How Jack Franks Controls the County Board through ad hoc Committees

From former McHenry County Board member Ersel Schuster:

It is Said… “Hell is Truth Seen Too Late!”

For those who believe history is an indicator of the future, these last two years do not give one a great deal of confidence in what is ahead for McHenry County taxpayers.

During this time, the McHenry County Board began operating under the structure of a chairman elected at large.

Since that beginning, bold manipulation, deceit, threats and lies have become the norm.

Apparent to those following county business, this chairman’s goal has always been to take the power he wasn’t able to achieve via the first voter referendum asking that the county board chairman be elected as an “executive.”

At the November 2018 County Board Meeting, under “Chairman Remarks,” it was announced that immediately following the Dec. 3 rd Organizational Meeting, and immediately before the Dec. 5th Committee-On-Committee’s Meeting, the chairman announced his December 4th “Ad Hoc” Committee Meeting to begin Rules changes.

In the interim, to say these Rules have stopped this person from systematically collecting the control he  would be an understatement.

Example after example clearly show how he has circumvented the Rules and destroyed any rationale for the county board itself.

More on this later.

The “Ad Hoc” committee is the chairman’s way to achieve total control of the board.

Rather than taking issues to the appropriate county board committee for the normal discussion, he picks and chooses those board members who will deliver results he wants under the Ad Hoc Committee… then moves those
wishes on to the full board.

With enough friendly members picked for this committee, he assures himself approval on the final board vote.

What has not gone unnoticed is the simple fact that it is rare to see any written, supporting information attached to these agendas.

This information is most generally handed to committee members at the meeting.

Clearly, a calculated, bums-rush-effort to prevent the committee members, and the public, from having time to review the issues under discussion.

Once the 2018/19 board is installed, and decisions need to be made, there may not be enough members who will understand the importance of the work that was done to keep politics out of these Rules and county government; to defend that simple concept; and to protect the public from those who are elected to these offices.

Putting it as clearly as possible, these Rules belong to the County Board Members. These Rules should never be manipulated to allow one-person unfettered control over county government.

In short, the chairman, under this form of county government, has no greater authority than was the case when voters approved the second referendum to elect this position at large. Nothing more, and nothing less.

The “Ad Hoc” Committee structure is the tool used to arrogantly continue “working-around” the process, pushing personal agendas, and to render the county board useless as a governing body.

County board members need to think long and hard before reducing board control over the chairman… control over the “Committee-on-Committees” structure is a key component.

The power of history is undeniable and when ignored, clearly demonstrates, “hell is truth seen too late” (H. G. Adams 1812).


Comments

How Jack Franks Controls the County Board through ad hoc Committees — 7 Comments

  1. You’d think Jack Franks was a cross between Mussolini and Hannibal Lechter from the way the goofballs here talk about him.

  2. Our quaint county could sure use 20 or so more elected officials with the wisdom, and ethics of Ersel Schuster.

  3. Ersel your like the old woman who cried wolf. If people valued your opinion maybe you wouldn’t have lost in a primary this past March. Maybe get over it an move on.
    Michele Aavang: 3,161 votes
    Larry W. Smith: 3,007 votes
    Ersel C. Schuster: 1,923 votes
    Orville Brettman: 1,604 votes

  4. Boy you people have no clue. McCann and Aavang are useless to their constituents, but very helpful to the Chairman.

    That is exactly how it works.

    Start regularly attending meetings, not just board meetings, but the committee meetings.

    By the time the board votes on agenda items, it’s already a done deal.

    All happens at the committee level.

    Wake up!

    Thank you, Ersel.

    We miss your representation!

  5. You get the elected officials you deserve.

    If you want different people to be elected, you have to get off of your duffs and do something to HELP them.

    School Board petitions can be filed next week.

    Put your feet where your fingers are and get on the ballot, or help someone who is trying to do so.

    The filing period is 8 AM December 10 through 5 PM December 17.

    Post less, do more.

    You have no excuses.

  6. “You’d think Jack Franks was a cross between Mussolini and Hannibal Lechter from the way the goofballs here talk about him.”

    words of an idiot!

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