“Public-Be-Dammed” Attitude on Sports Stadiums?

Chicago Tribune columnist Dennis Bryne’s piece on Monday was about secrecy and the hidden, unadmitted costs of the 2016 Olympics’ package put together by Mayor Richard Daley.

Are there are parallels in McHenry County?

Want to know the public involvement in McHenry County College’s minor league baseball stadium?

Here’s what I said in the public comment period at the beginning of March 19th‘s college board meeting:

It appears from the language in the contract dated September 27, 2006, signed by EquityOne Development’s Mark Houser and MCC President Walter Packard that the feasibility study’s findings and recommendations will be tainted.

I refer specificially to page 4, the 3rd paragraph:

At the completion of the feasibility study and independent review, if the College elects to proceed with the project, the College will contract with EquityOne or it’s (sic) assigns to develop the project on the college’s behalf.

By signing this contract you seem to have precluded competitive bidding on the Sports Center Complex and baseball stadium.

Is that correct?

No one answered, so I asked if I were going to get an answer.

Sandy Kerrick, the lawyer sitting at the table in front of the board, then told me that I could make any comments I wanted.

I replied that usually when I speak to a public body, I got an answer.

I got no answer from the McHenry County College Board.

They sat silent.

I wonder if what I said will be included in the minutes.

Time will tell.

As far as I know, this is the only comment made about the project in a public MCC Board meeting, although I admit to missing last Thursday’s meeting.

Someone has obviously kept Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley informed.

Someone has obviously talked in secret to Crystal Lake Park Board Commissioners.

Has there been public involvement beyond my statement that EquityOne Development’s recommendations were, by the nature of the contract MCC signed, flawed by self-interest?

Oh, I forgot.

MCC Committee of the Whole chairman George Lowe did read the names of those who participated in the March 19th secret meeting and he was kind enough to let me see how to spell their names and what their affiliations were.

Tribune columnist Byrne concluded his commentary on the way the Olympics’ package has been put together like this:

But there's also some of the public-be-damned way the public's business is conducted here, based on the belief that the public, even if it could understand what's going on, would screw things up.

How far from that attitude is the McHenry County College Board’s on its proposed baseball stadium?