Merit Commission OKs pocket folders

Yesterday the McHenry County Sheriff's Department Merit Commission met.

What monumental business did they have before them, other than approving Minutes of the April meeting (finally!)?

They were requested to approve a $1,333 expenditure for 1,000 attractive pocket folders in which employment information would be sent to those inquiring about jobs (make that one job) as a deputy with the Sheriff's Department.

At the recent testing for patrol deputies, more than 300 applicants went through written and physical testing. All this, and there are no positions open! There might be three positions open, should present employees retire.

The question I had, but didn't ask since I'm not on the Commission, is why spend even $1,333 to buy pocket folders, when information could merely be stapled and stuffed into a flat 9x12 envelope and mailed to a candidate. Adding the shiny pocket folder must add at least one ounce to the mailing weight of a packet.

I don't know what percentage of inquiries result in applications? 75% maybe? Some will receive the information and never return it. So the money spent to send it is down the drain.

Better yet, put the forms into .pdf format and publish them online with instructions to a candidate to download the forms, if s/he wished to apply for a job.

How much did the written and physical testing cost MCSD for this round? Let's say it was just $50 each. $50 x 300 = $15,000, and that doesn't include the secretarial and administrative personnel at the department.

When you don't have any jobs open, there must be a better way!