
I know that I’d like to see nothing better than to have President Sarto re-elected about 1 1/2 years from now (and there are a number of examples provided on this blog of work he has been doing for the good of the Village), particularly because Trustees Sigwalt and Humpfer seem content to do nothing positive for the Village until Sarto is out. What a shock it would be to them if things were turned around, and their heads went on the chopping-block and they were held accountable for their inaction (as well as Judy’s disrespectful displays at Board meetings — I can hear her say “Oh my God!” at this very moment!).
Board Bits
Finally, the Board did a few things at this week’s meeting that might be of interest, but on which I haven’t commented:
- The Audit and Finance Commission is staffed. Finally. Trustee Humpfer chose Trustees Ritter and Hinz to serve; joining residents Sherry Dobson, Nate Spain and Michael Sievertson. President Sarto completes the 7-member panel.
- The vote was 5-2 in favor of requiring appointees to commissions and panels to be U.S. citizens, and registered voters. Of course, this excludes resident (legal) aliens who cannot register to vote until they become U.S. citizens. While this could be a good thing, it seems to be another example of trying to exclude all but U.S. citizens from any involvement in Village business. Merely another wedge ordinance.
- The Board approved a measure to create a “improvement committee” to “educate” residents about code violations, rather than penalize them for such violations. This seems like a step in the right direction toward improving the look of the Village, but again seemed to initially take a tone of being a wedge issue in the community.
- Notice was received from Washington, D.C. this week that 287(g) ICE training would be available to Carpentersville law enforcement officers, addressing a request made by the Village in January. The Village must wait until after October 1st to find out whether they will receive federal funding for the training, but the Village intends to move forward with the plan, even if the added costs must be paid with local taxpayer dollars.
- And, just wanted to reiterate the move 5 members of the Board made Tuesday night to allow public comments even on items not pertinent to Village business.
Finally, just a note to say that meeting minutes from the June 5, 2007 board meeting have been posted to the Village website. Take a look and keep up with what’s going on in these meetings.
That’s about all for now.
Carpentersville can sit back and pass ordinances and resolutions — to borrow a phrase from my gramma — until the cows come home, but there comes time when you have to work positively to effect change. Really, I believe this is something positive for the community.
If you want people to speak English, don’t just tell them “speak English” (Trustees Sigwalt, Humpfer, Teeter, Hinz and Ritter), actually help them to learn English. Efforts by President Sarto, along with Manager Anderson, here are doing precisely that. Imagine if the whole Board did things like this for the community …
[Thanks to Grant Crowell of Grantastic Designs for taking the time to video these meetings and make them available on the web]
Perhaps the Board should be prepared to allow comments from the public on whatever topic residents wish. That’s basically what Trustees Teeter, Sigwalt, Humpfer, Hinz and Ritter said at Tuesday evening’s Village Board meeting when they voted to allow Bob Sperlazzo to speak on illegal immigration, even though Board rules do not allow it.
So, the next time a resident comes in to speak about the public record of even the private lives of Board members, the Board better be prepared to listen for the full 5 minutes. Of course, they should feel free to walk out of the meeting too, even if that means the resident would not be heard by the Board at all.
As the Village attorney, Jim Rhodes, pointed out, disallowing talk on non-Village business, such as illegal immigration, is not a matter of censorship, but rather what is appropriate to discuss at the meeting.
Village Attorney James Rhodes supported Sarto’s assessment that the measure didn’t get as far as village business. He also said ending discussion was not censorship, but a matter of debating topics at an appropriate time.
If Trustees are not ready to talk about the illegal immigration ordinance, and its never been a part of official Village business, then it should not be open for public comment. Period.
Sarto and Ramirez-Sliwinski were right to leave the meeting during these comments. After all, the Board convenes to discuss Village business. Sperlazzo’s comments were not related to Village business and therefore Sarto and Ramirez-Sliwinski did not need to be present.
[Read what the Daily Herald reported about the event]
Let’s see if any parts could be written more accurately, shall we?
A Carpentersville ban on discussions relating to illegal immigration lasted less than one board meeting. Trustees Tuesday night overturned the mayor’s first attempt to prohibit a resident from talking about illegal immigration.
Instead, let us put it more correctly …
Carpentersville rules of decorum for public comments during Village meetings require residents to address official Village business. However, when the mayor attempted to uphold those rules Tuesday night, 5 Trustees voted to abolish the rule. The mayor and Trustee Linda Ramirez-Sliwinski dissented.
That’s more like it. I would like to thank these other trustees who voted to abolish the rules. It opens the door for a member of the “Action Network” to come address the Board directly at the regular meeting about what is on our minds. I don’t know if our comedy act can come close to matching yours, but we will certainly do our best to entertain the crowd in a manner fitting of the stage you have created.
In the past few days, the following was sent to each of the Village Trustees and President. Any information received will be provided in a future posting …
I am the editor of the Carpentersville Action Network internet site, delivering news and information about Carpentersville Village government to the public exclusively on the web.
Recently, I contacted members of the Village Board regarding plans and actions for the future that each are considering and feel are important in continuing to serve the residents of the Village, and moving Carpentersville forward.
I was hoping that you might be able to provide some information of your plans and ideas in this regard, to share with residents, visitors and those across the region with interest in what is happening in the Village of Carpentersville, and what Village government is working toward.
I, along with all the residents of Carpentersville, would very much appreciate anything you could contribute. Thank you very much for your time.
Sincerely,
Carpentersville Action Network
Also, if you have information that you feel is important to be shared with the residents of Carpentersville, we encourage you to contact us via email, via the link in the Welcome section of the sidebar.
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