No one should get rich from public service!

DuPage County Forest Preserve Commissioners accept unlimited campaign contributions from companies doing business with the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. This is unethical and should be illegal!

Here are specific examples where one of the DuPage County Forest Preserve Commissioners (Joe Cantore from District 2) has accepted unlimited campaign contributions from companies where he has approved pricing and many times no bid contracts worth hundreds of thousands totaling millions of our tax dollars. “Accepting any campaign contributions from any companies doing business with the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County is unethical. It should be illegal” states Don Kirchenberg, candidate for Forest Preserve Commissioner, District 2. “I have not and will not accept any monies from any company doing business with the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County.”

These donations were reported to the IL State Board of Elections for contributions received in the past few years. Don Kirchenberg explains “the recent contributions to Commissioner Cantore from his fundraiser held in October will not have to be reported until year end. Here are enough examples that show a bad pattern that we believe is wrong.”

• Cantore reported $2,800.00 in campaign contributions from Kuhn Mitchell Moss a Naperville law firm. In the past two years, Cantore has approved Forest Preserve payments in no-bid contracts to Kuhn Mitchell Moss in an amount exceeding $640,000 for legal services.

• Cantore reported $1,000.00 in campaign contributions from Chapman & Cutler a Chicago law firm. In the past two years, Cantore has approved Forest Preserve payments in no-bid contracts to Chapman & Cutler in an amount exceeding $175,000 for legal services.

• Cantore reported $900.00 in campaign contributions from Day & Robert PC a Naperville law firm. In the past two years, Cantore has approved Forest Preserve payments in no-bid contracts to Day & Robert in an amount exceeding $325,000 for legal services.

• Cantore reported $750.00 in campaign contributions from Wight Architects and its owners. In the past two years, Cantore has approved Forest Preserve payments in no-bid contracts to Wight Architects in an amount exceeding $300,000 for design work for development (new building, etc) at Willowbrook Forest Preserve.

• Cantore reported $850.00 in campaign contributions from Christopher Burke Engineering. In the past two years, Cantore has approved Forest Preserve payments in no-bid contracts to Christopher Burke Engineering in an amount exceeding $150,000.

• Cantore reported $350.00 in campaign contributions from Coffman Truck Sales owner Frank Coffman. In the past two years, Cantore has approved Forest Preserve payments in no-bid contracts to Coffman Truck Sales for the purchase of truck parts in an amount exceeding $30,000.

                                                                                                                                                                             

There are additional examples for Commissioner Cantore and with the other Commissioners. “We need a rule that stops these unethical campaign contributions. As a Commissioner I would work to pass a rule making these contributions illegal. No one should get rich from public service.” concluded Don Kirchenberg. ###

Pay, transparency issues in Forest Preserve District 2 race

Pay, transparency issues in Forest Preserve District 2 race Thanks to the Chicago Tribune for their article on 10/23 and make the difference crystal clear between the two candidates running for Forest Preserve Commissioner in District 2.

Read the article here and please pass it along by sharing.
Here is a highlight from the article about the difference between us regarding salaries...

The commissioners currently are paid $53,500 a year, plus benefits. Kirchenberg said he thinks the salaries should be cut roughly in half, to $25,000.

"It's way too much money. When I talk to voters, they are upset about it," he said. "If I'm elected I won't take a pension and I will move to reduce benefits."

Republican Cantore said he advocated for a reduction in the salary, which had been $57,000, but only could garner support to get it reduced to the current $53,500. DuPage County board members are paid $50,000 a year.
"I wanted the salaries dropped down from $57,000 to $50,000" he said. "It's a good start, but I think it should be more on par with the county board (salaries).".

Kirchenberg charges the current commissioners are more interested in maintaining their salaries and benefits than studying issues. "The current commissioners vote as a block. They get full-time pay and benefits so they don't challenge the status quo."
PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG BY SHARING. Here is a direct link to the article: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/suburbs/ct-tl-dupage-forest-district-d2-20121023,0,5499224.story

VOTER REGISTRATION is still available through 11/3/12!

Much was written and posted (including us) about the start of early voting on 10/22. Citizens should also know that they can STILL REGISTER TO VOTE til 11/3 at the DuPage Election Commission offices in Wheaton, IL. Here is the info...
Grace Period Registration and Voting Available
Robert T. Saar, Executive Director of the DuPage County Election Commission, reminds all potential electors within the County of DuPage, Illinois law provides a “grace period” to register and vote for the upcoming November 6, 2012, General Election, for individuals who were unable to register to vote or change their address prior to the traditional deadline (October 9, 2012).
 "The “grace period” is from October 10, 2012, through November 3, 2012.  Registering to vote or transferring a registration and voting during the “grace period” may only be done in the Election Commission office, 421 North County Farm Road, Wheaton, Illinois.
For more information on grace period registration and voting, call the Election Commission at (630) 407-5600 or click here http://www.dupageco.org/Election/Election_Commission_News/2012/38620/  An individual may check the status of their voter registration by visiting our website and using “Voter Status Lookup”. 
And after you register to vote they let you vote right there!

FPD of DC meeting canceled and no news of future meetings

The current Forest Preserve Commissioners and President always say a couple of things... "We must be doing OK since people don't come to the meetings." or you often hear "If the people are really interested they would be here at the meetings." The meetings are held on a Tuesday morning at 9:00 AM. The last evening meeting they had was on Valentine's day evening 2-14-12.
And when they cancel a meeting they don't even bother to post when their next meeting would be held. Click here and then click on the 10/22 meeting notice line: http://www.dupageforest.com/AboutUs/Commission/Meetings/Schedules/2012_Meeting_Notices.html

If they really wanted more people involved they would do the following:

1. Hold many more evening meetings.
2. Tape and broadcast their meetings on local cable and the Internet like the over whelming majority of local government agencies including Park Districts do every week.
3. Detail the next meeting date when they post any meeting cancellation.
4. The Commissioners should have town hall meetings in the communities they are supposed to represent.

There are many ways to solicit and gain more citizen participation with the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. As your Commissioner I would pursue these easy steps as a start!

The Republicans have withdrawn their legal challenge of my right to be on the ballot at the IL Appellate Court.

GREAT NEWS! The Republicans have withdrawn their legal challenge of my right to be on the ballot at the IL Appellate Court. According to my attorney (the very talented Ted Donner) their challenge was based on something the same court has recently decided against. They wanted more time and the IL Appellate Court said no.

Now we have to raise money to pay the court filing fees and legal costs - this diversion is probably why they initiated these challenges. Any assistance would be appreciated.  Our address is at the web site www.protectourforestpreserves.org Please pass this along.
And let's take this as a compliment that they have been fighting us so hard to get my name off the ballot!

As noted in the comments attached to this article about the need for more transparency with the our Forest Preserve District http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20121017/news/710179724/ Commissioner Cantore accepts unlimited campaign donations from contractors/vendors providing goods/services to the Forest Preserve and he doesn't even understand why this is unethical! " Oakbrook Terrace Republican seems unconcerned with the appearances surrounding his acceptance of a $1,000 campaign donation from the commission's law firm, though he votes on the firm's contract. " Read this article from the 2010 endorsement of Cantore's opponent Hilary Denk http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20101023/discuss/710239694/

 

I believe it is unethical to accept any campaign donations from companies that you set prices with and pay with our tax dollars. In addition a rule should be passed by the Forest Preserve Commissioners to eliminate this practice. PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG.
 

Campaign support, contact friends/coworkers and letters to the editor

Thank you to all for your support which has made this a very successful campaign in getting the word out to the voters of District 2. Please be sure to let anyone you know in the following towns about the opportunity to elect a better Commissioner in District 2. Here are the towns to contact the folks you know: Villa Park, Lombard, Elmhurst, Lisle, Oakbrook Terrace, Oak Brook, Downers Grove, Clarendon Hills, Woodridge and Hinsdale.
#2 In addition to contacting friends, relatives and coworkers in the towns listed above a letter to the editor is another great way to let people know about the opportunity to elect a better Forest Preserve Commissioner. Thanks again to Mark Garrity for his letter recently published on the Patch and in local newspapers like the Lombardian. Here it is: http://www.lombardian.info/9701.html  You can send your own letters to the following email addresses:  amanda@patch.com, karenc@patch.com, letters@tribune.com, letters@suntimes.com, doingsnews@pioneerlocal.com, QuestPublishing@aol.com, lombardian@sbcglobal.net, publisher@buglenewspapers.com, fencepost@dailyherald.com, rterrell@shawmedia.com, lisle@patch.com, thesun@scn1.com, news@examinerpublications.com and citizensforkirchenberg@gmail.com Please include these web addresses in your letter: http://citizensforkirchenberg.blogspot.com/ and http://protectourforestpreserves.org/ You also need to include your name, city/town and phone number which will not be published but will be used to contact you to confirm that you wrote the email. THANKS!

We received good news at the DuPage County Election Commission during today's meeting. The Executive Director, 3 Commissioners and their attorney advised me that my name "Donald P. Kirchenberg" will remain on the ballot for the position of Forest Preserve Commissioner, District 2 as is and without any asterick or addendum noting any challenge with the IL Appellate Court. The attorney we are using believes their challenge is without merit and we will soon prevail in court. Now we just need to raise extra monies to help pay our excellent hard working attorney to defend us at the IL Appellate Court.

For more info on the campaign go www.citizensforkirchenberg.com and http://citizensforkirchenberg.blogspot.com/ Please pass it on!

Now let's keep walking and knocking on some doors. We have some updated lit and welcome your participation. Please let me know of your availability!

DuPage County Forest Preserve Commissioner Joe Cantore, District 2 was absent again at today's (10/9/12) Forest Preserve Commission meeting. He and any other Commissioner get paid whether they attend the meetings or not. Their salary for this part-time job is $53,500 plus full time benefits, a tax payer subsidized pension, free cell phone and free laptop with 24 hour computer tech support. The salary and extra benefits are too high. The salary should be reduced to $25,000.
In addition the Commissioners should only be allowed a set number of paid absences. Let's start with 3 paid absences for the year. Then after the 3 absences they get their salary reduced by the percentage of time that was missed for the month. If there are 4 meetings that month and one meeting is missed than that month's salary payment is reduced by 25%. With only 6 Commissioners the tracking of attendance and paid salaries should be straight forward. Of course if the Commissioners attended the meetings like they are supposed to there would be no need for the extra work tracking their attendance.