Supressing the Minority

It is not a secret that the McHenry County Board is split with a majority coalition having supported Joe Gottemoller for County Board Chairman and a minority having opposed his election.

Gottemoller arranged committee appointments so that that majority is spread around the committees with his coalition controlling all of them.

Monday morning the Management Services Committee met.

Besides recommending former County Board member Marc Munaretto be appointed to handle real estate business, the Committee worked on revising rules.

Earlier this month citizen Joe Alger, recently retired from JA Frate, denounced nepotism in comments before the County Board.

When member comments came at the end of the meeting, several County Board members echoed Alger’s disapproval of nepotism.

One of the possible targets of the comments was Anna May Miller, who does clerical work for her husband, Algonquin Township Road Commissioner Bob Miller.

She apparently took offense and, during the consideration of rules changes, she spoke in favor of eliminating the Member Comment section from future County Board agendas.

She, however, did not bring that up abolishing member comments.

Miller was in favor of setting a limit on the length of member comments.

“Tina (Hill) is the one who brought it (eliminating member comments) up,” Miller said.

Mike Skala explained why he favored that proposal.

Mike Walkup

Mike Walkup

This measure was supported by every member of the Committee with the exception of Crystal Laker Michael Walkup, who suggested at the end of the meeting during Committee Member Comments (which will still be allowed at the committee levels where there is no recording made available to the public), that the committee place on it’s agenda for the next meeting the purchase of a framed copy of the Bill of Rights to be displayed in the County Board room.

In response to Walkup’s criticism of her proposal, Miller stated that if Board Members wished to make comments that were not supported by the majority that they could set up a soap box outside of the County Administration building for that purpose.

Members on the committee besides Walkup are

  • Michele Aavang
  • Jim Heisler
  • Tina Hill
  • Bob Martens
  • Anna May Miller
  • Mike Skala

= = = = =
What Miller and the other committee members apparently didn’t think of is that Board members can make three minute recorded comments during the Public Comment period. That is mandated by State law.

That’s not at the end of the agenda.


Comments

Supressing the Minority — 11 Comments

  1. Just WHAT is Anna May Miller fearful of?

    The truth?

    Did Munaretto not take over $50,000 of taxpayer dollars from Grafton Township taxpayer for doing next to nothing?

  2. Anna May Miller also needs to resign, and leave her pension.

    Her job as a clerical worker for her husband Algonquin Township Road Commissioner Bob Miller is a clear and convincing conflict of interest.

    One more slap in the face for the tax payers.

    Everyone, should be calling for her resignation!

    CALLING FOR THE RESIGNATION OF ANNA MAY MILLER!

  3. Boy and people keep saying Chicago is bad.

    Better look in our own backyard

  4. Is it true that Bob and Anna May Miller have a daughter who is a lawyer?

    Is it also true that Anna May does NOT recuse herself from votes relative to zoning changes for clients who are represented by the Miller’s daughter?

  5. How many Millers on on the taxpayers..Payroll???

    If I recall correctly there is more than Bob and Anna………….

    why bother having an open meeting if people are not allowed to speak up are they forgetting we are Americans and We speak up………..

    good grief

  6. I would like to know just how much TAX Payer $$$money$$$ the MILLER family collects!!!

    Nepotism has to go!!

    McClellan, who else??

    You are public servants.

    You work for the tax payers!!

    Not to build up your family dynasty on the tax payers’ backs.

  7. Thank you Cautious Voter!

    That’s quite the fiefdom they have going on here.

    Living off the taxpayers for them is quite profitable.

  8. “In response to Walkup’s criticism of her proposal, Miller stated that if Board Members wished to make comments that were not supported by the majority that they could set up a soap box outside of the County Administration building for that purpose.”

    – Many School Boards also pull the same stunt all the time.

    Many school boards persuade the minority not to make comments opposing the majority.

    There should be a board policy stating board members can make public comments.

    Board members should not have more restrictions on making public comments than the public at large.

    And the public at large should be allowed to make public comments before board meetings (including board committee meetings) and after board meetings, and before major votes during the meeting.

    Furthermore all board and board committee meetings should be video recorded and archived on the taxing district website.

    Use Mrs. Miller’s comments to restrict board member freedom of speech during public comments, against her during her next election campaign.

    McHenry County Board contemplates gag order on dissenters.

  9. In looking up the salaries of the two Miller family ‘public servants’ I noticed that ONLY the taxpayers of Algonquin Township are paying for their Medical insurance. Voter in Algonquin may want to consider this when Mrs. Miller runs again next year and Mr. Miller runs again in 2017.

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