This past year it has been re-named the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County.

It was a spin-off of the Fox Valley Defenders, which formed to fight (successfully, obviously) the Fox Valley Freeway through Barrington Hills. (Rumor is that then Lt. Gov. Paul Simon’s sister lived near the proposed “freeway,” which anyone with a brain knew would end up a tollway.)

Earth Day was 1969 and the members in McHenry decided they wanted to create a broad-based environmental organization and, since the organizers were from McHenry County they did so and changed the name.

And the group survived, although after municipalities took over re-cycling, the flow of income to the organization dipped so much that a full-time executive director became impossible to finance.

25 Year Members, taken in 1994. In the photo in the back row are Bill Wingate, Bill Howenstine, Lon Huml, Larry Lane, Cal Skinner, Jr., Brian Koukol, Sherry Anderson; front row, Florence Seda, Ardith Wingate, Alice Howenstine, Margaret Marchi, Anne Carroll, Ward Duel, Lou Marchi and Bill Carroll

The Defenders has been involved in all the garbage dump fights with scientist Lou Marchi arguing persuasively,

“All landfills leak, it’s just a matter of time.”

Protect of the shallow aquifers from which much of McHenry County’s water flows has been a key goal.

When people thought inappropriate use of land was threatening their neighborhoods, who you gonna call?

It wasn’t Ghostbusters. It was the Defenders.

Maybe some folks will reminisce about some of the fights, the most recent of which I remember was opposition against building a minor league baseball stadium on the watershed of Crystal Lake.

Below is the press release:

Environmental Defenders Celebrate 40 Years
of Protecting Natural Resources in McHenry County!

Anniversary Celebration planned at Saturday, March 13 Dinner Meeting
& Awards Ceremony in McHenry

WOODSTOCK – The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County will celebrate the 40th anniversary of their grassroots, not-for-profit organization at their Annual Defenders’ Dinner Meeting and Awards Ceremony – this Saturday, March 13, from 5:30 – 9 p.m at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, 404 North Green Street in McHenry, IL.

Founded in 1970, this locally based volunteer organization has grown from a few dozen concerned citizens into the McHenry County Defenders, a well-respected not-for-profit organization with hundreds of members throughout the county, dedicated to preserving and protecting a healthy environment in their communities.  Recently, the group became known as the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County, to better reflect its purpose and mission.

Re-cyclers in Woodstock

Each year, Defenders members gather together for an organizational meeting, an awards ceremony for local volunteers, and a fantastic potluck supper.  This year’s program also includes “A Walk Down Memory Lane,” a retrospective look at 40 years of Defenders’ accomplishments, and a presentation on the proposed Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge in northern McHenry County.  A photo slide show will also feature Defenders’ members and  activities throughout the years.

The Defenders’ 40th Anniversary Celebration and Annual Dinner Meeting is open to members and their families.  Those who are interested in learning more about the organization are also invited to attend, and media representatives will be welcome.  There is no charge to attend the potluck dinner, just bring a dish to pass and your own non-disposable tableware.  The evening also includes several raffles, volunteer awards, and 40th Anniversary displays.  (A complete schedule is attached.)

For more information, visit www.mcdef.org or contact the office of the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County at (815) 338-0393, e-mail:  mcdef@owc.net.

Circuit Breaker form, page 2.

That’s what Pat Quinn’s Department of Aging put in the Circuit Breaker forms being mailed out to seniors and the disabled.

That’s what I learned in Sunday’s article by Daniel T. Zanoza of Republicans For Fair Media.

Here’s the announcement on the departmental web site:

NOTICE: In past years, the Department on Aging has been able to issue Circuit Breaker grants at the maximum allowable amounts. However, the state budget for fiscal year 2010 (July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010) did not fund the Circuit Breaker program at those levels. In order to continue to provide the Circuit Breaker grant benefit to older adults and persons with disabilities on and after July 1, the Department made the difficult decision to cut each grant awarded in half. This decision based on budgetary cutbacks cannot be appealed.

Thank you for your understanding.

That’s what happens when the General Assembly moves a program out of a big department—the Revenue Department—to a little one—the Department of Aging.

Circuit Breaker form, page 2.

Revenue might have been able to find money elsewhere, but no Aging…at least not while keeping everyone on the payroll.

And, that’s what Illinois government is all about, isn’t it?

Let me note that when I was running for State Representative in 1972, the circuit breaker real estate tax relief program was being pushed by the Richard Ogilvie administration. The 2 1/2% income tax had been imposed in 1969 and money was pouring in so fast that Ogilvie couldn’t spend it all.

So, he allocated $29 million for the program.

It the program has only grown to $40 million (before being cut in half by Governor Quinn), it certainly has not kept up with inflation.

My first year in office, I figured out that the entire $29 million had not been spent.

That’s because not everyone eligible for benefits had applied.

So, I figured out how much the benefits could be increased without spending more than $29 million, wrote a report explaining what I wanted to do and introduced a bill.

It passed through the Illinois House—as did 11 other of my bills, more than any other freshman state rep—and took it to the Senator Revenue Committee, chaired by Terrel Clarke of Western Springs.

He was impressed with the presentation and the bill got out of committee, passed the Senate and was signed.

At the time, Pat Quinn was a patronage employee in Dan Walker’s Department of Local Government Affairs.

Now, under his leadership, the property tax relief is about what it was in 1972 before I passed the bill to increase benefits. I would not that property taxes have not decreased.

Alexandra feeding the ducks on Lake Michigan with her mother Robin Geist Skinner.

My niece Sarah, now in an artist’s residency in Priarietown, Massachusetts, sent me a letter she found from my grandmother Addie Watling-Skinner last month.

Amazingly enough, the letter was addressed to my daughter Alexandra, 28 years old today.

You can see Grandmom’s note to Alexandra below (click to enlarge), but I’ll re-type it to make it easier to read. The undated letter reads,

Dear Alexandra

I would love to see you before I pass away.

I was 95 last year Nov.

We have had 2 big snows.

I wish you could be with me next Tuesday.

I hope you have a nice birthday. I hope God is watching over you and keeping you well & happy.

Lovingly,

From Grand Mom Addie

1996 letter to Alexandra from her Great-Grandmother Addie Watling-Skinner. (Click to enlarge.)

I have one of these scriptures to read each day.

I love them. (She just references the verses she wanted Alexandra to read and didn’t write them out, but I shall from the newly released “Lutheran Study Bible.”)

Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

Psalm 96:4 “For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.”

Psalm 100:3 “Know the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”

Thes 2:8 “So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.”

Math 7:8 “For everyone who asks, receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

Math 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Prov. 3:27 “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due.”

James 5:16b “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”

Act 4:20 “…for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

A shopping list is written on the back.

= = = = =
Since we’re on things Skinner today, I thought these links to a biography I wrote about Cal Skinner, Sr., might be of interest:

in the links below:

Biography of Calvin L Skinner – Part 1 – Second Son, School Years

Biography of Calvin L. Skinner – Part 2 – College, Marriage, First Jobs

Biography of Cal Skinner, Sr. – Part 3 – First House, Elected President of the Easton, Maryland, Town Council

Biography of Cal Skinner, Sr. – Part 4 – Storm Sewer Grates, Miles River Yacht Club, Slot Machines, Chesapeake Bay Bridge

Biography of Cal Skinner, Sr. – Part 5 – Switching Parties, Moving to Salt Lake City, Middletown and Crystal Lake

Biography of Cal L Skinner – Part 6 – The Early Crystal Lake Days, Dipping Feet Slowly into Political Arena

Biography of Cal Skinner, Sr. – Part 7 – Running for County Auditor, Precinct Committeeman, Calling the Meeting that Led to McHenry County College

Biography of Cal Skinner – Part 8 – The Star Reporter, Daughter Ellen Bored in High School, Prohibited from Attending MCC Classes

Biography of Cal L Skinner – Part 9 – Responsible Republicans’ Slate, County Board Reapportionment

Biography of Cal Skinner, Sr. – Part 10 – Unsuccessful County Clerk Try, County Airport Fight, Wife’s Death

It’s too late to meet Grandmom and your Mom-mom and Pop-pop Skinner, but the rest of the family still would like to get to know you as an adult. And we all wish you a “Happy Birthday!”

And it occurs to me that your mother was about 28 when we got married.

Paula Yensen

First there was District 5’s Republican Virginia Peschke filling out the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water’s conflict of interest form.

Now her District 2 colleague Democrat Paula Yensen has done so, too.

Neither had to do so anymore than the 17 of 27 county board candidates who have done so.

Both women are incumbents who are not on the ballot.

Revealing such potential conflicts of interest to the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water for posting on its web site is strictly voluntary…unless the county board passes an ordinance to make it mandatory.

But there’s something in the political air this year that convinced this overwhelming majority of county board candidates to lay out more of their political finances than in past years.  ALAW has capitalized on it.

It’s probably the stench of political corruption coming out of Springfield and Chicago.

Certainly, no indictments have popped up in McHenry County.

My theory is that the level of corruption out here is so small compared to that in Chicago and Springfield that it doesn’t make the cut at the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

And, yes, I have verified that Federal agents have interviewed people in McHenry County.

Even I got interviewed by a Postal Inspector concerning a House Republican Campaign Committee—financed mailing put out by the HRCC’s mail house owner Roger Stanley. He wanted a copy of a mailing from an obscure political action committee created just to attack my candidacy.

I didn’t remember the committee, but when he described the mailing, I did remember it, found a copy and faxed it to him.

It is my understanding that one of the mail fraud counts Stanley pled to concerned that mailing. Certainly, the Chicago Tribune reporter who called me the afternoon of the plea agreement thought so.

Even though the wrong doing in McHenry County doesn’t reach the indictment stage, the reporting of the indictments and convictions in Chicago does reach McHenry County, angering that part of the electorate who think government ought to be “on the square.”

That includes me. My 1990’s legislative seat mate Tom Johnson once told me, probably after some outraged speech,

“The problem with you, Skinner, is that you think this is on the square.”

So, let me list below the candidates for McHenry County Board who are willing to take ALAW’s step toward convincing local voters that county government is “on the square.” I’ll list them alphabetically by district. All the candidates are Republican, unless indicated otherwise.

• District 1 – None
• District 2 – All but Ken Koehler, that is, Sandra DePaul, Donna Kurtz, Ellen Brady Mueller and Lyn Orphal
• District 3 – Everyone of them! Veronica Armstrong, Nick Provenzano, Craig Steagall, Barbara Wheeler and Karen Tynis
• District 4 – Sandra Salgado and Jeff Thirtyacre (Democrat)
• District 5 – Tina Hill, John Jung and Frank Wedig (Green).  Incumbent Jim Kennedy and challenger Dave Frederick have not yet filed the form.
• District 6 – All but incumbent Dan Ryan, that is, Richard Draper, Diane Evertsen, Mary McCann, Vic Narusis.

Victor Narusis

Karen Tynis

Tynis and Narusis have filed most recently.

In addition, all the candidates for sheriff, except incumbent Keith Nygren, have voluntarily submitted their conflict of interest forms.

The three willing to “bare all” are (in order of filing)

• Zane Seipler
• Gus Philpott
• Mike Mahon

Here is where you can find the statements.

was my reaction when I read former campaign manager Kieth Liscio’s press release about suing his former employer, 8th District GOP candidate Joe Walsh.

Back in 1982 when I unsuccessfully ran for Congress against incumbent U.S. Representative Robert McClory I was similarly sued. ( I carried McHenry County; McClory won the larger Lake and Kane Counties.)

Ray Pempek was my campaign manager. Funny guy. He’d hold my 24-toed gray cat Bijou up by his front legs, saying, “Dancing Cat.” (Keely Cat would not stand for that.)

He sued me claiming he had not been paid what his contract stipulated.

He hadn’t.

His attorney put him on the stand before Judge Michael J. Sullivan, where he laid out his case.

Upon cross examination, Pempek was asked if he performed the duties outlined in the contract, e.g., preparing the daily schedule, writing press releases, stuff like that.

Apparently he answered in the negative too many times because, when my attorney asked for a directed verdict, the judge granted it.

In a directed verdict, one side of the case says the other side has not proved its case well enough to merit putting on the other side.

This was the second such suit I’ve been involved in. When I won the 1966 Republican primary for McHenry County Treasurer by 72 votes out of almost 12,000 cast with a spread of 277 votes among the candidates, the second-place finisher sued for a recount. My attorney, Stan Narusis and I sat in the old second floor courtroom of the Woodstock Square Courthouse listening to the evidence. (Actually, we had more evidence of strange occurrences than the opposition, having had poll watchers in polling places where the judges had never seen them before.)

After the opposing counsel had completed his presentation–presenting absolutely no evidence, just argument–to Lake County Judge Glenn Seidenfeld, I leaned over to Stan and said, “He didn’t present any evidence. Why don’t we move to dismiss?’

Stan did and Judge Seidenfeld, who died at age 94 in 2008, dismissed the case. Maybe the then-Establishment thought I was so young and naive that I would agree to a recount once sued.

Yeah, right.

In any event, below is Lisco’s press release. Below it is Walsh’s response.

JOE WALSH SUED BY FORMER CAMPAIGN MANAGER
Suit Alleges 8th District Candidate Owes Former Friend $20,000

Morton Grove, IL — Today, Keith Liscio, former campaign manager for 8th Congressional District candidate Joe Walsh, sued the Walsh campaign for non-payment of $20,000 in campaign management services.  The suit was brought by Mr. Liscio in conjunction with his firm Patrickson-Hirsch Associates in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Municipal Department, Second District.

The suit alleges that Mr. Walsh hired Liscio to perform campaign management services in August of 2009, repeatedly paid for those services late, and eventually stopped paying altogether.  When the total amount owed exceeded $20,000 in December of last year, Mr. Liscio left the campaign.  Despite repeated attempts to resolve the matter and collect the debt, the Walsh campaign has refused to pay.

According to Mr. Liscio, “It is with deep regret and sadness that I take this action today.  I’ve tried to work out a payment plan with Joe both before and after my departure from the campaign and fully expected him to live up to his commitments to me and my family.  I’ve known Joe Walsh for over 14 years and am very disappointed that he has failed to meet this obligation.  I’m only bringing suit now as a last resort – he just refused to make a sincere effort to ensure payment of what was owed to me despite spending tens of thousands of dollars on other campaign expenditures.”

Liscio and Walsh met in 1995 when Walsh first ran for Congress in the 9th Congressional District against Sidney Yates.  Liscio volunteered for the campaign and eventually rose to the position of Communications Director where he brought Walsh’s campaign to national prominence.  When Walsh was weighing running in the 8th vs. the 10th District last year, he again sought Liscio’s advice and eventually hired him to run the campaign.  Liscio developed the campaign strategy which positioned Mr. Walsh as a “Tea Party” candidate, hired staff, and was in charge of executing the campaign plan prior to his departure.

To see a copy of the complaint filed with the court, contact Mr. Liscio at (847) 772-0525.

Here is 8th congressional district Joe Walsh’s response:

Regarding the suit, I’m saddened and surprised. Here’s the story and it’s not much of a story: I have a dispute with an ex campaign consultant over the performance of his work, we’ve been negotiating for over a month trying to come to a settlement, it appears he’s filed suit today.

This type of thing, as you know, goes on often in campaigns. I think it’s really regrettable that he decided to file suit a week and a half before the election and then reach out to the media to try and gin up a story. Seems like he’s trying to impact the election which just doesn’t seem right.

It’s an inside baseball story. We’re buliding a grassroots movement to take back this district and as of now, it appears we’re in the lead. Was hoping to settle something with Mr. Liscio, but as of now, its strictly a legal matter.

I’m focused on winning this campaign.

How do I know?

Lientenant governor candidate Jason Plummer begins speaking after being introduced by McHenry County Young Republican President Bryan Javor.

Because I’ve been on the same route he took twice, once in 1982 when I ran for State Comptroller against Roland Burris and twenty years later when I ran for governor in 2002 against Rod Blagojevich and Jim Ryan.

A statewide candidate doesn’t remember all the stops on the campaign trail, but some are memorable.

Like the night at some big meeting hall in Carbondale when all the candidates on the ticket were standing under a big photo of us all and Jim Thompson was commenting on the St. Louis Globe’s endorsement that day.

“Even Skinner got endorsed,”

he exclaimed.

Of course, I thought and still think I was more qualified than incumbent Burris to be State Comptroller, but even I was surprised I had received the endorsement.

Last night the McHenry County Young Republicans held a candidates’ night for county board candidates.

Thank goodness, the YR’s were not as hidebound as the DeKalb League of Women Voters in 1982, when I was not allowed to speak because I wasn’t a legislative candidate.

In any event, the tallest Republican candidate I have seen since Thompson walked to the podium and was told, as the other candidates had been told, that he had five minutes and that when he was at the four minute mark, he would be told.

He started by pointing out the Illinois lieutenant governor had “no constitutional duties.”

He cited the three statutes giving the office some things to do—probably all enacted while Neil Hartigan was serving under Governor Dan Walker—and said,

“Clearly it’s not an overwhelming workload.”

Plummer talked about his having created jobs in companies he had started, as well as his role in the family lumber business, RP Lumber, with 43 yards in Illinois and two in Missouri.

He told of how he was in intelligence in the Navy Reserve, had worked at the Heritage Foundation and for U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald.

And, how he had returned from Washington to run for Madison County Republican Party Chairman.

He talked about fighting corruption in Madison County, something that no knowledgeable person would deny exits.

“I battled corrupt legislators, a corrupt county board and a corrupt judiciary.”

Plummer said,

“The state needs someone who knows how to sign the bottom of a check, not just the back of a check.”

Great line, don’t you think?

While at a trade convention in Indiana, he told a woman he was running for lieutenant governor.

“In Indiana?” the woman asked.

“No, Illinois.”

The New Jersey resident reacted with dismay, wondering why anyone would want to run for office in our corrupt state.

“When the people of New Jersey are questioning the ethics of Illinois, (we’re in trouble).”

Then, a very bright light put up by YR President Bryan Javor went out.

Jason Plummer's expression after the bright light went out at 1776, plunging the room into relative darkness.

Then came the best quip of the night:

“Is that what you do at one minute?”

I’m still chuckling.

Tell me that Plummer won’t remember last night for the rest of his life.

In that last minute, Plummer listed some endorsements. I caught the Illinois State Rifle Association and the Illinois Federation of Right to Life.

Lientenant governor candidate Jason Plummer posing at 1776 in Crystal Lake with his campaign manager, Ray Marchiori.

Afterward I got a photo of Plummer with his campaign manager, Ray Marachiori. Marachiori staffed my Privatization Committee during the 1995-96 legislative session.

Plummer stayed until the end of the meeting. I guess he figured everybody in the room would vote in the GOP primary election.

I noticed 6th District county board candidate carrying one of Plummer’s signs out of the restaurant.

= = = = =
If this story interested you, this might, too:

“Jason Plummer calling“

When W. Robert Blair was Illinois House Speaker from during my first term in Springfield (1973-75), there were actual meetings. I had some bills that went to conference committee and was actually put on the committee.

Later speakers just had staff members bring around whatever they wanted to put on the House floor for a vote soliciting signatures of reliable conference committee appointees.

According to an NPR segment I heard yesterday, most of the differences in the health care reform legislation will be decided by having a Democratic Party staffer from the Senate meet with his or her counterpart from the House.

The major differences will be determined by actual Democratic legislators meeting in person, but behind closed doors.

The Democratic Party apologist being interviewed said that was fair because no Republicans in the Senate and only one in the House had voted for the bills in question.

I seem to remember a campaign pledge from President Barack Obama that such negotiations would be held in public. C-SPAN coverage..

Now comes 16th District Congressman Don Manzullo with a call for negotiations to be in open session. Here is his press release:

Manzullo Signs Petition to Force Open Health Care Talks
Resolution would require Democrat leaders to negotiate bill in public

[WASHINGTON]  Congressman Don Manzullo (R-IL) today joined many of his colleagues in signing onto a discharge petition that would force Democrat leaders to come out from the shroud of secrecy and start negotiating the massive health care bill in public.

The resolution, H.Res. 847, would require Congressional Democrat leaders and the Administration to start negotiating the health care bill in a public forum open to the media.

So far, 151 Members of Congress have signed the petition. Once that number reaches 218, Democrat leaders would have to open the talks to the public.

Since the House and Senate approved different versions of the bill in November and December, Democrat leaders from the House, Senate and Obama Administration have been holed up behind closed doors trying to work out a compromise version of the bill to present to the President for his signature.

On the campaign trail last year, then-Sen. Barack Obama pledged that

health care reform negotiations would be broadcast on C-SPAN so the “American people will know what’s going on.”

On Dec. 30, C-SPAN called on congressional leaders to carry out President Obama’s “C-SPAN pledge” and allow coverage of the health care talks. Two weeks later, the talks are still behind closed doors.

“In all my years in Congress, I have never seen an issue that has invoked as many constituent calls and as much emotion as this health care issue.

“It has the potential to affect every American and dramatically change the way health care services are paid for and delivered in our country. With this much at stake, Democrat leaders should honor the President’s campaign pledge and allow C-SPAN coverage of the negotiations so all Americans can see what could affect them for the rest of their lives.”

Keith Nygren

Zane Seipler

McHenry County Sheriff candidate Zane Seipler is levying the same charge against his opponent Keith Nygren that Nygren’s candidate for State’s Attorney Dan Regna made against Lou Bianchi:

Using his office for political gain

Here are the details from the affidavit he filed today in McHenry County Circuit Court:

Now comes the Petitioner, Zane Seipler of 1455 Fox Sedge Trail, Woodstock, a citizen of the State of Illinois and a resident of McHenry County and moves this Honorable Court to appoint a Special Prosecutor in the above captioned matter, and in support thereof states as follows:

That Keith Nygren is Sheriff of McHenry County.

That he has performed political activity within his office and while purporting to be within his official duties as Sheriff, constituting a violation of Official Misconduct in violation of Illinois law, Chapter 720 ILCS 5/33-3(b) and (c), State of Illinois Ethics Code, the McHenry County Ethics Ordinance and other laws of the State of Illinois.

That he directed deputies to perform political activities while being paid by McHenry County and during purported times of “official duties”, constituting a violation of Official Misconduct in violation of Illinois law, ILCS 5/33-3(b) and (c), Illinois law 10 ILCS 5/9-25.1, State of Illinois Ethics Code, the McHenry County Ethics Ordinance and other laws of the State of Illinois.

That the State’s Attorney for McHenry County represents Sheriff Keith Nygren and cannot examine, investigate or otherwise initiate a prosecution of Sheriff Keith Nygren because doing so is and apparent conflict of interest.

( See attachment “1” [above, click to enlarge.])

The State’s Attorney for McHenry County cannot prosecute Sheriff Keith Nygren.

That in support thereof, Petitioner attaches hereto and as a part of this petition, his Sworn Affidavit.

WHEREFORE, the Petitioner respectfully requests that this Honorable Court appoint a Special Prosecutor to investigate allegations of criminal wrongdoing by Sheriff Keith Nygren.
By:_____________________________
Petitioner-Zane R. Seipler

What is the evidenced presented?

Sheriff Keith Nygren poses for campaign photo with Dan Regna, the candidate whom he supported against fellow incumbent Republican McHenry County State's Attorney Lou Bianchi two years ago in the Republican primary election.

“Sheriff Keith Nygren used his taxpayer funded county office as a photo shoot setting to provide political support to Dan Regna, 2008 State’s Attorney Candidate.

Second example presented by Sheriff candidate Zane Seipler that McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren used his office to advance the political career of Dan Regna, whom Nygren endorsed for McHenry County State's Attorney two years ago.

“The photos taken were used for Dan Regna’s political campaign website and campaign newspaper ads.”

Here’s another bit of personal testimony from Seipler about being approached for a campaign contribution at the gun range. A quid pro quo was suggested, he says under oath:

“On October 11, 2007, I was a candidate for promotion and while on duty attending a training session at the McHenry County Sheriff’s Departments firing range (Hartland Township), I was approached by Detective Greg Pyle. Detective Pyle encouraged me to attend a fundraiser for political candidate Dan Regna and to support his campaign. Detective Pyle told me,

‘It would be good for your career.‘

Detective Pyle said this to several deputies; Detective Pyle was promoted shortly thereafter.”

Use of the official star used by the department is also presented as evidence that Nygren did something wrong.

The seven pointed McHenry County Sheriff's Police star is apparently the official star for the department. Seipler says that is improper on a campaign piece like this one about Nygren

“Sheriff Keith Nygren is using official departmental letterhead and star logo on his campaign letters, flyers and political paraphernalia. (See attachments 1, 2 3 and 4 for examples of official departmental letterhead and star logo) (See attachments 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 for campaign use of official departmental letterhead and star logo)”

Continuing, the affidavit says,

“Sheriff Keith Nygren’s deputy and security guard, Michael Cooper, was in possession of documents stolen from the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office. (See attachment 12 , Illinois State Police Freedom of Information Request) To the best of my knowledge Sheriff Nygren never conducted an internal investigation to determine if Deputy Cooper did not commit the crimes of Theft and Official Misconduct, nor did Sheriff Nygren ask an independent police agency to conduct an investigation.”

This makes it look as if the probe of Lou Bianchi’s alleged political use of office resources might intersect with any investigation of Nygren’s actions.

Display of Regna campaign literature in the Sheriff’s Office is another complaint Seipler makes:

“During the State’s Attorney’s race of 2008, I witnessed Dan Regna campaign flyers being displayed in the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department patrol room.”

I remember campaigning for State Comptroller in courthouses Downstate in 1982. I was surprised to find candidate literature on the counter of one Republican official’s office somewhere southwest of Springfield. It also reminds me of how Julie Covert took down a sign for a State’s Attorney running for re-election which was posted on the front lawn of the courthouse, which was on the Woodstock Square at the time. A sheriff’s deputy followed her out of town. Someone called her husband Ben and warned him. I can’t remember what I was told he said, but, knowing Julie, it was probably something along the lines of “What do you want me to do about it?” Julie was always and still is a strong-willed woman.

You know those deputies at the McHenry County Courthouse who are charged with ensuring the premises is secure? Take a real of the next paragraph:

This is the “paraphernalia” confiscated from a person named in the affidavit when he entered the courthouse. The Sheriff's deputy who supposedly took the cards is reported to have said the building was “Keith Nygren’s Courthouse.”

“On August 31, 2009, a McHenry County resident, Keith Simpson of 1415 Fox Sedge Trail, Woodstock, was harassed and humiliated at the McHenry County Courthouse by deputies. Mr. Simpson’s personal belongings were seized unjustly. The belongings in question were political business cards with my contact information on them. Mr. Simpson was told by deputies that the cards were ‘paraphernalia’ and that the building was ‘Keith Nygren’s Courthouse.’ Mr. Simpson was attending a court hearing and just happened to have the cards in his possession at the time.”

If accurate, is that over the line or what?

In one of the first county board fund raisers of the year, McHenry County College Board member Donna Kurtz gathered supporters at The Cottage at the corner of Crystal Lake Avenue and Brink Street Thursday night.

Kurtz is running to replace either incumbent County Board Chairman Ken Koehler or member Lyn Orphal in the early February Republican primary election.

Crystal Lake City Councilman Jeff Thorsen introduced the candidate.

“I am very, very, very enthusiastic supporter of Donna Kurtz,” he said. “We need someone with her honesty and integrity in county board government.”

Kurtz said she was inspired by her mother former State Rep. Rosemary Kurtz’ concern for environmental protection and former State Rep. Cal Skinner’s fiscal conservativeness. Rep. Kurtz defeated Rep. Skinner in the 2000 GOP primary election.

Former State Reps. Rosemary Kurtz and Cal Skinner, plus McHenry County College Board member and County Board candidate Donna Kurtz. (Jeff Thorsen commented that this should be sent to Ripley's Believe It or Not.)

“As many of you know, the world goes full circle.”

Kurtz said she running for the board of directors of a $260 million organization, McHenry County government.

Reflecting on her service on the McHenry County College Board, Kurtz said it had taught her this lesson:

“You gotta do your own research. Everyone’s got their own agenda.”

She didn’t say she was reflecting on her support of building a minor league baseball stadium on college property and, then, changing her mind with the announcement being at the Crystal Lake City Council meeting the night re-zoning was being discussed, but that might be a good guess.

“My courage was driven by my thought I couldn’t stand not to do the right thing,” she stated.

Besides Thorsen, City Council members Carolyn Schofield and Brett Hopkins were in attendance, as were park board members Mike Walkup and Richard Sexton.

McHenry County Recorder of Deeds Phyllis Walters, who actually lives in District 2 in the tiny bit of Algonquin in the district was also in attendance, as was Nunda Township Supervisor John Heisler.

Members of A-LAW, the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water were in attendance. The group recently proposed strict potential conflict disclosure rules for county elected and appointed officials.  The Alden Road Alliance was also represented. District 3 county board candidate Craig Steagall, who actively opposes the location of the proposed Ridgefield Metra station on Country Club Road, also was present.

Touchdown Sponsor

• Tamara Kurtz

Field Goal Sponsors

• Erv & Louise Lecoque
• Dr. Robert & Carol Minkus

Safety Sponsors

• Jeannine Thoms
• Connie Zukowski
• Scott Summers
• Jewel Hahn
• Jill Hartman

Extra Point Sponsors

• Keith & Marge Nygren
• Phyllis Walters
• Bill & Alice Howenstine
• James & Diane Gesler
• Lou Ann & Jerome Majewski
• Jean Plews
• Patricia Floeter
• Brett & Tina Hopkins

Today, I’m going to tell you what I saw from a civics classroom point of view.

From the beginning District 3 county board member Barb Wheeler has been ready to vote to ban video gambling in the unincorporated part of McHenry County.

She made that very clear in the License and Liquor Committee.

British Member of Parliament Edmund Burke took a position similar to Wheeler’s and several of her colleagues. He epitomizes the “trustee model” of representation. Some might refer to the role as a “statesman.”

Burke’s most famous quote of justification was to the electors of Bristol in 1774:

“Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion.”

My quick research indicates he lost the Bristol seat six years later.

Here’s how Wikipedia explains the different concepts of representation:

“The trustee model of representation is a model of a representative democracy. Constituents elect their representatives as ‘trustees’ (or ‘entrust’ them) for their constituency. These ‘trustees’ have sufficient autonomy to deliberate and act in favor of the greater common good and national interest, even if it means going against the short-term interests of their own constituencies. The model provides a solution to the problem uninformed constituents who lack the necessary knowledge on issues to take an educated position.“This model parallels the delegate model of representation, which is a model in which the representative is a tribune of the people.”

I have to admit on issues that I did not campaign on I tended toward the delegate model in my representation in the Illinois House of Representatives.

If the people of McHenry County wanted something, I would more likely than not be presenting that viewpoint in the General Assembly during my sixteen years there. I conducted mailed polls to gain a sense of the electorate in addition to putting out my listening post in public places.

On financial issues, I tended toward the trustee model, especially for those from the educational community hell bent on having me vote for a high income tax, most of the proceeds of which would end up in Chicago and Downstate. I cut my teeth doing cost-benefit analysis at the United States Budget Bureau right after grad school in public administration (probably called “policy analysis” now).

The debate on whether there should be an advisory referendum on gambling brought the various concepts of representation into focus like I have not seen them previously on the county board.

Part 3 tomorrow.