We have been looking at the details in the Ancel Glink invoice to Grafton Township for the month of March, 2010. So far, we have finished what Ancel Glink calls the
- “Corporate” and
- “Linda Moore v. Grafton Township”
portions of the bill.
Now, we move into the only one-page section, which is entitled, “Daniel G. Ziller, Jr. et al. v. Gerry McMahon, et al.
Monday, March 15th, Keri-Lyn Krafthefer “prepare(s) for court appearance” and “confers with Jim Kelly regarding same” for an hour. Kelly was the township’s attorney before he was replaced with Joe Gottemoller, who resigned after dealing with the situation over last summer.
(See What Grafton Township’s Just Resigned Attorney Sees as Looming Legal Issues and
Resigning Grafton Township Attorney Accuses Board of Being More Interested in “Being Right” than “Doing What’s Right” and
Take This Job and Shove It , all three articles about Gottemoller’s resignation and the township’s unresolved legal problems.)
March 16th Krafthefer billed the township for three hours for “prepar(ing) for and attend(ing) court appearance before Judge (Michael) Caldwell, review(ing) the proposed order and meet(ing) with attorney Kelly.”
March 17th the Township Attorney spends a quarter of an hour reviewing the proposed draft order with Kelly.
March 18th another quarter hour is billed “review(ing) and respond(ing) to correspondence regarding implication of court order.” No indication is given as to whom the letter or email is sent.
March 23rd drew another quarter of an hour bill for “review(ing) correspondence from Jim Kelly” and “review(ing) the court order entered in the Ziller case regarding injunction.”
Total cost to Grafton Township taxpayers for the five hours on the invoice?
$925.
Crystal Lake attorney Jim Bishop won the case for those opposed to building a new $5 million (when interest is included) Grafton Township Hall.
First, he won before Judge Michael Caldwell in Circuit Court.
Then, when the Trustees tried to do an end run by providing full notice at a township board meeting, Bishop own again. The judge informed their attorney that he meant they could try again at an Annual Town Meeting, which, of course, they just did and failed miserably.
The Township Trustees did not give up, appealing Caldwell’s decision to the 2nd Appellate Court. Bishop won a third time.
Other relevant articles include
The Skunk, the Meerkats and the Elephant – Part 1
The Skunk, the Meerkats and the Elephant – Part 2
There is still a court-order referendum on whether to build a township hall to be held at the November elections. I know of no one who thinks it has a chance of passing…especially after the over 700 verified registered voter turn out at the Annual Town Meeting.
All efforts by the current Township Trustees to resurrect the question of new offices, including purchasing an old, empty factory found by Township Administrator Pam Fender were trounced.
That, however, did not seem to discourage the Trustees. The very next day, they filed court papers intended to bounce Linda Moore from office.
All of this infighting among officials elected as Republicans leads me to believe Democrats will control Grafton Township government after the 2013 elections.
Think about the fact that Joe Gottemoller had the class to step out in view of the fees AG has billed…..Therein lay the difference between what is right and what is wrong…
The dems will have to wait 3 years and they’ll still only get 2 votes 🙂