McHenry Township Selects Erik Sivertsen as GOP Chairman

The McHenry Township Republican Central Committee elections resulted in both factions getting a seat at the table. Erik Sivertsen was elected Chairman.  My guess is that he was found acceptable to the Jourdan faction because of his opposition to the … Continue reading

McHenry Township GOP Mailing Pounds at Appointment Replacements

The McHenry County Township Republican Party, under new leadership after the last two elections, is running a slate of non-incumbents against incumbents who were mainly appointed to their positions. The first part of the contest was a GOP caucus (instead … Continue reading

Shift of GOP Power Evident in Mike Tryon Endorsement Piece

Of course, the 2014 Republican Party Convention showed that a significant shift in power had occurred when Sandra Salgado was selected over outgoing Chairman Mike Tryon’s choice–Mark Daniel. But, those in control during the Al Jourdan legacy years still were … Continue reading

McHenry County Republican Party Reformers Surface

There have been rumblings that the originally McHenry Township-based coalition nurtured by long-time McHenry County Republican Party Chairman Al Jourdan (who first won that post in 1968) is under severe challenge. One could tell by looking at all the new … Continue reading

RTA’s Al Jourdan and Don Totten Remind Suburbanites What’s at Stake

It took Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mark Brown to point it out, but there are some high regional stakes in the fight over who controls mass transportation in the metropolitan area. The same fight occurred in 1974 and in the early … Continue reading

Metra’s Jack Schaffer Calls Proposed Personnel Policy Way to Increase “Patronage”

Back when Jack Schaffer was State Senator and I was State Rep., we once had a conversation about patronage. Both of us agreed that we were pleased to let McHenry County Republican County Chairman Al Jourdan handle that aspect of … Continue reading

McHenry County Board Chairman Selection Monday Morning

The pretty secret jockeying to be Chairman of the McHenry County Board for the next two years will culminate tomorrow morning in Woodstock. After the 9 0.clock swearing in, three, perhaps four, perhaps more people will have their names entered … Continue reading

McHenry GOP Chairmen, Present & Past, Step Forward for Dave McSweeney

Just in case there was any doubt, “Fellow Republicans” received a letter from Mike Tryon William “Bill” LeFew Jack Schaffer Al Jourdan informing them that are supporting David McSweeney, the GOP winner of the 52nd District State Rep. race this … Continue reading

McHenry Township Republicans Raise Money

Saturday afternoon, McHenry Township Republicans gathered at the McHenry Moose for a pig roast and to hear candidates make their pitches. McHenry County Blog prevailed upon attendee Becky Kress to share her photos. McHenry County Board member Barb Wheeler, who … Continue reading

NW Herald Quotes Schaffer on Franks’ Metra Attack Motivation

Kevin Craver of the Northwest Herald wrote a story Tuesday about McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler’s unwillingness to ask for the resignation of former State Senator Jack Schaffer from the Metra Board. The first indication I could find of … Continue reading

Franks Bill Provides New Way to Complain About RTA, Metra, Pace and the CTA

I’ve written previously of State Rep. Jack Franks’ personal motivation for going after Metra and RTA board members, but let me remind readers that Metra Board member Jack Schaffer owns Liberty Outdoor, the company that puts up small billboards favored … Continue reading

Jack Franks Gets Attention of Colleagues and Capitol Fax Blog Commenters

Marengo Democrat Jack Franks has gotten publicity for his third “Let’s get rid of the pensions” bill. First he went after the RTA, Metra, Pace and the CTA. No salaries, not pension, no health care benefits. No one seems to … Continue reading

Franks Lashes Out at McHenry County Good Ol’ Boys

Thursday in the Chicago Tribune, Democratic Party State Rep. Jack Franks lashed out at McHenry County Republicans who had the audacity to put up an opponent, John O’Neill, in last fall’s election. The comments were in a story covering a … Continue reading