November 17, 2009
Lots of anger directed at the Daily Journal and the Kankakee County Auditor
You can view today’s, 11-17 -09, Kankakee County Criminal Justice Committee Meeting agenda and video by clicking here. November 17, 2009 Kankakee County Criminal Justice Committee Meeting
Lots of anger directed at the Journal and the Kankakee County Auditor during the Kankakee County Criminal Justice Committee Meeting. Check out County Board member Karen Campbell and the sheriff's comments at 29 minutes 23 seconds through 34 minutes. The sheriff says the auditor should not have brought her issues to the full committee. She should have dealt with it one to one by phone. These things don't need to be discussed in the open.
Gee, what about transparent and open government and the roll of the press plays to make that possible? I guess not, not in Kankakee County. Everything should be done behind closed doors.
Earlier in the meeting, the sheriff talks about all the revenue his jail renting is bringing in. He never talks about expenses. He never provides a full accounting even though he put a $60,000 a year accountant on his payroll when the county already has a finance department and auditor's department.
What about salary and benefit costs for all staff needed for the out of county inmates? What about building depreciating? What about interest on the debt for the two wings built on the $25,000,000 jail George Ryan paid for with a check from Illinois taxpayers? Each wing can house 144 inmates but only one wing is done and is being used. The other 144 bed wing is a dirt floor shell that has to be heated in the winter to keep from freezing because there is no need for it or money to complete. What about utility costs like cable, gas and electric costs for the out of County inmates. What about food?
Were sure there is a level of out of county inmates where all costs are covered and maybe a profit but no one knows what that number is or if we have reached it. The sheriff never says nor does he say how many years the costs were not covered resulting in a lost. No private business would be operated this way.
Sheriff Bukowski also talked about not knowing who Fred Barbara is. (Editor's Note: It has been all over the Chicago media about Fred Barbara's close ties to Chicago Mayor Daley and many stories about Fred Barbara and the mob including a 2007 federal mob bombing trial where Fred Barbara was implicated as taking part. Click on the blue Fred Barbara link for details.)
Yet the sheriff, as chief law enforcement official of the county, attempted to push the County Board to drop their legal case against the proposed Fred Barbara dump because "You can't win" and he is an expert on law suits. He talked to Aqua Illinois and they can filter out any and all pollution from the dump that gets into the river. He also makes an asinine comment about the county going broke if they continue the fight the dump. Click below to hear his push for the garbage dump for yourself. What kind of chief law enforcement official would say such things? Does this sound like a role model to you?