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Emails for January 2015
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City asks for your cooperation | Additonal note on Fieldcrest cutbacks | Requested Feedback on Cutbacks for Fieldcrest | Donation for McKay twins | Donation to McKay Twins Benefit | Fieldcrest needs to study long term building costs | Old photo - Family around Model T Ford | Old photo identified | Sad Relocation | Fieldcrest South Playground Committee continuing fundraiser | TWO BAGS OF DOG WASTE |

Additonal note on Fieldcrest cutbacks

Since the Board requested feedback about proposed cuts, I sent them and MinonkTalk the same email. I would encourage anyone who has feedback on the proposed cutbacks to email the members of the board. Here are the email addresses of the board.

jkirkpatrick@fieldcrest.k12.il.us tbarth@fieldcrest.k12.il.us tcoons@fieldcrest.k12.il.us shillenburg@fieldcrest.k12.il.us gkroeschen@fieldcrest.k12.il.us tmcnamara@fieldcrest.k12.il.us dreichman@fieldcrest.k12.il.us

Side Note: I am not against the sport programs; However, I personally feel the extracurricular classes such as Music, Art and Languages are more beneficial for all the students and should be the last items looked at when cutbacks are necessary. More often than not; Music, Art and Languages seem to be the first items looked at.

Dave: Thanks for the clarification about the windmills generated but reduced payments from the state. I was unaware of that.

Richard Stillwell


Donation for McKay twins

Ed Elliott, thanks for the idea. I, too, would like to send a donation for the twins' trust fund in memory of our classmate, Jon Johnson.

Pam Palmer Goy


Fieldcrest needs to study long term building costs

Are we here again? Why is the Fieldcrest superintendent talking or at least hinting about putting up new buildings again? Is that what superintendents are taught to do?

They come in, build, leave with a big paycheck and the taxpayers a big bill to pay off. And just as bad is the architect who pushes for this and his 10 percent.

Why don't we have someone who really knows how to manage money and repairs? There are ways to run new plumbing and new wires. I know, I've worked in some of these buildings. Buildings are there to house students. A new shiny building doesn't make them learn better or raise graduation rates. We've been down this road before with lies and putting up small expensive buildings just to satisfy some community members.

Start spending the money like it's yours. Manage it better. Have you lowered costs in other areas? How about transportation? Have the board members talked with someone in the construction business about making repairs? If not, why not? Whose figures are you using, the superintendent's, the architect's or someone else's?

The architect needs to be changed or learn how to fix flat roofs with rafters and sloped roofs that don't have to be repaired every 15 years. Remember the old adage, "Figures don't lie, but liars figure." Start fixing things like it's your house or did you build a new house when you needed to shingle it? Quit being stupid!

John R. Welch


Old photo identified

Hi Dave. I have this picture hanging in my house. It's the Herman and Margrethe( Janssen) Lehman family. The two men standing behind the car are John and Fred Lehman. Herman Jr. and Ted Lehman are in the backseat, Margarethe is standing beside them. Ben and Tillie Lehman are in the front seat. Henry and Herman Sr. are standing in front of the car. Tillie was my grandmother. She married Louis Oncken. Their children were, Irma Timmerman, Bev Robertson, and Richard Oncken, who is my father.


Kathy Jackson


Fieldcrest South Playground Committee continuing fundraiser

Hi Dave,
Can you please let the viewers know that the South Playground Committee is continuing their Schwan's fundraiser until next Fall . Please use the link below when ordering so that our group can benefit from every purchase. Orders as far away as Arizona can count towards our goal as long as they use our campaign id 14166. Thanks!

https://www.schwans-cares.com/c/14166

Gloria Ehrnthaller


City asks for your cooperation

The City is asking for cooperation if we do receive the snow forecast for this weekend. . City Code prohibits on street parking when we have received 2" or greater snow accumulation. This prohibition is in place to protect both our property and yours from damage. In the event that this parking ban is needed, please be advised that alternative parking locations may need to be found for those individuals planning large Super Bowl gatherings. Vehicles may be towed if they present a hazard or impediment to our snow plowing crews.

Gary Brennan


Requested Feedback on Cutbacks for Fieldcrest

Esteemed Board Members;

The deficit is partially to blame on the expansion of the wind farms. Interesting, where are all the funds that the "Wind Farms" were supposed to supply?

Music, Art, and Language are very important classes. Language is considered a core course for many High Schools. Music, Art, and Language would be helpful through someone's entire life. Not only does it help expand ones horizons by exposing them to more culture, it also gives them a way to express their feelings. For some, Art and Music are also very therapeutic.

The last school board meeting stated eliminating all extracurricular items would save $248, 000. How much would be saved by eliminating the sports programs (football, basketball, cheerleading, etc). Why is it, whenever there are funding issues, the extracurricular items such as Music, Art, Language and Agriculture are always the first on the chopping block. How much additional revenue would be brought in by NOT-RENEWING the Wenona TIF.

Looking at what is best for the children long term should be the first consideration when making cuts. Being able to play football, basketball, cheer-leading, etc.. in middle school & high school will help the majority of the kids long term how?? Granted they may make some good memories – how many of them will be able to make a profession out of it? How many would be able to use the skills developed within football, basketball, cheer-leading, etc. to achieve goals in life? I would suspect very few kids would have long term benefits from participating in football, basketball, cheer-leading, etc.. in middle school and/or high school.

On the flip side, skills developed by extracurricular items such as Music, Art, and Languages are critical for students both now and in the future. They include(but are not limited too) - Project development skills; Different hands-on abilities; A sense of pride and achievement; Time management; How to focus and concentrate; Attention to detail; Improved hand eye coordination; Creativity; The ability to follow through; Problem solving skills; Social skills; etc

I would beseech you to do a lot of research before eliminating the extracurricular classes such as Music, Art, and Language. Eliminating the extracurricular classes will NOT benefit our kids long term.

The extracurricular classes are beneficial for ALL the students. Can you say that about sports?

Following are some good informational links. Art Benefits for High School Students

U.S. News published a great article last year talking about how Extracurricular items are central to learning

An article that talks about 12 benefits of music at school

The January Fieldcrest Board Meeting summary mentions making an attractive offer to Lostant regarding sending all high school students to Fieldcrest. Will this bring in extra revenue to Fieldcrest or would it cause a greater strain on Fieldcrest.

I appreciate you taking the time out of your day to read this.

Richard Stillwell

Editor's note: The windmills are generating over $1 milliion for the school district but it is partially offset by reduced payments of $500,000 from the State. In effect, the windmills do generate a positive source of revenue.


Donation to McKay Twins Benefit

Dave,

I read in MinonkTalk the article about the McKay twins medical issues. I would like to donate to the trust set up for the family as a memorial donation for Jon Johnson. Could you send me the address of the trust that has been set up for the family?

Thanks,
Ed Elliott (Duke)
Reply: Anyone wishing to make a donation to the McKay Twins trust fund can send a check payable to "The McKay Twins Benefit" and send it to the following address:
Minonk Community Bank
137 W. Fifth Street
Minonk, IL 61760

_


Old photo - Family around Model T Ford

Hi

I want to thank Dave for putting my old picture on this website. I really enjoy Minonk Talk. I had one other picture identified before on here. And thanks to Kathy Jackson for identifying this one. Diana Folkers Tidball

Diana Folkers Tidball


Sad Relocation

Helen Harms is now living down at South Haven. She had rented her house from Virgil Folkerts for as many years as I can remember. She was walking home from the grocery store this am and I picked her up and gave her a ride home. She invited me in and we looked through many pictures. I learned more about her in that half hour than I'd ever known.

She wants people to know her address, so I figured this is the best way to get it out there.

Helen Harms
South Haven D-19
225 S. Walnut
Minonk, IL 61760

She is lonely and unable to get uptown as much as she did before. I think it would be great to drop her a note sometime and to please take her home if she is out, especially in weather like this.

Thank you-

Rhonda White


TWO BAGS OF DOG WASTE

WOULD THE FEMALE IN THE TAN, FURRY, HOODED COAT, WHO ON JAN 1ST AT 730 A.M. WAS WALKING HER 2 DOGS; 1 A GERMAN SHEPHERD, PLEASE RETURN TO THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF 4TH AND LOCUST AND PICK YOUR 2 LIGHT, GREEN BAGS CONTAINING YOUR DOGS' WASTE THAT YOU LEFT ON THE SIDEWALK ON PURPOSE.

THANK YOU

JACK MARCOLINE