PeoriaStory

Riverfront Park sale: still corrupt and poisoned.

PEORIA, IL -- The Riverfront Park sale of 6 plus acres for a city-subsidized apartment complex is still as wrong as before, even if it has been "improved."

Here's the Journal Star's story on the June 29 meeting, called to consider the next step, the rezoning of the property.  The so-called improvements to the site were also on display.

The zoning meeting and hearing takes place at 1 pm on Tuesday, July 7 in the City Hall chambers. The public can testify.

Here's what I plan to say, to be presented in written form before the meeting to the city staff person, Kim Smith, who will get it to the zoning commission. Her email address is [email protected].

The commission must address nine aspects of the rezoning, to determine whether they have a "negative impact." One of the most important is the impact on "the health, safety and general welfare of the City in the general and immediate area of the property...."

This project of 143 apartments is to be squeezed between two chemical plants, with emissions and noise, and a railroad track with about six noisy trains passing daily, long trains that take five minutes or more to pass by.

Some of these trains carry hazardous, flammable liquids, and we've all seen what can happen with these trains leave their tracks.

When the trains are going by, the site is isolated from fire, police and ambulances, surely a safety hazard.

But that's not all.  The apartments and parking lots will be constructed atop toxic waste, that will be "capped," supposedly to keep it beneath the surface, according to Chris Setti, the city staff member handling the project. Waste from the site construction will be made into a berm, also to be "capped," he said.

I recall the furor over the toxic waste dump on the outskirts of Peoria, which was shut down after the public demanded it. Extensive research showed the danger of such sites to health. And no housing was proposed for that capped site.

The city should not be promoting housing at this environmentally dangerous site which could affect the health of the residents.  It's fine for a park, but not for living. 

In addition, the project will add perhaps 300 vehicles to a street and parking lot.  That will result in runoff from rainfall, carrying oil, grease, tire material and other toxins down the slope and into the nearby Illinois River. That's a negative impact on the river, which does not need any more pollutants.

There apparently is no plan to mitigate this rainwater runoff except storm drains which can be overwhelmed when heavy rain occurs. 

As for the berm, what happens when rain water erodes it? More toxins into the river, apparently.

A wrought iron fence is to be constructed along the railroad tracks to keep children off the tracks.  Really? Children love to climb fences, and since no playground is shown in the plans, that may be their chief interest.

How many children are expected to live in these apartments? No one knows.  That's not the demographic the developers want, Setti said, but plans call for 72 two bedroom and 18 three bedroom units, and it's illegal to discriminate against renters with children.

There inevitably will be some babies and school-age kids, sleeping next to chemical plants, playing near the trains, perhaps sneaking out of their apartments and playing, unsupervised, very near the river.

Imagine -- an unsupervised child falls or jumps into the river, someone calls 911, the train goes by, and by the time rescuers arrive, it's too late.

This project is a health, safety and environmental nightmare, and should not be constructed.

The highest and best use for this site is a park. 

 -- Elaine Hopkins 

 

 

 

 

 

PSD 150: What now?

Update:  Lathan has resigned, according to the Journal Star.

 

PEORIA, IL -- Peoria District 150 superintendent Grenita Lathan is apparently going to be let go at the new school board's July 1 meeting.  Here's the Peoria Journal Star's story on what is happening.

Since there may be a new interim superintendent, and a new majority on the school board, here are a few suggestions to right-size District 150.

1. Many people are reportedly leaving with Lathan, whose husband was seen cleaning out her office, unsupervised. Job one will be replacing these administrators and staff.  No one should be hired who lacks the proper credentials, as has occurred under Lathan.  No one's pal or brother-in-law, no sycophants should be hired just because someone likes them. There are plenty of trained people around. Hire them, not someone who needs a slot before retiring.

2.  Reinstate the purchasing department, as a check on spending.  Get rid of the P-cards.  Bid expensive items, as state law requires.

3. Renegotiate contracts for professional services, including legal services, to save money.

4. Arrange for a truly independent audit of finances, curriculum, and other aspects of district operations, and not from Vallas, or someone's friend who may have a hidden agenda.

5. Reorganize teacher committees for textbook selection, curriculum, and other facets of student education, and listen to their ideas.

5. Make regular board meetings truly business meetings, and not forums for student displays or awards, or teacher praise or programs.  These things make board meetings drag on way too long, everyone gets tired and may not be thinking straight. Hold assemblies and special meetings for awards and programs.

6. At the board meetings, stop requiring people to sign in before the meetings begin, to make public comments. No other public meetings require this, and it discriminates against those who may want to comment but don't know the rules.  I've seen people turned away who were late or didn't understand what they should have done. Just stop it. In fact, it's not required for mandated public hearings on the budget. And that system works just fine.

There may be many more actions the new board can take to improve the structure of District 150, so that student learning takes place. With a collegial administration, which education has traditionally used before corporate CEOs mistakenly decided they know best, the district can flourish again instead of running on fear and sycophancy.

All of you on the board and in the audience were educated under a previous system that was the envy of the world. It had flaws, which can be fixed without ditching the cooperation and respect that is essential to real learning.

The Lathan administration has been run like a totalitarian regime, with fear, purges and sycophancy, where people were hired and promoted based on loyalty instead of knowledge. Let's hope that system is gone forever from District 150.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

 

PSD 150 Supt. Lathan gone?

PEORIA,IL -- Wow -- fast work! 

The new Peoria District 150 School Board convenes at noon on July 1, and on its agenda are three items, to terminate the contract of Supt. Grenita Lathan, place her on administrative leave, and hire an interim superintendent.

Two new board members elected in April, who campaigned on getting rid of Lathan, will be seated.  Do they have two more votes to remove Lathan?  We'll see on Wednesday.

Lathan does need to go -- see my previous commentary below.

 -- Elaine Hopkins 

Watch out!

PEORIA, IL -- From a news release:

The Peoria Police Department today announced plans to step up Independence Day traffic enforcement, focusing on both drunk and unbuckled drivers.

The intensified enforcement effort will concentrate on late-night hours as statistics show a disproportionate number of traffic deaths occur late at night and involve a drunk driver and/or unbuckled motorist.

The crackdown is part of the statewide, Independence Day Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over and Click It or Ticket effort. 

“The Peoria Police Department is ramping up its enforcement to make our roads safer this Independence Day,” said Special Operations Lt. Steve Roegge. “For everyone’s sake, don’t drink and drive or you will be arrested.

The ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign means zero tolerance for drunk driving—no excuses.  And “Click It or Ticket” means just that.”  

The Peoria Police Department will join the Illinois State Police and hundreds of police and sheriff’s departments throughout Illinois in a statewide enforcement effort that begins June 22 and runs through July 5. - 30 -

Chat with council members

PEORIA, IL -- From a news release.  A good time to discuss the land sale of Riverfront Park.  The public hearing on this land sale (see posts below) is 1 pm July 7 in the city council chambers. 

July Breakfast Chat
Thursday, July 2nd

Peoria City Council Members Eric Turner and Chuck Weaver will be hosting their monthly Breakfast Chat at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 2nd, in City Hall Room 112.

Councilman Turner and Councilman Weaver will be giving updates on the City and also will be discussing the RNNC.

The monthly Breakfast Chat meetings were established in 2009 to give citizens an opportunity to sit down with Council Members and other City of Peoria Staff to discuss a variety of topics and concerns.  The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.

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Free art exhibit in July

PEORIA, IL -- From a news release:

Illinois Art League Exhibit Comes to the Peoria Public Library

                 From Wednesday, July 1 to Friday, July 31, the Illinois Art League will open an exhibit in the gallery of the Peoria Public Library Main Library, located downtown at 107 N.E. Monroe Street. The exhibit will be open during library hours, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and is free to the public. It will display the artwork of the members of the Illinois Art League. The exhibit will allow members to display up to three pieces of their artwork.

                The opening reception for the exhibit will take place on Thursday, July 9, 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Lower Level Gallery of the Main Branch. 

                The Illinois Art League is a non-profit organization managed by volunteer members. The league is located in central Illinois and represents amateur, semi-professional, and professional artists from central and southern Illinois. The Illinois Art League is designed to promote and cultivate art appreciation while giving members the opportunity show and/or sell their work while receiving public recognition.

Communication pertaining to the Illinois Art League’s upcoming events and opportunities is done through their website, www.illinoisartleague.com. They can also be found on Facebook and communicate through a members’ monthly newsletter. For more information on the exhibit, please visit www.peoriapubliclibrary.org.

 

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Ashes

PEORIA, IL -- From a news release:

This June, organizations across Illinois will launch Coal Ash Stories, a statewide screening tour featuring four short documentary films focused on coal ash, that expose the public health concerns, related policy, and community responses to this environmental injustice. Coal ash, the toxic by-product that is left over after coal is burned, contains toxic heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, selenium and other health- threatening substances.

 

Events are being held in Alton, Chicago, Vermillion County, Springfield, and Peoria. Each event pairs the films with a discussion led by those who have worked on, and are impacted by the issue in Illinois.

 

The Peoria event is 

Wednesday, July 1st, 7pm: Unitarian-Universalist Church

3000 W Richwoods Blvd. Peoria, IL

 

It is hosted by: Central Illinois Healthy Community Alliance, Heart of Illinois Group of the Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club, Global Warming Solutions Group of Central Illinois, League of Women Voters of Greater Peoria, Central Illinois Chapter of the Interfaith Alliance, Greater Peoria Progressive Democrats, and Peoria Families Against Toxic Waste.

 

Find below the schedules for the films in other cities.

 

The purpose of these events is to draw public and political attention to the toxic impact of coal ash on communities in Illinois, which is particularly important since the state is now in the process of creating rules for handling and disposing of this hazardous waste. Rhiannon Fionn, filmmaker and creator of the documentary-in-progress Coal Ash Chronicles, will be at each of the screenings.

 

There are more than 90 coal ash pits across Illinois, and water contamination has been found at every site tested.  Simply dumping toxic coal ash in these toxic pits is an outdated and dangerous disposal method. Most of the ponds are unlined and were built in floodplains, on top of mines, and near rivers and lakes where they threaten Illinois’ water supply. The threat is also growing - more than 4.4 million tons of coal ash waste is produced in Illinois every year.

 

In Illinois, unique concerns about the cost of cleanup loom large for the state and its taxpayers. The state’s coal plant operators have a rocky financial history, creating serious concerns about their ability to pay for cleanup, either in the case of an accident or when the plant is replaced with cleaner energy sources.

 

In December 2014, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released its long-awaited coal ash protections, which provide guidance and regulatory language that states should adopt and enforce. Illinois has also been working on a state rule since 2013 to address the over 90 coal ash waste sites in the state. The challenge now is to incorporate the requirements of the new federal rule into the draft state rule. A state rule that includes financial assurances for coal ash impoundments (which tire disposal sites have) and requires clean up of all coal ash sites, not only those at active power plants, would better protect communities in Illinois.

 

“We know all too well that Illinois’ coal plant operators are not afraid to file for bankruptcy and walk away, potentially putting Illinois taxpayers on the hook for coal ash cleanup. Illinois must include in its final coal ash standards a financial assurance provision to protect taxpayers and their drinking water by placing the financial obligation for coal ash dump cleanup squarely on polluters. The public shouldn’t get stuck with the bill for a polluter’s disaster,” states Alexandra Cope of Godfrey, Illinois and member of the Metro East Green Alliance (MEGA).

 

The four films featured in Coal Ash Stories are An Ill Wind, At What Cost?, Coal Ash Chronicles, and Downwind and Downstream. Collectively, they paint a grim picture of what life looks like when coal ash contaminates a community. People are unable to drink their own water, take a bath, fish, or farm without worrying about long-term health effects. Similar fears are felt by communities located near coal-fired power plants in Illinois.

 

“The health of residents in our community and in many communities throughout Illinois is at risk due to leaking coal ash disposal facilities. Now is the time for the people of Illinois to call on the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to enact strong rules that will protect the quality of drinking water for everyone in the state”, said Ellen Rendulich, president of Citizens Against Ruining the Environment and a Lockport resident who lives within a mile of coal ash pits owned by NRG Energy.

 

Filmmaker Rhiannon Fionn states, "It is important to elevate conversations about pollution of all kinds in our country for the sake of our health and the health and viability of future generations. My hope is that films like mine will galvanize citizens who have the power to push for positive change."

The Illinois screening tour is co-presented by nineteen organizations including: Eco-Justice Collaborative, Prairie Rivers Network, Prairie Group of the Illinois Chapter Sierra Club, Students for Environmental Concerns, Metro East Green Alliance, Piasa Palisades Group of the Illinois Chapter Sierra Club, La Vista CSA, The Alton Cluster of United Congregations of Metro East,  Wellington Avenue United Church of Christ, Citizens Against Ruining the Environment, Sangamon Valley Group of the Illinois Chapter Sierra Club, Central Illinois Healthy Community Alliance, Heart of Illinois Group of the Illinois Chapter Sierra Club, Global Warming Solutions Group of Central Illinois, League of Women Voters of Greater Peoria, Central Illinois Chapter of the Interfaith Alliance, Greater Peoria Progressive Democrats, Peoria Families Against Toxic Waste, and Working Films.

Schedule:

Vermilion County
Thursday, June 25th 7:00pm: Kickapoo Landing at Kickapoo State Park
1 Clear Pond, Oakwood, IL
Hosted by: Eco-Justice Collaborative, Prairie Rivers Network, Prairie Group of the Illinois Chapter Sierra Club, and Students for Environmental Concerns.

Alton
Saturday, June 27th 6:30pm: Riverbender Community Center
200 West 3rd Street, Alton, IL
Hosted by: Metro East Green Alliance,  Piasa Palisades Group of the Illinois Chapter Sierra Club, La Vista CSA, and the Alton Cluster of United Congregations of Metro East.

Chicago
Monday, June 29th 7:00pm: Wellington Avenue United Church of Christ
615 W. Wellington Avenue, Chicago, IL
Hosted by: Eco-Justice Collaborative, Citizens Against Ruining the Environment, Illinois Chapter Sierra Club, Prairie Rivers Network, and Wellington Avenue United Church of Christ.

Springfield
Tuesday June 30th, 6:30pm: Lincoln Library
326 S 7th St. Springfield, IL
Hosted by: Sangamon Valley Group of the Illinois Chapter Sierra Club.

 

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District 150: End of an era, continued

PEORIA, IL -- Here are my comments on what happened at the District 150 School Board meeting last night (June 15):

It's the end of the Lathan era, an era that has been a failure.

Supt. Grenita Lathan has failed in controlling finances, in fact her P-card purchase policy and other policies have made the finances worse than necessary.

The Superintendent has also failed to raise the test scores, though it can be argued that they mean little in terms of educating children. But aside from grades there are few ways to measure whether the kids are learning anything. The ACT scores might do it for high school students, and they are low.

When these two facts -- finances and test scores -- are considered, it means Lathan must go, and soon.

All the rotating principals and administrators, all the expensive consultants and travel under Lathan's regime have made no difference in student achievement, and likely made things worse.

Two new school board members take office on July 1, and were elected because of Change150, the citizens group that vetted them and campaigned for them. They said in forums that Lathan must go.

Congratulations are in order for Terry Knapp and Sharon Crews, who provided the facts and the analysis to show Lathan's failures.  Apparently the board was asleep and didn't notice. Until now. It's too late for them, and perhaps they need to be replaced as soon as possible. 

Meanwhile let's the hope the new board will be more awake  select a new superintendent that has not been trained in corporate seminars, and monitor what happens.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

District 150 -- the end of an era?

PEORIA, IL -- The last official meeting of the Peoria District 150 School Board saw an hour of comments from the public, some critical, and a few complementary from those who work in the district.

There were two public comment sessions, the regular one and a session on the amended 2015 budget, which closes out on June 30.

Here are recordings of the regular public comment session, and the comments on the budget. 

 

Dist150 June 15.1

 

Dist150 June 15.2

And here's the Peoria Journal Star story about the meeting. It's a must read!

At the first, regular session, William Cannon praised the ELITE program, saying "we know about things before they happen," and so can tamp down problems.  He added that ELITE staff members help parents with out of school problems from auto repair to doctor visits.

Terry Knapp said the district needs summer school,  so students can make up courses they have failed.He also criticized the widespread nepotism in hiring, and said it needs to be investigated.  As for expensive consultants, "how do we measure" their work? he asked.

Sharon Crews asked whether Title 1 funds could fund summer school. Her report will be printed below, later.

A few praised various programs and Supt. Grenita Lathan's leadership.

The public comments on the budget included Crews, who urged the board to end credit cards (called P-cards) and return to a purchasing department. 

As for Title 1 money for professional development of teachers, she asked whether the trip to Orlando, Fla. for AVID training, at $368,000 makes sense, when most of the money goes to airfare, hotels and restaurants instead of helping children.

"Why are some going for the second and third time?" she asked.

Knapp termed the P-card spending of some $200,000 "outrageous," when there's no purchasing department. He also questioned a District 150 lawsuit against Expo Gardens, and said the leadership can't get along with its neighbors, including the Peoria Park District.That lawsuit will cost $100,000 he estimated.

Peoria Federation of Teachers president Jeff Atkins Dutro said the administration never consulted the teachers about the budget.  "Principals are overworked, underpaid and demoralized," he said.

He called for an independent audit to determine what is working.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

Here are the comments from Sharon Crews:

BUDGET COMMENTS

My first suggestion about the budget is that you put an end to P-Cards immediately and return to a fully operational Purchasing Department to handle District expenditures.  We will never fully realize how much money was wasted through the use of P-Cards.

Secondly, now that Lathan has worked so hard to label the whole District as poverty-stricken, at least, work hard to be sure that Title I money is used to help educate children.  Lathan has stated that Title I money has to be used for professional development.  As usual, she provided no facts.  How much of the Title I money the District receives must be spent on professional development?  I have heard 10% is to be so spent—is that true? and 10% of how much?

Both Lathan, in a May 27 CI news release, and Chris Coplan, in a May 26 memo to the press, continue to extol the praises of AVID and to defend all the money spent on summer trips for this program and others.  Most of the $368,000 will go to airlines, restaurants, and hotels--none of which contribute to education, so how can this spending be justified?  Federal money is being spent to make corporations richer.  Can you prove, in writing, that Title I encourages and/or allows federal money to be spent on travel to get to professional development sites?  If so, how much can be spent on travel?  Why are Coplan, McKennon, Green, Kennedy, Jenkins, and Sykes-Salvador from Wisconsin Avenue going?  Tonight you are adding almost $15,000 to be spent on travel with five more going to Orlando. 

Thirdly, please find out if Title I money can be used for summer school?  If so, please restore high school summer school to make this District’s academic program once again credible by providing a way for students to make up failed classes and credits lost due to expulsions, etc., and to raise grade points.

____________________

 Regular Session Comments

In a CI news release, Lathan is quoted as saying “I cannot send out into the world, students who are not prepared.  So we still need to prepare our teachers and principals to educate children.”  Isn’t she implying that, without her leadership and AVID, our teachers and principals are not capable of educating children? In a June 2 memo, Coplan consoled all on Wisconsin Avenue for any disrespect they may have suffered by being criticized by a writer of a PJS letter to the editor and encouraged you all to fight for the respect you deserve.  Please earn it, give it, but don’t fight for it.

Also, the news article quoted a teacher as saying that AVID, through the elective class and the strategies, allows teachers to expose students to the rigors of college.”  What AVID elective has been added to the curriculum, when did the board vote to add this elective, and how much credit is given for it?

May I call attention to ways the District hinders teachers from preparing students for the rigors of college?

College teachers do not have to give up teaching time to deal with disruptive students.  Even here, you have security that would immediately escort out anyone who disrupts this meeting. Compare that to what teachers deal with every day.

 

College students pay a hefty price for a course, which they can fail and must pay again to take the course over.  In District 150, taxpayers pay for students to repeat failed classes during the school day because the District won’t charge students for summer school.  Why can’t Title I money help fund Summer School?

 

I cannot imagine making students responsible for learning material if they can’t take books home.  However, because Lathan refuses to charge parents for their children’s lost books, most students are not allowed to take books home.  Teachers can’t assign homework. When do students who are absent make-up their work?  With rigor, there should be no class time for making up work.   How do students study for tests without books? 

 

Collecting for lost books is still expected of the superintendent, according to policy.  Please make her accountable.  The cost of books for college will be another surprise for which students will be unprepared.

 

Lathan assumes that labeling classes as AP and IB will convince us that standards are being raised and upheld.  The large number of A’s and B’s given for AP classes and the relatively few D’s and F’s tell me that grades are inflated (for which I certainly do not blame teachers).  I will happily eat my words when the same number of students pass the AP tests.

 

 

 

 

 
 

Call the governor

PEORIA, IL -- Of all the awful things the Illinois General Assembly has done lately, approving bobcat hunting and trapping is the worst.

These small cats are no threat to anyone. They're shy and rarely active in daylight. They hunt vermin, so are beneficial. They are likely endangered or threatened as a species.

To save them, call the governor and ask him to veto the legislation, the bobcat bill HB 352.  Here's the number: 217-782-0244.

I did it and it works.

-- Elaine Hopkins