COD - Clean Slate Election - My $2.05

Tomorrow, Tuesday April 7 is a general election which will include three trustees for the "Community" College of DuPage.

There has been a lot written elsewhere but let me say this. It is my opinion this election is important to get our community college back on track and to clean up the mess. We desperately need new, accountable people on the board. One individual stated the problem this way "Unless we change the Leadership at College of DuPage, we are destined to be saddled with an expensive physical trophy that drifts further and further from its core mission of public education."

First and foremost, I think we need new board members and this election is the opportunity. I am aware of two groups which have been endorsed.

Clean Slate Group
Trustee Kathy Hamilton, who was the only board trustee to vote against president Robert Breuder's $762,000 golden parachute (paid via taxpayer money) was censured by the remaining trustees. Ms. Hamilton is backing a "clean slate" which she says will provide greater transparency and financial oversight. These candidates are:

• Deanne Mazzochi
• Charles Bernstein
• Frank Napolitano

Electing these three implies four on the board including Hamilton who would be aligned.

The Daily Herald
The Daily Herald has endorsed three candidates in an article updated March 23, 2015. These candidates include:

• Matt Gambs
• Deanne Mazzochi
• former state Rep. Sandra Pihos

The Herald has been criticized for "laying low" and avoiding printing early news about the problems at the college, It has been implied that the newspaper was taking money from the college and there may have been a conflict of interest. I assume this is about advertising and related COD provided materials to be published.

Oddest Candidate
It was reported at the Illinois Review on April 1 that Dan Bailey's supporters have hit the phone lines to back him. The phone message that they are allegedly leaving is this: "Vote in Dan Bailey College of DuPage trustee. Vote out the Tea Party backed Clean Slate. I'll be a common sense watchdog for transparency and taxpayers. Early voting ends April 4th. Election day is April 7. Paid for by Citizens for Dan Bailey." I've included an audio file of the message at the end of this post.

That is to me the oddest thing I have yet heard about a candidate in this election. One wonders whose side Mr. Bailey is really on.

Clicking will open a  New Window> Dan Bailey's Phone Message

A Ms. Hamilton Video
Ms. Hamilton at COD "Let's leave it to the voters to decide" about Robert Breuder's $762,000 severance award:




Additional COD Videos

Clicking will open a  New Window> You Tube COD Videos