College of DuPage – Herricane Graphics with no insurance certificate –

DuPage Co. (ECWd) –

The history with Herricane Graphics and the clear appearance of a Pay to Play operation is being brought to light yet again. (Click here for the numerous articles exposing this particular vendor and COD failings.)

Who is responsible for allowing a Foundation Board member to contract with the college and be intimately involved with those projects, to include construction management, all while not having the mandated Insurance?  (Click here for proof they had no insurance)

More importantly, why do we now have evidence that Herricane Graphics did provide an insurance certificate for previous jobs at COD yet no such insurance requirements were enforced under her no bid contracts in 2012 and 2014?

Records that COD provided under the Grand Jury Subpoena contained proof of insurance in 2009-2010. Note that Herricane Graphics was doing business as Advantage Sign Installation at that time frame.   Sadly, the subpoena issued by the State’s Attorney made no mention of Advantage Sign Installation.

This document would indicate that someone knew the importance of contractors having insurance and now the question is why has no one enforced the contract mandates for insurance in her most recent contracts?  (Click here for Advantage Sign Installation/Herricane Graphics Insurance certificate)

What kind of financial advantage did not having insurance for those contracts provide to Ms. Burkhart?  When you combine no expense to comply with prevailing wage compliance records along with no financial obligation for insurance most would agree those two benefits save any contractor a pretty penny. (Click here for the prevailing wage article)

Is failure to enforce these types of mandates a way to provide a financial advantage to this COD Foundation Board member?  Is this a form of pay to play?