After the election in November, the outgoing McHenry County Board managed to put a tax hike on the April election ballot.
But the panel with nine lame ducks couldn’t find time to put a referendum on the same ballot to allow people to decide whether they want to have a direct say in who will be the County Board Chairman starting in 2014.
Now, I see the Management Services Committee will have “discussion” on a “Countywide Elected Chair” on Monday (8:30 AM County Board Conference Room).
No resolution is being considered on this pretty much time when the Committee might make a recommendation.
Just talking.
I guess a member could move that a resolution be drafted by staff to be recommended for approval at the next County Board meeting.
Just make sure that you don’t make the county home rule at the same time.
Winnebago County went with a chairman elected at large but declined to become a home rule county.
There are two different ways to word the referendum under Illinois Statute.
Currently, Cook County is the only home rule county in Illinois however any county can become home rule by referendum.
Unlike municipalities that automatically become home rule once they reach a population of 25,000 (Belvidere is now home rule) there is no automatic way for Illinois Counties to bcome home rule under the Constitution or Statute.
Tutty