The McHenry County Liquor and License Committee met Monday morning with an audience of liquor license holders pretty much filling the room.

According to Committee chairman Ken Koehler, there were 15 people testifying in favor of a vote on a resolution to legalize slot machines in taverns and restaurants with liquor licenses in unincorporated McHenry County.  Four were in opposition.

Four testified in favor of keeping the ban on video poker in unincorporated areas.

The argument has shifted from when the legalization was defeated 13-10-3.

Then union members were arguing that money from video gambling was necessary to fund infrastructure improvements that would provide jobs.

Those folks were not in the committee room, as far as I could tell.

Instead tavern owners attended, arguing that there was an uneven playing field in their line of work with many municipalities having approved gambling in bars that competed directly with them.

Randy Kief, who owns a bar south of McHenry, gave an easy to understand example. He’s the one who presented a petition from liquor license owners, which was distributed to all County Board members.

“The problem now is the playing field is uneven.”

He told of missing two brothers, long-time customers, on Super Bowl Sunday. He discovered that they and their wives spent the day at a bar two miles away.

“The wives were playing the games while the guys were watching the game,” he related.

He added that he had heard of no problem that had been caused by the in-tavern gambling.

Another establishment owner, Tom Hensy of Horizontals Saloon, told of his business’ being “down 40% in food sales alone since December.”

He said there were “sixty establishments without gaming.”

On the other side of the argument was McHenry’s Joyce Story.

“Last year when I came before the Board, it came from a concern for my community, for our chi8ldren and the impact on their future.”

While she said she felt “bad for the people” asking for repeal of the prohibition of gambling, she argued, “It is not for the betterment of our community. It is for the detriment of our future.”

Story warned of businessmen trying to get liquor licenses just so they could get a video gaming license.

“We will have mini-casinos all over this community.

“We don’t want to become another Las Vegas…It will lead to the destruction of our community.”

Jack Meyer, owner of the Crystal Bowl, told of his initial opposition to having the machines.

But he has changed his mind.

He complained about the state’s having opened up casinos.

“If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.”

When testimony was completed, County Board member Joe Gottemoller asked how many votes it would take to pass the proposal.

The answer was three. And only three of the five members were in attendance.

Bob Nowak and Sue Draffkorn were absent.

Next Diane Evertsen spoke.

She noted that the last time the issue came up she was in the audience and heard people complaining that without video gambling customers would go to Wisconsin.

After taking a look at Wisconsin law, she concluded, ‘If there were in fact gambling in Wisconsin that was paying off, it was indeed illegal.”

Continuing on what happened the last time around, she said, “We saw the room absolutely stuffed with union members saying they would lose their homes [if video poker were not allowed.

"Two weeks later we saw those very same people across the street on strike.

"That's my soap box."

Gottemoller related that the neighbor next door when he was growing up [in LaSalle County] “had a slot machine in his home and I started using it at age 4.”

“I’m not thrilled that we’re gong to have gambling every place.

“I would at least move this forward to the County Board. If it takes three votes, it’s not going to happen today.”

“I’d say so,” Evertsen interjected.

The committee voted 3-0 to table the resolution until Monday, April 8th, at 10 AM. That is not the regular meeting date. It was set so that Chairman Koehler would be in town.

The names of those signing in can be seen below:

Here are the McHenry County Board members who signed Nick Provenzano’s petition to call a special meeting on Friday, January 18th at 9 AM to consider whether voters should have a shot in April at passing a referendum on whether the Board Chairman should be elected.

You can see eleven signed the petition.  Eight–one-third of the Board’s members–were required to sign to call a special meeting.

So people can find their names, let me list them in the order in which they signed and who they ended up voting for in the County Board Chairman’s race:

• Nick Provenzano (supported Koehler)
• Mike Walkup (new, supported Hill))
• Ken Koehler (supported Koehler)
• Robert Nowak (supported Koehler)
• Joe Gottemoller (new,  supported Gottemoller)
• Mike Skala (new,  supported Gottemoller)
• Robert Martens (new, supported Hill)
• Diane Evertsen (supported Schuster)
• Donna Kurtz (supported Schuster, then Hill)
• Sandy Salgado (supported Koehler)
• Mary McCann (supported Hill)

Four supported Tina Hill for Board Chairman.

Four supported Ken Koehler for Board Chairman.

Two supported Joe Gottemoller.

One supported Schuster.

All are Republicans, which when one thinks about it, that probably just recognizes the lay of the political land, that is, Democrats are more likely to gain positions of power, e.g., Paul Yensen’s appointment as Chairman of the Management Services Committee, through politicking in the current system of selecting a Board Chairman than through a one-on-one fight with any Republican in a countywide contest.   Both Yensen and first time Democratic Party Democratic Party Board member Nick Chirikos voted for Hill and neither showed any support for an at-large election at the Monday Management Services Committee meeting.

Only one of what I would consider hardcore supporters of Hill broke ranks to potentially endanger the new ruling coalition’s ability to continue its power after the 2014 election cycle.

Just because someone signed the petition does not mean that they are committed to vote for an April referendum.

There are twenty-four Board members and a majority vote will be required to put the question on the ballot.

Do you want to express your viewpoint to your County Board members?

Here are their phone numbers:

• Michele Aavang – 815-648-4210
• Yvonne Barnes – 847-516-2719
• Nick Chirikos – 847-658-3434
• Sue Draffkorn – 815-653-6057
• Diane Evertsen – 815-943-3298
• Joe Gottemoller – 815 382 9940
• John Hammerand – 815-728-0700
• Jim Heisler – 815-459-1971
• Tina Hill – 815-347-4222
• John Jung – 815-338-6201
• Ken Koehler – 815-459-7841
• Donna Kurtz -815-788-0632
• Bob Martens – 815-675-6353
• Mary McCann – 815-568-1061
• Mary McClellan – 815-482-5693
• Anna May Miller – 847-639-5112
• Robert Nowak – 847-516-9637
• Nick Provenzano – 815-355-8540
• Sandy Salgado – 815-271-5293
• Carolyn Schofield – 815-455-9550
• Ersel Schuster – 815-338-2207
• Mike Skala – 847-669-3804
• Mike Walkup – 815-459-7090
• Paula Yensen – 815-404-3918

At this point one can see that Nick Provenzano read the political wind better than the Management Services Committee did on Monday.

Whether the wind is blowing hard enough to overcome the reticence of Board members who like the current insider system (for reasons including an inability to raise sufficient funds to mount a countywide campaign–campaign cost having been mentioned by several Board members during the ongoing debate) remains to be seen on Friday morning.

And whether the measure passes or fails, the roll call will be used in the 2014 elections.

It will be interesting to see if any County board members from the last Board who voted to put a tax hike on the ballot in April will refuse to allow their constituents to vote on whether to elect their County Board Chairman at the ballot box.

Donna Kurtz goes to the defense of conservative McHenry County Board members Ersel Schuster and Diane Evertsen against the attacks of Jack Franks’ union-backed Democrat Ryan Heuser in an open letter below:

OPEN LETTER

The recent attack hit pieces directed toward County Board members Diane Evertsen and Ersel Schuster was filled with so many absurd fabrications that I felt it needed to be addressed.

With that in mind I would like to provide my perspective of what I have observed of Mrs. Schuster and Mrs. Evertsen over the last two years that I have worked with them on the County Board.

They work hard, and do their homework. If that homework involves meeting and hearing out constituent concerns, or conducting research, or going to additional county board committee meetings, then that is what is done.

They have been tax fighters from the first moment they respectively stepped out on the board floor.

Their commitment to lower taxes stems from the principled approach that I have seen them take with every vote that they make as County Board members.

Mrs. Schuster’s leadership on greater accountability for Board Members has been well documented. She advocated both a per diem per meeting and an attendance tracking system as a means to ensure that board members were being held accountable for doing their job.

Mrs. Schuster has actively engaged in ensuring funds for human services are appropriately spent for those with the greatest need.

Both ladies have led the fight for their constituents on issues such as Alden Road, Fleming Road, and open space.

There is no question that these ladies have demonstrated a commitment to serve our County without self-interest in the work they conduct, the votes they cast, and the people of McHenry County who they serve.

In closing, although we may not always agree on all the issues and votes, Mrs. Schuster and Mrs. Evertsen have established well-deserved reputations as

• hard working,
• straight talking, and
• honest public servants

who have served District 6 well, and deserve to be re-elected.

If you know of voters in District 6 please pass this letter on to them.

Sincerely,

Donna Kurtz
County Board Member – District 2

In response to my invitation to candidates to send me literature they have been distributing, District 6 McHenry County Board member and candidate Diane Evertsen emailed the following.

The first is her palm card.

Here is the back of Evertsen’s post card:

Here’s the address side:

Labeling himself a “tax fighter,” Jack Franks-backed Democrat Ryan Heuser has launched a second attack on two of the most conservative Republicans on the McHenry County Board.

Hueser again uses a mailing to push for passage of Jack Franks’ County Executive referendum. He is one of very few candidates to support this concentration of power in the hands of one person. He makes no mention that a County Executive will be able to spend up to $25,000 without prior County Board approval.

On his web site, Heuser lists eleven unions and Jack Franks as endorsing him.

Ersel Schuster released this rebuttal to the two Heuser hit pieces:

Ersel Schuster, Member/Candidate McHenry County Board
408 S. Shannon Drive, Woodstock, IL 60098‐9474
815‐338‐2207 or ersel@sbcglobal.net

Dear Friends & Neighbors,

It is with deep disappointment that I feel a need to get this message out to you at this time. However, to those of you who have received copies of the Ryan Heuser campaign pieces, I cannot allow his personal attacks on Diane and myself to go unchallenged.

Diane has responded and her e‐mail has gone out to everyone we could reach. In the event this transmission reaches someone new, Diane’s comments parallel those below.

My response to the deliberate untruths is as follows:

1.  “Work 10 hours a week,”

I would challenge this person and anyone who believes this statement to follow us around for just one week. My thought is that they may not run for the position once they see the effort it takes to do the job. His statement of a 10‐hour work week can be multiplied many times over.

We often field calls late at night or early, early in the morning. I cherish each and every opportunity to speak with and help anyone who contacts me. That is just who I am.

2.  “Raised their salaries three times, increased their pension and receive health care benefits”

• No. I did not vote to raise county board salaries “three” times… I have consistently worked to change the pay structure to a “per diem.” In essences, that would reduce pay as a members would only be paid for meetings they actually attended;
• No. I did not vote to “increase” board members pensions; and,
• No. I have never taken county health insurance.

3. “Raised our property taxes over the past 10 years to be one of the highest in Illinois”

While I have served on this board on prior occasions, this man states that “over the past 10 years” I have voted to increase taxes. I am just completing a “four” year term and Diane is completing a 2 year term on the county board. Had he done his own campaign piece and bothered to check the record, he would know his statement to be false.

4.  “Do NOT support a publically elected County Executive”

The one true statement is that I DO NOT support the County Executive form of government. Among other things, it is adding another level of government and can only raise the cost of doing the county’s business.

5.  “Give themselves hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of benefits.”

I would challenge this person to identify all these benefits! I’ve certainly not seen them.

While I know that folks running for these positions may not have all their facts, it does tell us something about the person when they would publish such outlandish statements without verifying them.

I want to thank you for your past support and encouragement. It is my hope that Diane and I will be able to continue the work we’ve begun in advocating for less county government.

New signs have popped up in conjunction with signs supporting the re-election of Ersel Schuster and Diane Evertsen.

They feature the phrase

You Don’t Know Jack

Little doubt who the Jack is.

The phrase is used along with a message to “Vote No” on Democratic Party State Rep. Jack Franks’ pet fall project–the approval of a referendum that will add another layer on McHenry County government called a “County Executive.”

It is not a secret that I don’t think the head of county government should have the authority to spend $25,000 without prior County Board approval.

This is Illinois, after all.

= = = = =

The phrase “You don’t know Jack” was popularized by the write-in candidate against Jack Franks, Joe Rosner.

The first time I saw the “NO” in know capitalized was during our campaign against the creation of the RTA.  Opponents figured the more people knew about the Regional Transportation Authority referendum the more likely they were to vote against it.  Our side lost by under 13,000 votes and no recount was allowed.  Paper ballots were used.  When it appeared the referendum would lose and the first Mayor Richard Daley was asked about such a possibility, his answer was, “Oh, I don’t know about that.  We haven’t stopped casting the ballots yet.”  One Chicago precinct in a ward voting about 60% in favor cast 100% of its votes for RTA.  There were about 80 votes in favor, no votes against and 60 spoiled ballots.

An email from District 6 McHenry County Board member and candidate Diane Evertsen:

New funny mailer!

Hi! Just when you begin to think elections and candidates can’t possibly get any dumber, hold on to your hat because they sure can!

I thought I’d give all of you a heads up on this episode of “Cook County comes to McHenry County” and hope you’ll pass this email along to your friends and neighbors here in District 6.

Case in point is the mailer from a County Board candidate in District 6 who has been kind enough to target me and Ersel Schuster in his last minute hit piece.

It’s always much more fun to send these types of mailings out at the eleventh hour so that your target can’t have an opportunity to disprove your information, or in this case misinformation.

These are the same folks who want to talk about integrity in government; all the rest of us have to do is explain to them what that means.

And it is curious, isn’t it, that Ersel and I are the only targets?

The two candidates who have an actual RECORD of voting for lower tax rates and stopping salary increases!

This sleazy piece of campaign ‘literature’ is so full of fantasy it should qualify for time on Grimm.

Endorsed by Jack Franks, this poor soul can’t spell my name but accuses me of being a “career politician” after serving on the County Board for 23 months; I guess he’s a believer in very short careers.

Other funny fallacies include

• “Work 10 hours a week” (don’t I wish!),
• “raised their salaries three times, increased their pensions and receive health care benefits” (sorry, but I haven’t been on the board long enough to do anything three times and I certainly don’t take their health insurance as most of you already know),
• “Raised our property taxes over the past 10 years. . .” (earth to candidate: I haven’t even been there for 10 years!),
• “Give themselves (I’m assuming he refers to me and Ersel Schuster) hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of benefits” (Really? Seriously? And this is coming from an adult man who we should trust to make decisions on our behalf? “Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of benefits” PUH-LEESE!! Now he’s just being silly. Let’s get real!)

Jack states in his endorsement the candidate will work to balance the budget.

NEWSFLASH!!

McHenry County has a balanced budget!!

Maybe Jack will vote against Madigan as speaker of the House and work to balance the State budget!

I’m voting for write-in Joe Rosner, a valid write-in running against Jack in this election.

The only honest statement on this fine example of falsehoods is that I oppose the Executive form of government, the pet project du jour of this candidate’s mentor.

Is there any connection between those dots and this hit piece?

Does give one pause to consider, doesn’t it?

As always, I invite you to contact me if you have any comments or questions.

Of course, if you can help me out and let me know what those “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in benefits are, that would be nice, too! In case you have not yet seen the piece, you can view it here

Thanks for your time and keep the Faith!

I hate to tell you, “I told you so,” but the McHenry County Republican Party’s failure to allow Tonya Franklin to try to get on the ballot to oppose Jack Franks has indeed allowed him to play around more than he probably would have been able to do otherwise.

We all know about his efforts to change the form of county government from a weak County Board Chairman to a strong County Executive.

Now, he is found endorsing union-financed Ryan Heuser’s campaign for District 6 County Board member.

And, in an intriguing similarity to District 4′s Mary Margaret Maule’s attack on incumbent John Hammerand, Heuser’s oversized post card attacks the two incumbent Republicans most likely to be able to mount a challenge to Franks in the future–Ersel Schuster and Diane Evertsen.

Ersel Schuster and Diane Evertsen are attacked by Jack Franks’ endorsed Ryan Heuser on this side of the mailing.

There’s a pitch for Franks’ County Executive referendum, too.

The issues used are similar in Maule’s and Heuser’s hit pieces.

Contributors to Heuser’s campaign with donations large enough to be identified by name follow:

• 2-12-12 International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, Countryside – $2,500
• 2-14-12 International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 117, Crystal Lake – $200
• 2-24-12 Laborers International Union Local 1035, Marengo – $300
• 3-2-12 Plote Construction, Hoffman Estates – $250
• 3-16-12 Northeastern Illinois Federation of Labor, Gurnee – $500
• 3-20-12 International Union of Operating Engineers Local 339, Chicago – $500
• 3-20-12 International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, Countryside – $800 (20 4 by 8 pieces of plywood)
• 7-27-12 McHenry County Building Trades Council, Crystal Lake -$1,000
• 7-27-12 IronworkersLocal 498, Rockford – $250
• 7-27-12 Carey Electric, McHenry – $250
• 8-1-12 International Union of Operating Engineers, Countryside – $1,365.62
• 8-7-12 Bricklayers Local 21, Elgin – $200
• 8-10-12 Plote Construction, Hoffman Estates – $250
• 10-22-12 International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, Countryside – $5,178.85
• 10-30-12 Cecily Heuser, Marengo – $5,500

That’s $9,844.47 from Local 150, whose primary interest in what the County Board does has had to do with legalizing slot machines in unincorporated areas.  In the 13-10-1 County Board vote to ban video slot machines the first of December, 2009,  Schuster and Hammerand voted against gambling.  Evertsen had not yet been sworn in for the two-year term she won in November.

The involvement of Local 150 in both lobbying for the legalization of video poker and support of County Board candidates (see Mary McClellan’s sign at the Lakemoor Banquet Hall, and got $300 on Sept. 26th, which, strangely, is reported by the union, but not by McClellan).

Mary Margaret Maule got $2,000 from Local 150 on October 27th and $250 on August 25th, a quarter in which there were five other union locals making contributions.

A mailing from first term District 6 McHenry County Board member Diane Evertsen is going out.

It announces places where constituents can talk to her.

Here’s the information about the times, places and dates:

The text of the message follows:

Dear Neighbors:

Early Voting Begins October 22, 2012 – Election Day Is November 6th, 2012

I hope you’ll take some time to meet with me and our friends & neighbors at one of these “Meet & Greet” opportunities.

As I run again for a position as one of your District 6 Board Members, it’s very important to me to know your thoughts and concerns.

I’d like to make sure the lines of communication remain open and you feel free to talk with me about issues that are important to you.

Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and soft beverages will be available; there is no charge for any of these events.

• Wednesday, October 17 at the Heritage House 21225 Rte 14, Harvard ; 5 – 8 pm
• Thursday, October 18, 2012 at Crandall’s Restaurant, 10441 Rt 47, Hebron; 5 – 8 pm
• Tuesday, October 23, 2012 at the Glo-Bowl, 101 Franks Rd (Hwy 20), Marengo ; 5 – 8 pm

Ersel Schuster, who is also running for a Board seat in our District, has graciously agreed to join us at these
“Meet & Greet” events so you’ll have an opportunity to speak with her as well.

 

Both of us are sincerely looking forward to meeting with you. These events are scheduled to give you convenient times and dates so we can meet in a relaxed setting, have some hors d’oeuvres and get to know each other a little.

These are not “Townhall” meetings, but an opportunity for all of us to speak with each other.

Contact: (815) 943-3298 l www.dianeevertsen.com

I fund my own campaign & accept no contributions

Let’s get together… Let’s talk… Let’s VOTE!!!

Just not having enough processing time for the articles I want to write.

Today, let’s play catchup with the Monday McHenry County Republican Central Committee fund raiser at Port Edward in Algonquin.

I didn’t wonder around too much, but I did get a couple of photos of Republican activists.

Arriving early was McHenry County Sheriff’s candidate Jim Harrison and his wife Carolyn. They were sitting with Algonquin Township Trustee Lowell Cutsforth and Tony Cundiff.

Then along came another Sheriff’s candidate, Bill Prim, with his campaign manager Matt McNamara.

And, since the third aspirant to succeed Sheriff, Andy Zinke, was in attendance, too, this, let me show you the shot I got of him and Prim against the back wall of Port Edward.

McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi made the rounds greeting people.

All sorts of County Board candidates were in attendance. I am sure I can’t list them all, if you know someone not mentioned, put it in a comment and I’ll add him or her.  I saw Nick Provenzano.

The speaker for the evening was the Republican State Representative candidate for eastern Algonquin. [Algonquin was split into two districts by the Illinois Democrats. Mike Tryon will represent the western part.]

The Congressman who represents Algonquin Township, Peter Roskam, was not in attendance, but Randy Hultgren, the Republican Congressman who is running in the rest of McHenry County was.

One final long shot that I took before I left early. You may be able to pick out some of those in attendance.

The event ended at 8:30.

Let me add that there were plenty of Grafton Township candidates. Besides Supervisor Linda Moore, mentioned above in a cut line, there was Supervisor candidate Marty Waitzman. The only candidate not in attendance was Pam Fender. Road Commissioner candidate Tom Poznanski and Assessor candidate Al Zielinski helped the GOP raise money for the fall campaign.