What Happened in County Board Cutback Consideration that Displeased Chairman Jack Franks

Ersel Schuster reports on the McHenry County Board’s 25% cutback resolution:

One More Step Taken to Control McHenry County Government

The September 18, 2018 McHenry County Board meeting brought to conclusion the long-discussed issue of reducing the size of the county board.

An Ordinance, approved by the board by a vote of 19-3, put into motion the reduction of members from 24 to 18.

Vote on the McHenry County Board cutback resolution.  Only Skala, Hammerand and Yensen voted, “No.”

The Ordinance, as presented to the full county board, left open the question of the number of districts, thus, the number of county board members per district.

This would have meant that, at some point in the future… someone… would decide whether this board would be made up of

Michael Rein

  • 18 – 1 member districts
  • 9 – 2 member districts; or
  • 6 – 3 member districts

To clarify the open-end statement in the Ordinance, member Michael Rein moved to amend the resolution to add, in the 2nd WHEREAS: “with 3 county board members per district…

The motion to amend, garnered support by a vote of 14-8.

Thirteen Republicans decided they wanted multi-member districts during the next decade.

Voting YES to the Amendment: Aavang, Heisler, Thorsen, Barnes, Rein, Reinert, Wheeler, Wilbeck, Kurtz, Smith, Wilcox, Hammerand, McCann.

Bates, Gottemoller, Jung, Kearns, Nowak, Skala, Spoerl and Yensen disagreed.

It has never been a secret that local Democrats have been angling for single-member districts for years. In the background, Mr. Franks was leading the charge.

With his much-used way around county board rules, and the hutzpah to force his will on others, he succeeded in bring the issue to a vote.

He did not however appreciate it when  Rein, put a foot on his neck, by amending the document.

Jack Franks

He was visibly upset over the results of the amendment and blurted out:

“So, anything we decide… they can change the structure but only we can change the size.

“And that is why the structure was left out and we had that discussion many times in the … this a total surprise coming at the 11th hour and that things we don’t like to see and we had multiple times to discuss it and it was discussed.”

Not to be mistaken, changing the “size of the county board” does change the structure of the board.

As with those championing the consolidation/abolition of township government, don’t bother to expect these folks to provide the facts supporting their recommendations…

FACTS don’t count.

These people simply throw these issues out there.

Never mind thinking you will get a “thorough and objective” study exposing the pros-cons on the subject.

The ultimate unfairness to the voters.

The Ordinance is one small step on the way the chairman’s plans for a 12-member board with only 4 standing committees to run county government.

Keep in mind that it is much easier to whip 12 people into line than it is to do so with 24.

Fewer people, fewer expertise and diversity in managing the county’s 28 departments and $240,000,000 +/- of taxpayer money to oversee.

This is simply one grand example of how someone, with personal agendas, can put into motion… actions that affect our pocketbooks, our way of life and our security.

We have a right to know our local government is doing the work for all… rather than for a power-hungry individual who will take any means to serve his ego.

Once more, the public be dammed!


Comments

What Happened in County Board Cutback Consideration that Displeased Chairman Jack Franks — 10 Comments

  1. Did the resolution go through any committee other than Jack’s “Ad Hoc” committee?

  2. This Resolution accomplished absolutely nothing.

    The only body that can set the size and structure of the county board is the board that is elected in 2020, after the census.

    Any other votes are purely advisory.

    Also, contrary to what was implied by Franks, a citizen referendum is also advisory.

    The procedures are spelled out here: http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=005500050HDiv%2E+2%2D3&ActID=750&ChapterID=12&SeqStart=8400000&SeqEnd=9700000
    (55 ILCS 5/2-3001 et seq).

    The sole purpose of this Resolution was to generate another fake headline for Franks in the local Fake News.

  3. Once again the clear thinking Ersel lays it all out so even the simple become informed.

  4. What would we do without the clear thinking of racist Klaatu Barada Nikto? Stay tuned…45 days…tic, tock, tic, tock, tic, tock, meow, meow, meeeeeoooooowwwwwwwwww…

  5. Interesting how the Chairman chides any board member who wants to discuss or amend a resolution.

    This is especially true when the discussion works against his agenda.

    Under what authority does Franks get to discipline his fellow elected officials?

  6. Glad to see “simple” Orville got everything laid out for him by “clear thinking” Klatu Barbados Nikto.

  7. Emporer, Under NO ATHORITY!

    He’s a bully and a liar and the kind of politician who should never be able to run and win another election!

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