Protecting County Board Members and Workers from the Taxpayers

Look what I found in the minutes for January 25, 2016, Management Services Committee meeting. It is chaired by Board member Tina Hill.

It was stated that signing in for entry into the facility during the County Board meetings may be a good idea.

It was stated they could require signing in all day if desired.

Tina Hill

Tina Hill

It was stated that just engaging people will provide security an opportunity to assess their demeanor of those entering the facility.It was stated if they sign in, they should indicate their reason for being here.

It was stated to enter into a school you have to sign in and obtain a name badge before entrance to that facility.

The committee members stated that schools are closed environments and this facility is a public environment.

It was suggested they leave the “wanding” of the public in place at this time.

It was suggested they look into obtaining “scanners” that can scan identifications of those entering the facility.

It was stated the scanners are inexpensive but would provide another level of security.

Concern was voiced that not everyone has an identification.

Mike Skala

Mike Skala

It was stated that if someone doesn’t have an identification, they can sign in.Mr. Skala suggested they continue with the “wanding” at this time.

By scanning identifications, it could cause delays of entry to this facility during the board meetings.

They don’t want to be accused of denying access to the meetings.

It was stated that they will continue with the “wanding” during the County Board meetings and further review the possible increased costs to add all day security.

Later in the minutes is this from County Administrator Peter Austin:

The committee members were informed they are working on the Active Shooter training that is expected to take place today with additional training to take place on Friday.

They will then schedule a training event for the County Board members.

= = = = =
Note that all comments are made in the indirect voice without identifying who said what, except for what Mike Skala said.

And I can’t remember when I signed in at a public meeting.

I don’t think any public body has the right to require those present to identify themselves.

Certainly, those observing the Illinois House or Senate didn’t have to do so during the sixteen years I served as a State Representative. (Now, however, people are screened as they go in the State Capitol.)


Comments

Protecting County Board Members and Workers from the Taxpayers — 35 Comments

  1. And Gas Bag (aka Andrew gasser) would be the first one to throw you under the Bus in active shooter situation.

    He does not even pay taxes in this county that he profess he is going to cut a lot hot air gas bag

  2. LMAO!

    Well aren’t they important!

    Here’s a novel idea – How about representing the taxpayer?

    Stop selling us out and we wouldn’t even have to show up to your damn meetings!

    The taxpayer’s rights and best interests are constantly accosted by these elected officials serving in their own self interests yet we’re treated like the criminals!

  3. And Gas Bag (aka Andrew gasser) Is now in with Nick Provenzano sending out invites to his fund raisers so Nick is now with the minority group?

    I would not want gas bag to have a loaded gun any where near me!!

  4. Every one of these bastards need to be thrown out.

    They are too stupid to be allowed to reign from their ivory towers!

  5. Andrew doesn’t pay property taxes?

    Even if he rents, in directly he pays property tax.

  6. LOL Andrew Gasser is the only thing holding the Republican Party in this county accountable.

    You don’t like a Reformer because you want things to stay status quo.

    Well hang on to your wigs, Suckers, because the Reformers are multiplying and they’re going to throw YOUR asses out!

    There is another great awakening happening in this county.

    Thank you Mr. Gasser for the smelling sauce! Bye bye establishment do-nothings and self serving crooks of the old guard.

  7. The only thing holding the Republican Party together that is a joke the liberal occupy Wall Street lives with is mother.

    How old is gas bag.

    Tell us about Christina Meyer and why the party is divided with gas bag he is not the glue he is the repellant.

    You better tell the rest of the Republican Party gas bag is the one running the show because they have a different ideas of leadership.

    maybe you should stay tuned until after the next election for gop election I bet gas bag won’t be in the line up for leadership just a hunch

  8. No Cindy, not every one of them on the boar.

    Gasser, Evertsen, Wheeler, Kurtz, Barnes, Rein, Thorsen, Hammerand, Provenzano, Walkup are not the problem.

    It’s all the others that either doing nothing or doing harm.

    We’ve got some real good people running like Wilbeck (did a bang up job on MCC Board), Snarski, Col. Wilcox, Schuster/Liebmann.

    The rest of them can eat my shorts.

  9. Hey herb, how much are the idiots paying you to speak kind words?

  10. LOL, He’s not a Liberal or OWS goon at all.

    So he lives with and helps care for his mother.

    That’s called ‘honorable.’

    And he works harder than anyone and rallies the ground troops.

    He never asks his volunteers to do anything he isn’t willing to be out doing himself, cold-wind or rain!.

    Admirable!

    See, some people get a taste of an appointed position and think (and make the mistake of verbalizing) that they have ‘ascended to Puppet Master.’

    Believe me, Andrew will be the last man standing with an army around him.

    Sure he’s different, but he’s honorable, a hard worker and the epitome of a LEADER.

    Something this county is desperately in need of.

    You seem to want to defame him with your ignorant comments resembling a jealous adolescent girl. You must be very afraid of him. And perhaps you should be..

  11. Helping his mother I think he is helping himself to free ride just like all other osw.

    Conservative do not want to grow government however they want tot limit government and people like gas bag and osw want to eliminate government make no mistake

  12. So you admit you don’t KNOW the situation and that these are your opinions.

    My comments are based on facts and what I personally witness, so bash if you will, but I know better… and don’t be so afraid, little girl.

    You only need to be afraid if you’re an elected idiot not working in the interest of the taxpayer or one of the do-nothings.

    Now go to bed, it’s a school night.

  13. Andy is my friend and I don’t like to see him unfairly maligned.

    Andy has gone through a divorce and has taken the opportunity to move back into his boyhood home and take care of his mother who would otherwise be alone.

    There are ramps to enable her to get in and out of the house and to move from one level to another inside even though she would otherwise have to negotiate only one or two stairs.

    Without Andy I don’t imagine she could continue to live there.

    Andy lives on a very modest military pension and suffers from health problems himself.

    He was through some things while in the military that he doesn’t even want to talk about.

    If people want to criticize Andy’s politics, that is fine as he has put himself out there are a public figure, but distorting his personal life and trying to make fun of him is not something he deserves or should have to put up with.

  14. Why on earth would Andrew be singled out by anyone on a post about County Board members wanting more security?

    Very strange, or or this is purely personal and baseless and biased.

    I agree with Frieze and Walkup.

    This seems like a petty vendetta.

    Andrew has worked harder, led more and offered so much support to candidates and citizens alike.

    He is Grassroots Gold in this county.

    All of us can get on each others nerves at times, or get down at times, but I see him as back and better than ever!

    He is a good father, son and model citizen, prepared and approachable board member and community leader.

    There isn’t a thing wrong with that!

    So basically, you’re either FOR those who want more freedom/less govt. or you’re AGAINST those who want more freedom/less govt.

    Keep moving those mountains, Andrew.

  15. Clearly, this person attacking Andrew for no reason has an agenda.

    It’s someone who apparently feels threatened by true leadership.

    Here is an idea, instead of posting slanderous insults about Andrew, how about you get off your computer and make a difference in the community!!

    Andrew, keep up the great work!

    Your dedication has some people on the defense.

    You make a difference, while others sit on the sidelines and throw stones…

  16. I feel like I am in the Twilight Zone.

    First, why would GOOD public servants be afraid of taxpayers?

    If they are doing the right things, shouldn’t the taxpayers love them?

    Second, I agree with Jan.

    All this vitriol about Andy is misplaced and frankly has nothing to do with the article at hand.

    Name someone that has done more for Republicans in McHenry county in recent years than Andy.

  17. Why does county board feel as if they need extra security?

    Paranoid much?

    As I see it, it is just another barrier separating us from them.

    P.S. Take a really long honest look at yourself in the mirror if you’re a grown adult and calling someone names.

    You’re probably a real POS.

  18. Herb?

    I never said everyone on the board.

    I said every one of the bastards.

    Clearly, we know who they are.

    They are afraid because the people are waking up to these criminally stupid blowhards and the fact that we are on to them.

  19. First, those who post on this blog need to know that their identity is subject to a simple subpoena.

    Cal knows who you are.

    Anyone who has been involved in the Resurrection of the McHenry County GOP knows what Andrew has done.

    Has there been some criticism?

    Yes.

    Most of it driven by jealousy and the fear of the loss of political influence.

    The attendance at the Lincoln Day dinner is an indication that the McHenry County GOP is now a political force to respect – not denigrate – Thanks go to the people responsible.

    Typical.

    Cal posts an article and someone directs the discussion in such a manner as to avoid the real issue.

    Anyone who posts on this blog should know that Cal’s blog has its share of trolls.

    http://www.blogworld.com/2012/07/18/what-is-an-internet-troll-the-answer-might-surprise-you/

    It would appear that the initiators of increased security (Koehler and Chuck Wheeler) were driven by the actions of the ‘sisters’ from Coral Township.

    Had Peter Austin done his job and thrown them out of the building for sprinkling so-called holy water on Board member seats, this ‘increased security’ would likely never have been an issue.

    IMO, Peter Austin is the problem.

    Why are some elected officials so paranoid?

    Simple.

    They tend to feed off each others insecurity.

    Any Board member who feels secure has no problem supporting an end to “the shooting gallery” (gun free zones) policy currently in place.

    Just let Board members and the public at large ‘carry’.

    That said, the REAL PROBLEM is the climate of FEAR created in our country by the mainstream media, our own governments and some bloggers.

    This ‘global warming’ climate of fear is fed by government funding of terrorist groups (yes, there are indications your tax dollars are getting into the hands of ISIS / ISIL).

    Who was responsible for Fast and Furious gun running into Mexico?

    Our government.

    Who just reduced aerial surveillance of our southern border by 50 %? Our government.

    Who just ordered Border Patrol to cease the practice of arresting illegal aliens?

    Our government.

    I remind everyone, this ‘global warming’ climate of fear has one goal:

    Removal / decimation of the U.S. second amendment.

    Why?

  20. Before I start on this post, based on the vitriol Andrew must doing a good job of creating fear among some candidates running for office!

    Instead of a personal attack on anyone, I offer this question:

    Is ‘selective capitalism’ legal?

    The city mentioned in the story at the link below is Crystal City.

    It made me think of our own Crystal Lake and ALL local units of government engaged in the practice of ‘selective capitalism’ through the of use tax breaks, TIFs, SSAs and other complex legal instruments used to HIDE ‘selective capitalism’.

    At the County level, some examples of ‘selective capitalism’ are the use federal government grants, the UDO and the issuance of Conditional Use permits.

    http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2016/02/07/3746990/texas-officials-indictment/

    ““The indictment alleges that these public officials and this businessman solicited and accepted bribes in exchange for official action, such as voting to award city contracts to, waive certain tax payments by, and conduct certain inspections to give unfair advantage to those paying bribes,” Richard Durbin, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, said in a press release.

    One of the two remaining top officials was previously arrested on federal charges of smuggling immigrants across the southern U.S. border.

    “The city manager, William James Jonas, III, was accused of managing the bribery scheme, in which a contractor provided bribes worth more than $12,000 to city officials in exchange for a city contract and unfair advantages.”

  21. Just read the story posted above.

    When deciding who to support for County Board Chair, District County Board members, Recorder, States Attorney, State Rep, you may want to consider this:

    Which candidate is the most likely to engage in ‘selective capitalism’?

    Based on what happened with a peaker power plant in this County, I know what the answer is for County Board chair.

  22. Andrew Gasser is an honorable man.

    He served in the Air Force and the Navy and he has been in war.

    He defended your freedom.

    The freedom you use to tear him down.

    He has declined his pension through McHenry County as a board member saving taxpayers thousands of dollars.

    He has also declined the health care.

    Admirable.

    Yes.

    Sometimes the people who feel they have no power (name calling and hiding behind a fictious user name) are the ones trying to obtain some sort of power by resorting to negative behavior.

    It’s not respected and it’s immature.

  23. Well said Jen.

    I have issues with Andrew whining about nepotism and patronage and not following through with pressuring legislation at the state level, but the first few comments are over the top nonsense.

  24. Nob, nepotism and patronage hiring is bad.

    It perpetuates everything that’s wrong with politics, this county and the fact that no one has ethics nor are they held accountable.

    It’s important to keep up on that issue and only elect those who promise not to partake, and those who will do something about it.

    What do you want him to pressure state level officials about?

    We have to run our county clean first.

    That’s where we have the power to change things.

    If we have the power and can change things at state level maybe we could ask Andrew to do a Town Hall?

    I’d be interested.

    Thanks Cindy for knowing who ‘the bastards’ are.

  25. Cecile, a town hall is a great start, one that pulls in all the state reps and local elected and candidates.

    Sorry, but I know of no action in that direction by Andrew, and I’ve suggested some kind of action like that to Andrew and Joe T. in past comments.

    They gave me they are to busy excuse.

    Time for lip service to end and put action into play.

  26. Cecile: Huh? “the fact that no one has ethics nor are they held accountable”

    Are you including ALL County Board members?

    County law is controlled in Springfield.

    Want to stop nepotism locally?

    Vote for people who do not engage in the practice.

    Want to have legislation written to stop nepotism?

    Go to Springfield.

  27. One of the many exceptional traits of American society is we are not “ruled” but led by consent.

    We do not have a class society where there are some who call themselves “noble” and allow themselves the conceit of holding themselves to a different standard than the rest of our society.

    We are led by those we elect from our neighbors.

    Those who work for us living on the taxpayer dime are no better than the others in our society, they are merely the ones who decided to do a job in public life.

    Police think they are above the law.

    They are not.

    State’s Attorney’s think they are above the law.

    They are not.

    Legislators, IRS workers, Mayors, Governors, Superintendents of schools etc all seem to think there is a different standard of the law, ethic and society for them.

    If there is a difference it is We The People hold them to a HIGHER standard of law, ethic and society not a DIFFERENT standard due to some artificial status they make up in their own circles.

    Here in McHenry County we have seen every level of government infected with moronic individuals who actually think there is absolutely no consequence for their classist attitude and actions.

    Particularly galling is when these legislators, who are absolutely the closest people to those they represent in proximity and similarity of condition, think they are so far above accountability to The People they are afraid their actions will lead to life threatening circumstances which causes them to call out the armed forces in charge of conditioning The People to be subservient rather than sovereign.

    These County Board members have announced to all who will listen their actions are illegal, immoral and certainly actionable by sovereign citizens and they are desperate to retain control.

    The last bastion of a failed argument is violence.

    The Police in today’s society are the very expression of governmental violence.

    When these fools call upon the violent arm of a failed government to protect them from their neighbors due to their legislative abuse…

    There is a problem and something is radically broken in McHenry County, if not our nation as a whole.

    It will be interesting to see if there are any people of courage who, for all the talk of so many, will actually stand up to their despotic neighbors before even attempting to follow up their rhetoric of holding State or Federal public servants accountable.

    Freedom is messy.

    Freedom is scary.

    Freedom needs champions or you will surely be enslaved by idiots and thieves.

  28. This article wasn’t about Gasser.

    In fact, it didn’t even mention him.

    This article was about the Management Service Committee, which Andrew is not part of.

    Not sure why most of the comments are off topic.

  29. Wow, Priest.

    You started out going directly downhill.

    (I almost stopped reading your comment.)

    Then as per usual, of of late, you waxed so eloquently that it literally takes my breath away.

    Someone that actually gets it; and can express it to others so that they can grasp it, is truly some kind of gift to others.

    Why is it that so few will actually benefit from this knowledge?

  30. Let’s call this what it is. The Board Members want to know who’s in attendance so they can retaliate against the people who speak against them and so that they can scrape contact information for the people who appear to support them.

    Politics as usual.

  31. One less Prim patronage dude to protect the board, NWH today.

    McHenry County Sheriff’s patrol leader with criminal background resigns Sheriff hired ex-campaign manager despite misdemeanor assault, DUI convictions

    Published: Monday, Feb. 8, 2016 11:17 a.m. CST • Updated: Monday, Feb. 8, 2016 11:53 a.m. CST

  32. Nob, There will be a townhall type fundraiser for a multitude of Candidates on Feb 15th at Crystal Lake Rib House.

    Marter, Reick, Tirio, Kenneally, Wilbeck, Snarski, Wilcox, Walkup, and ? others I can’t remember.

    Anyway they will be there to speak, answer questions, have break out sessions. (food, cash bar) Should be very interesting.

    The cost is very low too, I remember.

  33. “Mickey Mouse” will be attending quite a few meetings in the future.

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