McHenry County Blog

Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay brought her campaign for the Illinois State Senate to Lakewood’s Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria Thursday night.

Nothing like free eats to bring out a crowd.  And Lou Manati’s pizza.  What a treat!

The event featured high-profile politicians like State Rep. Mike Tryon. Tryon would be one of the State Representatives in the 33rd State Senate District.

McConnaughay outlined her accomplishments during her seven years in office.  They included achieving a better bond rating from the two major agencies.

Lots of talk about politics, of course.

People looking for yard sign sites.

Others discussing court proceedings and Judge Gordon Graham’s order to pay a couple hundred more thousand dollars to the Special Prosecutors Henry Tonigan and Thomas McQueen and (their expensive investigators at Quest) who had no case against State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi.

At the end of event, campaign assistant Becky Cress was handing out McConnaughay tee shirts.

Below are four snippets from Huntley 158’s board meeting of March 4th. If you had taken the time to listen to or be at the board meeting, you would have heard the quotes below. (My apologies for any minor discrepancies.) Before each quote you see the context of what was being discussed.

1. After the board discussed the Middle School Handbook and how it had a homework policy in it for Huntley middle schools, Huntley High Principal Dave Johnson stepped up to the rostrum and commented on the absence of a homework policy in the high school handbook:

Mark Altmayer

“I think it would be difficult to come up with a policy.”

2. When the board was discussing whether further cuts should be planned for, Chief Financial Officer Mark Altmayer referred to $1.4 million by saying:

“It’s a lot of money, but it’s not that much money.”

3. When the board was discussing the appointment of a new board member to replace Shawn Green, who resigned at the end of the meeting, board member Donald Drzal commented on whether candidates should answer questions from board members at a public meeting:

“It’s not healthy to allow for a public Q & A.”

4. When Superintendent John Burkey’s proposed to have the last day of school for students be only two hours this year before a long weekend several board members balked, beginning with board member Aileen Seedorf questioning how this made a lot of sense.  After a lengthy discussion by the board Burkey offered this admission:

“I didn’t ask any parents about this.”

If administrators or board members were wondering at times about the audience reaction, these quotes might provide some hints.

The margin was overwhelming on election day.

65% to 35%.

Before adding in absentee and early votes, Skala led the two-county school district by about 3,700 to 1,300.

Almost 2-1.

A landslide.

Mike Skala, who lost a campaign two years ago while Huntley School District 158 Board President to Aileen Seedorf, Kevin Gentry and Jim Carlin, trounced elected incumbent Larry Snow.

Skala can again refer to himself as an “elected school board member,” rather than an “appointed school board member.”

Skala’s was a well-run campaign.

Snow’s was handicapped by an automobile accident that left him incapable of mounting a door-to-door campaign.

Skala’s campaign consisted of at least three mailings, including a post card of endorsement from State Representative and McHenry County Republican Party Chairman Mike Tryon, one of the recipients of a generous Skala company contribution, and Pam Althoff, similarly, a recipient of a generous contribution.

He had two at least other mailings, neither of which I got a copy of.

There was a phone call the last weekend and plenty of signs, none of which could I find a mere one hour after the polls closed. Skala’s efficient organization had taken them all down. Virtually all seem to have been illegally put on the public right of way.

I especially like the homemade-looking ones (maybe they were homemade) saying, “Vote Today.”

That’s an innovation worth copying.

My guess is that Skala’s was a classic voter identification and get out the vote campaign built upon the base of approximately 1,000 teachers and family members who live within the District 158 boundaries.

More than teachers and their families voted for Skala, of course.

He got almost 2,000 votes in McHenry County and 317 in the Kane County part of Sun City. Still incomplete, but let’s say 2,300-plus.

Two years ago, in his close loss, Skala received 1,570 votes in McHenry County and 301 in Kane County. That’s almost 1,900.

Four years ago, Snow got 1,877 in McHenry County and 1,191 in Kane County for 2,978, more than Skala received this time around.

Snow got 833 in McHenry this year and 462 in Kane, totally about 1,300. A 1,600 vote drop off.

So Skala’s vote increased 400 from two years ago and Snow’s decreased 1,600 from four years ago.

Of course, people aren’t as angry today about the deceptive tax hike Skala spoke for way back then. Political memories are short.

Politicians who hike taxes count on that.

And, lots of the Sun City folks probably have not yet returned from their snowbird homes, since Easter is next weekend.

It is interesting to note that most of Snow’s supporters did not vote for the four unopposed candidates for the four-year seats. Those spots will be filled by incumbents Shawn Green and Kim Skaja, plus newcomers Paul Troy and Donald Drzal.

Typically, lots of people are turned off by the type of smear campaign mounted by Skala’s allies.

Voters decide just not to participate.

That is exactly the reaction that those mounting the smear campaign usually hope for.

I wonder if this was a deliberately thought out strategy by the Skala campaign manager.

In any event, Skala’s campaign was obviously professionally managed and adequately financed.

I can hear the cheers of the teachers for the husband of their former co-president.

No more pesky questions on behalf of the taxpayers from Larry Snow.

No more forensic audits being pushed to look at illegally approved payments to administrators, which were never recovered by the board majority.

No more questions from Snow about why sexual harassment settlements are not discussed at public board meetings.

No more from Snow questions about why cronies are being pushed for high paid district positions for which they are unqualified.

And, most importantly, no more Larry Snow as chief salary negotiator.

The question remains whether this “lesson” will keep future taxpayer-oriented citizens from daring to invade the teacher-controlled school board majority citadel.

Back to the old way of doing things.

I wonder when the next tax hike referendum will be held.