Welcome to the Bolingbrook Report Blog Site

Welcome to the Bolingbrook Report. The BR has been operating as the local hottest news source since April 2009. Always controversial, and always on the scene, the Brook Report has over 80,000 hits and counting! The BR is an online electronic news source ran by volunteers and residents of Bolingbrook.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Quote of the Day

When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat. - Ronald Reagan

Next Week

Next week we will not be posting new stories.  We will be collecting signatures for our local candidate.  Hopefully we will see some of you at your door step! 

If you would like to assist us in gathering signatures, or would like to sign as a registered voter, please contact us by email at info@bolingbrookreport.com

Thanks,
J

Will Bonnie Run For Office?

We contacted Bonnie this week to see if she was planning on picking up a packet for an office in Bolingbrook.  Bonnie was very invasive about if, or what office, she would run for.  She did state she was waiting to see who picked up a packet for each office before deciding. 

When we addressed her about her residency issues, she assured us that since her Bothwell home sold, she has maintained a local address under state regulations and rules.  Therefore she is eligible if she wants to run. 

This could be an exciting race for Trustee this year!  If three people overturn the Mayor's people in office, the board votes can be shifted greatly.  Bonnie has picked up quite the fan base in Bolingbrook, which would make her 1,357 votes in the last election by write in look very pale in comparison to two years of assisting a watch dog group stop the current administration from doing wrong to the residents.

When we asked who she was voting for or supporting in the November election, she just smiled and did not say a word.

Library Board open for election as well!

Four seats on the seven-member Fountaindale Public Library board are up for election on April 5, 2011, and petition packets for those considering a run are available now at the library between 9  a.m. and 5 p.m. at 300 W. Briarcliff Road.
The seats include two, six-year terms and two, four-year unexpired terms. Current board members Robert Kalnicky, Ruth Newell and Steven Prodehl are among the trustees whose terms are ending next year.
Meanwhile, board vice president Dave Hargett died in late August.
Petitions must be filed between Dec. 13-20.
Fountaindale Public Library District board meetings are held on at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month
For information contact the library, 630-759-2102.

Ken Cygan for Trustee

People have been emailing all day asking if we support Ken running for office in Bolingbrook.  It is too early to support or deny any connections to a candidate.  Once we see who makes it onto the ballot, we will give our statements. 

We can say that we like his goals, as our past candidate Bonnie Alicea used them herself.  When she ran, not a lot of people listened, so we are not sure how he will be able to use these with any success...

Post your thoughts to Ken here on the comment section.  Do you support or oppose him and why?  Do you want him to know something?  Post it here!

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Calling all Bolingbrook Residents

If your looking to run for Trustee, here are the following requirements:
1.  Pick up your packet (avail. now) at Village Hall with Carol Penning.
2.  Contact us by email before filling out forms, so we can assist with information on "how to", or seek an attorney for help.
3.  
Signatures Needed for Trustees: Must be registered voters. 
Votes based on:  5886 previous election totals
Minimum x 5% = 295 signatures
Maximum to 8% = 471 signatures
(See Will County Clerk for more details in order to understand these requirements)
4.  Turn in signatures by Dec. 12, 2010 for the April 10th election.
Good luck, and let the races for the three seats begin!

Monday, September 20, 2010

Today is the Day!

Mark your calendars and get set for fun elections to hit Bolingbrook since it was founded some 40 years ago!  Today is the day that the residents can pick up their packet and run for a Trustee position.

Rumor is that only two of the three current Trustees up for election are running.  We encourage any resident that is tired of the decisions of the Trustees to step up and run for office.

If you decide to run, you will need to get a packet at Village Hall from Carol Penning, Village Clerk.  Once you get your packet, you can email us so we can start interviewing you for the web site.  We cannot wait to see who comes out of the woodwork in the most controversial year to contend against the Rubber Stamp Trustee's. 

Exciting times are upon us!

Kwiat lies again!

This is a follow-up to our story on circuit judge candidate Wayne Kwiat inflating his resume. In his campaign literature, Kwiat falsely claims to be “Head of the Northern Branch of the State’s Attorney’s Office.” We have confirmed no such position exists. According to the state’s attorney’s office, Mr. Kwiat’s real title is “part-time assistant state’s attorney” and his duties are limited to processing simple traffic cases in a few branch courts.
Since the publication of our initial story, the state’s attorney’s office has ordered Mr. Kwiat to correct his campaign literature. It has been more than a week since Mr. Kwiat was so instructed, but as of this writing, the requisite corrections from the candidate and his campaign have yet to be disseminated..
In the meantime, we have also learned that Mr. Kwiat is making other misleading claims:
Mr. Kwiat’s campaign is distributing literature that depicts him as: “Wayne Kwiat, Circuit Court Judge.”
Mr. Kwiat is not a circuit court judge nor has he ever been a judge of any kind.  All the other candidates for circuit judge, including Mr. Kwiat’s opponent, Judge Carmen Goodman, state in there literature in no uncertain terms that they are candidates and do not currently hold the position.  That is Judge Goodman’s literature says “elect” Carmen Goodman.  Others running for circuit judge, including those who are already serving as associate judges, describe themselves in terms such as “candidate.” 
Mr. Kwiat’s phrasing seems clearly designed to foster the false impression that he already holds the position for which he is campaigning. At least one attorney has told us that phrasing is a clear violation both of the code of ethics for all lawyers and a potential violation of campaign laws aimed at preventing unscrupulous candidates for office from misleading voters. Again we must ask what kind of judge Mr. Kwiat would be when he flouts both the code of legal ethics and state law.
We have also learned that Mr. Kwiat is misleading voters in regard to his union membership.  Mr. Kwiat’s Web site describes it this way: “Appointed in 1987 and Union Member of AFSCME.” The phrasing seems deliberately chosen to suggest that he has been a member of the union since 1987. That is impossible. While Mr. Kwiat was hired as an assistant state’s attorney in 1987, he could not possibly have joined the union then because AFSCME did not begin representing the employees of the state’s attorney’s office until 1996.
Two months ago, we asked Mr. Kwiat to clarify when he joined AFSCME.  Mr. Kwiat has not responded. As far as anyone can determine, Mr. Kwiat only recently joined the union that had represented him and his interests for more than a decade — in other words, only after deciding to seek public office.
Of especial interest is that Mr. Kwiat has been featured in internet photos taken at a Tea Party fundraiser. He was at the event because he has given that movement his financial support. The Tea Party movement regards unions as one of the chief causes of America’s problems and, if allowed, would greatly restrict unions’ ability to organize and represent workers. A centerpiece of Tea Party labor policies are so-called “Right to Work” laws, which enable workers to reap all the benefits of union representation without ever having to join or pay dues. Mr. Kwiat has chosen not to clarify whether he stands with his Tea Party chums on that issue.
One reason Mr. Kwiat — “Appointed in 1987 and Union Member of AFSCME” — may have felt obligated to fudge the question of union affiliation is that his opponent, Judge Goodman, is the only judicial candidate on the Will County ballot to have been an active, longtime union member, someone who represented workers and negotiated on their behalf. That any union leaders would look at their records and even consider supporting Mr. Kwiat raises troubling questions about those leaders’ motivations and priorities.
Mr. Kwiat’s repeated and uncorrected false claims about his career and professional responsibilities raise a crucial and obvious question: Given his transparent attempts to mislead voters, should he be entrusted with a vital role in a legal system that above all else is based on honesty? The answer seems equally obvious.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Candidates for school board can circulate petitions soon

Potential candidates for the four Valley View School District 365U Board of Education seats that will be contested in the April 5 election may begin circulating petitions for nomination Sept. 21, according to Clerk of the Board Delorise Ivy.

The petitions may be picked up from Ivy any time after Sept. 20 at the District Administration Center, 755 Dalhart Ave. (formerly Luther Drive) in Romeoville between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays.
Election guidelines, set by the state, require that all nominating petitions be filed between Dec. 13 and 20. Candidates will be placed on the ballot in the order in which they file. If two or more candidates file at the same time, ballot position between those candidates will be determined by a lottery.
Three full four-year terms and one unexpired two-year term will be contested on the April ballot.
For more information, call Ivy at 815-887-2600, ext. 241.

Friday, September 17, 2010

What do Florida and Bolingbrook have in common?

GOP audit finds $381,000 was misspent by party officials

TALLAHASSEE -- Auditors have found indicted former Florida Republican Chairman Jim Greer and others racked up $381,000 in improper spending on cell phones, self-portraits, meals and "joint" family vacations with Gov. Charlie Crist to Walt Disney World and the South Florida home of Crist's wife. Party money even helped pay off repairs to Greer's own plane. To read more, click here...
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/os-rpof-audit-released-20100917,0,2366285.story

Man Shot in Head on Flagstaff and Emerson Dies


Why Residents do not Speak Up - From Mary Miller

Why go to a board meeting for the Village or the Schools when you get yelled at and nothing is ever taken as advice or concern?  What happened to the lady that asked three questions at the school board meeting was treacherous.  Yelling to shut off her mike, having her removed, and slinging insults was far too much for the average Joe to witness.  The next lady that spoke was crying for her and frightened to even get up and speak.  That makes Mr. Steven Quigly a bully and a womanizer.

Did I catch it right that Mr. Quigley told a black girl that "this was not Chicago Politics"?  Was that also racist?  I believe so.

I was so appalled by what I have witnessed this year on TV, between the death of Debbie Bielawski being blamed on a young lady, to what I have seen from the school board lately, that I have decided to start walking door to door to inform my neighbors, friends, and more about what has been going on with the abuse of residents by the current administrations.

I am also willing to put up money to any candidate running against a Village Board Member or School Board Member in the next election.

I cannot bear to watch this go on any longer.  I am not the only one that feels that way.  I hope that once they are out of office that they move, because this Village will remember you for a long time to come... not in a good way either!

From a Resident about the School Board Meeting

Dear Bolingbrook Report,

When I watched the video, a few things came to mind and I had to write.  First, the school board handles the finances of the schools in terms of budgets.  The members of the board are not the bosses of the administration.  They apparently do not know this.  Even if they did know this, they were out of line.

Second, at my company if you were to get in trouble about your job role, it would most likely be behind closed doors, with documentation to back it up.  Mr. Michael Evans (whom I believe only possesses a BA in Political Science) decided to act like a "bad boss" to PhD level administration without completely understanding school administration roles, abilities, or justifications.  He did not have a right to treat them like this.

It was strongly apparent that Mr. Evans does not understand the position of the board in relations to the administration and does not understand the school system in general.

The 7 point increase that was presented by Faith Dahlquist is to be rewarded, not screamed about.  The difference in demographics is important to the findings.  Had Mike Evans been a part of school administration or even received his education is education, he would understand this.  Since he did not, he looked like a fool.

Just giving people money for a program does not make a program work.  Kids change, teachers change, it does not mean the change was effective.  All you can do is try to make a difference.  Blaming someone whose job it is to be an administrator for a teacher/student deficit, or a language barrier is ridiculous.

Does the program need to get better?  Yes.  Did Mike blame the wrong people?  Yes.  Did he treat people wrong?  Yes.  Does he own them an apology?  God yes.  In finality, will this situation get any better?

The answer to that question is NO.  The demographics that are failing are the same demographics that Mr. Mike Evans just voted to cut out large amounts of funding for.  So the blame lies on Mr. Quigley and Mr. Mike Evans.  Who would like to rip them a hole like he ripped the far more education administration?

In conclusion, what Mike did, most certainly, led to Dr. Shofstall turning in his resignation.  We do not blame him, as anyone with his education and experience should be respected, not yelled at in a public forum.  (This is not a McDonalds worker we are talking about here).  If I were to have a PhD and some under qualified ass yelled at me in public, I would resign too and leave him holding the bag.  Now who are we going to get that is as qualified and as good at his job as Dr. Shofstall? 

Mike, you screwed up and now the families and children all have to pay for it.  Our kids deserve Dr. Shofstall, not some second rate person.  The numbers will never go up now.  Make this right, apologize public ally and in person to Dr. Shofstall and Faith Dahlquist, and get Dr. Shofstall to stay on.  Otherwise they will find employment where they are more respected and the kids will suffer.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Video Available Now!

To see the outbursts by Mike Evans and Steve Quigly, please go to:
http://www.thenumbercrunchers-bolingbrook.com/

Please take the time to view these.  You will NEVER forget what you see!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Superintendent Phil Schoffstall announces his retirement

Valley View is losing a great man. Schoffstall is an unknown hero.  Despite his personal beliefs, he has been  "tolerant" of political board members whose best interest is for themselves, not for the children they serve. He has waited for a change of scenery, holding tight to the hopes that the school system can become better by putting the right mix of people on the board.

As it stands, only two people on the board has/ had children enrolled in the school system.

He has served every day in the best interest of the students, doing his job with sacrifice and hope. 

Schoffstall has served as Valley View's leader since July 1, 2003, replacing, David VanWinkle who served as superintendent for nine years. For 15 years, Schoffstall was superintendent at Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. in Evansville, Ind., which had 24,500 students. There, he helped raise the graduation rate from 67 percent to 96 percent and lowered the dropout rate from 16.5 percent to 3.2 percent.

We do not blame him for leaving and we wish him well.  Let's make this last year a good one for him and we thank him for trying...

Flagstaff Shooting

Tuesday evening, a 20 year old male was shot in the head on Flagstaff near Emerson Circle.  It is unclear if it was drug or gang related.  We are awaiting word on his survival chances.

It is a shame that Mr. Leroy Brown, Deputy Mayor and Village Trustee stated just a few months ago, that Bolingbrook does not have gang or drug problems.  This is approx. 5 blocks from Mr. Brown's own driveway.

Will he step up and help Bolingbrook get rid of these problems now?  Or does it have to be on his front yard for Mr. Brown to see this and take action? 

It reminds us of last year when Bonnie Alicea, former Mayoral Candidate addressed Mr. Brown at the board meeting about these gang and drug problems.  She cited the issues on her own block.  The very next meeting, it was proclaimed that over 90 calls a year, to one small street on the west end, is common in Bolingbrook. 

Yet they keep saying there is no gang or drug problem in Bolingbrook to the residents.  Next year, when our tax bills arrive, please send a bag of sugar to each resident.  They will have to add more sugar to the KoolAid you keep giving them to drink, in order to believe that now....

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Valley View Schools are dropping in Proficiency

When board members were asked about what they were going to do to raise the recent drop in proficiency, the chair Mr. Steven Quigly erupted and attacked the questioner.  Apparently when one goes on the defensive over a question like that, it means they do not have an answer or a solution.  This makes me scared.  I did not kow that Halloween scares had come so soon!

Many of us are concerned parents and want to know this answer.  When the resident asked all the board members to comment, only Liz Campbell stepped up to say something.  When Quigley did not like the question, he had the questioner's microphone shut off and asked security to escort that person out. 

Guess we should not ask the board if our kids are going to get a quality education this year with those high tax dollars.  We might upset the goons on the board and they might strike out for making them look like the incompetent fools they are.

With school taxes recently skyrocketing, we want answers.  It cost residents more on their property school taxes to send their kids to local public schools then it does to send them to a local private school.

So of course the residents want to know what type of education the kids are getting.  Even if it means you throw us all out or yell and scream at us all.  We are not afraid, but you should be!

So Mr. Quigley, do you have kids in the school district?  If you did, you would be concerned as well.  Maybe we need a VVSD chair that is concerned about the drops in proficiency and has kids in the district.  Our tax money is paying for a quality education that our children are apparently not receiving...



Quigley and Evans out of control!

How dare some of these "goons"treat people this way!

On three occasions in the past two board meetings, school board chair Steve Quigley and board member Mike Evans have verbally assaulted parents, taxpayers, and even school officials.  Yelling at them, screaming at them, shutting off their microphone (disregarding freedom of speech laws), and asking security to "escort them out because they want answers??? 

When corrupt and out of control board members start threatening residents, where will this end?  We have an answer to that!

Everyone that gets verbally assaulted by "stupid" goons need to run and take their positions away from them.  Take away the power and they become the school bully placed in detention.  Campaigning starts in October and lasts until election day in April.  Let's take those seats! 

Next time you see a disrespectful goons on the street, tell them, or show them how you feel about them treating people this way.  These people are wives, mothers, fathers, husbands, family, and even someones child.  How would you react if they did this to your family?

We cannot wait until they try to run for office again.  We can't wait to remind residents on their out of control, abusive behavior and the fact that they steal the tax payers money to fatter their wallets.

To the two out of control boys, (and you really are just spoiled boys with a 9 year old arrested development), what you say during board meetings might be protected under tort law, but what you say out of those power seats can and will be used against you in a court of law.  Watch those tongues boys because you think you have friends and those friends turn to us as undercover operatives!  Remember... 46K hits and counting boys!

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Bolingbrook, IL

What "Favors" cost taxpayers?

A few weeks ago we published a story about Carol Penning's organization called the CSC.  Carol, the Village Clerk, is the Director on the board.  Many not for profit organizations in Bolingbrook get Village donations because of their board members affiliations to the people that pass the budgets.  This organization is no exception.  A few months ago we raised a stink because of the $35,000 donation from the Village (aka tax payer money) to this organization the same week we laid off Fire and Police personnel. 

The numbers for 2009 are in and we promised to report the totals we "donated" to this favortism cause. 

CSC made $68,000 of taxpayers money in fiscal year 2009.  It is good to know that we can lay off Fire Fighters, Police, and City Workers so we can donate to private businesses that are affiliated with Village Board Members.

More information?

The Bolingbrook Report web site still exists.  The stories will still remain for a period of time.  To locate these stories, please refer to http://www.bolingbrookreport.com/.

Welcome!

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