News Roundup

Since I am not keeping up with blogging as I should, I thought I’d do a quick news roundup of stories about Grayslake Schools:

Math Committees at Grayslake Elementary Schools
How should District 46 communicate with the community?
Grayslake Elementary District 46 board members Monday night discussed the pros and cons related to sending fliers and other written [...]

Kids Find Cost Free Solution Instead of Teachers, Administration

The article from the Chicago Sun-Times is highlighting the need for Recess and other activities in Chicago Public Schools. In doing so they pointed out how the kids came up with a cost-free way to have after school programs to help the kids stay off the streets.
They asked parents to volunteer to lead after-school [...]

Education Funding Reform – Tax Swap HB750

The yearly effort by Illinois Legislators to raise your taxes under the guise of Education Reform has returned. this time it is under a new name SB2288. You can read the full bill and see its co-sponsors at the General Assembly website. The Senate Education Committee votes tomorrow, Wednesday afternoon on this [...]

Ruling in Illinois Energy Consortium Case

The ruling in the Tarsitano v. District 211 case was handed down today. The judge ruled in favor of allowing the education bureaucracy to hand energy contracts to whomever they wish even if it costs the taxpayers more money.
The following is an excerpt from the email I received about the ruling [Emphasis [...]

Illinois Energy Consortium Update

The court ruling on the Tarsitano V. D211 was delayed until June 22nd. I will update you on the ruling when it is made available. If you do not know about this case, then review the documentation at Illinois Energy Consortium website.

Round Lake and the IEC

While researching the no-bid energy contracts, I was informed that Round Lake Unit School District 116 was a member of the IEC. I have FOIAed there information and found this was true. They joined the IEC back in 1999, renewed with them in 2003 and 2005. From the documentation I was given [...]

Taxpayers Continue To Lose

I received the following email today about HB 261 passing today. Again, taxpayers will pay for this through higher costs for energy, food preparation, construction and other items. I urge you as well to contact your State Senator to stop this atrocious bill before it goes any further. Locate your State Senator [...]

IUPC Energy Consortium Update

On Thursday, I had the opprotunity to meet with Ken & Jason Falkingham who administer the IUPC. The IUPC is an intergovernmental consortium of schools and other taxing bodies who buy electricity and natural gas as a group in an attempt to save money. Bruno Behrend of Extreme Wisdom was also present at [...]

Update on No-bid Energy Contracts

I have recieved several of my FOIA requests back. So far, each taxing body has only sent me the contract with the consortium and no other bid documents. This is show there was no bid process or that the taxing body violated the Freedom of Information Act by not providing the documents requested. [...]

D46 and D127 No-Bid Energy Contracts

I have finally scanned in the documentation for the Energy contracts/agreements from both D127 and D46. I did not receive any bid documents for any other bids, meaning they no-bid the contracts and awarded them directly to the Energy Consortium. You can read the documents at the following links:

D46 Communication with IEC
IEC True [...]

Energy Consortium Update

Here is an update to my story about the Energy Consortium lawsuit. I will scan the documents I FOIAed as soon as I get my other computer back working.
I emailed the Energy Consortium. The only information Dr. David Grace would provide was that, “The calculation for the savings was made comparing [...]

School Energy Consortium Collecting Millions

School districts, under the guise of savings, are potentially thwarting the law and costing the taxpayers.
A lawsuit is underway over the energy consortium used by about 300 school districts to buy energy. The consortium was setup to save school districts money. According to the suit the districts may be violating state [...]