To the District 44 Board of Education. The superintendent and his assistant superintendent of HR/PR have not only targeted our experienced teachers, but they have also hired their former employees from District 89 at a very high premium. These hires include the assistant superintendent of HR/PR, a principal and two teachers. Since there is no longer a set pay scale for teachers, isn't this practice considered to be discriminatory too?

See response below.

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This is wake-up call for District 44 taxpayers. I Googled our superintendent's name and discovered that he and the assistant superintendent of HR/PR in their prior District 89 were named in two civil rights age discrimination lawsuits. District 89 had to settle at least one of these lawsuits out of court. Do we want to have a repeat of these lawsuits in Lombard? Let the District 44 Board of Education know that this type of behavior is not acceptable.

The last two calls were forwarded to District 44 Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and Public Relations Aldo Calderin, who supplied the following information: “In response to the callers' comments: The teacher contract that was mutually negotiated between the board of education and the teachers union no longer has a set salary step and lane pay scale. There is a new process of determining salary increases that is more transparent in that the percentage of increase stated is the percentage of increase received. The contract also has language that does NOT allow new teachers to be hired in at more than current teachers with comparable years of experience and education. It DOES allow for teachers to be hired in for the same or less. It is standard practice in a lawsuit to name any employee in a position of authority in the suit. This does not imply any level of involvement or guilt.”—JAC

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This is for all of you Chicago Cubs fans who constantly fly the "W" flags on your homes or vehicles. The "W" stands for win. Beginning in the 1930s, the Cubs flew flags to inform nearby fans of the outcome of that day's home game. The Cubs didn't fly the "W" flag when they lost. In fact, the team flew an "L" flag to inform people of the result of the game. So if you want to keep true to the spirit of the flags, take your "W" flags down on days when the Cubs don't win. Better yet, invest in an "L" flag and fly it with pride when they lose. Thank you.

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Hi, Villa Park calling. Thanks to the caller who let us know the lamps and shades store in Glen Ellyn was closing. We were very fortunate to get two long-overdue shades for our living room. Service was fantastic. The people were so knowledgeable. Please check them out before they're gone and don't forget to bring your lamp. It makes a difference. Thank you.

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Hi, this Lombard calling. I've noticed over the last several weeks that someone walks his dog over to Dairy Queen, which is all nice, but then the dog goes to the bathroom right where the kids are trying to enjoy their soft serve. I find it quite offensive. I was wondering if there is some way we can have this addressed, maybe someone could talk to this person about that because he seems nice but does not pick up after his dog.

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Hi, this to the lady with the lost cat, the black cat with the white on hits chest. I've seen the signs. I saw something that said to put your cat's litter box outside and if it is within a mile away, it'll smell the litter box and come home. Even though you've cleaned the litter box, maybe, or if you have others, hopefully it would still smell it. Have you checked the Cat Guardians over on St. Charles Road? I know if we had lost our cats we'd be frantic so hopefully you will find yours. Thank you.

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Hi. This is Lombard calling. I hope all you people who voted yes for the library are so excited now that you got your tax bill. Our library allotment has gone up double from what it was last year. Thanks a lot. Bye.

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Hi, this is Villa Park calling with regard to home inspectors who repair the defects. I have a question for the Village of Villa Park regarding a plumbing inspector. It just seems like it's a conflict of interest for the homeowner and I'm just wondering why the village allows that. If someone could answer the question for homeowners in Villa Park, thank you.

Your question was forwarded to the Village of Villa Park. Village Manager Richard Keehner Jr. responded: “The village employs multiple inspectors, and while one of our plumbing inspectors owns and operates a private plumbing business, homeowners are under no obligation or mandate to contract with this inspector’s privately operated business. Using this inspector on a part-time basis filled a vacancy within the village's inspection department and improved our inspection service to our residents.”—JAC

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Recently I saw a picture of the fitness center ground breaking in the Lombardian. I wasn't surprised, however, to see that there were no names listed as to who was breaking the ground. Then, I got my park district brochure in the mail. We used to see pictures of our esteemed commissioners and an e-mail address in order to contact them. Again, nothing. Coincidence? Probably not. Conspiracy? Probably not. Bad mojo? Oh, yeah. What happened to openness and clarity?

Your comments were forwarded to Executive Director Paul Friedrichs, who responded: “Although the Lombardian has the names of everyone pictured in the photo, I assume it was their decision not to print them. So the first part of your theory about a lack of openness and clarity should be directed to their editor. As far as the [Lombard] Park District is concerned, we have never printed Commissioner photos or listed their email addresses in our quarterly brochure so I am not sure where you believe you saw them in print. Regardless, their pictures with their email addresses have been on our Web site, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for most of the past decade. Please type the following link into your Internet browser to view them and feel free to send them a message: http://lombardparks.com/our-park-board/. If you have further questions about this or any other issue Park District related, please feel free to call me anytime at 630-953-6016 or by email, pfriedrichs@lombardparks.com.  Paul Friedrichs, Executive Director, Lombard Park District.”—JAC

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I just want to pass on the good news. Scooter the cockatiel has been found. He was found straight north on Lombard and Army Trail Road. He's happy to be home and we're happy to have him. I just want to give thanks to all the neighbors and everybody who helped find Scooter and pass on the word, and special thanks to the woman who saw the ad in the Lombardian to let me know there were fliers all over by Addison Trail High School saying that somebody found a pet bird. I went over there, I took the number down, I sent the picture and let them know that Scooter did the Andy Griffith song and his name is Scooter. She called me back and said, "I think I have your bird." Scooter flew a good 5 miles but we found him. He flew on the shoulder of her father in the backyard, which I knew he would do, so we're all happy that Scooter is back.

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This is a District 87 taxpayer calling in regard to the person who called in about the superintendent of the district. I applaud him heartily for what he said. No child should not have an education. He did not say he was welcoming every, as you call them, aliens, into the school district. If they move in, he will not question them; he will not ask to see their papers; he will not act like ICE or the Gestapo. He will welcome them into the school. The problem is people nowadays have no compassion, no understanding. They care nothing about what our president is trying to do to this great land, which is destroy it. I think this man is a wonderful man. He deserves every penny he earns. School District 87 is a marvelous district. All people should be welcome.

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Shame on you, Peter Roskam. I can't believe you voted for that health care bill. Guess what? We get to vote too on whether you get to stay in office. Goodbye.

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To the person annoyed by someone with a sign asking for money, just walk right by. If it says, "I'm hungry," I give them money because I eat every day and I'm sad to think that someone's hungry. Unless they're harassing you, ignore it. If he's a con man, he did the wrong thing, and if he's hungry, I did the right thing. No harm done. He's free to carry a sign and you're free to walk by and ignore it.

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I'm calling about a house in unincorporated Lombard that has cars on the lawn, junk. The guy can't even park in his driveway; a quarter of his cars sitting on the street. Is this legal or not? That's what I would like to know. It looks like a junkyard. Thank you.

Editor’s note: The Village of Lombard has provided the following response to code violation concerns: “In response to questions pertaining to the Village of Lombard’s Code of Ordinances or Code Violations, please call the village’s Code Enforcement phone line at 630-620-5757, and someone will return your call. You may also view the village’s Code of Ordinances at villageoflombard.org/ordinances or visit villageoflombard.org/reportaconcern to submit your concern at any time of day.”—JAC

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Just received my property tax bill. Went up $600. My library tax went up $315. Twenty-one taxing bodies on the bill, the library is third, higher than the Village of Lombard and the park district. The worst part is this is a permanent tax increase and the library has no plan in place and apparently never did before they seemed to dupe Lombardians into voting for this. Collect more money for nothing? Let's recall this seemingly phony referendum and the incompetent library board. Look what the library, the village and the park provide; why are we paying more for the library?

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Seventeen months before his next election and Rauner has released two more campaign commercials. The latest one lets us know how he is—like us—a working stiff. His first job, it tells us, was flipping burgers and his second was parking cars. It doesn't mention that this was while he was a teen living in a privileged suburb with daddy, who was senior VP at Motorola, who paid for his Ivy League education. Can we have Springfield pass some sort of law that says no campaign commercials for six months before a primary?

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I think Nancy Pelosi must have been involved in the library referendum because it's now feeling like “You have to pass it to know what's in it.” I did not vote for it because I cannot afford the tax increase but also because it was too vague and I don't like the open-endedness of what will happen after the loan is paid off. Passing that off to the future boards is not an answer. It should have been locked in. Look what happened to our state, leaving future leaders to clean up the messes. I feel duped, and we are paying more to the library than other taxing bodies for nothing even on the horizon. I think taxpayers should speak out and find a way to freeze the tax increase until this issue gets resolved.

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Hi, this is Lombard calling. It's Friday, May 5. I am wondering why the flags at the library and the Lombard Common are flying at half-mast. I've seen this before and can't figure out why, if somebody hasn't died who's of some kind of importance. Thanks.

A Google search shows there is a notice on the state Web site, Illinois.gov, which states, “The Department of Central Management Services has received notice from Governor Bruce Rauner’s Office that all persons or entities covered by the Illinois Flag Display Act are to fly the flags at half-staff from Sunrise, Thursday, May 4, 2017, until sunset, Saturday, May 6, 2017.” This is to honor Illinois’ fallen.—JAC

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Hi, Lombard calling. Regarding the recent SPEAK OUT call to District 87 taxpayers. I agree. District 87 has a seemingly very liberal left-wing superintendent. When Betsy DeVos was named secretary of education recently he came out immediately against her apparently because the public unions are opposed. The superintendent seems to be concerned only with kissing up to the union and ensuring his pension. Eighty-five to 90 percent of the education budget goes for salaries and pensions. He apparently invites illegal aliens into the schools because taxpayers are responsible and he looks good for the left. He most likely will receive $180,000 to $200,000 per year in his pension if he's really making $250,000. Thank you.

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We have too many politicians in the Washington swamp. As an example, illegal immigration is a fact to many administrations, Democrat and Republican. Trump is a breath of fresh air. Democrats want votes so they apparently turn a blind eye to illegal immigration. Republicans want cheap labor so they apparently turn a blind eye. Where does that leave us? Stuck in the middle with no course of action until Donald Trump. Illegal immigrants broke the law; now individuals, administrators, police, mayors, governors choose which laws to enforce and those not to enforce. We needed Donald Trump as president. He will uncover and reveal the phoniness in our country. Americans are the real victims—not the illegal immigrants.