Illinois Review

College of DuPage prez' email may have cost school $20M

Dr. Robert Breuder, College of Dupage president at 2014 commencement - Image Source

DUPAGE - An email circulated to the College of DuPage's Board of Trustees from the school's president may have cost the school $20 million in state funds, local news reports indicate Thursday. 

Governor Pat Quinn will not be pushing promised funds to the college after all, a governor's spokesperson told the Daily Herald.  

"We are suspending the possibility that they can submit a project for that funding," David Blanchette said. "The tactics used by the president in his email" convinced the governor not to release the $20 million the school hoped to use for a Teaching and Learning Center.

As Illinois Review reported Wednesday, in a May 9th email, College of DuPage President Robert Brueder connected encouraging the governor to deliver the $20 Million to the governor's public appearance at the school's annual commencement. 

In the May 9th e-mail, Breuder wrote:

Poll: 59% of Illinois Voters Disapprove of Quinn as Governor

Today, For the Good of Illinois PAC's Adam Andrzejewski released its second in a series of findings, which discovered that 59% of voters disapprove of the job Pat Quinn is doing as Governor including 86% of Republicans and 55% of Independents. The poll also found that 77% of Illinois voters think Illinois is on the wrong track while only 17% say Illinois is moving in the right direction.

“Governor Pat Quinn and his policies are driving jobs and families out of Illinois. Pat Quinn is destroying the Illinois economy and this poll proves it,” said Andrzejewski.

94% of IL voters believe state/local governments are wasting their tax dollars

Adam Andrzejewski, Chairman of For the Good of Illinois PAC, released the first of a series of findings which discovered that 94% of voters believe that state and local government mismanagement, waste, and corruption involving tax dollars is a problem and 78% of voters think it is a big problem.

“Users and abusers of tax dollars have been milking us taxpayers like a dairy cow for too long here in Illinois,” said Andrzejewski.

New ad targets John Sullivan's tax votes (video)

For The Good of Illinois PAC is targeting John Sullivan's voting record of tax increases in a new ad that's running in Illinois' 47th Senate District.

Andrzejewski: 57 political pals received $460,628 in pay hikes

By Adam Andrzejewski -

While Illinois taxpayers are burdened with $9 billion in unpaid bills to service providers- including hospitals, doctors, senior centers, and women’s shelters, Attorney General Lisa Madigan gave nearly a half million dollars in raises to select employees.

The State is broke, but not if you’re a friend of Lisa Madigan.

The salary hikes handed out by Attorney General Lisa Madigan were given via “promotions” to 57 employees/pals amounting to $460,628 in additional annual taxpayer cost.

The salary increases average $8,000 per employee. Review spreadsheet here.

DuPage County Clerk and States Attorney Asked to Investigate Milton Township

From Adam Andrzejewski -

HINSDALE, IL – Adam Andrzejewski, Chairman of For the Good of Illinois PAC, sent a Letter of Notice to DuPage County Clerk Gary King and DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin. The subject of the notice is the filing of the Milton Township Budget Ordinances, a statutory responsibility of the Township Clerk under 35 ILCS 200/18-50.

On March 27, 2012, the Board approved one set of numbers at a Township Public Budget Hearing. But another set of numbers was officially filed with County Clerk Gary King’s Office on March 29, 2012.

Andrzejewski states, “Approving a township annual budget is a simple process. But two elected officials, Clerk Gail Hinkle and Supervisor Chris Heidorn submitted budget ordinances with numbers that had not been voted on and then falsified meeting minutes to cover it up.”

Andrzejewski’s organization has spent the last five months exposing the malfeasance of the Milton Township Supervisor, Clerk, and Board of Trustees majority (see stories HERE). This Letter of Notice is the latest discovery in his efforts to clean up Milton Township.

What’s the Matter with Milton Township? Supervisor Chris Heidorn - Fourth Report

By Adam Andrzejewski -

“Just tell them…the books are closed.” --Milton Township employee Ralph Hinkle to his bosses | 8/15/12

Despite awareness of employee Ralph Hinkle’s very troubling behavior, Milton Township Supervisor Chris Heidorn authorized Hinkle the power to write township checks and gave authority to privately “self-manage”.

Now, Ralph Hinkle is issuing ultimatums to his bosses: the Supervisor and Milton’s Board of Trustees. Read email here.

Three serious allegations are explored in this report:

1. Did Supervisor Heidorn install employee Ralph Hinkle on township checking accounts while misleading Trustees?
2. Did Supervisor Heidorn let employee Ralph Hinkle institute his own private “management system”?
3. Is employee Ralph Hinkle strong-arming his boss and the Milton Township Board of Trustees?

Previously, we exposed Ralph Hinkle - showing thousands in taxpayer money spent on travel junkets, fine dining, and undocumented gas purchases. We highlighted township cell phone and email used for political purposes; large taxpayer liabilities incurred for implementation of secret surveillance systems;  and showed that Hinkle had knowledge of repeated instances of alleged drinking/driving of township van.

Report: What's the matter with Milton Township? Supervisor Chris Heidorn

By Adam Andrzejewski -

“There’s a doctrine in law called respondeat superior (Latin), which means, you know, the boss is responsible.” --Milton Township Supervisor Chris Heidorn, 7/10/12 Board Meeting (video here)

In our first report, What’s The Matter With Milton Township?, we proved that the Top Ten Employees make $1 Million in total compensation and for 8 years the Supervisor had virtually no formal employee management system - no job activity reports, time cards or job descriptions.

With laissez faire management, how did employees perform?

In our second report, What’s The Matter With Milton Township? Ralph Hinkle, (photo right) we showed thousands in taxpayer money spent on: travel junkets; fine dining; and undocumented gas purchases; township cell phone and email used for political purposes; and incurred large taxpayer liabilities for implementation of secret surveillance systems and was aware of drinking/driving of township van. Read Daily Herald story HERE.

As quoted above, Township Supervisor Chris Heidorn (photo right) says the buck stops with him. In this report, we begin to analyze the performance of his job duties…

Two serious allegations are explored in this report: 1. Did Supervisor Heidorn falsify the official township budget ordinances and knowingly vote to approve falsification of certified minutes from the Special Meeting of the Budget on March 27, 2012?, and 2. Did Supervisor Heidorn pressure Trustees to sign a pre-written response to township auditors regarding “Fraud Risk Inquiry”?

Milton Township investigation stirs discussion amongst officials

Adam Andrzejewski's investigative series concerning Milton Township has stirred some discussion from Milton Committeeman Jim Flickinger, and then from township trustee Marty Keller in response to Flickinger. Links to their correspondence are below.

Flickinger Letter

Keller Letter to Flickinger

What’s the Matter with Milton Township II? Supervisor Heidorn’s employee Ralph Hinkle

By Adam Andrzejewski -

Since Ralph Hinkle started for me he has reported to me on a daily basis, in person, about his activities. We discussed daily goals, and accomplishments and set agendas…”  -- Milton Township Supervisor Chris Heidorn (photo right), June 1, 2012

IMPORTANT NOTE:

We’ve all heard the excuse that “everybody does it” when we read about Illinois’ special brand of government malfeasance.

If that’s true, we have more units of government, which means more employees, more bosses, more trustees, and more contractors “doing it” with less oversight, than any state in the union. Perhaps it’s time to stop saying “everybody does it.”

Perhaps it’s time to stop them from “doing it.”

In our first post, What’s The Matter With Milton Township?, we proved that;

• Milton Township was cash rich
• The Top Ten Employees Make $1 Million in total compensation
• The property tax levy continues to be hiked
• For 8 years the Supervisor had virtually no formal employee management system.

In our last post, Debating Milton Township Management, we answered Supervisor Chris Heidorn and his defense of township employee Ralph Hinkle (photo right). Hired in 2004 as a part-time $16,000 per year employee, Ralph Hinkle “morphed” into “full-time” perks, pay and benefits costing taxpayers $304,000 over the next seven years.

As the township attorney disclosed and Chris Heidorn admitted, Ralph Hinkle was a man without a job activity report, time card and job description for the first eight years of township employment. When asked to produce Hinkle’s personnel file, Supervisor Heidorn didn’t even know if it existed.

So, how’s Milton Supervisor Chris Heidorn’s “laissez faire” management style working out?

Ralph Hinkle’s Junket: A six hour workshop from 11am-5pm on September 6, 2011 in Springfield, IL was an excuse for Hinkle and two Milton employees to stay for two nights/three days in Jacuzzi suites at the Crowne Plaza. Review the taxpayer funded binge including Hinkle’s dining receipts and credit card charges. Here’s the Illinois Citizen Corps Workshop Agenda.

Day One: At Sebastian’s Hideout, Hinkle’s team feasts on rack of lamb, crème brulee, cheesecake, and consumes top-shelf liquors. Day Two: Hinkle runs up a Mahogany Room bar tab and Alexander Steakhouse receipt for NY Strip, top sirloin and ribeye. Day Three: Hinkle charges taxpayers for his dinner at the Longhorn Smokehouse in Bloomington on the return trip home, plus $52 in gas!

Three Serious Allegations are explored in this post regarding employee Ralph Hinkle covering: 1.) Use of a township credit card; 2.) Use of township cell phone and email; and 3.) Liability for Township and taxpayers.

Debating Milton Township Management: Andrzejewski responds to Heidorn

By Adam Andrzejewski -

Last Friday, Milton Township Supervisor Chris Heidorn responded (HERE) to our article entitled "What's Wrong with Milton Township" (HERE). The following is a point-by-point rebuttal to Mr. Heidorn's challenge. 

Heidorn: What’s the matter with Milton Township? Not much. 

Andrzejewski: Actually, the township is illustrative of why Illinois is going broke. Let us use this debate to illustrate why. 

Heidorn: It is not my custom to respond to bloggers, but a recent ‘article’ by Adam Andrzewski entitled, What’s the Matter with Milton Township, was forwarded to me by friends. It is so rife with inaccuracies, misinformation or perhaps misrepresentations that they have asked me to comment on it.

Andrzejewski: When I wrote the evaluation of Milton Township, I linked every fact to a public source. In this 1,002 word missive, Mr. Heidorn doesn’t provide a single link to a direct public source. One can disagree with our analysis, but we cite facts as they are given to us.

Heidorn responds to Andrzejewski accusations

By Chris Heidorn, Milton Township Supervisor -

It is not my custom to respond to bloggers, but a recent ‘article’ by Adam Andrzewski entitled, "What’s the Matter with Milton Township", was forwarded to me by friends. It is so rife with inaccuracies, misinformation or perhaps misrepresentations that they have asked me to comment on it.

First of all, at the end of fiscal year 2011, Milton Township’s combined fund balance was $1.739 million, not $2.387 million. That amount represents 36% of the previous year’s expenditures. Standard accounting practices dictate that local governments maintain reserves equal to the expenditures of between one and two fiscal quarters. At 36% Milton is exactly where it should be in its reserves. One reason for the maintenance of these reserves lies in the fact that our fiscal year begins April 1, but our real estate tax receipts do not begin to come in until mid June.

What's wrong with Milton Township?

By Adam Andrzejewski -

SUBJECT: What’s the Matter With Milton Township?

QUESTION: What’s wrong with a cash rich unit of local government where 10 employees combine to cost taxpayers $1 million, and the supervisor doesn’t require accountability?

ANSWER: Everything. It illustrates why Illinois is going broke.