County’s Legislative Branch Scheduled to Give Power to Executive Branch May 1st

Starting at 8:15 on Friday, May 1st, the McHenry County Board is scheduled to turn over the power to appoint committee chairmen and committee members to the at-large elected County.

Last month I ran the following piece about what I think is an unwarranted ceding of power from McHenry County’s Legislative Branch to the post-2016 election Executive Branch.

With the decision not yet made, I’ll run it again.

County Board Doesn’t Seem to Understand Separation of Powers

Having read Kevin Craver’s article about the changes in the County Board’s rules after the 2016 at-large election of a McHenry County Board Chairman, I have concluded that were we in the 1770’s most members would have been Loyalists to King George III.

They would not have been throwing tea into the Boston harbor.

Joe Gotemoller

Not that I think, if elected, current County Board Chairman Joe Gottemoller will act like a king, but the County Board is about to cede him powers that would allow him to be much more powerful than is necessary.

I strongly believe in decentralization of power.

In other words, separation of powers.

That’s what the Federalist Papers were all about.

As Lord Acton has states so well,

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.”

Don’t think the Joe Gottemolller you know here.

Think Mike Madigan.

What the majority of County Board members do not seem to understand is that the voters have switched the form of government from

  • a parliamentary system

to

  • an executive-legislative model.

Under a parliamentary system (think Great Britain), the members of the legislature elect a head person (Prime Minister) and that person organizes the government.

Under an executive-legislative system (think the U.S. or Illinois government), the Chief Executive is elected at-large and the legislators are elected from districts.

Think how newly-elected Republican Governor Bruce Rauner would love to be able to appoint all the House and Senate committee Chairmen, Vice Chairman and members in Springfield.

That’s what the new McHenry County Board Chairman will be able to do twice, plus chair the legislative meetings.

If the Board does not approve committee appointments in effort one and effort two, then the County Board organizes its own committees.

Obviously, Mike Madigan and John Cullerton will not follow the example of McHenry County Republican County Board members and give Rauner the power to appoint committees.

If I may digress to a family story, when my father was in his early 30’s we lived in Easton, Maryland.

The 50,00-person city had a Mayor and a City Council. The City Council has a President.

My little sister used to ask as Dad was leaving for a meeting, “Daddy going to President of the Town Council meeting?”

Mayor Walter (the name I remember, but “Joseph” is in the town records) Barnes, who ran the local men’s haberdashery on the Courthouse Square, asked him to run in a special election when the then-Council President resigned.

My first electoral memory is walking to the local firehouse when my mother voted for him. He was the only one on the ballot.

As I remember, my father told me that the Mayor could attend the meetings, but he, as President of the Town Council, ran the meetings.

That is different from the pending situation in McHenry County, where the at-large elected Chairman will run the meetings.

Trying to find when the senior Cal Skinner was elected, I discovered he was Vice Chairman of the first Planning and Zoning Commission Easton had. That was 1946.  So, I guess he was elected in the late 1940’s.  I know he served when the Chesapeake Bay Bridge was opened in 1952, because he was one of the dignitaries in the opening parade.  (I missed the ferry rides.)

Jack Franks

If Democrat Jack Franks changes his mind and runs for County Board Chairman and wins (most people think he would win), the proposed rules would give him inordinate power over the Republican-controlled legislative branch.

County Board Republicans will be scrambling after a November Jack Franks’ victory to change their rules to emulate those of Will County, which has a Democratic Party County Executive and a Republican County Board.

In Will County the Board has organized itself radically differently from what is proposed in McHenry County.

The head of the County Board is called “Speaker,” just as in the Illinois House.  (Seems a little pretentious, but Will County pretty much created this wheel.)

You can watch the County Board justify giving its power away to the Executive Branch on Thursday, April 9th, starting at 8:15 A.M., when there will be a Committee of the Whole meeting.  At the following 9 AM meeting, the Board is expected to adopt the new rules.

You can read the Will County rules here.


Comments

County’s Legislative Branch Scheduled to Give Power to Executive Branch May 1st — 9 Comments

  1. You cannot say that we would be going back into the 1770’s when other topics you champion are just like that.

    You claim to be republican and yet you are not in favor of business.

    You are for the status quo and more aging republicans are the same way.

    They do not know how many years they have left, so they want everything to stay the same.

    Younger parts of our party understand that we need to adjust to the times or we will never win any of the big elections anymore.

    Recently you helped some candidates get elected, but you did it with lies and half truths.

    Problem with that is that when they actually take office they have no power and they cannot govern.

    Just like our congress now, there is nothing being done because we are paying to have nothing done.

    This law may not work, but it will still take a majority to pass a bill or ordinance.

    As far as appointees, 2 chances is enough to get these people passed.

    Work with all sides of the party to put up good candidates.

    It is amazing to me that the older politicians get, the less they work with the other side.

    Yet, in the real world, most of us learn from our experiences and are able to negotiate and work with others better.

    We become more efficient.

    Politicians need to follow suit and improve with age, not draw lines in the sand.

  2. Changing rules matter and should be scrutinized.

    A different type of change but the reason we are in our pension and retiree healthcare underfunded nightmare, which is the biggest single financial problem in the state by far, is 1 sentence added to the Illinois State Constitution on December 15, 1970 which allows legislative and retiree healthcare hikes to underfunded pensions.

    The subsequent 45 years have seen pensions and retiree healthcare skyrocket with no plan or desire to pay the hiked pensions and retiree healthcare since the taxpayers were duped.

    Just like pensions, the voters don’t understand how $66 Million TIFs hike taxes.

    And they probably don’t understand the effect of the rule changes that are being proposed at the County Board level.

    And who has to pay for all that?

    Who will be hit the hardest?

    The older generations?

    Or the younger generations?

  3. Is there any doubt at all that the county board is made up of idiots?

  4. “Not TIF’D off – Please, do elaborate!

    While your name tells much of your character/ or lack thereof, the dichotomy of your words is still quite confusing.

    You seem to support TIF’s and you accuse those who do NOT, of not being supportive of business?

    Please explain the correlation.and to then

    You speak as if you are NOT of the status quo?

    You accuse others of telling lies and half truths – I beg of you, do elaborate of these lies!

    Perhaps your apparent inability to escape the Rep/Dem paradigm is the most telling of all.

    Your naivety itself reeks of status quo.

    You suggest that if “Republicans” could win more elections that things would be better?

    You say “WE need to adjust to the times or WE will never win any of the big elections anymore”

    Who is this “WE” you refer to?

  5. WE is the republican party.

    We have lost by a landslide the last 2 presidential elections.

    We hurt ourselves by allowing members of our party LIE.

    Palin started telling complete lies that her own people said were lies, the facts said they were lies and still she said them over and over.

    Our party has continued to do that since that time.

    Locally I followed the elections and people got elected because they took advantage of the uneducated and scared the pants off of them.

    Telling them their taxes were going to skyrocket if certain things happen.

    Yet these idiots had no solutions.

    Every year a cities expenses increase, year after year, things just cost more….we need revenue to keep taxes down.

    If we get enough revenue, we can cut taxes that has to be the goal.

    Doing nothing will lead to higher taxes.

    It is just common sense.

    There are 5 or 6 groups in McHenry County that are trying to bring a lot of business to the area.

    I have seen plans for Lake in the Hills, Huntley, Lakewood, Crystal Lake,and McHenry.

    And yet our own party is against growth, against business.

    There is a huge problem in our party based on age.

    The older people want nothing to pass, nothing to happen.

    The younger people in our party are more pro industry and care about keeping taxes low.

    No one has any balls in our party anymore.

    We let president Bush put incredible amounts of debt on our nation, right after we had a surplus.

    We said nothing.

    He acted like a spendaholic democrat.

    People have no credibility if they cannot see the mistakes in their own party and point them out.

    Then locally, all of the mayors and trustees are Republicans, and yet there are people who got elected that want to rip these people in their own party down.

    I want our party to fight for businesses again.

    I had not seen a regulatory person in from 89 to 08 or 19 years.

    Now my business had 5 or 6 visits a year for the last 6 years.

    I asked them why.

    They said that their budget was at 33% before and now it is at 100%.

    That is 5 agencies telling me that.

    Cut the regulations.

    We police ourselves.

    If we get a recall, we are ruined anyway.

    We let President Bush create a whole new department and just accepted it.

    Homeland Security is a waste of money.

    Less than 100 americans die from terrorism every year except one year.

    Yet, 21,000 americans committed suicide last year.

    Hmmm, smarter to spend money on mental health or stopping terrorism.

    Obviously we have to be strong, but it is ridiculous.

    The army said at capital hill that more tanks keep coming and they do not need them.

    Stand up for what is right.

    Question our own party on their motivations.

    Are they trying to make the world better?

    I can tell you that right now the party is at a crossroads and as we get farther for world war 2 our party will keep changing for the better as the old die off.

    Yet, in the interim I want a good world for my kids and I want us to be make a difference right now.

    Not just bury our head in the sand and keep the status quo.

  6. Cal, Cal. Cal:

    Please learn from history.

    The enemy of the taxpayer is the entrenched government employee, not the accountable, elected official.

    We can fire any politician on election day; the unionized, civil service protected, tenured government employee will continue to get annual raises and fringe benefit packages well in excess of what most of the Taxpayers get.

    Now, inept (or worse)County Board Chairmen hide behind their lack of direct authority and accountability only to a small area of the county for their actions. The employees are organized, avaricious, and motivated to extract everything possible from the Taxpayers.

    A directly elected Chief Executive and smaller board districts would enhance the quality of local government.

  7. McHenry County Board

    Resolution 4081

    15.2.G.1 Resolution Authorizing Adoption of Amendments to the McHenry County Board Rules

    Section 3: Chairman
    – Revises the rules in light of an elected County Board Chairman.

    Section 4: Vice- Chairman
    – Vice-Chairman is to be appointed by the Chairman with County Board consent.
    – Removed the Special Meeting requirement to appoint a new Vice Chair.
    http://mchenrycountyil.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=&MeetingID=2998&MediaPosition=&ID=4081&CssClass

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    McHenry County Board
    May 1, 2015
    Special Meeting – 8:15AM
    County Board Conference Room, 667 Ware Rd, Administration Building, Woodstock, IL
    Agenda Packet
    http://mchenrycountyil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=3017&Inline=True

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    McHenry County Board
    April 9, 2015
    Regular Meeting – 9AM
    Agenda Packet
    http://mchenrycountyil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=2806&Inline=True

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    McHenry County Board
    March 23, 2015
    Management Services Committee – 8:15AM
    Voted 6-1, to recommend that the full board ratify the new rules
    Resolution 4081 aka DOC ID: 4081 aka (ID # 4081)
    5.4 Resolution Authorizing Adoption of Amendments to the McHenry County Board Rules
    Section 3: Chairman
    – Revises the rules in light of an elected County Board Chairman.

    Section 4: Vice- Chairman
    – Vice-Chairman is to be appointed by the Chairman with County Board consent.
    – Removed the Special Meeting requirement to appoint a new Vice Chair.
    http://mchenrycountyil.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=&MeetingID=3294&MediaPosition=&ID=4081&CssClass=

    Agenda Packet containing the Amendments to the McHenry County Board Rules.
    Includes change document (deletions in red strikethrough, additions underlined in red).
    Search for “5.4”.
    http://mchenrycountyil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=2914&Inline=True

    Board Meeting Calendar containing the Agenda Packet for the March 23, 2015 Management Services Committee meeting.
    http://mchenrycountyil.iqm2.com/Citizens/Calendar.aspx

    http://www.co.mchenry.il.us > County Government > County Meetings

  8. Northwest Herald
    April 16, 2015
    McHenry County Board sets special meeting to approve board rules
    By Kevin Craver
    http://www.nwherald.com/2015/04/16/mchenry-county-board-sets-special-meeting-to-approve-board-rules/aa95mr3

    Northwest Herald
    April 10, 2015
    McHenry County Board calls special meeting to finalize rules
    By Kevin P Craver
    http://www.nwherald.com/2015/04/10/mchenry-county-board-calls-special-meeting-to-finalize-rules/a9yg7t4

    Northwest Herald
    April 5, 2015
    McHenry County Board to ratify rule changes Thursday
    By Kevin P Craver
    http://www.nwherald.com/2015/04/03/mchenry-county-board-to-ratify-rule-changes-thursday/atvl5z7

    McHenry County Blog
    03/31/2015
    County Board Doesn’t Seem to Understand Separation of Powers
    http://mchenrycountyblog.com/2015/03/31/county-board-doesnt-seem-to-understand-separation-of-powers

    Northwest Herald
    March 23, 2015
    McHenry County Board to vote next month on rule changes
    By Kevin P Craver
    http://www.nwherald.com/2015/03/23/mchenry-county-board-to-vote-next-month-on-rule-changes/a8at5ut

    Northwest Herald
    Jan. 14, 2015
    Elected chairman debate could dominate McHenry County Board rules review
    By Kevin Craver
    http://www.nwherald.com/2015/01/14/elected-chairman-debate-could-dominate-mchenry-county-board-rules-review/a849pcf

    Northwest Herald
    December 8, 2014
    Committee chair shuffle in store for McHenry County Board
    By Kevin Craver
    http://www.nwherald.com/2014/12/08/committee-chair-shuffle-in-store-for-mchenry-county-board/a3azeca

    Northwest Herald
    December 1, 2014
    McHenry County Board elects Joe Gottemoller chairman
    By Kevin Craver
    http://www.nwherald.com/2014/12/01/mchenry-county-board-elects-joe-gottemoller-chairman/a5qkfjt

    Northwest Herald
    Nov. 21, 2014
    McHenry County Board chairman race in full swing
    By Kevin P Craver
    http://www.nwherald.com/2014/11/20/mchenry-county-board-chairman-race-in-full-swing/apobfvb/?page=1

    MySuburbanLife.com
    May 28, 2014
    County Board’s size at issue
    By Kevin P Craver
    http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/2014/05/27/county-boards-size-at-issue/amgpoik/?page=1

    DeKalb County Online
    April 4, 2014
    McHenry County Home Rule?
    By Mac McIntyre
    http://dekalbcountyonline.com/2014/04/mchenry-county-home-rule

    Northwest Herald
    March 19, 2014
    Voters to directly elect County Board chair
    By Kevin Craver
    http://www.nwherald.com/2014/03/18/voters-to-directly-elect-county-board-chair/a32klff

    Northwest Herald
    January 24, 2014
    McHenry County Board election referendum on ballot
    By Kevin Craver
    http://www.nwherald.com/2014/01/24/mchenry-county-board-election-referendum-on-ballot/apxicgi

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