Jim Harrison Lays Out the Evidence that Andy Zinke Violated the Hatch Act – Part 3

This is another part of the long letter that Jim Harrison, the Republican primary candidate for Sheriff challenging Undersheriff Andy Zinke filed to challenge the March 19 finding by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Special Counsel’s determination that Zinke is not violating the Federal Hatch Act.

The control room for the Federal floor of the McHenry County Jail.

On May 15, 2012, the McHenry County Board passed a Resolution (R-201205-32-117) authorizing transfer of 2011 SCAAP (federal pass-through) funds in the amount of $22,025 to the Sheriff’s 2012 budget for Computer Software and Machinery and Equipment expenses, both areas within the Undersheriff’s authority.

MOST NOTABLY: THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION CALLS INTO QUESTION THE REPRESENTATION MADE BY SHERIFF NYGREN WITH RESPECT TO UNDERSHERIFF ZINKE’S INVOLVEMENT IN THE FEDERAL DETAINEE PROGRAM:

On May 7, 2012, Undersheriff Zinke, Sheriff’s Office Business Manager Angela Wood-Zuzevich, and McHenry County Administrator Peter Austin made a presentation to the McHenry County Board Law and Justice Committee concerning the jail contract with the federal government. Below is a verbatim excerpt from the minutes of that meeting:

“…PRESENTATION
Jail Contract: Committee members were joined by Undersheriff Zinke and Ms. Wood-Zuzevich, to discuss how to move forward with the Federal Contract Jail Bed Rental program. [Emphasis supplied]. Mr. Austin noted that he worked with Mr. Sarbaugh, Ms. Wood-Zuzevich and Undersheriff Zinke [emphasis supplied] on this presentation to frame the discussion for today’s meeting. Committee members were reminded that this program is identified as a part of the County Board’s 2012 Strategic Plan.

The action needed for the plan is to develop an analysis of terms and conditions that need to be considered in a future contract, if we should do another contract again. Even though this is 2 ½ years away, this is not a small endeavor.

Andy Zinke at a County Board meeting.

In 2002 Federal representatives approached McHenry County about formalizing a partnership that was already benefitting the County and themselves.

In 2003, they discussed the possibility of creating a long term relationship by completing the construction of the third floor of the jail for use as an anchor facility for ICE. They wanted a 20 year deal, though this was reduced to 10 years.

This was not assumed to be a permanent ICE solution though it did solve McHenry County’s jail questions for the foreseeable future.

At that time, McHenry County was in the midst of two decades of explosive growth so there were legitimate concerns about jail space.

Most large counties in Illinois shared these concerns.

Jim Harrison at State Rep. Mike Tryon’s Fish Boil. Andy Zinke can be seen behind his shoulder.

McHenry County was provided with an answer to this problem by being offered $6.5 million dollars from the Federal Government to build out the jail.

The jail space issue was answered for the next two decades. This required McHenry County to provide a minimum of 232 beds for ICE detainees.

The County covered these costs with per diems.

The McHenry County Board had the courage and vision to enter into this agreement and has received approximately $65 million dollars in per diems from the Federal Government.

So far this year the County has collected $4.9 million dollars so it looks like the County may collect $10 million from this year’s contract.

This has been a significant and predictable revenue stream, on a monthly basis for the County.

The benefits to the County have been real.

The cash flow has been significant.

This has allowed them to add efficiencies, jobs, and assists the federal government in an extremely critical public safety capacity.

The County is applying for a new per diem though the County is currently at the highest per diem in the Midwest.

The County would like a contract that includes language that would allow for inflationary adjustments.

Prior to March of 2002, the County received a per diem rate of $50 per day, that rate is now $85 per day.

= = = = =
More tomorrow.


Comments

Jim Harrison Lays Out the Evidence that Andy Zinke Violated the Hatch Act – Part 3 — 4 Comments

  1. A ten-year deal with ICE in 2003 means the magic year is 2013. What if ICE bails in 2013 and McHenry County residents are stuck with footing the entire bill on remaining jail construction costs and upkeep? ICE may not be entirely happy with the way the jail is being run for its detainees. ICE reminds MCSD that its detainees are NOT prisoners and that they are not to be treatted as prisoners; yet they are.

    How many inspections by ICE is our Jail not passing? How many write-ups are not being complied with? Remember when about 70 detainees were moved out for a day, when ICE was coming to inspect? Overcrowding was an issue, but they didn’t see it.

  2. Harrison should further supplement his letter to the OSC with Cal’s photo of Zinke in the Lake in the Hills parade, where Zinke was wearing a white shirt with a shoulder patch for the Correctional Division.

  3. Actually Gus, I would argue this was a smart way to provide additional resources to the county. The expanded jail has been built even if we end the contract- these are snuck costs not paid for by McHenry County taxes. Now the question is what is the breakeven for ongoing operations.

  4. As I have said I think it is counterproductive for any candidate to seek to make it harder for Federal Grant money to come into our county or to punish those local employees that help bring this money here.

    Either way the fix if this is pushed forward is very easy.

    The Sheriff simply has to have the correctional division report direct to him and viola the non-issue is fixed.

    Secondly, if say the Sheriff were to resign and the under-Sheriff be appointed Sheriff prior to the election to run as an incumbent then once again the technical issue is solved.

    Either way it has little to do with what is best for our county citizens or who would make the best Sheriff.

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