B.S. Talks, Money Walks

First a definition:

“B.S.” means “Baseball Stadium” when it appears in this story.

In the “B...S... Talks and Money Walks” category is the announcement by former McHenry County College Trustee Erv LeCoque that a $1 million contribution to an MCC scholarship program aimed at providing tuition and fees to any local high school graduate has been withdrawn because of the college’s push for said B.S.

LeCoque said he had been involved with McHenry County College for 12 years and had been helping solicit money for the campaign. In fact, he resigned from the MCC Foundation to devote himself to the scholarship program that is modeled after the $100 million endowment in Kalamzoo, Michigan.

The first person LaCoque talked to offered $1 million.

Then the B.S. idea came up.

LeCoque related how many people came to him asking about the B.S. concerns. He saw the community being divided.

He realized that he could not raise millions in a divided community.

As LeCoque explained, when you go out and ask for money, you can’t be on the defensive.

The B.S. led to the withdrawal of the $1 million scholarship offer.

The money is off the table, he said.

LeCoque predicted if the B.S. continued, it’s going to get worse.

If the B.S. continues, the money will never come back again. The McHenry County Promise scholarship program will lose its momentum.

“If the stadium gets built,
this program is dead,”

he said.

Perhaps more significantly, one person told LeCoque,

“I think you’re (the college) selling your soul.”

Published first on McHenry County Blog. The local daily paper, the Northwest Herald had a reporter at the meeting, but no article appeared. The NW Herald is a strong supporter of the minor league baseball stadium.