McHenry County Blog

The McHenry Moose was the site of the McHenry Township Republican Pig Roast.

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.

Barb Wheeler presents her request for support.

McHenry County Board member Barb Wheeler, who has announced her intentions to run for State Representative in the 64th District whose southern tip is my precinct in Crystal Lake and Lakewood and goes north to Antioch, was one of the speakers.

Congressman Joe Walsh makes his pitch, while Crystal Lake's Bryan Javor and band member Tim Stewart listen.

8th District Congressman Joe Walsh made a pitch for re-election, even though he doesn’t know who his potential future constituents will be. (He made a second appearance in Aurora at State Senator Chris Lauzen’s Porky Picnic later in the day. Lauzen announced he would give up his Senate seat to run for Kane County Board Chairman.)

Joe Walsh mixed with those in attendance as well as speaking. The women to his immediate left as Wonder Lake Fire Protection District Trustee Cheryl Hammerand. On the right is Barbara Klasen, Greenwood Township Supervisor.

A photo of State Senator Dan Duffy was captured.

State Senator Dan Duffy talks to Barb Wheeler and her husband Joe.

Steven Rooney, recently elected to the Johnsburg School Board is caught with a John O’Neill for County Board tee shirt.

Johnsburg School Board member Steve Rooney

McHenry County Board members Tina Hill and Mary Donner were seen chatting at one table.

Tina Hill and Mary Donner sat at the same table.

The star of the day may have been the pig.

The roasted pig seemed to have no opinion regarding the candidates.

State Senator Dan Duffy got a turn at the microphone.

Dan Duffy speaks.

Both State Senator Pam Althoff and State Rep. Mike Tryon were enjoying the roast pig.

Pam Althoff and Mike Tryon confer. Greenwood Township Supervisor Barbara Klasen (standing) talks to MaryDonner in the center. Kathy Kutcha is on the right.

Newly-appointed State Rep. Kent Gaffney spoke to the gathering, but the photo with his son was really fuzzy.

Kent Gaffney (on the right) attends to some paperwork, as does McHenry Township Road Commissioner Leon Van Every.

The event had at least one McHenry Alderman in attendance–Andy Glab.

Pam Althoff converses with Helen and Andy Glab.

Tina Hill posed with McHenry Township GOP work horse Kathy Kuchta.

McHenry County Auditor Pam Palmer was campaigning for re-election.

Former McHenry County Auditor and GOP Chairman and his wife Carrie are greeting by current Auditor Pam Palmer.

There were many others at the successful fund raiser.

McHenry Township Clerk Bruce Novak chows down.

A two-elected official family, McHenry County Board member John Hammerand and Wonder Lake Fire Protection District Board member Cheryl (seen with Joe Walsh above) were enjoying themselves.

John Hammerand has a discussion with Jim Kelly.

Yesterday was one of the biggest fundraisers for the McHenry County Republican Central Committee.

Candidates traditionally place their yard signs along the McHenry Country Club on Play Day.

My guess is that parking along the road during previous golf outings has led to the “No Parking” signs there now.

Time was that late comers had to park on the road. Today, I had no trouble finding a parking spot in the McHenry Country Club lot.

Kieth and Marge Nygren enter the McHenry Country Club. Barb Wheeler was selling raffle tickets to raise more money for the local GOP organization.

Talking to some folks outside the front door, I saw Sheriff Keith Nygren and his wife approaching. I asked if I could take a photo.  They kept walking.

McHenry County Board member Barb Wheeler and Chief Deputy Treasurer Glenda Miller are seen at the check-in table.

Inside volunteers were collecting checks and issuing meal tickets.

8th District congressional candidate Joe Walsh and his wife Helene met with the active Republicans.

I didn’t get all the luminaries, but 8th Congressional District Republican candidate Joe Walsh and his wife Helene were courting support.

State Rep. and McHenry County Republican Party Chairman Mike Tryon is caught in a tender moment with his wife Cathy.

Wives of politicians end up doing things they might not really want to do and going places they might not really want to go. Tryon was about party business most of the evening…but not all the time.

Jack Franks' GOP opponent John O'Neill sat with former State Rep. Rosemary Kurtz and her daughter McHenry County College board member Donna Kurtz.

State Rep. Candidate John O’Neill was eating with former State Rep. Rosemary Kurtz and her daughter Donna Kurtz, who is a McHenry County Board member and county board candidate in District 2. Her running mate Ken Koehler was at the event, too, but I didn’t get a shot of him.

State Rep. Mark Beaubien and his wife Dee ate dinner.

State Rep. Mark Beaubien ate with his wife Dee.

Judge Gordon Graham was sitting with former McHenry County Board member Don Brewer.

Judge Gordon Graham was eating with former McHenry County Board member and former Algonquin Village Board President Don Brewer.

Former McHenry County Board member Bob Vorisek (sitting) was talking to current McHenery County Board member Marc Munaretto.

Former Algonquin Township Supervisor and County Board member Bob Vorisek was talking with McHenry County Board member and Algonquin Township Clerk Marc Munaretto.

Three women who run county offices are Recorder Phyllis Walters (back left), County Clerk Katherine Schultz (back right) and Auditor Pam Palmer (front center). On the left is Walter's sister Marie Holte, visiting from Colorado. On the right is Sheriff's Department employee Kathy Seith.

I caught this tower of feminine courthouse power after I finished eating steak.

From left to right are Greenwood Township Supervisor Barbara Klasen, McHenry County Board member John Hammerand and former State Senator Jack Schaffer.

Former State Senator and GOP County Chairman Jack Schaffer was eating with Greenwood Township Supervisor Barbara Klasen and McHenry County Board member John Hammerand.

Woodstock Mayor Brian Sager talks to Bruce Novak and his wife Louise.McHenry Township Clerk Bruce Novak and his wife Louise chatted with Woodstock Mayor Brian Sagar.

Woodstock Mayor Brian Sager spoke with McHenry Township Clerk Bruce Novak and his wife Louise.

Black Hobson, Cheryl Meyer and Mike Skala, all from Grafton Township, sit together.

Three Grafton Township politicians, from left to right, newly-appointed Lakewood Village Trustee Blake Hobson, Cheryl Meyer and Huntley School Board member Mike Skala.

There were many other Republicans present, of course, including former McHenry County Republican Party Chairman Al Jourdan and Bill LeFew. Coroner Marlene Lantz was sighted. McHenry County Board candidate Nick Provenzano, who is managing Joe Walsh’s campaign, was in attendance as was McHenry County Board member Pete Merkel. I’m sure there were more candidates. Please email me with others’ names.

Democrats made a determined effort to win all of the big money offices in Greenwood Township.

Since the township is not large enough for Republicans and Democrats to run on their own party labels, all the candidates were listed as independents.

Nevertheless, Democratic Party State Rep. Jack Franks sent out a letter endorsing Ed Riley for township supervisor.

He was defeated by current Township Clerk Barbara Klasen 61%-39%, a 335-vote margin (prior to the folding in of absentee and early votes).

The Democrats candidate for the well-paying road commissioner post was Tom Ganka.

The pay really must be good, because four men were scrapping for the job.

Don Goad, the candidate endorsed by road commissioners, current and retired, in most of the populated townships won the 4-way race. He got almost 43% of the vote. That was 705 votes.

His closest challenger was Tom Wyse, who received over 26% or 438 votes. Depending on whom you talk to, Wyse was either let go by Greenwood Road Commissioner Roger May for financial reasons or because he was getting ready to run for road commissioner. May endorsed Goad.

Democrat Tom Ganka came in third, getting only 223 votes (with maybe more to come from absentee and early voting).

There was a vigorous write-in campaign by Tom Borta. At maximum, he got 282 votes.

The closest challenge came from the most experience Democratic Party candidate, Kerry Julian. Julian ran as a Democrat for McHenry County Auditor and did better than any other countywide Democrat.

Julian received 42% of the vote in his challenge to incumbent Pam Palmer.

Julian got over 46% of the vote for township clerk, but Kendra Rishling was victorious.

Undoubtedly, Julian will be a candidate for another office, perhaps county board.

Unlike in Nunda and Algonquin Townships, the Democrats did not file any township trustee candidates in Greenwood Township.

Just as they did Sunday, Grafton Township Trustee write-in candidate Dan Ziller, Jr., and Don Goad, who appears to be the favored Republican candidate for the officially non-partisan Greenwood Township Road Commissioner post, ran half page ads in Monday’s Northwest Herald.

Greenwood Township, you may remember is one where Democrats like Jack Franks are supporting Tom Ganka for road commissioner, Ed Riley for township supervisor and Kerry Julian for township clerk.

Goad’s ad touts support from the following (click to enlarge the ad):

• Ed Dvorak, McHenry County Board member and former Nunda Township Road Commissioner
• Chuck Majercik, former McHenry Township Road Commissioner
• Bob Miller, Algonquin Township Road Commissioner
• Tom Thurman, Dorr Township Road Commissioner
• Dale Behm, Woodstock Superintendent of Streets
• McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren
• Leon Van Every, McHenry Township Road Commissioner
• Don Kopsell, Nunda Township Road Commissioner and, most importantly,
• Roger May, retiring Greenwood Township Road Commissioner

Besides Goad and Ganka, there are two more candidate for the road commissioner slot. Tom Wyse, who used to work for the Greenwood Township Road Commissioner and was laid off (because of financial reasons or because he was planning to run for road commissioner, depending on who you talk to) and write-in candidate Tom Borta have signs all over the township.

Riley is being opposed by current Township Clerk Barb Klasen. Candidate for township clerk, Kenda Rishling, appears to be aligned with Klasen.