Interviews of five applicants for the McHenry County Ethics Commission vacancy were held this week.
Bull Valley resident John Guanci emerged as the Management Services Committee choice.
He was the last one interviewed.
Others were
- Tamara DeModica
- Diana Daniel
- Cynthia Schenk
- Paul Serwatka
After the interviews, Anna Miller moved to recommend Diana Daniels.
Paula Yensen and Ersel Schuster voted for her, while Donna Kurtz, Michael Walkup and John Hammerand voted in opposition.
Because it was a tie vote, the motion failed.
After discussion a motion was made to recommend John Guanci.
All but Miller ended up supporting him.
Yensen asked each candidate how he or she found out about the vacancy. Most said, “McHenry County Blog.”
That seemed to disturb her.
I would like to congratulate Mr. Guanci and convey that it is my sincere hope that the County Board sees fit to appoint him to this Commission.
I am confident that Mr. Guanci will provide the necessary integrity to the Ethics Commission, and I do not dispute that he was the most qualified candidate to fill this vacancy.
That being said, I found it a bit disheartening that the general consensus shared among all but one member of the Management Services Committee was that anyone involved in local government was somewhat pre-determined to be un-fit for the Ethics Commission, as it is to be assumed that they will likely have a partisan bias or that their involvement in local government will somehow inhibit their ability to objectively review a complaint and examine evidence.
It was further expressed by members of the committee that even if it was believed, by them, that a particular candidate who was involved in local government would be able to review complaints and examine evidence objectively, that the public perception would still be that a “political insider” was appointed and that the system was therefore somehow “broken”.
To me, personally, (as I stated in my interview) this demonstrates one of the biggest obstacles we face in GOOD government, today.
That is that too many of us continue to: Judge/Support/Vote for candidates based on partisanship or political affiliations rather than on their CHARACTER… their PRINCIPLES… and their ability to stand by them.
I would further assert that, ironically, the single largest break in our system is that too many people are NOT involved in local government!
Too many are completely uninformed; disengaged and yet ready to pass mis-judgments like this toward those of us who do, in fact, care enough to get involved and attempt to effect better government.
Cal…. being famous isn’t as much fun as most people think it is…..lol…
Politics in McHenry County would be so different with out MCB….
Because of you, the people have the opportunity to hear the facts and the truth.
Too bad, for Paul and company….
That Paula Yenson, needs to go!…..
…and Anna Miller right behind her.
Hey, Paula Yenson and Anna Miller, do us all a favor and pack your bags!