Steve Reick Calls Out Franks on Springfield End Run Around County Board Rules

Look at this commentary State Rep. Steve Reick posted on his web site:

If At First You Don’t Succeed, Go to Springfield to Get Your Way

In 2012 the voters of McHenry County voted down a referendum which would have established a “County Executive” form of government. As described in an article by Kevin Craver in the Northwest Herald, the authority of the County Executive included:

  • Preparing the county’s annual budget;
  • Appointing people to boards and commissions;
  • Hiring and firing department employees;
  • Entering into intergovernmental agreements;
  • Negotiating with public and private entities to promote economic development;
  • Redrawing county board district boundaries after each decennial U.S. Census;
  • Appointing independent legal counsel.

After the referendum was defeated, the voters of McHenry County in 2014 passed a referendum to make the position of County Board Chairman a popularly-elected position, instead of being appointed by the members of the Board itself. In 2016, McHenry County elected its first popularly elected Board Chairman.

Not content with to work within the boundaries prescribed by the Illinois Counties Code, a bill narrowly tailored to apply to McHenry County was offered up during veto session which expanded the powers of the Chairman to do the following:

“With the advice and consent of a majority of the county board, a county board chairman elected by the voters of the county shall:

  • Create standing committees; and
  • Appoint members and chairpersons to standing committees.

This Section applies to counties having a population between 300,000 and 900,000.”

If these changes are going to be made, the voters of McHenry County should be the ones to make them.

Instead, what we’re getting is the County Executive form of government by going to Springfield, which is a craven end-around attempt to do what the people of McHenry County rejected in 2012.

I spoke out against the bill on the House floor, and I will encourage the Governor to veto the bill when it hits his desk.

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“Ver-r-r-r-y In-ter-r-r-r-es-s-s-s-ting.”

To those who would like to email the Governor, may I suggest using this address: Jane.McEnaney@illinois.gov.

The phone number I left a message on, 217-782-3560, has been disconnected.

Very interesting, wouldn’t you say.

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Now I’ve gotten a report that the email given is bouncing back.

Try this: https://www.illinois.gov/gov/contactus/Pages/VoiceAnOpinion.aspx


Comments

Steve Reick Calls Out Franks on Springfield End Run Around County Board Rules — 22 Comments

  1. NOTE: This article is about HB 171:

    Since our county board has once again dropped the ball… it is you and I who must pick it up and make the contacts outlined in this article… asking the governor to veto the bill.

    Your prior county board worked too hard to assure the public that we were serious about open, transparent and fair government by insuring that no one person would have the right to “stack” the committee structure.

    This end-run, power grab, is sick and must be stopped.

    We must do our part. Make this call or email contact asking the governor to veto HB 171 !

  2. The phone number has been disconnected as of Sunday at 9 AM.

  3. The 2012 referendum for an Executive form of County Government FAILED in 100 % of the precincts.

    Algonquin precinct 7 voted NO 80.56 %.

    Anyone still believe the “round mound” is not a weasel?

    Over 64 % of the vote for Executive government was a NO!

    The “round mound” only beat a very weak candidate by 7.6 %.

  4. If Rauner signs this I demand a census to prove McHenry County has more than 300,000 residents.

  5. My email has not bounced, and I urge others to try as well.

    The Governor also has a Facebook site.

  6. I just used the link that Chuck Wheeler posted here. It went through just fine.

  7. I used the link also, and my message went through.

    Thank you for providing the link, Chuck.

  8. The legislation as currently written would apply to McHenry County, Kane County, Will County, and Lake County.

    That being counties with populations between 300,000 – 900,000.

    DuPage County and Cook County have populations over 900,000.

    Champaign County, Madison County, St. Clair County, and Winnebago Counties have populations between 200,000 – 300,000.

  9. I think HB 171 would only apply to McHenry and Kane Counties.

    Will County has an executive form of government, and Lake County still has the County Board elect the Chair.

  10. Agree, scrap Will and Lake Counties from that list due to those stipulations.

    Which leaves HB 171 as applying only to McHenry and Kane Counties.

  11. I was afraid shenanigans would happen in our County and did not vote for the current Democrat guy.

    The other guy, a Republican, would have been better.

    There is another Democrat who used questionable means in his governing, the last president.

    Our current chairman invited the last president when he was a senator to personally introduce him to top Democrats in our county back in 2007 when he announced he was running for president.

  12. That last guy you called president was no more the president than my hamster. What a surprise that Mr. super delegate for fools and pedophiles is not working out for this county. Gee, I wonder who warned you of this?

  13. I just received a form letter e-mail reply from the Guv.

    Did anyone else get one?

  14. Nope.

    But then I’m on a really old computer while mine is in the shop.

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