First-term McHenry County Board member Joe Gottemoller held a fund raiser at 1776 in Crystal Lake Monday night and ninety people attended.

One of those present was Republican gubernatorial candidate Kirk Dillard.  After very brief remarks by Gottemoller, Dillard gave his stump speech.

This year on the County Board Gottemoller’s efforts have been focused on re-writing the Unified Development Ordinance.

From previous experience, he learned that much conflict revolves around special use permits.

He found no one had categorized them.

So he did so himself.

He discovered that the storage of trucks was by far the largest use–over seventy rural locations.

I asked him if there were any nudist colonies.

There aren’t.

There was one on a County Planning Department map in the late 1960’s. I’ve asked if anyone could find a copy of it, but it has disappeared into the dustbin of McHenry County history. (It was north of Marengo east of Route 23 where a MCCD Conservation Area now exists.)

Both candidates for McHenry County Treasurer were in attendance, Glenda Miller and Jeff Thorsen.

Gottemoller told me that GOP Sheriff’s candidate Andy Zinke made a reservation and sent a check, but did not come.

His opponent Bill Prim did not RSVP, but attended the event.

McHenry County Clerk candidate Nick Provenzano was present, as was fellow District 3 County Board member Mary McClellan, who is a candidate for the same office.

Other County Board members were Mary McCann, Tina Hill and John Heisler.

Representing the legislature were State Senator Pam Althoff and State Rep. Barb Wheeler.

Appointed Judge Mike Feetterer, running for a permanent slot on the bench, was in attendance, too.