Tuesday, Aug. 13

Governor appoints new members
to IHFPB before crucial LDC vote

[AUG. 13, 2002]  Gov. George Ryan has replaced three members of the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board just days before that board is due to make a decision on the fate of the embattled Lincoln Developmental Center.

The three members who have been asked to step down are Richard Wright of Peoria, Eric Myers of Wheaton and Robert Clarke of Springfield.

State Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield, said he knew that Clarke would have voted "present" on the LDC closing, which is the same as a "no" vote. Clarke has connections with Memorial Medical Center and also Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Lincoln, Bomke said.

The board must have nine affirmative votes in order to issue the permit the Department of Human Services needs to close LDC. If seven members vote "no" or "present" or fail to show up, the board cannot issue the permit, Bomke said.

DHS and Gov. George Ryan say they plan to close the 125-year-old facility completely by the end of this month.

 


[Photo by Bob Frank]
[Governor Ryan]

Officials of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, who with Bomke and parents of an LDC resident filed the legal challenge that requires DHS to obtain the permit, said they were concerned that the new board members will not have the background to make an informed decision on the LDC closing.

The board members have a large number of documents to study before making the decision, including the transcript of an all-day public hearing held last month in Lincoln, a recommendation by the Illinois Department of Public Health, a report from DHS, and letters and other documents sent by those who oppose the closing and those who favor it.

Bomke said he thinks it is odd that Gov. Ryan would replace three people just before this decision is due.

"I think it is suspect he would do this at such a late date," he said.

 

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Don Todd, president of AFSCME Local 425, which represents most of the LDC employees, said he would ask the union’s attorney to look into the legality of the new appointments.

Wanda Taylor, spokesman for Gov. Ryan’s office, said the governor is simply filling vacancies. Terms of all three of the members being replaced ended "a couple of months ago," she said.

"We get a lot of people who are anxious to serve. It takes time to review the names, do the background checks and find appropriate replacements."

Replacements who have been named are Philip Bradley of Springfield, a former Department of Public Aid director; Julie Root of Champaign, a Carle Surgicenter administrator; and Clarence Nagelvoort of Chicago, a community health administrator.

 

AFSCME, parents and guardians of LDC residents, local politicians and many Logan County residents have been fighting to keep LDC open. The center for the developmentally disabled has been the county’s biggest employer.

AFSCME members, an LDC parent, Bomke and others held a press conference this morning in Springfield to support LDC. Todd said they would point out that the governor has not met the criteria needed to close LDC, because irreplaceable services to parents and families in this planning area are being taken away.

Representatives of Zeller Mental Health Center of Peoria, another facility scheduled for closure by the governor, also spoke at the press conference.

[Joan Crabb]


Governor signs bill allowing
cell phones in schools

[AUG. 13, 2002]  SPRINGFIELD — Gov. George Ryan has signed House Bill 3938, allowing local school boards to permit students to have cell phones while in school or on school property.

The bill repeals outdated legislation that banned the use of cellular phones in school. The current law prohibiting the use of cell phones was originally enacted, more than a decade ago, to discourage the presence of drug dealers who used cell phones to conduct their criminal trade. Since that time, cell phones have become more prevalent. They help parents keep track of their children, and cell phone users have assisted police officers and firefighters in emergencies.

"Parents use the phones to stay in contact with their children," Gov. Ryan said. "Incidents involving school violence have also pointed out the importance of having access to cellular communication. It is important that we allow an avenue of communication for these parents and children."

"Times have changed and so the law must change," said state Rep. Mary Flowers, D-Chicago, who supported the original ban and also sponsored House Bill 3938 to update the law.

 

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"Cell phones now play a vital role in helping rescuers in the case of emergency, as we saw with the shootings at Columbine High School in Colorado and in the Sept. 11 attacks," she said. "They are very important to parents and children who can better stay in touch with each other."

House Bill 3938 was also sponsored in the House by Donald Moffitt, R-Gilson; Rick Winkel, R-Champaign; Monique Davis, D-Chicago; and Harold Murphy, D-Markham. Sponsors in the Senate were Sens. Bill Shaw, D-Chicago; Margaret Smith, D-Chicago; Walter Dudycz, R-Chicago; Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood; and Lisa Madigan, D-Chicago.

[Illinois Government News Network
press release]

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