Our McHenry County Board is important.
It is as important as the folks in the Courthouse, right?
At the Courthouse, they have Deputy Sheriff’s searching through visitors (read taxpayers) belongings in order to keep the judges, the Circuit Clerk, the Sheriff, the State’s Attorney and support staff safe from outside threats.
The County’s rivate security forces make sure taxpaying citizens won’t get into the Administrative Building with anything dangerous on days when the McHenry County Board is meeting.
Well, County Board members think they are as important as those elected officials and employees in the Courthouse, so on days the County Board meets everyone entering the building from the public doors are wanded and their bags given a look.
That was the first thing that happened in my journey to see the swearing in ceremony of the new County Board members.
On the way out of the building, the security had been withdrawn.
One could conclude that others in the Administration Building–the County Clerk, County Auditor, Regional Superintendent of Schools, the Record of Deeds, the Veterans Assistance folks, the Planning and Zoning Department employees, etc.–aren’t as important as the County Board members.
This did not occur because Jack Franks was being sworn in as County Board Chairman.
Flanked by his two security men, Jack Franks talks to about 100 at his Crystal Lake Town Hall Meeting.
Those who attended his Town Hall Meetings might conclude that he had a hand in the increased secutiry, considering the presences of professional security people at them.
“It’s good to be the king.”
But this fear of the taxpaying public originated when Republicans held every seat on the County Board.
And I understand that occupants of the building will be treated just like those important people in the Courthouse once the Sheriff’s Department gets its new walk-through threat detectors.
Then, all entering the building from its front will be potential threats.
And, if you think I find the County Board members’ sense of self-importance exaggerated, you are correct.
But, I guess, as Mel Brooks put it,
“It’s good to be the King.”
To be fair to Mr. Franks, we instituted the wanding as a security measure for all full Board meetings last year after some of the shooting incidents around the country and some contentious zoning and other matters had raised Members’ concerns.
I think Richard J Daley put it better Cal,
“It’s better to be King maker than King!”
Actually I think it might have been Richard M Daley.
Probably more likely the flankers are union operatives than security.
Wrong.
I was told one was a retired Chicago Police Office and the other a former Downstate Deputry Sheriff.
Didn’t Charles Wheeler request the security detail after members felt threatened by some nuns?
What are they so worried about?
Two undercover security in sports coats at a political event for county board chair in suburban Chicago?
To keep hecklers inline or he felt someone might attack him?
They would be inline for jobs in Governor Franks’ security team?
Get rid of the the crazy law that turns public buildings (including schools) into shooting galleries!!
I can understand being searched when entering a jail but I will never approve of being searched when entering a building owned by the taxpayers!!
Love the comment, conservative; but the elitist will never understand that kind of thinking.
They are too busy being privileged to listen to common sense.