McHenry County Blog

Former Island Lake Mayor Chuck Amrich has demolished the chances of incumbent Mayor Debbie Herrmann’s remaining in office.

With apparently all but the early and absentee voting included, the results in both McHenry and Lake Counties show an avalanche win for Amrich.

Results for Island Lake Mayor on the Lake County side of the Village.

The early and absentee ballots won’t change the results in the Island Lake mayoral election.

It is now evident why those behind Herrmann fought so hard to keep Amrich off the ballot.

I’d give odds on one thing.

Ancel Glink won’t be the Island Lake attorney after Amrich takes office.

That’s the information I just received in a brief email a half an hour ago, specifically,

“As of 90 minutes ago Charlie Amrich was found not guilty in Lake county court.”

Amrich served as Village President of Island Lake for twenty years before the Democrats took control of the non-partisan government.

As I remember the indictment, he was charged with selling gasoline to village vehicles while heading the village board.

Reporting on the trial, the Chicago Tribune wrote that Amrich testified that village vehicles had been serviced at the station since his father ran in the 1950′s, that he never directed village employees to use his station.

Both Amrich’s successor and his successor’s wife were also indicted. His successor was not convicted and the wife’s trial has not yet been held.

Island Lake and Grafton Township have a lot in common.

There are two sides that cannot abide one another.

Sharon Hyde at the time of booking after her arrest.

There is a difference, however.

In Island Lake, the Lake County State’s Attorney has indicted Island Lake officials over the years.

Besides Sharon Hyde, wife of the former village president who ran the village day care center and is charged getting paid for hours she did not work, the Daily Herald  describes the players like this:

• Thomas Hyde on misdemeanor battery charges for a physical confrontation with a man — who may be called to testify at Sharon Hyde’s trial — at a party in December 2009. Thomas Hyde was acquitted of forgery charges regarding his handling of a liquor license after a 2009 trial.
• 

  Former Village Trustee Richard Garling

  Former Mayor Charles Amrich is awaiting trial on charges he steered village vehicle maintenance to a gas station he owned during his 20 years in office.

• Christine Becker, the village clerk from 2001 to 2005, has pleaded not guilty to charges she destroyed village computer files the day after she was defeated for re-election.
• Former village trustee Rich Garling is due to appear in court April 27 on misdemeanor battery charges based on an alleged confrontation with a village resident at a meeting in 2009.
• Karen Luebbers, the village recreation department administrator, was charged with misdemeanor battery in January and is scheduled to appear in court May 9.