[Peace] UPDATE: CALL TO ACTION - threat to "Eliminate Justice" in Champaign County

[Randall Cotton]

The monthly pre-County Board meeting Democratic Caucus was held last
Tuesday night.

I attended and spoke against the Beckett proposal (as did Jenny Putman)

When the agenda item came up, Beckett did his best to sell it, but most of
the Democrats there weren't buying.

The following Democrats present spoke against it:
C. Pius Weibel
Sam Smucker
Michael Richards
Matt Gladney
Jan Anderson (through Matt Gladney since she had to leave early)
Lloyd Carter
Lorraine Cowart
Alan Kurtz
Tom Betz
Ralph Langenheim

(Carol Ammons couldn't attend as she was ill)

There was no one who spoke in favor. The other Republicrats (that's
what I call them anyway) were silent (Brendan McGinty and Barbara
Wysocki).

I recorded the meeting (despite interference by Beckett) and I have
assembled audio clips below.

The agenda of the meeting is here:
http://imsahp.chambana.net/~randall/ccboard/2009-02-17-Caucus-agenda.pdf

The scan of Beckett's proposal (which I already sent out) is here:
http://imsahp.chambana.net/~randall/ccboard/Beckett-Eliminating-Justice.pdf

Yesterday's News-Gazette article on Beckett's proposal is here:
http://news-gazette.com/news/print/2009/02/18/champaign_county_board_member_suggests_cutting_2_committees

Audio clips of the meeting (in chronological order):

Beckett's interference with my recording:
http://imsahp.chambana.net/~randall/ccboard/Beckett-interference.mp3

My public comment:
http://imsahp.chambana.net/~randall/ccboard/00-Cotton.mp3

Beckett's sales job:
http://imsahp.chambana.net/~randall/ccboard/01-Beckett.mp3

C. Pius Weibel:
http://imsahp.chambana.net/~randall/ccboard/02-Weibel.mp3

Sam Smucker:
http://imsahp.chambana.net/~randall/ccboard/03-Smucker.mp3

Mike Richards:
http://imsahp.chambana.net/~randall/ccboard/04-Richards.mp3

Matt Gladney:
http://imsahp.chambana.net/~randall/ccboard/05-Gladney.mp3

More from Sam Smucker:
http://imsahp.chambana.net/~randall/ccboard/06-Smucker2.mp3

More from Matt Gladney:
http://imsahp.chambana.net/~randall/ccboard/07-Gladney2.mp3

Lloyd Carter:
http://imsahp.chambana.net/~randall/ccboard/08-Carter.mp3

Lorraine Cowart:
http://imsahp.chambana.net/~randall/ccboard/09-Cowart.mp3

Alan Kurtz:
http://imsahp.chambana.net/~randall/ccboard/10-Kurtz.mp3

Tom Betz:
http://imsahp.chambana.net/~randall/ccboard/11-Betz.mp3

Ralph Langenheim:
http://imsahp.chambana.net/~randall/ccboard/12-Langenheim.mp3

Here is the entire meeting, for reference:
http://imsahp.chambana.net/~randall/ccboard/Entire-meeting.mp3

Despite the opposition, Beckett did not withdraw his proposal or even
suggest any changes.

In my estimation there is a decent chance the proposal could be killed at
the March 4 Policy, Personnel and Appointments committee meeting.

It's clear there has been some constituent opposition lodged with County
Board members, which has carried influence and this is great! But more is
clearly still needed.

Once again, please contact your Champaign County Board representatives and
encourage them to oppose Beckett's proposal and especially eliminating the
Justice & Social Services Committee.

Contact information for all Board members is at:
http://www.co.champaign.il.us/COUNTYBD/cbmembers.pdf

To find your district, County Board district maps are at:
http://www.champaigncountyclerk.com/elections/maps/county_board_maps.html

Also very important is to register complaint publicly. There are two
remaining important opportunities for folks to publicly oppose Beckett's
proposal: Note that the first one below is the regular monthly Champaign
County Board meeting TONIGHT.

*IMPORTANT*
February 19 (Thursday) 7PM
Champaign County Board regular monthly meeting
Lyle Shields Meeting Room
Brookens Administrative Center, 1776 East Washington St, Urbana
This a public meeting subject to the Open Meetings Act with opportunity
for public comment
Agenda for this meeting is at:
http://www.co.champaign.il.us/COUNTYBD/CB/090219agenda.pdf
(NOTE: Beckett's proposal is NOT on the agenda, but opposition can be
voiced during the public comment period)

*EVEN MORE IMPORTANT*
March 4 (Wednesday) 7PM
Champaign County Board Policy, Personnel and Appointments Committee
Lyle Shields Meeting Room
Brookens Administrative Center, 1776 East Washington St, Urbana
This a public meeting subject to the Open Meetings Act with opportunity
for public comment
Agenda for this meeting will appear by noon on Friday, February 27th at:
http://www.co.champaign.il.us/COUNTYBD/ppaagenda.htm#ppa

And now, there is ANOTHER good reason to attend the regular monthly
Champaign County Board meeting TONIGHT. The Citizens Advisory Committee on
Jury Selection was to be appointed on the "consent agenda", which is the
bundle of non-controversial items approved en masse. This committee,
assembled by the Champaign County Board's Justice and Social Services
Committee, is set to study the issue of minority underrepresentation on
our juries, among other things. Despite the fact that the makeup of the
new committee was approved unanimously by the Justice and Social Services
Committee, Beckett piped up at the Caucus meeting in objection to it being
on the consent agenda, ultimately forcing it off. So this sets up a
possibility of debate or worse regarding the appointment of this
desperately needed committee. The voting members of this new Citizens
Advisory Committee on Jury Selection, as proposed, are (you may recognize
many of these folks):

C. Pius Weibel
Matthew Gladney
Thomas Difanis
Roger Holland
Julia Rietz
Randall Rosenbaum
Aaron Ammons
Patricia Avery
William Brown
Lorraine Cowart
Brian Dolinar
Deloris Henry
Barbara Kessel
Joan Miller
Jenifer Putman
Patrick Thompson

While it seems unlikely that the committee will be completely derailed or
even that there could be any major changes, it seems important to attend
and speak during public comment to praise the Board for
approving this important committee (public comment occurs at the beginning
of the meeting, before it would come up on the agenda for discussion).

I probably will not be able to make it to the meeting tonight, so I'm
really hoping others will come through on this.

R