Discussion of November Referendum to Put McHenry Township Road District Under Township Board Set for January Meeting

Boy Scouts were at the McHenry Township Board meeting working on their Communications Merit Badge.

Besides cutting what McHenry Township Trustees are paid to nothing after the 2021 elections, the four Republican Party Trustees voted to put a discussion of a November referendum to abolish the elected office of Road Commissioner at its January 11th Board meeting.

The motion was opposed by Township Supervisor Craig Adams, elected as an Independent, but the four GOP Trustees outvoted him.

Supporting the January discussion were

  • Bob Anderson
  • Bill Cunningham
  • Mike Rakestraw
  • Stan Wojewski

Road Commissioner James Condon emphasized that passage would abolish the Township Road District.

“You are taking over,” he said, but pointed out that it would not occur until his term was up in 2021.

“There is no big rush to do this,” he continued.

“We ought to be doing a fiscal impact study to see if there’s any savings.”

He explained that elsewhere when a road district had been abolished, “people were not too excited about that.”

He added that he would be in favor, “if we’re really going to save money.”

Anderson said, “One of the big things we want is oversight over your bills.”

Discussion elsewhere in the meeting showed Trustees not happy with getting a list of bills to be examined less than two days before the meeting.

One Trustee asked why the meetings could not be changed from the second Thursday to the third Thursday.

January would be the first opportunity for such a referendum, which was authorized when House Bill 607 was enacted.


Comments

Discussion of November Referendum to Put McHenry Township Road District Under Township Board Set for January Meeting — 24 Comments

  1. Anderson and his cronies due have oversight over the bills.

    They approve or deny the budget they see every bill.

    Watch what happens when they get their way and the roads divert to the county DOT and the employees become county employees which are union and make more money.

    They hire supervisors and crew leaders good luck saving money

  2. If such a referendum passed, it would not take effect until after the 2021 township election.

  3. Eliminate elected position and make it a hired position would be a double edge sword.

    You’d need a job description before hand.

    Requiring past work in a related field.

    It would eliminate know nothings, which is a positive.

    Hiring a Civil PE maybe the best course as then it would eliminate the need to always hire outside PE to sign MFT paper work.

    Problem is a Civil PE makes more on average, so cost of wage would go up over time.

  4. Finally some action that is meaningful!

    In recent history we have seen the Highway Commissioners successfully lobby people such as Jack Franks and Pam Althoff to convert the position of Highway Commissioner to one of total dictatorship.

    Yes, the Board approves the budget and the bills, BUT, Trustees have zero input into how the money is spent and when one budget line goes over the planned amount they are forced to approve budget changes or face a lawsuit for not paying the bill.

    Taxpayers used to be able to have input at annual meetings but those too have been neutered by Legislators such as those named above.

    Someone once told me that the voting public will not pay attention until they feel the ramifications of legislative actions in their pocket book.

    Now, that home values have dropped 28 percent and property taxes, income taxes, sales taxes plus numerous fee increases have created an exodus of people with money from the state, those left behind are starting to pay attention because WE HAVE GOVERNMENTS WE CANNOT AFFORD and some elected officials totally out of control as is being evidenced in some other Townships and Municipalities – yes the corruption is rampant.

    Is the elimination of Highway Commissioners the right thing to do?

    Not really.

    We have some great ones in this state but Springfield has created a position which no longer has adequate oversight.

    Elimination of the position will create the opportunity for this needed oversight.

    Right off the bat people assume that the Road District will be turned over to Municipalities and the County.

    What McHenry Township and all other Townships in the County should consider is to plan to HIRE a qualified Highway Commissioner who could be fired for non-performance or enter into a Intergovernmental Agreement with an efficient adjacent Township.

    Townships which do not have an elected Assessor hire one who is subject to the oversight of the Board of Trustees and can be terminated.

    I have not seen too many problems in Townships where that has occurred.

    By placing the Road District under the management of the Township Board of Trustees, McHenry Township may want to reconsider not paying the Trustees.

    Believe me, the workload will more than double – meetings will likely become twice a month events AND the Board will be held RESPONSIBLE by the voters, right?

    Think it through folks.

    Do your homework.

    Other Townships should follow the lead of McHenry Township, place the referendum on the ballot, explain to the voters what the Township Board will do to ensure there will be no interruption in service.

    There may be no reduction in the taxes collected but at least the Board will have the opportunity to lower those taxes – now the Highway Commissioner dictates what those taxes will be.

    Why now and not wait until we get closer to the next Township election?

    By placing this issue on the ballot now, we, the voters will send a clear loud message to the Highway Commissioners that those Highway Commissioners who have refused to listen to Trustees demands for lower taxes will be held to task by those people who pay the taxes – the voters.

  5. Cautious you are growing government by eliminating the road district and the services we receive in unincorporated areas will be diminished.

    We moved to unincorporated for a reason we don’t want to be part of a city bureaucracy.

    The county does not want the responsibility and the cost will be double for the same services.

  6. The trustees keep saying eliminate or consolidate. With no actual proof of cost savings. They are trying to stir up an emotional bite from the public because everyone’s taxes are to high. We all get that but until they can prove there will be actual savings this is all one big waste of time. The county doesn’t want the roads people don’t want to be annexed into villages and city’s. It will end up costing more for a reduction in services. The 2.5% hat goes to the road district is not the problem please take 10 minutes and look at your tax bill!!

  7. Machone is a township parasite, probably Condom himself.

    Listen to the fat pig squeal when hisgoof-off, but WAY overpaid job is on the line!!

    It’s too funny for words!

    Mr. Condom: Is this your proprietorship , or just your hangout?

    https://www.fatcatbar.com

  8. I knew Condon is PE.

    Never have meet him and heard his kid was part time summer help.

    I heard he’s more highly respected tham the last guy by even some of the NDS people.

    If he was a hired employee pay would probably be over $100k

  9. I personally wouldn’t care if the boss man got paid a little more if he were exceptionally well qualified.

    The real savings is in the budget oversight.

    I know the abuses in Algonquin Township were an extreme example, but I’m sure some of that stuff happens just about everywhere – it’s just human nature when nobody has the power to say no to what you want.

  10. I am not Mr. Condon just because someone defernds the township they live in everyone jumps to conclusions.

    His kid does not work in the road district.

    Once again he worked for the parks department mowing grass as a summer job when Mr.condon was a trustee.

    I guarantee he is the most highly qualified commissioner that McHenry Township will ever see.

    Ricky and Justin just cannot except that they think because one is corrupt they all must be.

    I guarantee you half of the people commenting have filed bankruptcy or had a house foreclosed on what does filing bankruptcy when the economy was plummeting have to do with his qualifications as a road commissioner?

  11. Ricky and Justin are probably bob Anderson and Cunningham only throwing insults with no true facts to back anything up I will wait for you guys to come up with some actual factual numbers to prove cost savings.

  12. I bet i know where Ricky and Justin get there hair butchered at.

    Comment above, you are correct.

    Its easy and simple if Uncle Bobby and Cunningham came up with factual numbers, this wouldn’t be an issue.

    But Uncle Butcher is upset with the township from something that happened long time ago.

    He Remodeled his house on Wonder Lake without permits and got caught.

    Now the township accessed his property, making him pay his fair share.

    Ever since then he has had a bug up his ass to eliminate townships.

    He is also against township employees getting pensions, however he gets one for driving a school bus.

    If you go to his boobed shop, he can explain everything to you with his half truths, lies and bull.

    You might even run into the string puller for bobby, Uncle Ned, or maybe even Ricky and Justin.

    I think bobby does the mullet there..

  13. Machone just has to be a township parasite.

    Who else gives a damn about keeping those rats in clover?

    Answer: Miller and Condon.

    Condon not only CONDONes nepotism he brought to his Township.

    Advice for Condon: Find a new job fast!

    But if you manage to get one, you may very well have to do some actual work for a change!

    This cartoon especially applies to township losers: https://i0.wp.com/www.outsidethebeltway.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Bureaucracy_Cartoon.jpg

  14. Van Every calls Condon: “‘Absentee Road Commissioner”

    Gee, I wonder why!

  15. What nepotism?

    Please elaborate with some proof?

    When did Mr. Van Every call him a absentee commissioner?

    You guys keep saying nepotism but I would like to know what you are taking about.

  16. Yes I work at the township I drive an $100,000 truck and live in a huge mansion in bull vallley all by pulling down 50,000 a year hahaha you are so clueless.

    You probably live in Algonquin swordfish keep to kissing gassers ass.

    Us people that work for a living will worry about our own township.

  17. Onlythefacts: Based on your post I have to ask: Did you read what I posted?

    “What McHenry Township and all other Townships in the County should consider is to plan to HIRE a qualified Highway Commissioner who could be fired for non-performance or enter into a Intergovernmental Agreement with an efficient adjacent Township. ”

    I do not see anything relative to contracting with the County or a Municipality.

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