Thanks to Marc Wiley for a thoughtful, researched piece. To keep the balanced tone, this is being billed as a detention center rather than a prison. If you can't go home, the difference may be moot. There are several significant aspects to this issue, and transparency of elected officials is a major one. Karen Maurer

Have you read all the things this Prison or detention center will have??? OMG we have homeless Vets but we can put ILLEGAL ALIENS in a nice cozy center. I do not think anyone in Crete would oppose a Center to home our HOMELESS Vets!!! They fought for us and we let live on the street! These Illegals have done nothing and deserve nothing. I hope that Debbie Halverson and Jessie Jackson Jr win this fight to keep this out of My town!!!

Watch this video where the Pres Einhorn says The residents can't have a referendum and vote on it. The City can vote on anything - the company (CCA) is saying they don't want to have the people vote on it. You can have a referendum on painting the City Hall purple. Ask him what statute he is referring to when he says it is not a referendum-able item. http://youtu.be/Z7hSfBiPU70

Einhorn and trustee's have made a deal which cuts the citizens of Crete out of the decision making process and gives the board total power over this decision. This is the type of procedure which causes the citizens to distrust and suspect underhanded deals by their leaders.

A video playlist of Jan 26, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6E473EAF395F6507

A deal which cuts the citizens of Crete out of the decision making process and gives the board total power over this decision is not a good deal for the people.

Have you talked to Liane "Buffie" McFayden from CO - she's in a similar situation. Watch PBS special on Prisons for Profits PT 1 http://youtu.be/QXH3DlW3vMs and PT 2 http://youtu.be/I24myarIyOQ and PT 3 http://youtu.be/D2D6jJ7IgBE

http://prisonvalley.arte.tv/en/forums/discussion/60/liane-buffie-mcfadyen-state-representative/

Ok, wait a minute. I attended the meeting and heard the Congressman state he was against the Center. Also with the irrate crowd Mrs. Halvorson also stated she was against it. Her old Congressional District should have been involved with this search since it came up during a time she was Congresswoman. Has anyone asked her if she was aware of this? I would love to know the answer to this. Someone dropped the ball to let this get so far.

They can call Crete "Prison Village" the continual rational that private prisons can do house prisoners cheaper than those run by the government is ludicrous. Let's assume that both types of prisons can acquire building materials, food, supplies, guards, etc at the same cost. Under that indisputable logic the cost is the same to run both types of prisons. When you add in the added burden to the private prisons a little thing called profit they can't possibly compete with Government run prisons. If I am perhaps confused in my math and logic. Someone feel free to correct me. I would ask that anyone who chooses to correct my perspective please be detailed on how any of the building and oppression of private prisons can be done cheaper. In other words, how exactly would they accomplish this? If you still have your opinion and can not back it up with facts, concerning the costs, then you loose the argument, I am right and don't bring up the issue again.

Everyone is innocent until proven guilty. If the Government has evidence they are guilty then immediately send them back where they came from. If they have committed a crime send them to prison like anyone else. But don't ask the tax payers of the United States to house them, feed them and care for them.

http://prisonvalley.arte.tv/en/#/chapter-7/ed-norden/

CCA refused to meet them in spite of our repeated requests.
Private prisons: facts, data and future prospects
http://prisonvalley.arte.tv/en/forums/discussion/41/private-prisons-facts-data-and-future-prospects/#Item_4

Jesse doesn't want the prison because he may end up there. He should be thinking differently. It would be a prison close to home. Although after Sandi found out about his wandering p*nis, he may dream about life in a nice prison.

Anyone ever try to deal with these officials?
Wow what a bunch of closed minded paranoid group they are.
Can you say smug?

ICE is a federal agency run by political appointees. ICE does not run its decisions by members of Congress. Therefore anyone would be way off base to blame Debbie Halvorson. The decision to put a medium security detention center in Crete rests entirely with the Obama Administration. Please direct your questions to Senator Durbin. He is the one who can speak on behalf of the Obama Administration.

@Jill does this have anything to do with Durbin/Holder speaking out about the http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/watchdog/fugitives/
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/watchdog/fugitives/ct-met-fugitives-mexico-20120131,0,6970.story
@Mr Lahey YES! Did you watch the Crete video's on YouTube? This is though the script CCA uses.
It's always about money.

Crete Detention Center: Many Questions, Few Answers
By Alyse Shields
JCUA Intern, School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago
http://jcuanews.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/crete-detention-center-many-questions-few-answers/

Our government operates in secret until someone or some group blows the whistle. This occurs in both Republican and Democratic administrations. Once the public learns what is really going on, then and only then will the current administration make the necessary changes. So yes, when the media let the public know fugitives were living free right under our government's nose, did our government finally decide to do something about it.

I am sure from Durbin's, Holder's and O'bama's remarks they know about CCA and this is another dumb answer to the immigration problem. But you can't place blame on Halvorson without evidence. A good reporter would share the FOIA white paper. Not just point fingers.
This is no informative news. Stop you're ass-kissing and give us news. Who signed the proposal? What is the procedure? Ask the President did they seek any congressional advice and or approval? Do they need to? They sure don't act like they need anyones approval in their videos.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/No-Crete-Detention-Center/287606394634547?sk=wall

Illinois 730 ILCS 140/1. That is the public act that outlaws private prisons. It says that "Any unit of government" cannot have a private prison.

Sign the petition STOP CRETE DETENTION CENTER http://signon.org/sign/stop-crete-detention?source=c.em.mt&r_by=2330667

http://video.pbs.org/video/2155873891/
Dear Leaders of Crete - I am appalled at the way you have been conducting yourselves at the town meetings. The citizens of Crete deserve better, they voted you into office, you took an oath to serve them, they are to be treated truthfully, sincerely and respectfully. You do not lay back in a chair as if to take a nap, point fingers, or defensively act like elitists. What would your fellow statesman Abraham Lincoln have thought of your behavior towards your constituents? Ashamed, deeply saddened and angry, I think. Lincoln fought to free the slaves, who were not citizens. He would never have gathered them like so many stupid sheep into a detention camp. He would have followed his moral compass of which I fear you have none. No Crete Detention Center.

I am hoping and praying Mike Eihorn gets voted out but what other whore would we vote in
Dan

I wish Mayor would be honest to us but if he was honest he wouldn't be mayor. The village was not contacted by a private corporation, the village put in a request to be on the list. Very hard to believe that Crete was selected by the Immigration& customs Enforcements considering one of seven locations nationwide were chosen for such a facility. The Mayor want to buy some lotto tickets with those kind of odds

Absolutely amazing how far out of bounds some of the people on this site are. Totally inaccurate information, call peoples honesty into questions with no evidence, calling the mayor a whore. Most of you wouldn't take the time to call and discuss your issues with any village official because it is too easy to hide on line and run off at the mouth about things you know very little about and are not really interested in anything factual. The comments about the board meeting by Michael Anthony are totally inaccurate and incomplete. Also apparently no one knows that local government is not a true democracy, but rather a represenative democracy where you elect individuals to make the right decisions as they perceive them to be. Mr. Lahey explain your comment about dealing with "these officials"? What was your issue and who did you meet with and be specific. If you can't be most likely you are lying. Ginny Perry you stated that you have many questions. What are they and who have you gone to to get them answered? If you think the village is not being truthful where is the proof? I am very interested in what "facts" you have discovered. I can make up my own mind, but I need facts, not name calling and slanderous language. If you are going to call someone a crook, I want facts to support that statement, otherwise keep it to yourself. Daniel Viktora how do you know the mayor was not honest about how the village was contacted? Have you talked personally to him?

Hank Williams, uninformed, illogical, afraid to step out in the open and content to stay that way. Reminds me of "I am always right, your opinion is wrong" Nancy Grace. Keep it up you are very entertaining.

Typical anticipated response. Answers a question with a question. What video are you speaking about? I only have seen and know about one and I did not wittness any disrespect, intimidation or dismissive attitude by anyone on the board. I guess if someone doesn't know the answer to a question they are not suppose to respond truthfully and say that they don't know and explain why they don't know, because that is what I saw on the video. What's your solution, have them make something up?

I am hoping Marc A. Wiley Sr. will do more coverage on this hot button topix. Thank you.

Marc - I assume you already know about the meeting on 2/28 @ 7-8pm at the elementary school in Crete. The invite is posted on the Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/No-Crete-Detention-Center/287606394634547

Crete needs this to be put to a referendum just as it is here:
Penticton to hold binding referendum on potential prison
http://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/news/121288428.html

Out of the 8000 citizens in Crete. I would love to know how high percentage would be against this Detention Center. I would almost be close to 75% or higher.

Well Hank, I am interested in the inuendo of your comment about having a financial interest. Who would that be and what facts do you have to support your comment? Oh but I forgot, you don't have to answer any questions. And, unless you can't understand the comments made on the video of the first board meeting, I believe the board and mayor made it very clear they were very committed to addressing all the questions as the information and answers became available and before any decision was made. You apparently think otherwise Nancy Grace.

Did anyone else notice the motion on purchasing 25 new squad cars at the last Crete Board Meeting? I wonder if it had to do with the proposed prison. According to this article things are changing quickly across US.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2011-12-21/joe-arpaio-illegal-inmate-status/52151316/1

@T.Matters I don't want to banter I want to discuss and be polite. Sorry if what I said hurt your feelings. @Ginny is right we need to get a long @Marc I also appreciate your efforts to actually investigate. Not that many journalist do that any more.

I'm interested in knowing the person or persons who have the financial interest, Mr Williams, can you be specific?

Hello @Holly - I hope you are feeling better.

I am sure you already know that CCA is a for-profit prison corporation who will partner with Crete (if the proposed jail/prison/detention center goes through). According to the following links the Illegal population is going down.

Recent Immigration Enforcement and the Decline in the Illegal Alien Population at http://www.cis.org/articles/2008/back808.pdf and A Shifting Tide: Recent Trends in the Illegal Immigrant Population at http://www.cis.org/articles/2009/shiftingtide.pdf .

IMHO the answer about who will profit lies within the following audio: http://detentionwatchnetwork.wordpress.com/2012/02/18/audio-via-familiesfreedom-war-on-immigrants-report-feb-16-2012/

Things are changing fast in the US on this immigration issue.

Just answer the question that Village Trustee Milburn asked you. And while you are at it I would like to know if you were at the last VB meeting on Monday night. Maybe you can ask Trustee Milburn to verify the 25 squad car statement also. Sounds like an exagerated number to me. Remember, everyone is supposed to be truthful here. And thanks Marc for writing a balanced article. This issue has many moving parts and many we have yet to discover I'm sure.

Regarding the referendum issue, if that were to become reality and binding, no one in the unicorporated areas of Crete would be allowed to vote, only residents within the Village limits.

I did not tape any meeting so what are you referring to, and who was bullied and by who? I don't recall anyone being bullied on the video. The mayor asked for decorum to be maintained and everyone did so from what I saw. If you are looking for minutes and can't locate them I suggest you call the village and check with them. I guess it is too easy to ask Trustee Milburn on line. And, I totally don't understand the November comment.

I wish the recounting that Mr Anthony did on the last village board meeting would have included the $500,000 that my department needs to be compliant with the State of Illinois mandate on the communities that tie into Thorn Creek Sanitary District. Trust me, there are a hundred other places that the Village of Crete could spend that amount of money (if we had it)...
I'm not sure who taped the previous board meeting, perhaps they can come to every meeting....then we would have an accurate record of the disrespect that we (the board) have been charged with. I don't care much for the snarky comments and the election threats, the Mayor and Board were elected by the citizens of Crete to make informed decisions...they're not all pleasant and they don't make everyone happy all of the time, but it's the responsibility that we've been charged with....and I take it seriously,

Folks,
You need to submit FOIA requests for any correspondence coming from the village asking your senators and representatives in the area to recommend Crete for the project. It's their playbook. Our Town Attorney lobbied Congresswoman and President Obama's DNC Chairwoman, Senator Nelson, Senator Rubio and Congressman Diaz Balart to endorse the prison. Nelson and Schultz did. Rubio was, apparently, so aggressively in support of our prison that CCA asked him not to attend a meeting with them. LOL. Diaz Balart apparently told them "no way." Good for him.

So, use FOIA. Get creative asking your questions. Ask for email correspondence from Einhorn. This should all be covered under your FOIA. FOIA the feds as well.

It's YOUR Village and government, not some predatory crony capitalist company that glad hands local politicians and has never earned an honest penny on the free market. CCA only earns revenue from tax dollars. They are the consummate leaches as prisons are overhead and wasteful use of capital, they are not productive investments in prosperity.

I've noticed that all the old timers have lost any sense of vision at all. Collectively, they've been the leaders as this country has entered the funk it is in now. And the only thing they are offering those the represent are back room deals for prisons. It's a sick place we find ourselves in as a country.

Their leadership is the problem. Get rid of them. Recall them. Check your charter on how.

The videos were taken by willcountynews http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBAD8068C65AB976A

I watched it again all 7 of them and felt the citizens are rightly upset that a prison is being put into their backyard. The attitude by the board was one of it's not up to you, it's up to them. One trustee is even laying down. There was obvious tension and not what I would call decorum on either side.
Holly how long have you had to pay that necessary bill? I was told by a Congressman in IL City leaders jobs should be 1st about safety. Not building parks, etc. You know a prison/jail/detention center isn't going to help bring people in. It will though entice people to move out and not come. You have many examples of that. With the immigration laws changing almost daily - this is at best a shaky deal. You won't be selling flowers to the same people. I don't understand why Crete stopped the Car nights and Wild West Days. Rumored they may bring the undesirables to town. Well who do you think is coming to town when you add a 750 prison?
People don't want to live in a prison town. That's just common sense. Property values will drop, taxes could go up. You maybe stuck with a white elephant if they change the immigrant laws. And there are already in the works to change the definition of immigrant and privatized prisons calling them detention centers when they are obviously more then that. Having cells to isolate the inmates brings a whole other set of problems.

This video and article explains the problems with privatized prisons. @Holly it addresses who is getting rich. Do we really want to be known as the country with the most prisons? Like China? Think about it.
http://nocretedetentioncenter.blogspot.com/2012/02/should-we-have-private-prisons.html

Sorry about a comment I made last week. Ok lets move on. I am looking forward to the meeting on the 28th

@Holly will the sewage cost go up if detention center is built?

This is a response from SW Ranches to CCA and ICE some really good points:
You can download a copy here: http://www.scribd.com/notprisontown/d/82026538-CCA-rebuttal-7-pdf

The "necessary bill" you refer to, is that the $500,000? We are required to spend $244,000 per fiscal year testing our inflow to Thorn Creek. There are recent test results that show areas of Lincolnshire that must be relined...to the tune of $500,000. Which is roughly 2 years worth of required financial spending.

Cruise Night was halted several years back due to lack of volunteers to work the event. It was subsidized by the businesses in town, and we didn't have enough money to keep spending on raffles, give-aways and djs to make each week a success. However, it was brought back 2 years ago and I assume will be happening again starting this June. Wild West Days was a lot of fun, but again lack of volunteers and finances can bring any event to a grinding halt. WWDs expenses were through the roof and it couldn't continue. Also, please remember, these events along with Crete Country Christmas are not put on by the Village of Crete.

Hank your question about sewer costs going up.....
If you have seen a Crete water bill, there is a line item that covers the sewer charges and another that covers water, the facility would be responsible for their amount of usage "in" as water and "out" as sewage.
Crete doesn't have any revenue from sewer billing, it's based on what Thorn Creek charges us.

ATTN: Next Village of Crete Trustee Meeting @ 7 PM Monday FEB 27
and
"NO CRETE DETENTION CENTER" Educational Forum, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 7pm, Crete Elementary School, 436 North St., Crete, IL

No Crete Detention products http://nocretedetentioncenter.blogspot.com/p/products.html

and

What about the children? http://nocretedetentioncenter.blogspot.com/2012/03/what-about-children.html

I have one suggestion for those who what to truly understand how things work in this world. If you get attacked and are seriouly hurt, is it worse for you if the attacker was doing it for self serving reasons or would it be worse if he was just trying to help you out and make you a better person. I am sure you will agree that it does not make any difference, you are hurt either way. The truth is, and this is a big secret, THEY ALL DO IT FOR SELF SERVING REASONS. How does this apply to The Crete Detention Center discussion? We are surrounded by the self serving, who will not help you and cannot be trusted. CCA is only one of the players. Who else is self serving? First, the politicians, and that includes Jackson, Harverson, and Jill Hornick. They will all do nothing that results in stopping the Detention Center. They will hold meetings and tell you how they are behind you 100%. Anything that gets them some press time. For them the game is to get elected and to get elected as many times as possible.

If you are still under the illusion that it is only the Democrats or only the Republicans that are self serving, you have a lot to learn about how it works. The people who have the most to loss are the ones with the least power, and that is you. If you think any politician is there to take care of you, then you are going to be very disappointed. Do not take this as an overwhelming task. You can win, but you must work at it. Remember, in politics there is never an easy answer and never one enemy. They all have more money than you and they all know how to make themselves look good. They hold meetings, write letters and make speeches, but the outcome is the same, you loss. It is a game played by the people who have the big bucks (CCA) and the ones that want the big bucks (politicians). This applies to the Village and all the way to the White House. All you can do is pressure them through your numbers, work against them when you do not see results and never believe that they are there to help you.