Republicans on McHenry Township Board Make Next Term’s Posts Voluntary–No Salary

As readers know, there was a split decision on who would run McHenry Township.

Craig Adams, rhe Supervisor, was elected to the position he held by appointment running as an Independent.

His running mates for Township Trustee, however, lost.

Four Republicans, led by Wonder Lake’s township abolition/consolidation advocate Bob Anderson won.

One of their campaign pledges was to get rid of the $100 a meeting payment the old Board had approved.

McHenry Township meeting on December 14, 2017.

As readers of yesterday’s critique of the Northwest Herald article on the Algonquin Township meeting know, no less of an authority than the Illinois State Constitution prohibits raising or lowering an elected official’s salary during the term of office he or she is serving.

Thursday, night, on a motion by Anderson, seconded by Bill Cunningham, the GOP officials delivered on their campaign promise.

Joining the two were Stan Wojewski and Mike Rakestraw.

Supervisor Adams voted against ending pay for the Trustee positions.

So, the salaries of the Trustees elected over three years from now will be zero.

Prior to the vote Highway Commissioner James Condon, a Trustee before being appointed to head the Road District, pointed out that while he was on the Board there were several vacancies.

“If you remove this little stipend, it may make it more difficult to fill seats over time.”

Adams wondered why the Trustees were acting so far ahead of the next election (2021).

“I think we set the course for the rest of the state,” Anderson replied.

“I don’t see why Trustees need to be paid in the first place.”

Mike Rakestraw argued,

“If school boards were being paid, we know for a fact that the cost of education would increase.

“People are saying we’re trying to tear down the house.

“What we’re trying to do is keep people from having their houses torn down.”

Calculations show that if the average per diem were $100, as it is in McHenry Township, taxpayers would save $400-500,000.


Comments

Republicans on McHenry Township Board Make Next Term’s Posts Voluntary–No Salary — 34 Comments

  1. By not paying trustees, will we end up with only close relatives of the Supervisor, Assessor, Clerk, and Road Commissioner running for office?

    Similar to the people we now have running for School Boards: Former teachers, former administrators, current family members of teachers and administrators?

    Is McHenry Township going to run a referendum next year to eliminate the position of Highway Commissioner?

  2. Bob Anderson just needs to go away supposed tax fighter collecting a taxpayer funded pension.

    Let’s abolish the closet forn of local government to the people that’s a great idea give the roads to the villages and city’s that already have enough to do and pile on more.

    Once that is done see if your taxes go up which they will.

    They will demand more equipment more workers bigger government it’s a bad idea

  3. In Avon Township, Lake Co., the Trustees get more than double McHenry Township, $2500 a year.

    The real pigs in the poke are the Supervisor, Township Road Commissioner and Assessor, who are exorbitantly overpaid.

    I personally was at the McHenry Township meeting when Craig Adams voted, along with his puppet board (who got the boot thanks to Anderson) another 5% pay hike for Supervisor in Oct’ 2016.

    He gets over $145,000 (including various benefits, like gold-plated health insurance for his family and college age daughter.

    What a racket.

    McSweeney’s right.

    Township’s are like leeches.

  4. Questioning, maybe you should run next time to prevent more Condon nepotism.

  5. “Calculations show that if the average per diem were $100, as it is in McHenry Township, taxpayers would save $400-500,000”

    Cal what does those numbers represent?

    4 board members @$100 per month, @ 12 months doesn’t add up to $400k a year, so?

  6. Are the frugal foursome going to donate all their future $100 stipends back to the township as a sign they are willing to walk the talk?

  7. $400,000-$500,000 What is missing here?

    What is the calculation for that?

    7 board members at $100 does not equate?

  8. Re: The 400 to 500,000 number.

    My initial response was the same but I think the intent was to apply the elimination of ALL payments to ALL Twp Trustees in the County at the rate of $100 per meeting per trustee.

  9. Re: “It’s the pension schemes that are bankrupting Illinois.”

    Someone else is ‘getting it’!

    Add to that the 708 Boards, the Fire District Boards, the Library Boards, the Park Districts, Prevailing Wage, CHIP for the undocumented, lack of right to work laws, corruption at all levels of government etc. etc.

  10. Mr Condon’s son does not work at the township that is an outright lie.

    He worked there when mr. Condon was a trustee.

    He worked in the parks department cutting grass for a summer as a summer job when he was home from college.

    Get your facts right before you go telling people lies you must be related to bob Anderson.

  11. 17 townships in mchenry county.

    Bob is just doing this in mchenry who says anyone else will follow suit.

    2.5% of your tax bill goes towards paved roads,street lighting,snow plowing tree trimming,culverts and drainage, street signs, line painting, garbage pickup, mowing, the list goes on and on.

    Give control of the road district to 4 old guys from wonder lake that know absolutely nothing about them? That’s a great idea.

  12. while bob is still getting his $100 per meeting along with the others what are they doing with that money??

  13. The current township board, of course, might not win re-election in 2021.

  14. Four trustees per township. Over 1,000 townships in Illinois.

  15. That’s if they all do this is bob contacting everyone?

    By saying you could save this much money is like saying you could get struck by lightning.

    Once again throwing out half truths the Bob Anderson special.

  16. Seems to me it makes sense for the road district budget and spending to be overseen by a board and not have the road commissioner free to spend at will. Isn’t that what created the Miller dynasty and it’s abuses?

  17. nob, are you Joe Condon?

    Will YOU donate part of your bloated salary to the township?

  18. Iowa, Kentucky and Tennessee (where I’m moving)all abolished townships, most states never bothered with them in the first place!

  19. Well since your moving I’m sure I could get some people together to help you pack the faster the better.

  20. The states that have townships were settled by those from New England.

    My home state, Maryland, did not have townships.

  21. Hey that’s great but until someone can prove cost savings let me say this again COST SAVINGS.. prove it and more people will be on board.

    Bob can’t prove it h just lies like all his little cronies because their taxes are to high.

    Well don’t live in a huge house on the water bob and your taxes wouldn’t be so high.

    Or is Ned pushing him to this because he also owns property on the river more then one wake up people!!!

  22. And now gutless Condon and Adams who had no manhood to face taxpayer’s at caucus then abandoned republican party

    now want to run as republicans again

    I swear people as low as these people sink we will have to lower that public trough half inch off ground just so fat cats can belly up

  23. Ricky

    I live in Alg twh

    isn’t that obvious.

    If I voted to cut in the future, I’d give up my measly $100 now.

  24. Do you mean the caucus that was rigged by the mag 7 and Ned?

    It was the only way those trustees got in because they would have lost a primary.

    Weighted votes and all that was all decided way ahead of time shame on you

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