Entitling it’s “Wait-a-Minute” editorial,
the Northwest Herald says,
McHenry County officials need to quickly back away from a proposal that would put tight restrictions on photography at County Board meetings.
The Herald cites the Open Meetings Act’s clear language protecting photographing public meetings.
And, you know what, it doesn’t say anything about putting camera folks in the back corners of the room.
The NW Herald even lays down the not-so-subtle threat of a lawsuit and offers some ridicule:
… to completely ban flash photography and restrict photographers to one location is overly restrictive, violates the basic tenet of open government gives an illusion of self-importance (emphasis added).
And the NW Herald even refers to McHenry County Blog’s interpret photographer, although not by name:
The proposed ban stems from one person’s picture-taking at public meetings. Government does not infringe on established rights because one person may be annoying to certain board members.
And, heaven forbid, the editorial writer thinks I am being
punished because certain board members have a vendetta.
Whatever can that mean?
No one could be holding a grudge about the failure of the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax, could they?
Want to see how bad the lighting is in the McHenry County Board room?
I took this shot at the day the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax was scratched. I’m pretty sure I used a flash, which comes up automatically on my Canon Rebel whenever the light level is too low. This was taken before all the members had sat down for the meeting. (As usual, you can click on the picture to make it larger.)
Did you know that people who win Open Meetings Act and Freedom of Information Act suits now can get legal fees for their attorneys?
And, guess who pays them?
Unfortunately, it is not the individual public officials who violate the law.
As usually, when public officials make mistakes, we all pay through our taxes.
In any event, thanks, Northwest Herald.
I know you are protecting your own self-interest, but, in doing so, you’re obviously protecting mine as well.
The editorial did not name the members of the Management Services Committee, at least online, so I shall. 
They all voted for the rules being trashed by the NW Herald:
Management Services Committee
Chairman: Tina Hill
Vice Chair: Pete MerkelMembers:
Yvonne M. Barnes,
Marie Chmiel,
Mary L. Donner,
Barbara Wheeler,
Mary Lou Zierer
I guess I should give the NW Herald editorial writer’s reaction to Pete Merkel’s comment about people needing to buy a better camera, if theirs would not work in the back corner:
“elitist and unwarranted.”
That comment inspired a friend of the blog to create this fake Skinner.com ad for a camera big enough to work.
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Wanted Poster credit to Al Showalter, author of the Crystal Lake blog “Heck of a Guy.” If you have not read his piece about my travail with the Prairie Grove School Board and Police, you should.