Jack Franks’ Patronage Hiring Approved by 14-10 Vote

Thirteen Republicans joined the one Democrat on the McHenry County Board to let McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks keep the two employee slots filled so, so irregularly Christmas time last year.

The two patronage employees hired last December were both former campaign workers for Franks.

Those voting in favor of ex post facto and prospective approval of employees hired without public posting follow:

  • Michele Aavang
  • Kay Bates
  • Chris Christensen
  • Joe Gottemoller
  • John Jung
  • Jim Kearns
  • Don Kopsell
  • Mary McCann
  • Robert Nowak
  • Mike Skala
  • Larry Smith
  • Chris Spoerl
  • Tom Wilbeck
  • Paula Yensen

Comments

Jack Franks’ Patronage Hiring Approved by 14-10 Vote — 20 Comments

  1. Those up for re-election are: Aavang, Gottemoller, Jung, Nowak, Smith, Spoerl.

    Kopsell is not running for re-election.

    So far only those in D 6 (Aavang, Smith), have officially announced opponents.

    Nancy Gonziorek is circulating petitions in D3 for the Kopsell seat.

    Althoff has stated she is running for D4 as Hammerand is not running for re-election.

    Wilcox and Reinert are running for State Senate so one of them will be gone.

    Kurtz and Heisler are not running.

    Therefore, as it now stands, the 10 who voted No will be reduced further in the next term.

  2. They sold their souls.

    The only question is for what.

    Don’t watch the pretty girl while the great illusionist Jacko tries to pull this one off.

  3. This will be great for county employee morale.

    Read some of the answers from this question on the employee survey.

    While we each have our individual core values, we would like to uncover/define/develop the McHenry County ORGANIZATIONAL Core Values.  Please help us by checking up to 5 values from the list below that best answers the following question:  What is IMPORTANT at McHenry County?
    Precision
    Uniqueness
    Serious
    Creativity
    Stewardship
    Supportiveness
    Tolerance
    Results Oriented
    Credibility
    Welcoming
    Excellence
    Innovativeness
    Flexibility
    Adaptability
    Resourcefulness
    Courtesy
    Effectiveness
    Concern for Others
    Truthfulness
    Appreciation
    Helpfulness
    Hard Working
    Dedication
    Continuous Improvement
    Reliability
    Work/Life Balance
    Other (please specify)
    Customer Focus
    Quality of Work
    Responsiveness
    Trustworthiness
    Accessibility
    Commitment
    Accuracy
    Dependability
    Knowledgeable
    Ethical
    Going Above and Beyond
    Respect
    Integrity
    Accountability

    Responses from employees under “other”:

    slaves
    pointless training
    Trustworthiness
    WHEN YOU ARE TOLD NOT TO ASK QUESTION TO THE DEPUTY EVER BECAUSE THE SUPERVISOR GETS IN TROUBLE WHEN THEY GET BACK FROM VACATION/DAY OFF! WHEN THE THREAT OF TAKING OUR BREAKS AWAY ARE A WEEKLY THREAT. WHEN YOU ARE TOLD TO NOT TALK TO ANYONE WHO MAY WALK PASSESD YOUR CUBE. IT SEEMS TO BE A SAD ATMOSPHERE
    None of the above
    GREAT PLACE TO WORK. ITS A JOB JUST A JOB
    Professionalism
    worring about yourself
    they dont take care of there own!!
    i wanted to click on appreciation but i wanted to say it would be great to hear that we were appreciated more by the assistant superintendant and superintendant but there actually would have to talk to us to say that, and maybe just treat us like normal people and have a conversation with us and not act like were a hinder to them
    disipline
    i dont think any apply
    This is not clear…”What is IMPORTANT…?” Do you mean currently? Does the question really mean, “What would you like the core values to be at McHenry County moving forward?”
    Educated. Well-trained.
    Kindness counts! Be kind to those we serve and one another
    Though I believe these are the most important values, many of the values on this list are not happening in the facility I work in. There is no work/life balance. I am expected to work my scheduled hours and more, if necessary, and stay close to home on weekends, calling in and responding to messages. Where does that leave time for family or life balance? There is no respect, appreciation, supportiveness, concern for others, trustworthyness, or helpfulness between most of the management & the rest of the staff. I work in a very toxic, harrassing work environment where the focus seems to be saving more money at the expense of treating the employees horrendously. It’s a shame we can’t do both.
    the noted are a small section of what I feel are important in a county government
    This is answered from our departments view but this in no way reflects how the county board “works” for us
    How well you suck up to your supervisor
    proper Compensation to motivate employees to care about the end product of work
    Support from your supervisors-Adminsitrative
    selfless service
    Professionalism
    Safety
    Can only check what it perhaps should be–not what is
    Communication. Between departments and with the public that we serve.
    all of the above
    Unfortunately, I don’t believe the County as a whole has any core values. I cannot choose what doesn’t exist. In the past I would have said all of the above. The County Board members have made it so the employees are sad, depressed and angry. Employees will provide all the above, if they are appreciated and are shown that appreciation.
    transparency
    1. getting more incoming cash 2. spend it to help yourself or your friends 3. screw the employees who do they think they are anyway 4. no need to listen to the people who are doing the work because we know better 5. get what you can and leave with as much as you can and don’t look back
    All of the above are important
    Frugal
    sustainablity responsiblity
    At this point nothing, the board, administration, and department heads don’t seem to care to make this a better place so why should the employees?
    Having Fun
    Doing the most with very little success
    Communication (Public and Employee)
    don’t agree with any of the listed items
    this is what should be important to the County toward it’s employees
    SHOULD BE ALL OF THE ABOVE BUT WHAT SHOULD BE AND WHAT IS ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS… SHOULD BE MORE FOCUSED ON DEDICATED, HARDWORKING, UNDER PAID EMPLOYEES
    the above checked is what i want to see. what i get from mchenry county: getting as much work done with the smallest amount of employees for the cheapest they can pay us

  4. What are the roles, responsibilities, duties, authorities of these employees?

    What are their outputs, deliverables?

    Can the public see somehow, foia or whatever, what they actually do week by week?

  5. Cryin’ Onion Jag Jung: You dishonor us all with your bootlicking.

    Kay Bates: Shame on YOU!

    Chris ‘PoS’ Christensen: You are a RAT!

  6. I hope you commenters are going to be out this weekend circulating your petitions.

    Put your time and money where your keyboards are.

  7. The cowardly “Terrible Ten” are following RINO Rauner’s lead, but be
    assured that wherever they go, whenever they are seen they WILL be remembered.

  8. Good Lord Cindy… midnight you-tube rabbit holes of global conspiracies landed their spaceship of lizard people right in Woodstock, huh?

  9. Videotape of the meeting at which the patronage hires were approved:

    McHenry County Board Meeting Portal

    October 17, 2017 at 7PM

    County Board – Regular Meeting

    Media

    mchenrycountyil.iqm2.com/Citizens/SplitView.aspx?Mode=Video&MeetingID=4284&Format=Agenda

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

    The link contains the Agenda, and the Agenda Packet.

    Agenda Item 13.1

    New and Unfinished Business

    Resolution Authorizing the Creation of a Full Time Executive Assistant (#07000217) and a Part Time Communications Specialist (#07000317) in the County Board Chairman’s Departmental Roster to be Effective on November 26, 2017.

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

    Summary of events

    A Resolution was passed October 17, 2017 to cover 2 people the county hired in December 2016.

    A key email was sent on December 21, 2016 at 3:40PM email from McHenry County Administrator Peter Austin (top non elected official in the county) to soon to be patronage hire Oliver Serafini (who worked for Jack Franks as a state employee and on Jack Franks political campaign).

    Peter Austin tells Oliver Serafini that he (Peter Austin) will send Oliver an offer letter on December 22, 2016.

    But Mr. Austin had not yet sent the job application to Mr. Seafini.

    The contents of the email follow.

    “From: Peter Austin

    Sent: Wednesday December 21, 2016 3:40PM

    To: Oliver Serafini

    Attachments: CountyApp.pdf

    Subject: RE: Oliver Serafini

    Oliver –

    Attached is the employment application that I would like you to complete.

    If you can get that to me tomorrow morning that would be great.

    I’ll get you an offer letter tomorrow morning as well.

    Peter B. Austin

    County Administrator

    McHenry County, IL”

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

    That email can be seen in the following blog post.

    Scott Hartman’s name is seen at the top of the email.

    Apparently Mr. Hartman fulfilled the FOIA request, submitted by Cal Skinner, in which the emails were obtained.

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

    McHenry County Blog

    Jack Franks’ Democratic Party Patronage Communication Specialist’s Early Work Product

    January 8, 2017

    mchenrycountyblog.com/2017/01/28/jack-franks-democratic-party-patronage-communication-specialists-early-work-product

    +++++++++++

    It is the 2nd email in that post.

    Here is the URL to the exact email.

    http://mchenrycountyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Austin-email-to-Oliver-12-21-17.png

  10. Most likely candidates for District 2:

    Carolyn Scofeld; Cameron Hubbard.

  11. Hoping Orville and Shuster offset District 2.

    And DUI Tina Hill the person that has been in rehab and missed countless board meetings as Chairperson.

    Or when she didn’t show up to board meetings after she lost County Recorder.

    If she gets in this County is doomed for sure.

    Althoff and Franks trying to run their own empire here in McHenry County.

    Why are people fleeing Springfield because of the votes they have had over the years.

    People are wising up to them and tired of them.

    They just bow out early now!

    And Hill use to work for Althoff!

    The soap opera plot thickens!

  12. Aren’t these people you mention, all old retreads of lost elections for good reasons?

    *Carolyn Scofield (Whiner extraordinaire, Failed County Board member and Failed State Rep Candidate)

    *Cam Hubbard (CL City Council Rubber stamper with no plan of his own, Failed County Board Candidate)

    *Nancy Gonziorek (Never met a tax-hike she didn’t like school board member, Failed Cty Brd Candidate)

    *Tina Hill (Snickered County Board member, Rehab’d County Brd Chair, Failed Candidate for Cty Recorder of Deeds and “I just need a few more years of govt. work under my belt to retire on a tax payer funded gubmint pension”)

    They also wreak of bad voting records.

    Wouldn’t they all just be tush kissers for Dem. Jack Franks? (that’s rhetorical-of course they would be)

    Sometimes when people lose and get out of govt., it’s good to keep them that way!

  13. A huge disappointment.

    As a taxpayer, I am appalled that we are being forced to pay for someone to do the job he was elected to do and someone to be his personal political promoter.

    The Board should be ashamed.

    The cost of running that office has increased over $2k in personnel alone – all for the personal benefit and promotion of one individual.

    This is wrong on so many levels.

    If the chairman and members can’t handle the jobs they were elected to do then they have no business holding the office.

    Yet he tried to push through a resolution to eliminate elected pensions- from people that are actually there everyday doing their jobs.

    I’m sure he didn’t hesitate to jump on the State’s pension when elected.

    Plus he had his own employees (just Alike he does now) so he didn’t have to do his job at the state level either.

    Power and greed.

    That’s what Jack Frank’s is all about.

    And why does daddy have to attend county meetings now?

    Does he have to protect his little boy?

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