According to published reports in the Chicago Sun-Times, Daily Southtown and Chicago Tribune, Charles Flowers, the embattled superintendent of the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education, surrendered to authorities today at the Cook County courthouse in Maywood on public corruption charges.
State's Attorney Anita Alvarez has scheduled a press conference for 3:30 p.m. and is expected to announce criminal charges against Flowers for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars from the bankrupt agency.
Flowers and the agency are already fighting a civil suit brought in July by the state's attorney's office for failing to repay a $190,000 loan from the county. The suit alleges Flowers defrauded the county because he knew the agency could never be repaid due to its shattered finances.
The charges are the result of a separate criminal probe into allegations that he used agency funds for his own personal gain. Last year, a state audit found that the agency--which handles teacher certification and inspections for suburban schools--was $1 million in debt and accused Flowers of using a work credit card for personal use as well as giving a $6,000 advance to a relative he hired to work for him.
Showing posts with label Charles Flowers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Charles Flowers. Show all posts
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Is Charles Flowers' Office Closed For Good?
According to the Daily Southtown, Charles Flowers might just be the last regional superintendent in suburban Cook County.
Legislation in the works calls for abolishing the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education, as members of a committee backing the measure continue to toil away at a plan to efficiently distribute the responsibilities if the office disappears.
"We need to redesign the system," said Rep. Elaine Nekritz (D-Des Plaines), who introduced the bill to dissolve the office. "The real problem is the schools are not getting the services they need. I think eliminating that office is the best way to get those services."
Forest Ridge School District 142 Supt. Margaret Longo is leading a committee of academic, legal and financial minds proposing to disperse the regional office's current responsibilities to the three Intermediate Service Centers.
Suburban Cook's regional office - plagued by a lack of funding and being the largest in the state, with more than 140 school districts and 25,000 educators - is the only county in Illinois with the intermediate centers, which are charged with a number of duties other regional offices complete on their own.
The plan would be to work within the regional office's $1.5 million budget, increase assistance and bring the services closer to the teachers, Longo said.
"We understand the fiscal climate of our state," Longo said. "We just want a more effective use of our monies and time."
In effect, a number of districts that have run into roadblock after roadblock with Flowers' office have been operating without the regional office.
"It's been close to a year that I've even had to call them," said Atwood Heights School District 125 Supt. Tom Livingston, who, like many area superintendents, has directed his staff to neighboring regional offices and intermediate offices. "The call-back time, especially when I'd have an emergency like a student who may be considered homeless, was a problem."
It wouldn't be the first time the Legislature voted to do away with a regional office with a reputation of nepotism, bureaucracy and reckless spending. In 1991, lawmakers abolished the Cook County regional office of education, only to establish the suburban Cook County office, thanks in part to some heavy politicking.
With growing concerns regarding current Regional Supt. Flowers - who is the target of a criminal probe by the Cook County state's attorney's office for alleged financial and ethical misconduct - the calls to do away with the office once and for all are now louder than ever.
Flowers did not return calls for comment.
"It's just a shame that someone's lack of leadership and ineptness can cause a whole office to collapse, but if it will better serve the teachers, it has to be done," said Cook County Commissioner Elizabeth Doody Gorman (R-Orland Park).
Both Nekritz and Longo emphasize the legislation, which is expected to come up for a vote in the spring session, targets only suburban Cook's regional office, not any of the other 44 statewide. No one even filed for the 2010 race for Flowers' spot, a spokeswoman for Cook County Clerk David Orr said.
A number of Southland districts rely on the intermediate center in Chicago Heights, and they can lean even harder if the legislation goes through, executive director Vanessa Kinder said.
"I think it's a very good, sound plan," said Kinder, who serves on the committee. "We already have a great reputation in our districts, and we're in their back yards."
STILL CLOSED
In a rush to avoid almost certain eviction for failure to pay more than $10,000 in back rent, regional schools chief Charles Flowers packed up the regional office of education and moved into a Broadview office building.
Seven working days later, Broadview officials closed it for not having the proper paperwork - namely an occupancy permit.
That was Nov. 10. As of Thursday afternoon, almost a month later, the office remained closed.
Not that anyone calling the regional office's general number would know. The voicemail message makes no mention of it. Only a message on the Web site reads "closed until further notice."
Numerous calls to the village of Broadview's building department were not returned.
Legislation in the works calls for abolishing the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education, as members of a committee backing the measure continue to toil away at a plan to efficiently distribute the responsibilities if the office disappears.
"We need to redesign the system," said Rep. Elaine Nekritz (D-Des Plaines), who introduced the bill to dissolve the office. "The real problem is the schools are not getting the services they need. I think eliminating that office is the best way to get those services."
Forest Ridge School District 142 Supt. Margaret Longo is leading a committee of academic, legal and financial minds proposing to disperse the regional office's current responsibilities to the three Intermediate Service Centers.
Suburban Cook's regional office - plagued by a lack of funding and being the largest in the state, with more than 140 school districts and 25,000 educators - is the only county in Illinois with the intermediate centers, which are charged with a number of duties other regional offices complete on their own.
The plan would be to work within the regional office's $1.5 million budget, increase assistance and bring the services closer to the teachers, Longo said.
"We understand the fiscal climate of our state," Longo said. "We just want a more effective use of our monies and time."
In effect, a number of districts that have run into roadblock after roadblock with Flowers' office have been operating without the regional office.
"It's been close to a year that I've even had to call them," said Atwood Heights School District 125 Supt. Tom Livingston, who, like many area superintendents, has directed his staff to neighboring regional offices and intermediate offices. "The call-back time, especially when I'd have an emergency like a student who may be considered homeless, was a problem."
It wouldn't be the first time the Legislature voted to do away with a regional office with a reputation of nepotism, bureaucracy and reckless spending. In 1991, lawmakers abolished the Cook County regional office of education, only to establish the suburban Cook County office, thanks in part to some heavy politicking.
With growing concerns regarding current Regional Supt. Flowers - who is the target of a criminal probe by the Cook County state's attorney's office for alleged financial and ethical misconduct - the calls to do away with the office once and for all are now louder than ever.
Flowers did not return calls for comment.
"It's just a shame that someone's lack of leadership and ineptness can cause a whole office to collapse, but if it will better serve the teachers, it has to be done," said Cook County Commissioner Elizabeth Doody Gorman (R-Orland Park).
Both Nekritz and Longo emphasize the legislation, which is expected to come up for a vote in the spring session, targets only suburban Cook's regional office, not any of the other 44 statewide. No one even filed for the 2010 race for Flowers' spot, a spokeswoman for Cook County Clerk David Orr said.
A number of Southland districts rely on the intermediate center in Chicago Heights, and they can lean even harder if the legislation goes through, executive director Vanessa Kinder said.
"I think it's a very good, sound plan," said Kinder, who serves on the committee. "We already have a great reputation in our districts, and we're in their back yards."
STILL CLOSED
In a rush to avoid almost certain eviction for failure to pay more than $10,000 in back rent, regional schools chief Charles Flowers packed up the regional office of education and moved into a Broadview office building.
Seven working days later, Broadview officials closed it for not having the proper paperwork - namely an occupancy permit.
That was Nov. 10. As of Thursday afternoon, almost a month later, the office remained closed.
Not that anyone calling the regional office's general number would know. The voicemail message makes no mention of it. Only a message on the Web site reads "closed until further notice."
Numerous calls to the village of Broadview's building department were not returned.
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Theresa L. Kelly Advised and Supported By Charles A. Flowers...
Where would Proviso Township High School District 209 be if Theresa L. Kelly and her cronies had won majority control of the school board following the 2007 School Board elections? According to state election records, Theresa L. Kelly received her financial and political support from disgraced Regional Superintendent Charles A. Flowers and his former staffers like Willie Mack. Flowers made numerous donations to her campaign and also sent recorded telephone messages to residents on her behalf. With Flowers as her advisor, would Proviso look like the Regional Superintendent's office? Most observers think so. After a scandal plagued year, Flowers has decided not to seek re-election in 2010, and he is desperately hoping to avoid legal trouble from the State's Attorney's office after his office was raided in July 2009. Voters will have a turn to oust Kelly in 2011. Stay Tuned.
Regional Superintendent Charles A. Flowers Moves Office...
According to the Daily Southtown, a quiet Charles Flowers sat sandwiched Monday between landlords accused of keeping derelict buildings and tenants with stories of rent checks lost in the mail.
The regional schools chief appeared in eviction court Monday - the deadline to move out of the Westchester space his office leased and pay more than $10,000 in back rent. But before standing in front of the judge, Flowers and the folks of Westchester School District 92 1 / 2 had reached an agreement the judge signed off on.
Flowers, who voluntarily moved out of the school's building Friday, gets 120 days to pay the $10,762 in back rent he owes the district.
School district attorney Jeff Goelitz said Flowers blamed his inability to pay the rent on late payments from the state.
"If they receive the money from the state, they have to pay up within 24 hours of receipt of it," Goelitz said.
Flowers' office is nearly $1 million in debt, according to a state audit. The Cook County state's attorney's office is investigating Flowers for alleged financial and ethical misdeeds and suing him for defaulting on a $190,000 taxpayer-backed loan.
The new location for the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education is at 2600 S. 25th Ave. in Broadview. The regional office's corner space in the two-story office building - which backs up to a warehouse and is flanked by a nearby trucking company's semi trucks - was open to the public Monday.
Flowers' office has been paying back rent in installments, according to documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. In July, he was about $20,000 behind on rent for February through July.
State law requires the county board in every county except Cook to provide a suitable space for the regional office. The state hasn't paid out the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education or any other regional office of education since July 1, Illinois State Board of Education spokeswoman Mary Fergus said.
The state has set aside more than $70,000 in state grant money for Flowers' office, but the comptroller has yet to cut the checks, Fergus said.
"We're backlogged over $3 billion in bills going back to the first of August because the revenues just aren't there," Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes' spokesman Alan Henry said. "I'm sure (Flowers' office is) in the queue somewhere. I'm not sure when they'll get the money."
Flowers, who did not answer a reporter's questions Monday, is due back in court Feb. 8. If he hasn't paid up in 120 days, it's up to the school district to take the next step.
"The board's option would be to go to court to ask the (regional office of education) to make good on the order, to pay up," Goelitz said. "We haven't had that discussion yet."
The regional schools chief appeared in eviction court Monday - the deadline to move out of the Westchester space his office leased and pay more than $10,000 in back rent. But before standing in front of the judge, Flowers and the folks of Westchester School District 92 1 / 2 had reached an agreement the judge signed off on.
Flowers, who voluntarily moved out of the school's building Friday, gets 120 days to pay the $10,762 in back rent he owes the district.
School district attorney Jeff Goelitz said Flowers blamed his inability to pay the rent on late payments from the state.
"If they receive the money from the state, they have to pay up within 24 hours of receipt of it," Goelitz said.
Flowers' office is nearly $1 million in debt, according to a state audit. The Cook County state's attorney's office is investigating Flowers for alleged financial and ethical misdeeds and suing him for defaulting on a $190,000 taxpayer-backed loan.
The new location for the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education is at 2600 S. 25th Ave. in Broadview. The regional office's corner space in the two-story office building - which backs up to a warehouse and is flanked by a nearby trucking company's semi trucks - was open to the public Monday.
Flowers' office has been paying back rent in installments, according to documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. In July, he was about $20,000 behind on rent for February through July.
State law requires the county board in every county except Cook to provide a suitable space for the regional office. The state hasn't paid out the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education or any other regional office of education since July 1, Illinois State Board of Education spokeswoman Mary Fergus said.
The state has set aside more than $70,000 in state grant money for Flowers' office, but the comptroller has yet to cut the checks, Fergus said.
"We're backlogged over $3 billion in bills going back to the first of August because the revenues just aren't there," Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes' spokesman Alan Henry said. "I'm sure (Flowers' office is) in the queue somewhere. I'm not sure when they'll get the money."
Flowers, who did not answer a reporter's questions Monday, is due back in court Feb. 8. If he hasn't paid up in 120 days, it's up to the school district to take the next step.
"The board's option would be to go to court to ask the (regional office of education) to make good on the order, to pay up," Goelitz said. "We haven't had that discussion yet."
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
ROE Flowers About to be Evicted...
According to the Daily Southtown, Charles Flowers has two weeks before a judge will boot him and his staff out of his rented office space - making it possibly the first time a regional schools office has been evicted.
Nearly $10,000 behind on rent for the offices he leases from Westchester School District 92 1/2 , Regional Supt. Flowers has until Nov. 2 to pay up and pack up, attorneys said Monday.
"The board of education [wants to] recoup the unpaid rent, and they want to gain possession of the office space," district attorney Jeff Goelitz said.
Flowers is the target of a criminal investigation by the Cook County state's attorney's office. The SouthtownStar first reported on the alleged financial and ethical misdeeds of Flowers and the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education - which is nearly $1 million in debt.
The Westchester school board filed eviction papers on Sept. 29, and Cook County sheriff's officials served the office Oct. 7. Flowers' office owed $9,933.36 at the time of the filing. That did not include rent for October and November - $3,429 per month - which is about $7,000.
The case was continued Monday after both parties agreed to hold off until Nov. 2, Goelitz said.
"The ROE believes that some of their financial difficulties are due to the state not sending their payments on," district attorney Terry Hodges said.
Even if he makes good on the nearly $17,000, the district wants him out.
This should come as no surprise for Flowers. Documents obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests reveal Flowers' office has a sporadic track record when it comes to making rent.
In July, the board sent a letter to Flowers telling him he had five days to make good on the $20,000 in back rent for February through July.
Business manager Julie Stearns proposed a payment plan that entailed almost weekly payments of $5,000, including the initial $5,000 charged to a credit card, documents show.
When the office failed to make good on the entire back rent by the agreed upon deadline of Aug. 21, the board moved for the eviction.
"We did try to work with him," board president Barbara Stanger said at the time.
WHAT NOW?
Charles Flowers has consistently refused to answer questions about the charges of financial mismanagement, but in the past he and his staffers have blamed the regional office of education's money problems on a lack of funding from the state.
State law does require the county board in every county except Cook to provide a suitable space for the regional office.
Cook County's unusual situation dates back to money problems with some of Flowers' predecessors. The state Legislature abolished the Cook County regional schools office in 1994 and resurrected it in 1995 - minus responsibility for Chicago city schools and minus any county funding for an office.
If Flowers is evicted, he still is legally responsible for providing services to the 143 school districts in his area, said Illinois State Board of Education spokeswoman Mary Fergus, who added she was not aware of any other regional office losing its office space in an eviction.
As for the public records, they are covered by the State or Local Records Act, which bans records from being destroyed or abandoned unless scheduled for destruction, said Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office spokeswoman Robyn Ziegler.
"In short, they will have to ensure the integrity of the records by storing them somewhere or otherwise providing for their safekeeping until the matter is ultimately resolved," she said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FLOWERS' WOES
Since accusations of financial improprieties at the regional school office surfaced, Supt. Charles Flowers has faced a growing list of problems:
• He's the target of a criminal probe by the Cook County state's attorney's office.
• He's being sued for fraud over an unpaid $190,000 loan from the Cook County Board.
• The Illinois State Board of Education has moved to revoke his professional certificates, which could force him from office.
Nearly $10,000 behind on rent for the offices he leases from Westchester School District 92 1/2 , Regional Supt. Flowers has until Nov. 2 to pay up and pack up, attorneys said Monday.
"The board of education [wants to] recoup the unpaid rent, and they want to gain possession of the office space," district attorney Jeff Goelitz said.
Flowers is the target of a criminal investigation by the Cook County state's attorney's office. The SouthtownStar first reported on the alleged financial and ethical misdeeds of Flowers and the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education - which is nearly $1 million in debt.
The Westchester school board filed eviction papers on Sept. 29, and Cook County sheriff's officials served the office Oct. 7. Flowers' office owed $9,933.36 at the time of the filing. That did not include rent for October and November - $3,429 per month - which is about $7,000.
The case was continued Monday after both parties agreed to hold off until Nov. 2, Goelitz said.
"The ROE believes that some of their financial difficulties are due to the state not sending their payments on," district attorney Terry Hodges said.
Even if he makes good on the nearly $17,000, the district wants him out.
This should come as no surprise for Flowers. Documents obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests reveal Flowers' office has a sporadic track record when it comes to making rent.
In July, the board sent a letter to Flowers telling him he had five days to make good on the $20,000 in back rent for February through July.
Business manager Julie Stearns proposed a payment plan that entailed almost weekly payments of $5,000, including the initial $5,000 charged to a credit card, documents show.
When the office failed to make good on the entire back rent by the agreed upon deadline of Aug. 21, the board moved for the eviction.
"We did try to work with him," board president Barbara Stanger said at the time.
WHAT NOW?
Charles Flowers has consistently refused to answer questions about the charges of financial mismanagement, but in the past he and his staffers have blamed the regional office of education's money problems on a lack of funding from the state.
State law does require the county board in every county except Cook to provide a suitable space for the regional office.
Cook County's unusual situation dates back to money problems with some of Flowers' predecessors. The state Legislature abolished the Cook County regional schools office in 1994 and resurrected it in 1995 - minus responsibility for Chicago city schools and minus any county funding for an office.
If Flowers is evicted, he still is legally responsible for providing services to the 143 school districts in his area, said Illinois State Board of Education spokeswoman Mary Fergus, who added she was not aware of any other regional office losing its office space in an eviction.
As for the public records, they are covered by the State or Local Records Act, which bans records from being destroyed or abandoned unless scheduled for destruction, said Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office spokeswoman Robyn Ziegler.
"In short, they will have to ensure the integrity of the records by storing them somewhere or otherwise providing for their safekeeping until the matter is ultimately resolved," she said.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FLOWERS' WOES
Since accusations of financial improprieties at the regional school office surfaced, Supt. Charles Flowers has faced a growing list of problems:
• He's the target of a criminal probe by the Cook County state's attorney's office.
• He's being sued for fraud over an unpaid $190,000 loan from the Cook County Board.
• The Illinois State Board of Education has moved to revoke his professional certificates, which could force him from office.
Thursday, October 01, 2009
ROE Charles Flowers Appoints Johnny Diggs To Maywood SD89 Board of Education...
According to reports, Regional Superintendent of Schools Charles A. Flowers has appointed his former press secretary Johnny Diggs to the Maywood SD89 Board of Education to replace G. Ric Cervone who resigned in August. Diggs was appointed by Flowers after the Board could not agree on a replacement. The Board was reportedly split down the middle for Diggs and another candidate.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Cook County Suing ROE Charles Flowers For Unpaid Loan...
According to reports in the Daily Southtown, the Cook County state's attorney's office is expected to file a civil lawsuit today against the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education and its superintendent Charles Flowers.
The suit alleges Flowers "engaged in a scheme to defraud Cook County" when his office took out a $190,000 loan last year, state's attorney spokeswoman Sally Daly said.
The loan was due June 30. The suit will be seeking full repayment of the loan, as well as interest and punitive damages, she added.
The SouthtownStar first reported the alleged financial and ethical misconduct at the office. Flowers is currently the target of a state's attorney's office criminal investigation, which Daly said was "moving forward." Sources also told the SouthtownStar that subpoenas have been sent out and a Cook County grand jury has convened in connection with the case.
Everything from plane tickets for family members to a trip to a hair salon showed up on Flowers' regional office credit card. He approved a salary advance for his sister, who is employed as his executive assistant, and a friend, who also works in the office, according to documents obtained by the SouthtownStar. A damaging state audit shows deputies were paid thousands of dollars for consulting work they did during working hours while collecting their taxpayer-funded paycheck.
After he defaulted on a June 2008 $190,000 loan from Cook County that he said he needed for operations, the board unanimously supported a resolution calling to abolish the office. Commissioners also issued a no-confidence vote against Flowers and called for his immediate resignation.
Flowers refuses to return calls for comment.
Duaa Eldeib can be reached at deldeib@southtownstar.com or (708) 633-5960.
The suit alleges Flowers "engaged in a scheme to defraud Cook County" when his office took out a $190,000 loan last year, state's attorney spokeswoman Sally Daly said.
The loan was due June 30. The suit will be seeking full repayment of the loan, as well as interest and punitive damages, she added.
The SouthtownStar first reported the alleged financial and ethical misconduct at the office. Flowers is currently the target of a state's attorney's office criminal investigation, which Daly said was "moving forward." Sources also told the SouthtownStar that subpoenas have been sent out and a Cook County grand jury has convened in connection with the case.
Everything from plane tickets for family members to a trip to a hair salon showed up on Flowers' regional office credit card. He approved a salary advance for his sister, who is employed as his executive assistant, and a friend, who also works in the office, according to documents obtained by the SouthtownStar. A damaging state audit shows deputies were paid thousands of dollars for consulting work they did during working hours while collecting their taxpayer-funded paycheck.
After he defaulted on a June 2008 $190,000 loan from Cook County that he said he needed for operations, the board unanimously supported a resolution calling to abolish the office. Commissioners also issued a no-confidence vote against Flowers and called for his immediate resignation.
Flowers refuses to return calls for comment.
Duaa Eldeib can be reached at deldeib@southtownstar.com or (708) 633-5960.
Friday, July 03, 2009
Subpoenas Issued In Charles Flowers Investigation!!!
According to the Daily Southtown, a Cook County grand jury convened Thursday in connection with allegations that a top schools chief misused public money, a source close to the investigation told the SouthtownStar.
Because grand juries - empowered to indict people for crimes - meet in secret, it was unclear Thursday who had been subpoenaed to give evidence in the Flowers investigation. But numerous people in the Proviso political arena are likely on the list.
Because grand juries - empowered to indict people for crimes - meet in secret, it was unclear Thursday who had been subpoenaed to give evidence in the Flowers investigation. But numerous people in the Proviso political arena are likely on the list.
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Charles Flowers' Home and Office Raided by Authorities!!!
According to published reports in the Chicago Tribune and Daily Southtown, the home and office of Charles Flowers has been raided by the authorities. Cook County state's attorney's investigators raided the home and office of the Cook County regional schools superintendent, a spokesman for the prosecutors' office said.
Investigators executed search warrants on the home of county Regional Supt. Charles Flowers, as well as the Westchester offices of the county superintendent, said state's attorney's office spokesman Andy Conklin.
There is an active criminal investigation into Flowers' office, Conklin said.
The raids came in the wake of a "no-confidence" vote by the County Board last month that called for criminal investigations in the wake of a highly critical audit that alleges misuse of public funds by Flowers' office.
The no-confidence vote itself came after the state auditor general forwarded to prosecutors an audit showing debt in Flowers' office last year soared to nearly $1 million as he made personal charges on his office credit card and gave a $6,000 cash advance to a relative who worked for him.
In a reply to the auditor general, Flowers said he personally covered more than $9,000 in credit-card charges unrelated to his job.
In addition to asking the Illinois attorney general and the state's attorney to launch criminal investigations, the no-confidence resolution also asked the state's attorney to seek recovery of $190,000 in county funds the board lent to the superintendent's office last year. The loan is due June 30.
Investigators executed search warrants on the home of county Regional Supt. Charles Flowers, as well as the Westchester offices of the county superintendent, said state's attorney's office spokesman Andy Conklin.
There is an active criminal investigation into Flowers' office, Conklin said.
The raids came in the wake of a "no-confidence" vote by the County Board last month that called for criminal investigations in the wake of a highly critical audit that alleges misuse of public funds by Flowers' office.
The no-confidence vote itself came after the state auditor general forwarded to prosecutors an audit showing debt in Flowers' office last year soared to nearly $1 million as he made personal charges on his office credit card and gave a $6,000 cash advance to a relative who worked for him.
In a reply to the auditor general, Flowers said he personally covered more than $9,000 in credit-card charges unrelated to his job.
In addition to asking the Illinois attorney general and the state's attorney to launch criminal investigations, the no-confidence resolution also asked the state's attorney to seek recovery of $190,000 in county funds the board lent to the superintendent's office last year. The loan is due June 30.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Flowers Has Not Paid His Rent!!!
The Daily Southtown has uncovered the fact that Flowers has not paid his office space rent. The regional schools boss currently under criminal investigation for misusing school money owes nearly $20,000 in back rent for educational office space, documents show.
Only once this year has Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education - headed by Supt. Charles Flowers - paid rent to Westchester Public School District 92 1 / 2 , according to documents received from the district through a Freedom of Information Act request.
From July 2008 to June 2009, Flowers' office should have paid $41,150 for the space at 10110 Gladstone Street in Westchester, which is leased from the school district. It has only made good on $24,004. The regional office shares the building with MacNeal School, a private school affiliated with MacNeal Hospital that services special education students, which also rents from the district.
The more than $17,000 lapse in payment has former Regional Supt. Bob Ingraffia wondering if District 92 1 / 2 's school board will initiate eviction proceedings.
"Taxpayers don't like to see the district losing money," said Ingraffia, who lost his re-election bid to Flowers in 2006.
Board president Barbara Stanger declined to comment on whether the board was taking action to recoup the cash.
"I really don't want to comment on anything at this time that, I believe, is being investigated," Stanger said.
District 92 1 / 2 Supt. Jean Sophie was not in the office Thursday, but has previously refused to comment on anything relating to Flowers' office.
Flowers did not return multiple messages left for him.
During Ingraffia's tenure, the office typically paid rent in advance, which was usually one lump sump annually, he said.
"That was so we made sure we would have a roof over our head," Ingraffia said.
Flowers' rent schedule was more sporadic. Often, he would pay on a monthly basis. There were times, however, he would miss a payment ---like September and October 2007 - and would supplement with two payments the next month, documents reveal. Monthly rent for 2008 was $3,300 and $3,429 in 2009.
The SouthtownStar first reported last week that Flowers was the target of a Cook County state's attorney investigation. A two-month SouthtownStar investigation revealed Flowers padded the office payroll with friends and family, charged thousands of dollars in personal expenses and cash advances to his work credit card and more than doubled the office's debt to nearly $1 million dollars. A troubling state audit officially released earlier this month confirmed those findings.
Last year, the Cook County Board approved a $190,000 for Flowers' office. Commissioners have questioned his ability to repay the loan, which is due Tuesday.
Duaa Eldeib can be reached at deldeib@southtownstar.com or (708) 633-5960.
Only once this year has Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education - headed by Supt. Charles Flowers - paid rent to Westchester Public School District 92 1 / 2 , according to documents received from the district through a Freedom of Information Act request.
From July 2008 to June 2009, Flowers' office should have paid $41,150 for the space at 10110 Gladstone Street in Westchester, which is leased from the school district. It has only made good on $24,004. The regional office shares the building with MacNeal School, a private school affiliated with MacNeal Hospital that services special education students, which also rents from the district.
The more than $17,000 lapse in payment has former Regional Supt. Bob Ingraffia wondering if District 92 1 / 2 's school board will initiate eviction proceedings.
"Taxpayers don't like to see the district losing money," said Ingraffia, who lost his re-election bid to Flowers in 2006.
Board president Barbara Stanger declined to comment on whether the board was taking action to recoup the cash.
"I really don't want to comment on anything at this time that, I believe, is being investigated," Stanger said.
District 92 1 / 2 Supt. Jean Sophie was not in the office Thursday, but has previously refused to comment on anything relating to Flowers' office.
Flowers did not return multiple messages left for him.
During Ingraffia's tenure, the office typically paid rent in advance, which was usually one lump sump annually, he said.
"That was so we made sure we would have a roof over our head," Ingraffia said.
Flowers' rent schedule was more sporadic. Often, he would pay on a monthly basis. There were times, however, he would miss a payment ---like September and October 2007 - and would supplement with two payments the next month, documents reveal. Monthly rent for 2008 was $3,300 and $3,429 in 2009.
The SouthtownStar first reported last week that Flowers was the target of a Cook County state's attorney investigation. A two-month SouthtownStar investigation revealed Flowers padded the office payroll with friends and family, charged thousands of dollars in personal expenses and cash advances to his work credit card and more than doubled the office's debt to nearly $1 million dollars. A troubling state audit officially released earlier this month confirmed those findings.
Last year, the Cook County Board approved a $190,000 for Flowers' office. Commissioners have questioned his ability to repay the loan, which is due Tuesday.
Duaa Eldeib can be reached at deldeib@southtownstar.com or (708) 633-5960.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Daily Southtown Says: "Time to Send Flowers Packing"
The Daily Southtown published an editorial today saying it's "Time to Send Flowers Packing." Here's the editorial:
R eform of state government is an issue to which we are dedicated; some might even say we're obsessed. The list of things to be fixed in Illinois governance is long, depressing, and growing. Add this: We need ways to remove tainted public officials from office.
It's a miracle we're not still stuck with Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Thankfully the state Senate was able to drive him from office after corruption charges. But, there are more poisoned flowers among Illinois' vast fields of elected offices - or, in the latest case, Charles Flowers.
Flowers holds the elected position of Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education Superintendent. He has a record of financial abuse and misconduct dating to his days as board president at west suburban Maywood-Melrose Park District 89.
On Tuesday, the Cook County Board voted non-confidence in Flowers, in the face of months of reporting by this newspaper, and a state audit documenting his arrogant and profligate use of public funds. A criminal investigation is under way.
This should be enough to at least suspend an official, if not boot him entirely. But Illinois and Cook County have almost no way to remove suspect office holders; we'd not be surprised to see some insisting on being paid while behind bars.
Inevitably when the notion is raised of ousting people such as Flowers, responses include "innocent until proven guilty." Let's put that nonsense aside.
Innocence until guilt is proven is a vitally important premise in America. But it has nothing to do with employment, elected or otherwise. It solely means that before we take away a person's freedom, their guilt must be proved in court, to the very high standard of "beyond a reasonable doubt."
In the court of public opinion, or the determination of suitability for employment, this standard does not hold. Nor should it.
Anyone in a non-elected job facing the findings in the Flowers audit would have been fired by now. One questionable expense account is all it takes for most employees to lose their job. Elected officials who love to compare themselves to employees when seeking raises or benefits or perks barely acknowledge this when fighting to stay long after their competence or honesty are shown wanting.
Flowers should go. And there should be means to make his going less torturous and time-consuming.
Situations such as this show why Illinois should re-think the number of offices to which we elect people. As a starting point, electing people to do public service is unassailable, and this element of democracy has largely been brought to the world by America. It goes to the roots of the revolution that gave birth to our great country. And perhaps a return to those roots is in order.
"No taxation without representation" made sense 250 years ago, and does still. No processing of teaching certificates without representation? Maybe not. But that's the primary role of the office Flowers abuses.
That so many such arcane and narrow roles are elected offices is one reason voter turnout for them is minimal. Who among us can truly determine who is suited to such work? (We can determine it after audits and investigations and solid journalism have exposed the lack of it, but beforehand, no.)
Exploitive and abusive people such as Flowers move from one office to another. After his record at the park district (another that shouldn't require election) he was able to become education superintendent.
And while we decry low turnouts for offices such as county board, it's understandable why few vote for lesser offices. But that allows the likes of Flowers to hold such offices through influence within a political machine or among a few who want to enjoy the fruits of his abuse (as Flowers has rained public money on friends and relatives, for example.)
Illinois needs to set legislated standards below which elected office holders can be ousted by higher levels of government, or are automatically required to resign or at least be suspended. Or, despite its own limitations and potential for abuse due to the same low turnouts that bring us cads like Flowers, voters need to be able to recall office holders, using petition to force votes that could expel them from office.
Illinois became a national embarrassment in the months it took to force Blagojevich out. But that happened at the speed of light compared with what it usually takes to purge our governance of such people.
Maybe we need to have David Letterman mock Flowers until he just quits.
R eform of state government is an issue to which we are dedicated; some might even say we're obsessed. The list of things to be fixed in Illinois governance is long, depressing, and growing. Add this: We need ways to remove tainted public officials from office.
It's a miracle we're not still stuck with Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Thankfully the state Senate was able to drive him from office after corruption charges. But, there are more poisoned flowers among Illinois' vast fields of elected offices - or, in the latest case, Charles Flowers.
Flowers holds the elected position of Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education Superintendent. He has a record of financial abuse and misconduct dating to his days as board president at west suburban Maywood-Melrose Park District 89.
On Tuesday, the Cook County Board voted non-confidence in Flowers, in the face of months of reporting by this newspaper, and a state audit documenting his arrogant and profligate use of public funds. A criminal investigation is under way.
This should be enough to at least suspend an official, if not boot him entirely. But Illinois and Cook County have almost no way to remove suspect office holders; we'd not be surprised to see some insisting on being paid while behind bars.
Inevitably when the notion is raised of ousting people such as Flowers, responses include "innocent until proven guilty." Let's put that nonsense aside.
Innocence until guilt is proven is a vitally important premise in America. But it has nothing to do with employment, elected or otherwise. It solely means that before we take away a person's freedom, their guilt must be proved in court, to the very high standard of "beyond a reasonable doubt."
In the court of public opinion, or the determination of suitability for employment, this standard does not hold. Nor should it.
Anyone in a non-elected job facing the findings in the Flowers audit would have been fired by now. One questionable expense account is all it takes for most employees to lose their job. Elected officials who love to compare themselves to employees when seeking raises or benefits or perks barely acknowledge this when fighting to stay long after their competence or honesty are shown wanting.
Flowers should go. And there should be means to make his going less torturous and time-consuming.
Situations such as this show why Illinois should re-think the number of offices to which we elect people. As a starting point, electing people to do public service is unassailable, and this element of democracy has largely been brought to the world by America. It goes to the roots of the revolution that gave birth to our great country. And perhaps a return to those roots is in order.
"No taxation without representation" made sense 250 years ago, and does still. No processing of teaching certificates without representation? Maybe not. But that's the primary role of the office Flowers abuses.
That so many such arcane and narrow roles are elected offices is one reason voter turnout for them is minimal. Who among us can truly determine who is suited to such work? (We can determine it after audits and investigations and solid journalism have exposed the lack of it, but beforehand, no.)
Exploitive and abusive people such as Flowers move from one office to another. After his record at the park district (another that shouldn't require election) he was able to become education superintendent.
And while we decry low turnouts for offices such as county board, it's understandable why few vote for lesser offices. But that allows the likes of Flowers to hold such offices through influence within a political machine or among a few who want to enjoy the fruits of his abuse (as Flowers has rained public money on friends and relatives, for example.)
Illinois needs to set legislated standards below which elected office holders can be ousted by higher levels of government, or are automatically required to resign or at least be suspended. Or, despite its own limitations and potential for abuse due to the same low turnouts that bring us cads like Flowers, voters need to be able to recall office holders, using petition to force votes that could expel them from office.
Illinois became a national embarrassment in the months it took to force Blagojevich out. But that happened at the speed of light compared with what it usually takes to purge our governance of such people.
Maybe we need to have David Letterman mock Flowers until he just quits.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Proviso Township Newspapers Ignore Major Scandal at Regional Superintendent's Office!!!
Local newspaper outlets, the Forest Park Review and Proviso Herald, have completely ignored a major scandal that has been developing for months at the Regional Superintendent's office headed by Charles A. Flowers. The only local source for news on this major story has been the West Suburban Journal. Flowers, who has abused the public's trust and misspent thousands of taxpayer monies, has been the subject of weekly and daily news coverage in major media outlets such as the Daily Southtown, Daily Herald, Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune and television stations Channels 5, 7, 9, 32 and CLTV. However, the Forest Park Review and Proviso Herald have completely ignored this story. Insider sources say the owners and editors of those two people are nothing more than political hacks aligned with Flowers, and they have as much egg on their faces as Flowers and his backers do. Why do you think these two local rags have failed to cover this major news scandal at the Regional Superintendent's office?
Friday, June 19, 2009
The Chicago Tribune Is Buffaloed By Charles Flowers!!!
The Chicago Tribune said in a recent editorial that they are buffaloed by Regional Superintendent Charles Flowers. Read it for yourself:
If there's anything worse than a do-nothing local government bureaucracy, it's a do-nothing local government bureaucracy that runs up a $1 million deficit. The Cook County Regional Education Office is all of that and more.
A state audit released last week found so many accounting "irregularities" in the office that Auditor General William Holland passed the report to Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan and Cook County State's Atty. Anita Alvarez for their scrutiny.And now the Cook County Board is pleading for Madigan and Alvarez to intervene. Turns out the County Board loaned the office $190,000 last year.
The jaw-dropping findings include:
* Regional Supt. Charles Flowers, a Democrat on whose watch the deficit ballooned, charged thousands of dollars worth of personal expenses -- including plane tickets to Mississippi for family members -- to his government credit card. He also withdrew more than $6,000 in cash advances for which he couldn't properly account.
* Flowers didn't have receipts to support 70 percent of the purchases made on his card.
* At least 46 times, Flowers charged personal and staff meals on his card without properly documenting the expenses. The meals totaled $3,198, including $736 for a staff luncheon.
* The office paid $1,798 in late fees, finance charges and other service charges, mostly on Flowers' credit card.
* Flowers approved $15,000 worth of cash advances to two employees, including $6,000 to his administrative assistant, who happens to be his sister.
* State grant money was used to pay consulting fees of $12,000 and $9,400 to two assistant superintendents who did the "extra" work during their regular hours.
* Flowers' nephew worked eight hours a day and was paid for nine.
* The office didn't record payroll transactions or reconcile its books regularly, spent state money on ineligible items and had inadequate controls on accounting procedures, property and equipment.
* Despite warnings in previous audits that it had to cut expenses or find new funding sources to stay afloat, the office bought 20 computers ($21,000) and a new phone system ($9,300) to replace the one it bought three years earlier. Payroll expenses grew by $146,000.
That $190,000 loan from Cook County-- The loan is due June 30. The office has no way to pay. "We took this man on his word, and unfortunately, we were sidetracked and buffaloed," Commissioner John Daley said Tuesday.
Oh, priceless.
* * *
Here's the most infuriating thing: This office should be dead, gone, kaput. Out of business. And for one brief moment, it was.
In 1991, when the office was blowing money under another regime, then-Cook County Board President Richard Phelan pushed the legislature to kill it. The office exists to process teacher certifications, train school-bus drivers and do other things that could easily be handled by others.
The legislature did vote to kill it. We know. Amazing. That never happens.
We almost killed a useless Democratic patronage haven, until Republicans sniffed out an opportunity to create a useless Republican patronage haven.
They revived it in the legislature and made it a suburban-only office, thinking they could elect one of their own to run it if Chicago voters were cut out of the mix.
The office actually did die for 13 months. Nobody missed it. But it rose from the ashes in 1995 and went on its merry way.
The hapless Cook County Republicans, they couldn't even hold an office that exists only in the suburbs. Democrat Flowers unseated Republican Robert Ingraffia in the 2006 election.
Flowers didn't return our calls asking for an explanation of the state audit's findings. He told the auditor the big problem is that Cook County doesn't give him funding.
The state pays more than $400,000 in salaries and benefits for Flowers and his deputies. And now it's worse than useless. It's embroiled in a spending scandal.
Yes, taxpayers, you were buffaloed. Again.
If there's anything worse than a do-nothing local government bureaucracy, it's a do-nothing local government bureaucracy that runs up a $1 million deficit. The Cook County Regional Education Office is all of that and more.
A state audit released last week found so many accounting "irregularities" in the office that Auditor General William Holland passed the report to Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan and Cook County State's Atty. Anita Alvarez for their scrutiny.And now the Cook County Board is pleading for Madigan and Alvarez to intervene. Turns out the County Board loaned the office $190,000 last year.
The jaw-dropping findings include:
* Regional Supt. Charles Flowers, a Democrat on whose watch the deficit ballooned, charged thousands of dollars worth of personal expenses -- including plane tickets to Mississippi for family members -- to his government credit card. He also withdrew more than $6,000 in cash advances for which he couldn't properly account.
* Flowers didn't have receipts to support 70 percent of the purchases made on his card.
* At least 46 times, Flowers charged personal and staff meals on his card without properly documenting the expenses. The meals totaled $3,198, including $736 for a staff luncheon.
* The office paid $1,798 in late fees, finance charges and other service charges, mostly on Flowers' credit card.
* Flowers approved $15,000 worth of cash advances to two employees, including $6,000 to his administrative assistant, who happens to be his sister.
* State grant money was used to pay consulting fees of $12,000 and $9,400 to two assistant superintendents who did the "extra" work during their regular hours.
* Flowers' nephew worked eight hours a day and was paid for nine.
* The office didn't record payroll transactions or reconcile its books regularly, spent state money on ineligible items and had inadequate controls on accounting procedures, property and equipment.
* Despite warnings in previous audits that it had to cut expenses or find new funding sources to stay afloat, the office bought 20 computers ($21,000) and a new phone system ($9,300) to replace the one it bought three years earlier. Payroll expenses grew by $146,000.
That $190,000 loan from Cook County-- The loan is due June 30. The office has no way to pay. "We took this man on his word, and unfortunately, we were sidetracked and buffaloed," Commissioner John Daley said Tuesday.
Oh, priceless.
* * *
Here's the most infuriating thing: This office should be dead, gone, kaput. Out of business. And for one brief moment, it was.
In 1991, when the office was blowing money under another regime, then-Cook County Board President Richard Phelan pushed the legislature to kill it. The office exists to process teacher certifications, train school-bus drivers and do other things that could easily be handled by others.
The legislature did vote to kill it. We know. Amazing. That never happens.
We almost killed a useless Democratic patronage haven, until Republicans sniffed out an opportunity to create a useless Republican patronage haven.
They revived it in the legislature and made it a suburban-only office, thinking they could elect one of their own to run it if Chicago voters were cut out of the mix.
The office actually did die for 13 months. Nobody missed it. But it rose from the ashes in 1995 and went on its merry way.
The hapless Cook County Republicans, they couldn't even hold an office that exists only in the suburbs. Democrat Flowers unseated Republican Robert Ingraffia in the 2006 election.
Flowers didn't return our calls asking for an explanation of the state audit's findings. He told the auditor the big problem is that Cook County doesn't give him funding.
The state pays more than $400,000 in salaries and benefits for Flowers and his deputies. And now it's worse than useless. It's embroiled in a spending scandal.
Yes, taxpayers, you were buffaloed. Again.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Criminal Investigation Officially Launched Against Charles Flowers!!!
According to the Daily Southtown, on the same day the Cook County board issued a no-confidence vote against a top regional school administrator dogged by allegations of financial and ethical misconduct, prosecutors said a criminal investigation is in motion.
A spokeswoman for Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office confirmed late Tuesday the Cook County state's attorney's office is moving forward on the findings of an official state audit released last week highlighting the financial indiscretions of Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education Supt. Charles Flowers.
After reviewing the audit that outlined Flowers spent thousands of dollars on personal expenses - including more than $3,000 solely on food and untold amounts for a car and furniture auditors could not locate - and approved cash advances for a family member on the payroll, Madigan spokeswoman Robyn Ziegler said the office reached out to Anita Alvarez's office to offer assistance with a criminal investigation.
"These are very serious findings in the audit," Ziegler said. "We are pleased the state's attorney will be conducting the criminal investigation."
At this time, however, state's attorney's office spokesman Andy Conklin said, he cannot confirm or deny the existence of an investigation into Flowers.
"We've been actively reviewing information regarding that office," he added.
The actions come on the heels of a two-month SouthtownStar investigation into the office, which acts as an arm for the Illinois State Board of Education in processing teacher certifications.
The only recourse ISBE can take is to revoke Flowers' license, which would render him unfit for the position.
"We're reviewing the audit to determine if there's enough evidence that would warrant revoking it," state board spokesman Matt Vanover said. "He's an elected official."
Commissioners are also wary they will recoup a $190,000 taxpayer-backed loan they approved in June 2008 for the office that is nearly $1 million in the red. The deadline to repay the loan is in two weeks.
The Southtown story was writte by Duaa Eldeib. She can be reached at deldeib@southtownstar.com or (708) 633-5960.
A spokeswoman for Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office confirmed late Tuesday the Cook County state's attorney's office is moving forward on the findings of an official state audit released last week highlighting the financial indiscretions of Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education Supt. Charles Flowers.
After reviewing the audit that outlined Flowers spent thousands of dollars on personal expenses - including more than $3,000 solely on food and untold amounts for a car and furniture auditors could not locate - and approved cash advances for a family member on the payroll, Madigan spokeswoman Robyn Ziegler said the office reached out to Anita Alvarez's office to offer assistance with a criminal investigation.
"These are very serious findings in the audit," Ziegler said. "We are pleased the state's attorney will be conducting the criminal investigation."
At this time, however, state's attorney's office spokesman Andy Conklin said, he cannot confirm or deny the existence of an investigation into Flowers.
"We've been actively reviewing information regarding that office," he added.
The actions come on the heels of a two-month SouthtownStar investigation into the office, which acts as an arm for the Illinois State Board of Education in processing teacher certifications.
The only recourse ISBE can take is to revoke Flowers' license, which would render him unfit for the position.
"We're reviewing the audit to determine if there's enough evidence that would warrant revoking it," state board spokesman Matt Vanover said. "He's an elected official."
Commissioners are also wary they will recoup a $190,000 taxpayer-backed loan they approved in June 2008 for the office that is nearly $1 million in the red. The deadline to repay the loan is in two weeks.
The Southtown story was writte by Duaa Eldeib. She can be reached at deldeib@southtownstar.com or (708) 633-5960.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
County Board Wants Probe Of Charles Flowers Too!!!
According to published reports, the Cook County Board today expressed “no confidence” in the county's suburban school administrator and called for criminal investigations following a highly critical audit that alleged misuse of public funds.
The state auditor general has already forwarded to prosectors the audit of the relatively small office run by Regional Cook County Schools Superintendent Charles Flowers. The state audit found the debt in Flowers' office had soared to nearly $1 million as he made personal charges on his office credit card and a $6,000 cash advance to a relative who worked for him.
Flowers, who was elected in 2006, could not immediately be reached for comment.
A county resolution, approved unanimously, called on the state attorney general and county state’s attorney to launch criminal probes and for the state’s attorney to recover $190,000 in county funds that the board loaned to the superintendent's office last year.
“We took this man on his word, and unfortunately, we were sidetracked and buffaloed,” said Commissioner John Daley (D-Chicago), chairman of the county Finance Committee. The loan is due on June 30.
The resolution was introduced by Commissioner Elizabeth Gorman (R-Orland Park), who was the only commissioner to vote against the loan last year. She said the audit released last week by state Auditor General William Holland indicated “flagrant corruption” in the office.
The audit noted the office deficit more than doubled to $942,000 from 2007 to last year and questioned whether the office had the “ability to continue as a going concern.” The office did not have receipts to back 70 percent of the charges on Flowers’ credit card and paid more than $21,000 to two assistant regional superintendents for consulting work they did during regular working hours,, the audit stated.
The state auditor general has already forwarded to prosectors the audit of the relatively small office run by Regional Cook County Schools Superintendent Charles Flowers. The state audit found the debt in Flowers' office had soared to nearly $1 million as he made personal charges on his office credit card and a $6,000 cash advance to a relative who worked for him.
Flowers, who was elected in 2006, could not immediately be reached for comment.
A county resolution, approved unanimously, called on the state attorney general and county state’s attorney to launch criminal probes and for the state’s attorney to recover $190,000 in county funds that the board loaned to the superintendent's office last year.
“We took this man on his word, and unfortunately, we were sidetracked and buffaloed,” said Commissioner John Daley (D-Chicago), chairman of the county Finance Committee. The loan is due on June 30.
The resolution was introduced by Commissioner Elizabeth Gorman (R-Orland Park), who was the only commissioner to vote against the loan last year. She said the audit released last week by state Auditor General William Holland indicated “flagrant corruption” in the office.
The audit noted the office deficit more than doubled to $942,000 from 2007 to last year and questioned whether the office had the “ability to continue as a going concern.” The office did not have receipts to back 70 percent of the charges on Flowers’ credit card and paid more than $21,000 to two assistant regional superintendents for consulting work they did during regular working hours,, the audit stated.
Friday, June 12, 2009
State Auditor Seeks Criminal Probe of Charles Flowers!!!!
The state's top auditor called for a criminal probe of the Cook County regional education office after an audit found the director, Charles Flowers, repeatedly used a government credit card for personal expenses and approved questionable payments to relatives on his payroll. Click this link to read the full story:
http://www.southtownstar.com/news/1619745,flowers-audit--0612.article
Here's a summary of the audit's major findings:
The audit concluded that Regional Office of Education #14:
· had inadequate internal control over disbursements. Because of the overall lack of internal controls, questions as to the accuracy and completeness of the general ledger, and problems noted in other findings throughout this report, auditors terminated work before testing was completed and issued a disclaimer of opinion on the financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2008.
· did not have sufficient internal controls over the financial reporting process.
· had liabilities which exceeded its total net assets by $941,844. If the Regional Office continues to operate at the current level without obtaining additional funding or decreasing expenditures, ROE 14’s ability to continue as a going concern is questionable.
· utilized an accounting software package which was not designed for governmental entities and did not provide the internal controls and reporting features required for proper fund accounting.
· did not complete 9 of 12 monthly reconciliations of its bank statements and pooled cash accounts for fiscal year 2008.
· had inadequate controls over property and equipment.
· did not record payroll transactions in their general ledger for 5 months in fiscal year 2008 after they hired an outside agency to prepare their payroll.
· provided cash advances to two employees (Barbara Flowers and Arbdella Patterson) for non-business related purposes.
· paid a total of $1,798 in finance charges, late fees and other miscellaneous service charges on 6 credit cards.
· did not have receipts to support 70 percent of charges on the Regional Superintendent’s credit card. The Regional Superintendent also made numerous personal purchases, took cash advances, and paid for meals (both personal and for staff) on his credit card without properly documenting the purchases and advances.
· paid two Assistant Regional Superintendents $12,000 and $9,400 each in addition to their regular salaries for work completed during regular working hours.
· used Institute Funds for unallowable expenditures under 105 ILCS 5/3-12.
http://www.southtownstar.com/news/1619745,flowers-audit--0612.article
Here's a summary of the audit's major findings:
The audit concluded that Regional Office of Education #14:
· had inadequate internal control over disbursements. Because of the overall lack of internal controls, questions as to the accuracy and completeness of the general ledger, and problems noted in other findings throughout this report, auditors terminated work before testing was completed and issued a disclaimer of opinion on the financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2008.
· did not have sufficient internal controls over the financial reporting process.
· had liabilities which exceeded its total net assets by $941,844. If the Regional Office continues to operate at the current level without obtaining additional funding or decreasing expenditures, ROE 14’s ability to continue as a going concern is questionable.
· utilized an accounting software package which was not designed for governmental entities and did not provide the internal controls and reporting features required for proper fund accounting.
· did not complete 9 of 12 monthly reconciliations of its bank statements and pooled cash accounts for fiscal year 2008.
· had inadequate controls over property and equipment.
· did not record payroll transactions in their general ledger for 5 months in fiscal year 2008 after they hired an outside agency to prepare their payroll.
· provided cash advances to two employees (Barbara Flowers and Arbdella Patterson) for non-business related purposes.
· paid a total of $1,798 in finance charges, late fees and other miscellaneous service charges on 6 credit cards.
· did not have receipts to support 70 percent of charges on the Regional Superintendent’s credit card. The Regional Superintendent also made numerous personal purchases, took cash advances, and paid for meals (both personal and for staff) on his credit card without properly documenting the purchases and advances.
· paid two Assistant Regional Superintendents $12,000 and $9,400 each in addition to their regular salaries for work completed during regular working hours.
· used Institute Funds for unallowable expenditures under 105 ILCS 5/3-12.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Flowers Uses Taxpayer Money for Personal Fine Dining!!!
According to the Daily Southtown, Charles Flowers isn't the only one charging family trips on the taxpayers' dime.
Instead of an excursion to Mississippi - which Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education Supt. Charles Flowers purchased for his family on the regional office's credit card - Deputy Supt. Harry Reynolds seems to prefer the cool breeze and sandy beaches of San Diego.
More than $1,700 in charges appear on Reynolds' regional office of education credit card in June 2008 for himself and his wife, Calumet School District 132 Supt. Elizabeth Reynolds, and two other family members, according to credit card statements obtained by the SouthtownStar through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Reynolds did not return calls for comment this week.
Reynolds' district-issued card also includes charges to Chicago's theater district, one bill of nearly $100 at Bogart's Charhouse in Homewood, and car rental charges based in Jacksonville, Fla., documents show.
But that's small potatoes compared to the thousands of dollars Flowers spent on meal or food purchases since he took office in July 2007.
Sometimes, he's used the public credit card to eat out as many as four times in one week. The Clubhouse - an Oak Brook restaurant that boasts a luxurious country-club feel - appears to be a favorite. On Dec. 21, 2007, Flowers spent $863 on the fine dining, statements show. Just two months earlier, Flowers dropped $200 on Oct. 21 and was back on Oct. 23 to the tune of $85.97. In April 2008, he returned to charge $326.32. In total, he frequented the eatery - where specialties include sweet chili ginger calamari and pecan crusted tilapia - seven times, statements show.
The array of Oak Brook-area restaurants reflect a sophisticated palate. Flowers charged more than $430 at Wildfire in January of this year, $133 at Maggiano's, $286 at Papadeaux Seafood Kitchen and $89 at Bar Louie to his regional office's credit card.
But it wasn't all upscale cuisine. Flowers also seemed to have a craving for Applebee's, KFC, Panda Express, Potbelly, Portillo's, Panera and Priscilla's Ultimate Soulfood.
In addition to feeding his appetite, Flowers also spent $45 at Yehia and Company Hair Designs, statements show. There were also two separate limousine charges, plenty of purchases at the gas pump, a theater district charge, as well as hotel and rental car payments outlined in Flowers' credit card statements.
Flowers began his tenure with a credit card that had a $5,000 credit limit. That was upped to $10,000, and most recently $20,000.
Flowers did not return calls for comment this week about the credit card charges, nor has he responded to reporters' inquiries about a variety of questionable financial dealings revealed in recent weeks.
A preliminary audit of the office states that Flowers maintains he paid the office back from his personal account but the auditors were unable to confirm that.
Instead of an excursion to Mississippi - which Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education Supt. Charles Flowers purchased for his family on the regional office's credit card - Deputy Supt. Harry Reynolds seems to prefer the cool breeze and sandy beaches of San Diego.
More than $1,700 in charges appear on Reynolds' regional office of education credit card in June 2008 for himself and his wife, Calumet School District 132 Supt. Elizabeth Reynolds, and two other family members, according to credit card statements obtained by the SouthtownStar through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Reynolds did not return calls for comment this week.
Reynolds' district-issued card also includes charges to Chicago's theater district, one bill of nearly $100 at Bogart's Charhouse in Homewood, and car rental charges based in Jacksonville, Fla., documents show.
But that's small potatoes compared to the thousands of dollars Flowers spent on meal or food purchases since he took office in July 2007.
Sometimes, he's used the public credit card to eat out as many as four times in one week. The Clubhouse - an Oak Brook restaurant that boasts a luxurious country-club feel - appears to be a favorite. On Dec. 21, 2007, Flowers spent $863 on the fine dining, statements show. Just two months earlier, Flowers dropped $200 on Oct. 21 and was back on Oct. 23 to the tune of $85.97. In April 2008, he returned to charge $326.32. In total, he frequented the eatery - where specialties include sweet chili ginger calamari and pecan crusted tilapia - seven times, statements show.
The array of Oak Brook-area restaurants reflect a sophisticated palate. Flowers charged more than $430 at Wildfire in January of this year, $133 at Maggiano's, $286 at Papadeaux Seafood Kitchen and $89 at Bar Louie to his regional office's credit card.
But it wasn't all upscale cuisine. Flowers also seemed to have a craving for Applebee's, KFC, Panda Express, Potbelly, Portillo's, Panera and Priscilla's Ultimate Soulfood.
In addition to feeding his appetite, Flowers also spent $45 at Yehia and Company Hair Designs, statements show. There were also two separate limousine charges, plenty of purchases at the gas pump, a theater district charge, as well as hotel and rental car payments outlined in Flowers' credit card statements.
Flowers began his tenure with a credit card that had a $5,000 credit limit. That was upped to $10,000, and most recently $20,000.
Flowers did not return calls for comment this week about the credit card charges, nor has he responded to reporters' inquiries about a variety of questionable financial dealings revealed in recent weeks.
A preliminary audit of the office states that Flowers maintains he paid the office back from his personal account but the auditors were unable to confirm that.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Flowers Uses Taxpayer Funds For Trips and Credit Card Advances!!!
The Daily Southtown did a recent follow up on Charles Flowers. Read below:
The Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education - the same office with a reputation of not answering the phone - spent nearly $20,000 on two phone systems in as many years, according to documents.
A preliminary audit of the office obtained by the SouthtownStar reveals a laundry list of questionable financial charges, ranging from airline tickets to Mississippi for Supt. Charles Flowers' family to nearly $2,000 in late fees and finance charges on regional office credit cards to Flowers' nephew - who is employed as an office floater - getting paid to eat lunch.
"Taking his whole family on taxpayer dollars is extremely questionable," said Pat Rehkamp, chief investigator with the Better Government Association.
Two administrators, whom the audit didn't name, collected their $87,644 and $80,628 salaries along with $12,000 and $9,400 for "consulting services" they did during normal working hours, the report shows.
When Flowers took office in July 2007, the office was more than $413,000 in debt. Under Flowers that more than doubled to $941,000 as of June 30, 2008, and he hired family and friends to work for him.
Three months after taking office, Flowers already was taking out cash advances on regional office's credit card, according to the audit.
The office spent $9,300 on a phone system last year - which went to replace an $8,900 phone system purchased only one year earlier, according to the audit.
Auditors initially arrived at the office in October 2008, only to return in December 2008 because the office was not ready the first time around.
Even with the two-month warning, there still were missing credit card statements, receipts and bank statements.
In a few cases, there was paperwork to support purchases but no documentation to prove it related to regional activities.
When mileage reimbursement was incorrectly totaled, it was paid without the correction, the audit stated. Another employee was overpaid when his hours were miscalculated.
The office is on its third business manager since 2007. Three weeks ago, Willie Mack, the director of ethics and fiscal compliance, was laid off, along with Joe Fogarty, a longtime office employee who worked on teacher certification, and Larry Polubinski, who dealt with special education.
Within the past month, the office was nearly two weeks late with paychecks. Earlier this year, employees had their health insurance temporarily canceled because group health insurance payments weren't paid on time.
The most recent round of paychecks were due May 1, but as off Thursday, employees had not been paid.
"On the surface of it, it looks like a classic misuse of taxpayer dollars," Rehkamp said.
Flowers did not return calls for comment.
The Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education - the same office with a reputation of not answering the phone - spent nearly $20,000 on two phone systems in as many years, according to documents.
A preliminary audit of the office obtained by the SouthtownStar reveals a laundry list of questionable financial charges, ranging from airline tickets to Mississippi for Supt. Charles Flowers' family to nearly $2,000 in late fees and finance charges on regional office credit cards to Flowers' nephew - who is employed as an office floater - getting paid to eat lunch.
"Taking his whole family on taxpayer dollars is extremely questionable," said Pat Rehkamp, chief investigator with the Better Government Association.
Two administrators, whom the audit didn't name, collected their $87,644 and $80,628 salaries along with $12,000 and $9,400 for "consulting services" they did during normal working hours, the report shows.
When Flowers took office in July 2007, the office was more than $413,000 in debt. Under Flowers that more than doubled to $941,000 as of June 30, 2008, and he hired family and friends to work for him.
Three months after taking office, Flowers already was taking out cash advances on regional office's credit card, according to the audit.
The office spent $9,300 on a phone system last year - which went to replace an $8,900 phone system purchased only one year earlier, according to the audit.
Auditors initially arrived at the office in October 2008, only to return in December 2008 because the office was not ready the first time around.
Even with the two-month warning, there still were missing credit card statements, receipts and bank statements.
In a few cases, there was paperwork to support purchases but no documentation to prove it related to regional activities.
When mileage reimbursement was incorrectly totaled, it was paid without the correction, the audit stated. Another employee was overpaid when his hours were miscalculated.
The office is on its third business manager since 2007. Three weeks ago, Willie Mack, the director of ethics and fiscal compliance, was laid off, along with Joe Fogarty, a longtime office employee who worked on teacher certification, and Larry Polubinski, who dealt with special education.
Within the past month, the office was nearly two weeks late with paychecks. Earlier this year, employees had their health insurance temporarily canceled because group health insurance payments weren't paid on time.
The most recent round of paychecks were due May 1, but as off Thursday, employees had not been paid.
"On the surface of it, it looks like a classic misuse of taxpayer dollars," Rehkamp said.
Flowers did not return calls for comment.
Friday, May 01, 2009
Peraica Staffer Colin Brady Charged With DUI???
According to published newspaper reports, Colin Brady, 33, of Westchester, was charged with DUI at 1:22am on April 27, 2009 at Harlem Avenue and Olmstead Road. According to the reports, police said a white Lincoln went through the red light at Harlem Avenue and 26th Street with the driver continuing to swerve. Officers stopped the vehicle and observed Brady unable to keep his head up and explain why he went through the red light, according to the published report. Brady apparently then failed the field sobriety tests and blew a .161 in the portable breath test. Once at the station, Brady reportedly refused to take a Breathalyzer. He was charged with DUI and improper lane usage. Brady is believed to be the same person who was recently a candidate for Township office on a slate headed by Theresa L. Kelly and supported by Regional Superintendent Charles Flowers. Brady is also believed to work for embattled Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica who has had other staffers embarrass him with personal problems.
Daily Southtown Exposes Regional Superintendent Charles Flowers As Financial Failure!!!
The Daily Southtown newspaper wrote a detailed article exposing the corruption and failure of Charles Flowers as Superintendent. Here's the article and reporter contact information below:
When Charles Flowers took over the reins of the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education two years ago, critics were skeptical of his baggage.
Flowers, a former special education teacher and administrator, has a history of questionable financial dealings from his days as board president at west suburban Maywood-Melrose Park District 89. But he came into office in 2007 vowing to root out corruption and bring reform to Cook County public schools.
Once he became regional superintendent, Flowers hired relatives and friends and then began giving employees salary advance loans. Then he went to Cook County government for an emergency loan, which the regional office has yet to repay.
In April, the regional office couldn't make payroll and earlier this year the department didn't pay its group health insurance premiums on time, leading the company to temporarily cancel workers' health benefits.
So where's the money?
After several unsuccessful attempts to reach Flowers in the past weeks, he said in a brief conversation this week that he would not comment.
"I am not in front of those documents," Flowers said.
Numerous calls to top administrators in the office also were not returned.
The office was more than $413,000 in debt when Flowers was elected. According to the last available financial audit from June 30, 2007, "If the regional office continues to operate at the current level ... its ability to continue ... may be questioned in future years."
Instead of slashing expenses, the office initially added staff and approved raises for administrators, all of whom at the time held doctorates. Salaries then ranged between $75,244 and $100,325, which in some cases was more than double the pay for the same positions under former Regional Supt. Bob Ingraffia.
Many of the problems at the regional office echo Flowers' troubles as a Maywood-Melrose school board member. In 2002 and 2003 Flowers came under fire for stacking the staff with friends who were paid more than their predecessors and for authorizing frivolous spending on laptops and cell phones for board members in a district with a $3 million deficit. All but six of the 200 laptops were later found in unopened boxes in a storage room by an auditing firm.
Flowers himself had his assets frozen for failing to pay $51,188 in income taxes in the past few years, which Flowers had previously said he was contesting.
Pay advance loans
After Flowers became superintendent in July 2007, he put his two sisters and a nephew on the payroll.
Less than a year on the job, he approved a salary advance of $6,000 to his sister Barbara Flowers, who is also his executive assistant, and $9,000 to friend Arbdella Hayes-Patterson, who oversees the truancy program, according to documents obtained by the SouthtownStar.
Approving what is in essence a loan for employees is unusual, said Marc Kiehna, the president of the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools.
"I think common sense and law tell us we should have contracts and pay our employees accordingly," he said. "It's not a procedure that I would do. Typically people earn the money that we give them."
As for the legality of it, Kiehna said "I would question it."
Neither Barbara Flowers nor Hayes-Patterson returned calls this week for comment about the loans.
Missed paychecks, cut-off insurance
Last month, the regional office couldn't make payroll, forcing employees to go almost two weeks without pay. Staff received paychecks Monday, which was just within the window allowed by an Illinois Department of Labor law that outlines just how late employees can get paid.
In the April 15 memo Flowers sent to his staff informing them payroll would be delayed, he wrote, "I regret having to take this action, but the funds simply are not there at this time."
With the next round of paychecks due today, a number of workers have said they are worried those checks will also be late - if they come at all. This comes in addition to layoffs within the past couple of weeks and switching some employees from fulltime to parttime, which also occurred in the past few weeks. It's unknown how many workers from the staff of about two dozen were laid off or had their hours cut.
Health insurance for those same employees was temporarily interrupted due to nonpayment earlier this year, a spokeswoman for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois confirmed. Coverage has since been restored.
Since the SouthtownStar started asking questions, employees have described the work environment as "hostile and tense." They've said administrators are "interrogating" employees, looking through phone records and e-mails to see who leaked information to the media.
Unpaid loans
In 2008 and 2009, Flowers, who currently makes $103,234, submitted budgets identical to his predecessor from one year prior - with the exception of a more than $10,000 increase for rent after the office moved, according to documents acquired through a SouthtownStar Freedom of Information Act request .
The approximately $670,000 operations budget does not include about $2.5 million in state and federal grants Flowers expected for 2009, as well as revenue from certification and fingerprinting, among other programs.
But of that expected revenue, the office will not receive $1.7 million from a state truancy grant. For years, the office won the competitive grant, but after Flowers took over and the amount requested went from about $100,000 in 2007 to $1.7 million, the state didn't approve the grant.
What was approved in June 2008 was a $190,000 taxpayer-backed loan from the Cook County Board.
That money was used for operations and has been spent, Flowers said. It is unclear if the office will make the June 30 repayment deadline.
Cook County Commissioner Elizabeth Doody Gorman (R-Orland Park) cast the sole "no" vote when the request for the money came in last year.
"All Flowers did was pad it (the staff) with his friends and family and then come to us, to (board president Todd) Stroger, for a loan. How ironic," Gorman said.
After the dissenting vote, Gorman said Flowers' office contacted her to discuss the loan. She said her office called back daily, then weekly, to set up a time, and no one got back to her, which made her even more comfortable with her vote.
"If they can't sit down and meet, that just shows their inaccessibility and ineptness." Gorman said. "If they're this unresponsive to elected officials, I can only imagine what it's like with the community and teachers they have to serve."
Delays for certification
The office is responsible for services to 143 school districts and 400,000 students in suburban Cook County. One of its larger roles is to oversee teacher certifications and licensing.
However, at the top of Southland administrators' list of complaints are long delays in teacher certification and a difficulty getting anyone at the office to answer the phone.
The SouthtownStar attempted to retrieve a list of uncertified personnel in the county through a Freedom of Information Act request, but the regional office said it did not maintain such a list. In addition, the office did not provide a list of personnel for whom the office has received applications but have yet to be certified, saying, "The Illinois State Board of Education certifies educational personnel."
Also in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, the ISBE said it also could not provide those lists.
In contrast, the teacher certification specialist at the Will County Regional Office of Education said she could provide a list of certification applications waiting to be processed.
It's gotten so bad, districts are circumventing the office that should act as an arm of the state board of education.
"We go directly to ISBE," Forest Ridge School District 142 Supt. Margaret Longo said of teacher certifications.
In Community High School District 218, Supt. John Byrne said the district has lost potential teachers because the office didn't verify certification in time. Reports and surveys the district passes on to the office on time often arrive late to the ISBE, he added.
"Many of those have to do with financial deadlines," Byrne said.
In his 20 years dealing with the regional office, Byrne said he has never had so many problems.
"I'm trying not to assess blame, but something is missing here. It always worked before."
Duaa Eldeib can be reached at deldeib@southtownstar.com or (708) 633-5960.
When Charles Flowers took over the reins of the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education two years ago, critics were skeptical of his baggage.
Flowers, a former special education teacher and administrator, has a history of questionable financial dealings from his days as board president at west suburban Maywood-Melrose Park District 89. But he came into office in 2007 vowing to root out corruption and bring reform to Cook County public schools.
Once he became regional superintendent, Flowers hired relatives and friends and then began giving employees salary advance loans. Then he went to Cook County government for an emergency loan, which the regional office has yet to repay.
In April, the regional office couldn't make payroll and earlier this year the department didn't pay its group health insurance premiums on time, leading the company to temporarily cancel workers' health benefits.
So where's the money?
After several unsuccessful attempts to reach Flowers in the past weeks, he said in a brief conversation this week that he would not comment.
"I am not in front of those documents," Flowers said.
Numerous calls to top administrators in the office also were not returned.
The office was more than $413,000 in debt when Flowers was elected. According to the last available financial audit from June 30, 2007, "If the regional office continues to operate at the current level ... its ability to continue ... may be questioned in future years."
Instead of slashing expenses, the office initially added staff and approved raises for administrators, all of whom at the time held doctorates. Salaries then ranged between $75,244 and $100,325, which in some cases was more than double the pay for the same positions under former Regional Supt. Bob Ingraffia.
Many of the problems at the regional office echo Flowers' troubles as a Maywood-Melrose school board member. In 2002 and 2003 Flowers came under fire for stacking the staff with friends who were paid more than their predecessors and for authorizing frivolous spending on laptops and cell phones for board members in a district with a $3 million deficit. All but six of the 200 laptops were later found in unopened boxes in a storage room by an auditing firm.
Flowers himself had his assets frozen for failing to pay $51,188 in income taxes in the past few years, which Flowers had previously said he was contesting.
Pay advance loans
After Flowers became superintendent in July 2007, he put his two sisters and a nephew on the payroll.
Less than a year on the job, he approved a salary advance of $6,000 to his sister Barbara Flowers, who is also his executive assistant, and $9,000 to friend Arbdella Hayes-Patterson, who oversees the truancy program, according to documents obtained by the SouthtownStar.
Approving what is in essence a loan for employees is unusual, said Marc Kiehna, the president of the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools.
"I think common sense and law tell us we should have contracts and pay our employees accordingly," he said. "It's not a procedure that I would do. Typically people earn the money that we give them."
As for the legality of it, Kiehna said "I would question it."
Neither Barbara Flowers nor Hayes-Patterson returned calls this week for comment about the loans.
Missed paychecks, cut-off insurance
Last month, the regional office couldn't make payroll, forcing employees to go almost two weeks without pay. Staff received paychecks Monday, which was just within the window allowed by an Illinois Department of Labor law that outlines just how late employees can get paid.
In the April 15 memo Flowers sent to his staff informing them payroll would be delayed, he wrote, "I regret having to take this action, but the funds simply are not there at this time."
With the next round of paychecks due today, a number of workers have said they are worried those checks will also be late - if they come at all. This comes in addition to layoffs within the past couple of weeks and switching some employees from fulltime to parttime, which also occurred in the past few weeks. It's unknown how many workers from the staff of about two dozen were laid off or had their hours cut.
Health insurance for those same employees was temporarily interrupted due to nonpayment earlier this year, a spokeswoman for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois confirmed. Coverage has since been restored.
Since the SouthtownStar started asking questions, employees have described the work environment as "hostile and tense." They've said administrators are "interrogating" employees, looking through phone records and e-mails to see who leaked information to the media.
Unpaid loans
In 2008 and 2009, Flowers, who currently makes $103,234, submitted budgets identical to his predecessor from one year prior - with the exception of a more than $10,000 increase for rent after the office moved, according to documents acquired through a SouthtownStar Freedom of Information Act request .
The approximately $670,000 operations budget does not include about $2.5 million in state and federal grants Flowers expected for 2009, as well as revenue from certification and fingerprinting, among other programs.
But of that expected revenue, the office will not receive $1.7 million from a state truancy grant. For years, the office won the competitive grant, but after Flowers took over and the amount requested went from about $100,000 in 2007 to $1.7 million, the state didn't approve the grant.
What was approved in June 2008 was a $190,000 taxpayer-backed loan from the Cook County Board.
That money was used for operations and has been spent, Flowers said. It is unclear if the office will make the June 30 repayment deadline.
Cook County Commissioner Elizabeth Doody Gorman (R-Orland Park) cast the sole "no" vote when the request for the money came in last year.
"All Flowers did was pad it (the staff) with his friends and family and then come to us, to (board president Todd) Stroger, for a loan. How ironic," Gorman said.
After the dissenting vote, Gorman said Flowers' office contacted her to discuss the loan. She said her office called back daily, then weekly, to set up a time, and no one got back to her, which made her even more comfortable with her vote.
"If they can't sit down and meet, that just shows their inaccessibility and ineptness." Gorman said. "If they're this unresponsive to elected officials, I can only imagine what it's like with the community and teachers they have to serve."
Delays for certification
The office is responsible for services to 143 school districts and 400,000 students in suburban Cook County. One of its larger roles is to oversee teacher certifications and licensing.
However, at the top of Southland administrators' list of complaints are long delays in teacher certification and a difficulty getting anyone at the office to answer the phone.
The SouthtownStar attempted to retrieve a list of uncertified personnel in the county through a Freedom of Information Act request, but the regional office said it did not maintain such a list. In addition, the office did not provide a list of personnel for whom the office has received applications but have yet to be certified, saying, "The Illinois State Board of Education certifies educational personnel."
Also in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, the ISBE said it also could not provide those lists.
In contrast, the teacher certification specialist at the Will County Regional Office of Education said she could provide a list of certification applications waiting to be processed.
It's gotten so bad, districts are circumventing the office that should act as an arm of the state board of education.
"We go directly to ISBE," Forest Ridge School District 142 Supt. Margaret Longo said of teacher certifications.
In Community High School District 218, Supt. John Byrne said the district has lost potential teachers because the office didn't verify certification in time. Reports and surveys the district passes on to the office on time often arrive late to the ISBE, he added.
"Many of those have to do with financial deadlines," Byrne said.
In his 20 years dealing with the regional office, Byrne said he has never had so many problems.
"I'm trying not to assess blame, but something is missing here. It always worked before."
Duaa Eldeib can be reached at deldeib@southtownstar.com or (708) 633-5960.
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