Richard L. Geary: Candidate Profile

Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: ElginWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Elgin Community CollegeAge: 57Family: Married, 13yr old sonOccupation: Groundskeeper at Harper College for over 33 years.Education: A.A.Degree Harper College 2007Civic involvement: Big Brother,in the Big Brother,Big Sister Program,Many position's in the Union at Harper College,Member of C.A.C for school district U-46,Board member of the Northwest Educational Credit Union.Elected offices held: noneHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: noCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 The funding for the school has to be more equitable. I believe the property tax ratio for the school is to high. The Ideal Ratio is a third from tution, a third from property taxes, a third from the state.The ratio as I believe it is 70% property taxes,20% tution,and 10% state money. At the January 2011 E.C.C. board meeting I got the feeling from the Trustee's conversation's is that the property tax multipler may go up from 38 cent's to 40 cent's. Which mean's our property taxes will go up as well as the tution by 8 dollars.Key Issue 2 To have has many students as possible leave E.C.C. with a certificate or diploma.Key Issue 3 To make sure that the public understands that the education you get at E.C.C. is the same high quility education as a 4 yr school. With working at Harper College I still hear a lot of pepole say Community College's do not provide as high of an education as a 4 College.Questions Answers What prompted you to run for ECC board? If you're a newcomer, how will you make a difference? If you're an incumbent, how have you made a difference?I am a newcomer. I belive with my years at Harper and some understanding of how a Community College work's. I will be able to bring an insight to the board. I am a Believer in term limits, maybe 2 or 3 term's at most. This way the board will continually have new and fresh ideas on the Board.With fewer than a third of students in some feeder districts deemed college ready, what can ECC do to better prepare students for college-level coursework?I believe E.C.C. is doing well with this. Like Harper it is one of there main functions. As long as E.C.C. works with the feeder districts and understands what the students need to succed in college at any age. One program I like is the Leadership Academy for Jr and Sr high school student's.Tuition has remained steady for the past four years. With demand growing for community colleges, do you foresee having to raise tuition in the near future, or do you think it is important to keep tuition low in light of continuing economic struggles?I believe tution will go up. How much I don't know.The cost of running the school keeps going up. This maybe one of the ways to pay for it. In January's Board meeting E.C.C. did raised the tuition by 8 dollars.Did you agree with the need for $178 million in bonds to finance the expansion of the college? Why or why not? How will you ensure the voter-approved bond proceeds are spent responsibly and that the projects in ECC's master plan do not go over budget?Yes I agreed with the $!78 million Bonds. The school has to make sure they have the money to run and maintain the new buildings. Harper use's what is called Ramp documents. These document's go to the ICCB and ask for construction money, if appoved the school get's 75% of the construction cost of a building. I don't know if E.C.C. uses these. document's. They would be foolish if they don't. In all construction bid's there is a 20% built in fudge factor.If your have good staff on board you shouln't go over budget.Community colleges provide many services to a diverse population. Is there a service your college should be providing that it is not, or reaching a segment of the population that it is not?E.C.C. is doing a good job in my eyes with the services they provide. E.C.C like all community colleges have the capablity to change quickly with their services, to meet the needs of the community.