County Highway Vendor Gives to Gottemoller & Hill

County contractor contributes to Joe Gottemoller and Tina Hill.

County contractor contributes to Joe Gottemoller and Tina Hill.

When I saw AECOM US Federal Political Action Committee out of Arlington Heights, Virginia, on the campaign disclosure reports of Joe Gottemoller, candidate for McHenry County Board Chairman, and Tina Hill, McHenry County Recorder of Deeds candidate, I wondered why.

Joe Gottemoller

Joe Gottemoller

Tina Hill

Tina Hill

So, I filed a Freedom of Information request for “documents relating to AECOM or AECOM Capital.”

Yesterday, I got information showing that an AECOM firm has done hundreds of thousands of dollars of business with the McHenry County Department of Transportation.

AECOM Technical Services provided $150,000 of “miscellaneous products” for Deerpass Road bridges pursuant to a County Board resolution passed March 2, 2015.  “Phase II Engineering” is also on the invoice dated April 20, 2015.

Another part of the same invoice bills $249,868.29 for something similar.

The total was $399,868,29.

The contributions from the firm’s PAC that have showed up so far total $750.

= = = = =
State Senator Karen McConnaughay received $1,000 contributions from AECOM Technology Corporation in 2004 and 2008 while she was Chairman of the Kane County Board.

McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler got $500 the same year.


Comments

County Highway Vendor Gives to Gottemoller & Hill — 11 Comments

  1. It is a shame you had to file a FOIA request.

    The County could easily place all invoices on line with a searchable data base.

  2. Joe Goettemoller has had TOO MANY CONFLICTS.

    He is not the best person for the county chair position.

    Tina, well, Tina is Tina!

    Best choice is Michael Walker.

  3. This is precisely why I (and others like me) are running. I am so tired of politicians being bought and sold.

    How could ANYONE vote for either of these two knowing where they get their money?

    One might also ask WHY AECOM would give them money?

    Connect the dots at your leisure.

  4. Thanks, Cal for confirming what I’ve thought for awhile now.

    That Road Construction Contracts – are the new “manilla envelope full of cash passed under the table.”

    Tina Hill was on the transportation committee and voted “the right way”, if you know what I mean.

    Not to mention her many other improprieties galore!

    Gottemoller is an attorney that doesn’t know any better not to recuse himself from votes where there are conflicts- from Cary to County issues.

    Remember the last comment when confronted with this issue his smug come back was “Not a chance” to Mike Walkup.

    Bob and Annamay Miller-Getting stinking RICH off the taxpayers with their antics and getting their whole family on the payroll at exorbitant pay.

    Someone PLEASE run against this friggin’ dynasty in Algonquin Township and get these leaches off the payroll!

    Bob Miller -Alg Township (and the whole family sucking you dry) and Annamay Miller on County Board (also on the transportation committee when there are conflicts with her County Board position)

    If McHenry County votes for a n y of these smoobs, you get the Government you Deserve.

  5. Must be a far-away-managed PAC.

    I can understand the gift to Joe.

    But, Tina?

    She has no power and no likely possibility of ever regaining power.

  6. Road construction is indeed the biggest payoff scheme in McHenry County.

    Substantial campaign contributions from construction and paving firms are consistently provided to most, if not all of the influential politicians in our area.

    Koehler’s son was given a job in such a firm when Ken was the board chair.

    The conscientious and “reform” candidates and elected officials never see these contributions because they won’t “play ball” regarding construction projects.

    Why has Anna May Miller been selected as chairperson of the transportation committee for so many consecutive terms?

    NONE of the County Board standing committees see its chairman retain that leadership post for many years.

    Why does Anna May Miller perpetually maintain that influential position?

    Perhaps it explains why the Millers war chest of campaign contributions.

    Perhaps it explains the support for bloated construction projects like the Randall Road proposal and the overbuilt and underused Algonquin bypass.

  7. Until there is camping finance reform (never) you need to raise money in order to run and win.

    Construction contracts are awarded by sealed bid.

    Even after being the low bidder on a sealed bid contract companies will send $ to pols.

    This is 100% legal.

    I don’t like it but it appears true campaign finance reform is impossible.

    It would solve a lot of our issues.

  8. Tina Hill is arrested for DUI while she is County Board Chairman.

    Tina Hill pleads guilty and loses her license to drive a motor vehicle.

    Frequent rides to Board and Committee meetings are provided for
    Tina Hill by Anna May Miller.

    Tina Hill loses her Chairmanship.

    Tina Hill is appointed vice-chair of the Transportation Committee by Anna May Miller.

    Tina Hill receives campaign funds from:

    – Gavers
    – Mathewson Right of Way (they employ Ken Koehler’s son)
    – AECOM
    – Christopher Burke Engineering
    – Transystems

    Tina Hill is preparing to be a candidate for the office of County Recorder.

    As stated above: “Road construction is indeed the biggest payoff scheme in McHenry County. ” and “Bob and Annamay Miller-Getting stinking RICH off the taxpayers with their antics and getting their whole family on the payroll at exorbitant pay.

    Someone PLEASE run against this friggin’ dynasty in Algonquin Township and get these leaches off the payroll! ”

    The Miller ‘dynasty’ can only be stopped by the voters in Algonquin Township.

    There are some County GOP members who believe the “dynasty” could be stopped with Township consolidation when in fact it likely would increase the size of the “dynasty’.

    True campaign finance reform would limit campaign contributions to individuals only and only to candidates they are eligible to vote for.

  9. Concerned voter, Run against the Millers yourself, I’ll sign your petition to run.

    “True campaign finance reform would limit campaign contributions to individuals only and only to candidates they are eligible to vote for.”

    I like that concept also, have you started a petition or gotten any County board members to support that yet?

    I’ll help you get it signed.

    Maybe Jack, Dave, or one of the other local state reps would sponsor that legislation, and legislation to correct Nepotism and Patronage also.

    If you have such strong feeling about all those problems, why the lip service without any real action?

  10. Old saying I try and live by, difficult at times:

    If it is to be it’s up to me!

    Another Fav:

    I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but I am not to sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.

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