Peoria Police

Police Union: No confidence in Chief

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Monday night, the Peoria Police Benevolent Association took a vote of no confidence in Police Chief Steve Settingsgaard:

In dispute, according to police sources, is a proposal by Settingsgaard to move to staggered shifts, which would put more officers out on the streets at shift change but would tweak the hours of the three primary shifts – first, second and third – something the union says would cost the city more money, create headaches for those in charge of making the schedules and disturb the schedules of officers’ families. Also being challenged is the idea to appoint supervisors to new assignments without opening up the bid process to other qualifying supervisors with more seniority, meaning those with more time on the job would lose the ability to bid for shifts and days off.

The article also states that since May 2005, “the union has filed between 30 and 40 grievances against him for various alleged contract violations.” The vote was 187-24.

Here’s the press release of Chief Settingsgaard’s response:

As has been much publicized, the Peoria Police Benevolent Board held a No Confidence Vote on Monday, September 22, 2008. The Board has since publicized the outcome of the vote with 187 members voting against the Chief, and 24 voting in favor of the Chief. This is an important issue not only for the police and our internal operations, but for the citizens we serve as well. It is critical that both the community and the officers understand the nature of the issues, my rationale for the decisions I must make, and how they may impact police service.

The No Confidence Vote as well as many of the grievances that have been filed during my tenure are in great part related to how we as the police staff our community. As the Chief, I bear the responsibility of balancing the needs of the community against the needs of individual officers. Unfortunately there are times when the public’s need and the officer’s personal interests are in direct conflict with each other. I must then weigh these conflicting interests and decide a course of action that seeks the greatest good. Sometimes I am able to find reasonable compromise and satisfy both and sometimes I am not. Sometimes I must ask the officers to put aside their own interests and make sacrifices for the good of the people they serve. This burden comes with leadership and to lead, I must make these decisions even when I know it will make me unpopular among my own officers. I do not ask the officers to make reasonable accommodations and adjust to change because I want to; I ask this of them because I must.

I am disappointed that the Benevolent Board chose to take a No Confidence Vote rather than rely on the agreed upon processes to resolve these types of disputes. I am disappointed in the manner in which the vote was held as I am told that some officers were pressured to vote over the phone, sacrificing their right to anonymity. What is done is done and now it must be dealt with so that we can all move on.

The most critical thing for the public to understand at this point is that this dispute will have no impact on their safety nor does it reduce the commitment of our police officers to serve. Our Peoria Police Officers are the most highly skilled and highly professional officers I have ever known. They have not, and will not give anything but their very best to the community that they serve, even in circumstances like the current. While we work thorough these unfortunate but necessary conflicts, both my management team and the officers continue to serve proudly. As for my performance as the Chief, I will continue to pursue positive change and seek to improve our service, and I will not leave well enough alone because well enough is not good enough. I owe this to the community; I owe it to my officers.

Today’s Journal Star reports, “Today, the union plans to release a more detailed statement – seven to 10 pages, Skaggs said – addressing the union’s concerns.”

Peoria Public Schools

Wacky Wednesday #1

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Today, most, but not all, District 150 primary school students will be getting out of school 90 minutes early (1:45 instead of 3:15) as part of the School Board’s new “Wacky Wednesday” plan. During the 90 minutes of school the children will be missing, the teachers are supposed to be collaborating, learning from each other, making alterations to their curriculum and instructional techniques as a result, with the end goal of being more effective teachers. This is supposed to translate into better student performance — enough improvement to more than compensate for the lost instructional time during Wacky Wednesdays.

I encourage all parents to ask their children’s teachers tomorrow what they did during their teacher collaboration time this afternoon, what new techniques they learned, and how they’re altering their teaching styles as a result. I’d also like to find out what metrics the district is using to determine if this effort is successful or not. Are they going to base it on the rise or fall of standardized test scores?

2008 Campaign, Aaron Schock, City Council, City of Peoria

Schock fundraising cost keeps rising

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The original city council agenda reported that President Bush’s visit to Peoria to raise funds for congressional candidate Aaron Schock cost taxpayers $13,195.63. That included police overtime and some miscellaneous expenses.

At last night’s council meeting, we learned that the tab is now $38,252. Adding to the cost are public works costs ($11,538 for 30 public works trucks used “for security purposes”) and fire department manpower ($3,218). I’ll try to get a copy of all the costs and post it.

But we may not be done tabulating the costs. Even the $38,000 figure doesn’t include the hours that police, public works, and other departments spent planning for the event. All this money comes out of Peoria taxpayers’ pockets.

One more thing — it violates city code:

Sec. 2-335(c). Employees shall not use city stationery, office equipment or other city resources for personal or political purposes.

Sec. 2-336. Prohibited political activities.

(a) City employees shall not intentionally perform any prohibited political activity during any compensated time (other than vacation, personal, or compensatory time off). City employees shall not intentionally misappropriate any city property or resources by engaging in any prohibited political activity for the benefit of any campaign for elective office or any political organization.

(b) At no time shall any executive or legislative branch constitutional officer or any official, director, supervisor, or city employee intentionally misappropriate the services of any city employee by requiring that city employee to perform any prohibited political activity (i) as part of that employee’s city duties, (ii) as a condition of city employment, or (iii) during any time off that is compensated by the city (such as vacation, personal, or compensatory time off).

Sec. 2-337. Prohibited political activity defined.

Prohibited political activity means:
(1) Preparing for, organizing, or participating in any political meeting, political rally, political demonstration or other political event.

I don’t know how the codes could be any clearer. A July 24, 2008, Journal Star article states that Schock’s fundraising event was “purely political,” which is the reason why Schock’s campaign had to pay back “costs associated with flying into Peoria on Air Force One and all costs for food, flowers and rentals at the Weaver Farm event.”

So let’s recap — the fundraising event was undeniably political in nature. The preparation, organization, and execution of city services for such a political event is prohibited according to city codes. However, the city has provided those services anyway (in violation of its own code) at a cost of $38,000+ without even asking the Schock campaign to reimburse the taxpayers.

Meanwhile, the Schock campaign isn’t offering to reimburse the taxpayers either. Is this an example of the kind of “service” a Congressman Schock will be providing to his district? Sticking local taxpayers with the bill for an event that personally benefits him, even as he reimburses the federal government for the same event?

A motion to bill Schock’s campaign for these costs was deferred until the next council meeting. Voting against the deferral: Councilmen Eric Turner, Patrick Nichting and Jim Montelongo.

Museum Block

Museum-backers to reveal history exhibit designs

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From a press release:

You’re invited to attend a
Build The Block news conference.
Monday, September 29, 2008, 1:30 p.m.
Hotel Pere Marquette, Cotillion Ballroom
501 Main St.

The Peoria Riverfront Museum Collaborators will announce plans for The Street gallery. Join us as we reveal exhibit designs celebrating our region’s rich history.

Speakers include:
Brad McMillan, Museum Collaboration Group
Congressman Ray LaHood, US House of Representatives
Marilyn Leyland, Peoria Historical Society
John Parks, Peoria Regional Museum Society
Margie White, African American Hall of Fame Museum
Michael Bryant, CEO Roundtable

Bradley University, City Council, City of Peoria, Peoria Public Schools, Traffic

“In the News” for 9/23/08

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In the news today:

  • An allegedly inebriated council member confronts Bradley fraternity students over being too noisy in the middle of the night. Bradley police, then Peoria police are called to break things up. Van Auken says that neighbors have complained about this fraternity, Sigma Nu, 1300 W. Fredonia Ave., multiple times, but that things haven’t improved. Bradley police wouldn’t give the fraternity a citation for being too loud, but Peoria police did. The fraternity thinks they’re being treated unfairly, since the police didn’t cite Van Auken for disorderly conduct and trespassing after she and her companions refused to leave the premises. Van Auken says she acted appropriately. She also admitted to having a few drinks before the confrontation, and fraternity members and Bradley police said she showed signs of inebriation. My take: It’s laudable that Van Auken is willing to stand up to the university on this issue, but her apparent lack of sobriety calls her judgment — about the loudness of the party, for one thing — into question. It would have been better if she had confronted them while sober.

  • Public Works is going to recommend lane reductions for Main Street. The purpose of the meeting last night was to present their proposal and convince everyone in attendance that it was the best solution. They keep saying they want to hear from residents and are willing to do what the residents want, but when the residents asked for things, they were told that those ideas won’t work and we have to go with Public Works’ plans, based on their computer models. Perhaps the most telling statement was when I talked to Public Works Director Dave Barber after the meeting and expressed my concern over the traffic on Main Street consistently going 10-15 mph over the speed limit between University and Farmington Road, his response was, “The street was that way when you moved there, right?” So, apparently, if people are breaking the law, they’ve got a right to keep breaking the law. Good to know. Nevertheless, narrowing Main east of University will be a good thing.

  • District 150 is considering mandatory uniforms for primary and middle school students. My take: Great idea. Make it so.
City of Peoria, Traffic

Reminder: Traffic study forum tonight!

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From a previous post:

The Public Works Department and Hanson Professional Services will be hosting a public meeting on Monday, September 22, 2008; 7pm – 9pm at City Hall-Council Chambers, 419 Fulton Street, Suite 400, Peoria. This forum is a follow-up to the meeting that took place in early July. The City will be presenting a series of computer-generated illustrations showing how a variety of traffic-calming options will affect Main Street and the surrounding area using traffic counts and data collected in June.

Uncategorized

Happy Autumn

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Autumn officially begins today. To celebrate, I’m taking the day off from blogging. 🙂 Feel free to use this post as an open thread to talk about whatever is on your mind.

If you can’t think of anything to say, here’s an idea: the $700 billion bailout. I keep hearing how this bailout is absolutely critical, and that the alternative would be worse. But I can’t find a report that specifically, in layman’s terms, explains “the alternative.” What specifically would happen to the economy if taxpayers didn’t bail out Wall Street? (Catch phrases like “economy would grind to a halt” don’t count.) Can anyone explain it to me or give me a link?

2008 Campaign

Gordon: Krupa “living in a glass house”

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Another salvo in the battle of the bad attendance records, this time from the Jehan Gordon camp. From a press release:

Gordon Blasts Krupa for Living in a Glass House & Not Meeting her Own Attendance Standards

PEORIA, IL- Candidate for StateRepresentative Jehan Gordon (D-Peoria) condemned her Republican opponent Joan Krupa for releasing information she knew to be false in an attempt to purposely lie to the voters of the 92nd district. In Wednesday’s release Krupa claimed that Gordon had missed 40% of the Pleasant Hill School Board meetings since she joined the board. According to the school board records this is false. Gordon’s attendance record show’s that she was at 11 of 15 regularly scheduled school board meetings. During her own time as a Peoria County Board member, during a comparable one-year period (the same standard that the Krupa campaign has used), Joan Krupa was absent from 25% of the meetings held between April 14, 1992 and April 13, 1993.

“It is unfortunate that my opponent has decided to ignore the real issues that the people of our district care about and instead released a statement that she knows is false,” Gordon said. “Joan Krupa has called character a major issue in this campaign but in the first test of her character she has shown that she is willing to lie to the voters in order to gain a political advantage.”

Last winter, in a personal letter to Gordon and again during Wednesday’s Peoria Chamber of Commerce forum, Krupa pledged to not go negative. One day later Krupa’s statement was released attacking Gordon with false and misleading information. Krupa’s campaign chairman Wednesday stated that missing more than 5% of meetings was an issue; he clearly should have an issue with his own candidate.

“When Krupa says it’s a betrayal of trust to miss meetings, she’s really talking about herself,” Gordon said. “According to the county board records Joan missed 25% of her own meetings in a one-year period. Joan is a hypocrite for trying to apply standards to others that she can’t live up to herself.”

A statement released by Bob Neal and Pat Carroll, president and vice president of the Pleasant Hill school board called Gordon a valued member of the school board who has dedicated her career to helping the students of Peoria county.

Gordon is the Democratic nominee for 92nd district State Representative. For more information, contact Jehan Gordon at (309) 673-9292 or at info@jehangordon.com

In a related press release, the president and vice president of the Pleasant Hill School Board defended Gordon. They issued this statement:

President Bob Neal and Pleasant Hill School Board Vice President Pat Carroll Regarding Joan Krupa’s Misleading Statements

On Wednesday, Joan Krupa released a statement claiming that Pleasant Hill School Board member Jehan Gordon has missed 40% of the scheduled meetings in her time on the board. This is a lie. According to our records, Jehan has attended 73% of the board’s regular meetings.

Jehan has shared with us that during her time on our school board that she has also worked as the student retention coordinator at ICC and often time her responsibilities to the students do not fall between the hours of 9am and 5pm. Her dedication to ensuring that every student receives the help they need in order to juggle their responsibilities of family, work and school is very admirable.

It is unfortunate that Joan Krupa has decided to try to divert the attention of the voters away from the issues that matter most to our families and has instead decided to run her campaign through false, negative attacks. After stating at the forum on Wednesday that she would not use negative campaign tactics, Joan Krupa immediately started doing just that by attacking Jehan personally and by lying about her record. I would hope that the voters of the 92nd district can see this for what it is.

Jehan is a valued member of the Pleasant Hill School Board. Her record of working with the students of our community both at ICC and at Manual High School as a volunteer mentor shows her commitment to the education system. The endorsements of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the Illinois Education Association, the Peoria Federation of Teachers and the Illinois Principal’s Association show the support and faith that those who work with our children every day have in Jehan’s ability to stand up for the students of our area.

Bob Neal
President Pleasant Hill School Board

Pat Carroll
Vice President Pleasant Hill School Board

General News

Railroad Fair fun for all ages

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Whenever my three-year-old son is in the car, I always know when we’re approaching a railroad crossing. He announces it in a loud voice: “TRAIN TRACKS!” He loves trains and train tracks. In fact, when my wife and her mother took our kids to the children’s museum in Galesburg, he kept wanting to go outside to see the trains whenever he heard the crossing signal start to ding.

So today I took him (along with his oldest sister) to the Railroad Fair, and he was in hog heaven:

I have to admit, it was pretty fun for me, too. It’s not every day you get to see these engines up close. Plus, you can learn a little something about railroads from the nearby information tables. There’s also face-painting for the kiddies, although my kids were more interested in climbing on and around the engines. We had a good time.

The Railroad Fair continues tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Pioneer Parkway at the Kellar Branch rail line, next to the parking lot for Barrack’s Cater Inn. Check it out!

2008 Campaign, City of Peoria

Pleasant Hill School District 69 withholding info from Krupa campaign?

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The Journal Star has Jehan Gordon’s reaction to Joan Krupa’s press conference yesterday, during which she accused Gordon of lying about her attendance record. Krupa said Gordon missed 40% of the Pleasant Hill School District 69 board meetings.

But an attendance report issued by District 69 Superintendent John Bute on Friday shows that Gordon actually attended 68 percent of School Board meetings. The “40 percent” figure comes from a Freedom of Information Act request that the Krupa campaign filed.

Dates used to analyze Gordon’s attendance record, however, are not the same as those provided to the Journal Star by Bute’s office. For instance, Bute’s office recognizes several non-regular or “special” meetings of the board that occurred between June 20, 2007 – Gordon’s first meeting – and the most recent, Sept. 3.

The information Krupa’s campaign is using does not include the June 20, 2007, date, nor does it include an Oct. 31, 2007, special meeting, as well as a meeting in late August and early September.

Here’s what I wanted to know as I read this story: Why weren’t some of those dates included in Krupa’s analysis of Gordon’s attendance? So I e-mailed Krupa’s campaign manager Steve Shearer and asked. He said, “Those meetings were not in the FOIA response from the school.”

So the next question that I feel needs to be investigated is: Why was pertinent information not disclosed to the Krupa campaign in response to their Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request? If Krupa filed a FOIA asking about Gordon’s attendance record, why were different answers given to Krupa and the Journal Star? Why were some special meetings included in the report to Krupa, but not all of them? Was this just gross negligence, or does District 69 routinely omit information from FOIA requests?

Shearer added, “Had we known the number was lower I would always opt for that since a 32% absentee rate is damning when running for another office. There is no purpose in trying to be cute and bumping the figure up from 32% to 40% when the 32% is damning without being questioned. But the 40% figure was based on the FOIA response.”