McHenry County Blog

Twenty-four packing lines have been set up in the cafeteria of Hannah Beadsley Middle School.

If you are not doing anything Sunday morning, the First Methodist Church of Crystal Lake is hosting a meal packing morning for Haiti.

Methodist Church usher Bill Moll can be seen here at one of the Salvation Army’s packing lines at the old Cub Food store.  Virtually any aged person can help.

Two years ago the Salvation Army hosted a massive event at the old Cub Food Store in the failed shopping center behind Colonial Cafe.

Over 750,000 meals were packed.

The scoop on the Meals for Haiti Stirred to Serve event Sunday morning.

The Methodists’ goals are more modest.  I’ve heard the figure 30,000 at church.

More information about the Stirred to Serve Haiti meal preparation event.

There is room for 288 volunteers, who will start about 9 to 9:30 Sunday morning on August 19th.

Note this visit to McHenry County Blog came on a Saturday morning. Having been a Federal employee (in the United States Budget Bureau during the Lyndon Johnson Administration–Civil Service), I know dedicated employees work overtime. In fact, a U.S. Postal Inspector called me from his vacation in St. Louis asking for evidence that I believe helped convince Roger Stanley to strike a deal with the U.S. Attorney’s Office with regard to a mail fraud charge.

Now, I’ll admit the link did not come straight from Washington to McHenry County Blog.

And whoever from the Justice Department was looking was interested in Greg Pyle, who Friday was denied bail on of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and producing child pornography by the sexual exploitation of a child.

It went by way of Dirty Keith vs. Dirty Harry, David Bachmann’s blog about the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department.

Bachmann has come out of remission to display maps where he thinks how “places children may be being moved about for the purposes of Criminal acts.”

He adds, “Many very tiny towns, many with populations of 300 persons, near to state or N[ational] Parks and or campgrounds, all just off a major interstate arterial systems, all with a major metropolitan area not far away. These type places have little to no consistent police attention.

“The perfect profile for criminal activity as it relates to human trafficking and drug smuggling.”

Bachmann has also posted a YouTube video of Pyle people might find of interest.

The 2010 billboard on one of Metra Board member Jack Schaffer’s billboards that enraged Jack Franks.  Franks got mad at McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler when Koehler refused to prompt Schaffer to resign from the Metra Board. Franks began his House floor attack on Schaffer in the Veto Session after the November election.

The document you see below, which seems to be taken directly from State Statute was discussed by the representative from the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office at Thursday’s meeting of the McHenry County Board.

Take a look for yourself at the powers of what many have called the McHenry County Czar would have, if Democratic Party State Rep. Jack Franks’ referendum passes this fall:

55 ILCS 5/2-5009
Formerly cited as IL ST CH 34 ¶ 2-5009
5/2-5009. Duties and powers of county executive
Effective: March 7, 2011
Currentness

§ 2-5009. Duties and powers of county executive. Any county executive elected under this Division shall:

(a) see that all of the orders, resolutions and regulations of the board are faithfully executed;

(b) coordinate and direct by executive order or otherwise all administrative and management functions of the county government except the offices of elected county officers;

(c) prepare and submit to the board for its approval the annual budget for the county required by Division 6-1 of this Code;

(d) appoint, with the advice and consent of the board, persons to serve on the various boards and commissions to which appointments are provided by law to be made by the board;

(e) appoint, with the advice and consent of the board, persons to serve on various special districts within the county except where appointment to serve on such districts is otherwise provided by law;

(f) make an annual report to the board on the affairs of the county, on such date and at such time as the board shall designate, and keep the board fully advised as to the financial condition of the county and its future financial needs;

(f-5) for a county executive of a county that has adopted the executive form of government on or before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, appoint, with the advice and consent of the board, all department heads for any county departments;

(g) appoint, with the advice and consent of the board, such subordinate deputies, employees and appointees for the general administration of county affairs as considered necessary, except those deputies, employees and appointees in the office of an elected county officer; however, the advice and consent requirement set forth in this paragraph shall not apply to persons employed as a member of the immediate personal staff of a county executive of a county that has adopted the executive form of government on or before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly;

(h) remove or suspend in his discretion, after due notice and hearing, anyone whom he has the power to appoint;

(i) require reports and examine accounts, records and operations of all county administrative units;

(j) supervise the care and custody of all county property including institutions and agencies;

(k) approve or veto ordinances or resolutions pursuant to Section 2-5010;

(l) preside over board meetings; however, the county executive is not entitled to vote except to break a tie vote;

(l-5) for a county executive of a county that has adopted the executive form of government on or before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, if the County Executive is temporarily not available to preside over a board meeting, the County Executive shall designate a board member to preside over the board meeting;

(m) call a special meeting of the county board, by a written executive order signed by him and upon 24 hours notice by delivery of a copy of such order to the residence of each board member;

(n) with the advice and consent of the county board, enter into intergovernmental agreements with other governmental units;

(o) with the advice and consent of the county board, negotiate on behalf of the county with governmental units and the private sector for the purpose of promoting economic growth and development;

(p) at his discretion, appoint a person to serve as legal counsel at an annual salary established by the county board at an amount no greater than the annual salary of the state’s attorney of the county;

(q) perform such other duties as shall be required of him by the board.

Credits: P.A. 86-962, Art. 2, § 2-5009, eff. Jan. 1, 1990. Amended by P.A. 96-1540, § 5, eff. March 7, 2011.

A press release from State Rep. Kent Gaffney:

Kent Gaffney

Special Session: No Comprehensive Pension Reform, House Votes to Expel Smith

Springfield, IL… On Friday the Governor called a Special Session for lawmakers to consider pension reform to save the State’s growing pension crisis, however, no true reform was enacted.

State Representative Kent Gaffney (R-Wauconda) was disappointed with the legislation presented and voted against Senate Bill 3168 because it lacked the needed reform.

“Illinois has the worst public pension system in the nation. We need comprehensive reform that includes all of the pension systems.

“Upon becoming a lawmaker, I chose to reject a legislative pension and support reforming the pension system for all lawmakers, but a piecemeal approach to this problem is not the answer we need,” said Gaffney.

“I am calling on the Governor and Speaker Madigan to step up and show some leadership on this issue and quit playing political games.”

The bill offered Friday would have only have only reduced the state’s $83 billion unfunded pension liability by $42 to $45 million.

“I truly believe we’ve got one shot at meaningful pension reform. The bill that was dropped upon us Friday – while symbolic – would have done very little to solve our pension crisis.

‘I believe the Governor should have kept us in Springfield until we reached a compromise on real reform that would stabilize our public pension systems and protect Illinois taxpayers.”

Because the Governor called a special session rather than a regular session of the House, lawmakers were eligible to receive per idem for the day.

In an effort to save taxpayer dollars, Rep. Gaffney sent a letter to the Clerk rejecting the per diem.

In addition to pension reform, the Illinois House of Representatives voted in favor 100-6 to expel indicted State Representative Derrick Smith (D-Chicago) from the Illinois House.

Rep. Smith was arrested March 13, following an undercover investigation by the FBI; Smith now faces federal bribery charges for allegedly accepting a $7,000 cash bribe.

Rep. Gaffney voted in favor of expelling indicted State Representatives Derrick Smith.

Mike Walkup

Thoughts from District 3 Republican candidate Michael Walkup, an attornehy,for the McHenry County Board:

“The recent debate at the County Board over the possible election of the County Chair at large has raised an interesting question about term limits.

“The position of the McHenry County State Attorney was that term limits cannot be imposed on any office in the State if IL regardless of whether or not that unit of government is Home Rule.

“You also cannot do a statewide referendum for a constitutional amendment that would be binding as the only constitutional referenda allowed have to pertain to the state legislature and have to be limited to changing the ‘form and structure’ of the General Assembly.

“This was done by now Gov. Pat Quinn in the 1980′s when he circulated a referendum to remove the three member State Representative districts and replace them with the current single member districts, thus lowering the size of the House of Representatives.

“Placing term limits on the GA would not change the ‘form and structure’ of that body.

“Otherwise the only clear way to get term limits at any level of government in Illinois is to have the General Assembly place a constitutional amendment on the ballot (don’t hold your breath), or otherwise have a Constitutional Convention.

“This is why several County Board members decided not to place the direct election of the County Chair on the ballot. Without term limits it can become a dynastic position al la ‘Stroger County.’

“There is language in the state constitution that local governments, whether or not Home Rule, can set the ‘terms of office’ of their officers. Possibly that could include limits on the ‘terms of office’ but I was unable to find any case law on that. Therefore someone would have to do it and it would have to be challenged. A challenge might not be a politically popular thing to do so it may be possible to try it and see.

“Tinley Park voters are nevertheless going to have an advisory question on their ballot in November on term limits for their city council and mayor. If it passes the proponents will then try to use it to put pressure on that body to enact term limits. The council could just respond that they don’t have the authority to do that, which would put them in a bit of a spot with the voters. They might try to enact it anyway and see what happens. Could be interesting to watch.

“Meanwhile, some members of the County Board are looking into imposing term limits on the County Chair where that Chair is selected by the Board as currently. I would think they could do this as it just involves internal rules. This could benefit efforts to defeat the Franks referendum by at least showing that the Board gets the message and is trying to do something.

“Is the McHenry County Board ready for Reform?”

A press release from State Senator Pam Althoff:

Althoff to host energy bill clinics in Spring Grove, McHenry

The Citizens Utility Board logo.

McHENRY – State Senator Pamela Althoff (R-McHenry) will be hosting two upcoming energy bill clinics with the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) in August.

The first will be held on Wednesday, August 22 at 7 pm in the Village of Spring Grove Council Chambers at 7401 Meyer Road.

The second will be held on Tuesday, August 28 at 7 pm in the Village of McHenry Council Chambers located at 333 South Green Street.

The forums are aimed at helping local residents learn how to save money on their energy bills, and will outline various energy options available to consumers.

Free refreshments and brochures will be provided.

The CUB is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that represents the interests of Illinois consumers. Numerous CUB staff members will be on hand at the forum to answer questions and assist individuals interested in reducing their energy bills.

Attendees are encouraged to bring a recent energy bill with them to help staff identify potential savings.

For more information about the seminar please contact Senator Althoff’s office at 815-455-6330.