McHenry Township Board Refuses to Endorse Prevailing Wage

McHenry Township Board, from left to right, Trustee Stan Wojewski, attorney Meghan Alexander, Supervisor Craiig Adams, Trustees Bill Cunningham and Bob Anderson.  Trustee Mike Rakestraw was absent.

Besides the obvious tension between the newly-elected Republican Party Trustees and the independently-elected Township Supervisor and Highway Commissioner, the only newsworthy event was the tot-two tie on a vote to approve a state-mandeated Prevailing Wage Ordinance.

Two of the three Republican Trustees at the meeting–Bob Anderson and Bill Cunningham–voted against approval, while Supervisor Craig Adams and GOP Trustee Stan Wojewski voted in favor.

According to Robert’s Rules of Order, a motion fails if if obtains a tie vote.

Prior to the vote, a woman gave three reasons for supporting Prevailing Wage.

During the discussion, Adams pointed out that the Township “woiuld still have to pay prevailing wage whether or not we pass this resolution.”

Anderson then announced, “I’ll be voting against it. [It requires] wages above and beyond what you can earn in the private sector.”

Colleague Bill Cunningham, sitting next to Andereson, added that he had been a member of the Laborers and Teamsters Unions.

“I know it’s no more than union protection.”

Attorney Meaghan Alexander pointed out that one repercussion could be a plaintiff bringing ann action for failure to pay prevailing wage.

An indication of the bad blood in the room was a long-haired man shouting, “We don’t pay that much.”

He was reacting to Anderson’s pointing out that if every Township Trustee in Illinois received $100 per meeting, as is the pay in McHenry Township, that would add up to $7 million.

Comparing township offcie to that of serving on a school board, Anderson said, “I’m kind of wondering why there is a stipend.”

As the audience member stomped out of the room, the man yelled, “Stop this jackass. I’m out of here.”

There were plenty of senior citizens in the audience.

Speaking for them, a woman pointed out, “We use that building all the time.”

It turns out that the manager of McHenry Township’s program had passed out papers indicating that the new Republican Trustees planned to abolish the program.

When Anderson said there was no such desire, Adams counted, “If you’re going to abolish the township, you’re going to eliminate the senior center.

Highway Commissioner James Condon must have said something at this point, because Anderson said of him, “You’re kind ofon the phone side.”

“You’re calling me a phony,” Condon retorted.

Continuing, Anderson explained, “There’s a whole lot of moving parts [in gaining legislative permission to eliminate townships].”

He pointed to the outflow of residents from Illinois, then noted, “We’re not supposed to be having a debate.”

“You’re right, Bob,” Adams agreed.


Comments

McHenry Township Board Refuses to Endorse Prevailing Wage — 18 Comments

  1. All I can say is that the meeting was a little intense

    There’s always right and wrong and two sides of any argument, The main thing is we need to
    lower taxes especially property taxes,

    Thank you Cal Skiner for your coverage and being there you are the best

  2. Adams is a pathetic clown as evidenced by his candy-striped stockings and top hat.

    He’s also a shill (whore?) for TOI Township Officials of (dying) Illinois whwo’s been given his marching instructions to crush the tax revolt movement.

    Throw eggs at the packrat at the next parade he invades to lord over the taxpaying slaves.

  3. Bob Anderson, Hero In His Own Mind:

    Townships get 2 percent of the property tax bill.

    Education gets over SEVENTY PERCENT.

    Bob Anderson, the Barber of Wonder Lake, used to be a school board member.

    He accomplished nothing to lower school taxes.

    Now, Bob returns to his pet vendetta, abolishing Townships.

    This is a mission Bob undertook after his failure to be elected Township Supervisor back in the Triassic Period.

    Bob Anderson’s hatred of Townships was further inflamed when his Township Assessor refused to give Bob a preferential tax assessment reduction, one which would have unfairly shifted Bob Anderson’s share of taxes onto his neighbors’ shoulders.

    But now, thanks to winning McHenry Township’s weighted Republican Caucus (where insider Republican Committeemen cast hundreds of votes, while “mere” ordinary Republicans could only cast one vote), we now have Bob Anderson, The Anti-Township Trustee.

    He’ll destroy your Township and shift its duties to the unionized County, and when the extinct Township’s 2% of your tax bill doubles or triples under unionized County labor, Bob Anderson will be nowhere to be found.

    But he’ll still be the Hero Barber in his own mind, and to the political insiders who picked him…

  4. Hey I’m Voter, why are you taking my name????

    There shouldn’t be 2 of the same names. I was here first so pick something else.

  5. Well said Robert.

    Bob is all lip service witg no good numbers, facts, or any plan that would actually reduce property taxes.

    All gov can use some modifications, but creating bigger gove by getting rid of twhs isn’t the answer.
    Only cutting services will do that.

    Not many are willing to give up what we get personally in services.

    There lies the biggest problem, depends on the government once we are addicted to it.

  6. The first person to use the name “Voter” objects to your using the same moniker.

    Please pick another one.

  7. If you want more for your money AND want to save taxpayers from paying too much, you don’t need stinking’ prevailing wage!

    Thank you, McHenry Township!

  8. Elected government officials voting against the Prevailing Wage resolution is an exercise in futility BUT it at least gets people talking about the problem.

    If a government body does not adhere to the Illinois Prevailing Wage law, believe me, the unions will ‘rain on your parade’ with a bevy of attorneys and you will ‘make’ Lisa Madigan’s day!

    We need to elect people to office in Springfield who will ELIMINATE the Prevailing Wage law – it is forcing people to leave the State – WE CANNOT AFFORD TO KEEP PAYING ALMOST $50.00 PER HOUR FOR SOMEONE TO HOLD A SIGN AT ROAD CONSTRUCTION SITES!

  9. You will never get rid of prevailing wage law in Illinois keep dreaming

  10. Thank you Mr. Williams, well said.

    Township is 3.2 cents on the tax dollar and I think we get one heck of a return on our money.

    PS. Mr. A. if you start messing with the Senior Center your going to have quite the fight on your hands, it may start a Gray Revolution.

    A Grand Mother is a force like no other

  11. All this abusive venom directed against Anderson… an old Marine who fights the fatcats.

    get this Township lice out of the blog!

  12. It makes sense that you love Bob Anderson, Ricky, because Bob IS basically Lucy Ricardo and Fred Mertz rolled into one…

  13. Wow, Robert Williams has an axe to grind with Anderson.

    He repeats the same old story every chance he gets.

    You can bet that it’s filled with inaccuracies or he wouldn’t try so hard to make people believe it.

    Gotta be a better way to spend your time.i

  14. My first thought, they need a new lawyer.

    You cant get sued over not passing prevailing wage.

    You only get used if you dont pay it for contracted public projects.

    Our Township ahs not passed prevailing wage for at least 7 years.

    Dies every time for lack of a second.

  15. It’s the law in IL, like or not (not) and it doesn’t matter one bit if it gets passed or not, it is the law of the land.

    Merely symbolic to refuse to pass it and hardly newsworthy.

  16. A more meaningful position would be this:

    In light of Prevailing Wage Law making public projects severely overpriced relative to all other areas in America, and un-affordable relative to the means of the taxable community as a result, this (County, Township, Municipality) resolves to limit public spending to projects only of critical need to meet public safety.

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