McHenry County Blog

As more sources of news show up in McHenry County, it might be interesting for folks to compare coverage of public events.

Take last Tuesday’s McHenry County Board meeting for example.

McHenry County Blog, the Northwest Herald’s Keven Craver, The First Electric Newspaper’s Pete Gonigan and Andrew Gasser’s Blog concentrated on Chairwoman Tina Hill’s controversial nomination of Cathy Ferguson to the 708 Board and her dropping of an attempt to replace Sandy Salgado with Bob Martens on Donna Kurtz’ Public Health and Human Services Committee:

• Cathy Ferguson Approved for 708 Board on 16-8 County Board Vote, Hill Reverses Course on Pulling Sandy Salgado Off Public Health Committee
• Ferguson appointed to fill vacancy on Mental Health Board
• County Board OK’s Hill Pick As She Withdraws Another
• Salgado Remains – Ferguson to 708 Board

Woodstock Advocate’s Gus Philpott concentrated on the Ferguson nomination:

• Committee qualification – “lovely”

Republican Precinct Committeeman and Algonquin Township Trustee Larry Emery, on the other hand, posted his notes. They give a more complete version of what happened than any of the other sources.

• McHenry County Board Meeting 052113-Larry’s notes

So for this particular meeting, you can compare six viewpoints (and make no mistake that what a writer includes in his or her articles demonstrates at minimum what the writer thought was most important about a meeting or event).

Generally the Northwest Herald is quite protective of establishment figures in McHenry County.

But Sunday’s editorial calls out McHenry County Board Chairwoman Tina Hill out in no uncertain terms for her 708 Board nomination bypass of the Public Health and Human Resources Committee.

The editorial says she comes off “as heavy-handed and power hungry, and the move raises questions about her motivations.”

And the NWH advises members to vote against Cathy Ferguson, Hill’s choice to fill a vacancy on the McHenry County Mental Health Board, because of Hill’s circumvention of the committee process.

With regard to Hill’s intention of replacing Pioneer Center Sandy Salgado with former Family Services Executive Director Bob Martens, the editorial writers conclude,

“If Salgado’s representation on the Public Health and Human Services Committee is a conflict, certainly Martens’ is as well.”

Tonight’s “Best Show in Town” begins at 7 in Woodstock’s McHenry County Administrative Center.

Just in case you are interested in the new faces who will serve on the McHenry County Board starting in December, here they are.  All six of McHenry County’s Districts will have newcomers.  (In the case of District 1, Yvonne Barnes is not exactly a newcomer, having served one term previously.)

District 1

District 2

District 3

District 4

District 5

District 6

Here’s something to ponder:

Who will these newcomers vote for McHenry County Board Chairman?

A friend of McHenry County Blog has forwarded an invitation to Democrat State Rep. Jack Franks’ September 29th fundraising breakfast at Donley’s Wild West Town.

The Jesse White Tumblers will perform.

As usual Franks provides a list of those who have agreed to be on his Host Committee.

Unlike last year, GOP Sheriff Keith Nygren is not on the list.

But Woodstock Mayor Brain Sager still is.

He’s there with Chicago Democratic Party Ward Committeeman and Alderman Ed Burke.

Last year, such sponsorship was less significant than this year.

Then, Sager was only a minor cog in the McHenry County Republican Party, a Precinct Committeeman from Greenwood Township Precinct 6.

The mayoral post is non-partisan.

Sure, I’ve written that I believe he wishes to run for Franks’ seat when Franks runs for something else, but his official role is that a GOP Precinct Committeeman.

This year, Sager

• was recruited to run as an Alternative Delegate by State Treasurer Dan Rutherford,
• was elected and
• is just returning from the National Republican Convention.

Looking for Republican County Board member candidates, I see far fewer than last year.

Randy Donley, who is retiring this year is listed.

There is a listing for “Bob & Judi Martens.”  I do not know if that is the District 4 candidate listed on the ballot as “Robert Martens Sr.”

Want to see who was on the Host Committee last year? Click away below:

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3
• Part 4
• Part 5
• Part 6
• Part 7
• Part 8
• Part 9
• Part 10
• Part 11

Last night when I did the story about McHenry County Board’s District 6, the numbers showed that the three incumbents were winning, plus Linda Kvidera Murphy.

Take a look:

Having not a clue what happened between then and when the following results were posted, I share them with you:

So the results are

1. John Hammerand- 3052
2. Sandra Salgado – 2762
3. Sue Draffkorn – 2728
4. Robert Martens – 2428
5. Linda Murphy – 2416
6. Ed Varga – 1774

There are four seats open in each McHenry County Board district.

In the McHenry-Wonder Lake-Richmond-Spring Grove-Lakemoor district, there are six candidates.

They are incumbents

• John Hammerand
• Sandra Salgado
• Sue Draffkorn

The fourth incumbent, Pete Merkel, is retiring.

Newcomers are

• Bob Martens, Sr.
• Edward Varga
• Linda Kvidera Murphy