McHenry County Blog

The letter with the candidates endorsed by the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water was too late for the Northwest Herald’s deadline for letters.

The paper of record also would not use the information as the basis for a story.

It was published on McHenry County Blog, however.

So, who were those candidates who answered the questions below to ALAW’s satisfaction?

Barbara Wheeler

Diane Evertson

Donna Kurtz

John Jung

Mary McCann

• Donna Kurtz (R) District Two
• Barb Wheeler (R) District 3
• John Jung, Jr. (R) District 5
• Frank Wedig, (Green Party) District 5
• Diane Evertsen (R) District 6
• Mary McCann (R) District 6

Frank Wedig

“Each of these candidates has pledged to work for preservation of our natural resources, our fresh water supply and our prime farmland,” the ALAW press release said.

“These goals are critical to maintaining our quality of life and economic viability in the county.”

Survey results are available here.

You read what the Woodstock Independent, the Northwest Herald and the Daily Herald want to know about and from candidates. Here’s what the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water are interested in learning about those running for the McHenry County Board:

ALAW County Board Candidates Survey: 2010 Primary Election

Please, indicate yes or no in the box to the right of the question.

A. Land Use

1. Have you personally attended any of the Regional Planning Commission meetings or subcommittee meetings on the 2030 Comprehensive Land Use Plan?

2. Have you read the proposed 2030 Land Use Plan?

3. Do you think the makeup of the 2030 Regional Planning Commission was a
balanced representation of the residents of the county?

4. Do you agree that new development should be located where infrastructure
exists, to minimize the extension of new roads, utilities and services, and protect
farmland and water recharge areas?

5. If elected, will you support funding permanent protection of agricultural land
and the agricultural industry in the County?

6. Do you understand that new rural development costs more for the extension of
infrastructure (roads, water, sewer and services) than it brings to the County in
taxes and that those extra costs are passed on to the existing taxpayers?

7. Do you support creation of the Hac-Ma-Tac National Wildlife Refuge in the
county?

B. Water Resources

1. Would you oppose any land use change that would exceed a locally recharged
aquifer’s capacity?

2. If elected will you enforce use of the SARA – Sensitive Aquifer Recharge
Areas map developed by the County Water Resources Department, as a
determining factor in every land use change decision?

3. Do you support redistributing groundwater from water-rich areas to areas that have over drawn their groundwater?

4. Do you think that McHenry County will be able to get water from Lake
Michigan?

C. Transparency in Government

1. Would you support a requirement that all elected or appointed county officials
make up-front disclosures of any financial or other interest in any real property
in the County?

2. Do you support a requirement that all elected or appointed county officials
make up-front disclosures of their interest in any business entity doing business
with the county?

3. Do you believe that public officials should disclose whether they provide
professional services to any unit of government to which they are elected or
appointed?

4. Do you agree that all scheduled meetings agendas and minutes, including
committee and sub-committee, should be posted on the County web site?

5. Do you agree that all McHenry County Board meetings should be video
recorded and posted on the County web site?

D. Short Answer. Only the number of words indicated will be published in the response report. (please add a page if you need more room, but remember that we can only print the number of words indicated. Thank you.)

1. What role do you think the County should play in planning for growth? (50 words)

2. By protecting agricultural lands and soil resources, groundwater and its natural recharge can also be protected. What will you do to provide that protection? (50 words)

3. What does the County get from its annual contract with the McHenry County
Economic Development Corporation and is it a good investment of taxpayer money? (50 words)

4. Who do you consider to be your constituents and how do you intend to communicate with them to ensure your positions honestly represent them? (50 words)

5. Please provide a personal statement about what you intend to accomplish, if elected to the County Board, and/or provide additional information regarding any of the “ / no” yes answers given above. (100 words)

Answers are due January 11th.

Two more county board candidates have filed their conflict of interest forms with the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water.

That brings the total to 20 out of 27 candidates who have answered the ALAW questionnaire.

74%.  Pretty amazing.

McHenry County Board Distrist Map

District 1 incumbent Yvonne Barnes is one of the recent filings. She has a contested primary election with three candidates—fellow incumbent Anna May Miller, Algonquin Township Highway Commissioner Bob Miller’s wife, and Robert Nowak, neither of which have filed. At the Patriots United County Board Candidates’ Forum, Nowak was the only one of the three to attend.

The second new filer is unopposed District 3 Democrat Lori McConville. District 3 is where the Democrats picked up a seat two years ago when Kathy Bergan Schmidt beat incumbent Nick Provenzano. Provenzano is trying to regain that seat this year. All five Republicans previously filed forms.

That means both non-incumbent Democrats have filled out the form. The other is District 4 candidate Jeff Thirtyacre.

However, the Democratic Party incumbent who is up for re-election, District 5′s Jim Kennedy, has not yet done so. He will be on the ballot this fall whether or not he decides to reveal his potential conflicts of interest. His Democratic Party colleague from District 5, Paula Yensen, not up for re-election this year, has also voluntarily filed the form.

Twenty-seven people want to be elected to the McHenry County Board next fall.

Twenty-one are Republicans, three are Democrats and one is a member of the Green Party.

Although the February 2nd election will decide who will be on the GOP ballot, the Democrats and Greens could appoint people to the ballot after the primary to challenge Republicans in Districts 1, 2 and 6, where Republicans currently face no fall contest.

100% of the Greens have filed (Frank Wedig, running in District 5).

Two-thirds of the Democrats have filed.

Of the twenty-one Republicans, seventeen have filed. That’s over 80%.

So, which Republicans haven’t told us what land they own and what business interests they have?

• District 1 – Incumbent Anna May Miller of District 1 and challenger Robert Nowak.
• District 2 – McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler of District 1. ( All of his opponents have filed their ethics forms with ALAW.)
• District 4 – Incumbent Pete Merkel
• District 5 – Challenger Dave Frederick
• District 6 – Incumbent Dan Ryan

Two-thirds of the non-filing Republican candidates are incumbents.

Of the ten Republicans and Democrats now in office running for re-election, sixty percent have now filled out the conflict of interest forms.

There’s still time to file and I’ll more than happy to write an article if addition people decided to reveal their potential conflicts of interest.

Remember hearing about how forest fires sometimes jump fire breaks that are intended to contain them.

That may have happened late last week with the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water’s conflict of interest ordinance.

Originally presented to the McHenry County Board in December, the draft ordinance was shipped off to the State’s Attorney’s Office for review.

The review came back with some good points, along with some trivial ones.

And the number of county board candidates voluntarily filing the form kept increasing. Here’s who have filed so far:

• 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 and Vic Narusis.

Since there is no deadline, candidates or public officials can still download the conflict of interest form, fill it out and send it in.

Indeed ALAW did not even ask candidates to fill out the ethics form; it did have a questionnaire on issued of interest, however, the results of which can be found here for the twelve county board candidates who completed it.

As you can see more candidates filled out the ethics statement than filled out the issue questionnaire.

Along the way, every candidate for sheriff has answered the conflict of interest questionnaire.

And, two incumbent county board members not up for election have completed it. One, Republican Virginia Peschke, the other, Democrat Paula Yensen.

Crystal Lake Councilwoman Carolyn Schofield

Late last week, however, the first municipal official sent in answers.

She is Crystal Lake City Councilwoman Carolyn Schofield.

What’s that all about?

She just got elected.

Does this portend an issue in the Crystal Lake city elections next spring?

Will Schofield introduce an ordinance to make completing the conflict of interest form a requirement for elected and appointed city officials, as well as city consultants?

Unlike the County of McHenry, the City of Crystal Lake is a Home Rule unit of government.

What’s that mean?

It means the Crystal Lake City Council and other Home Rule cities have more power than county government.

The standard explanation of what a Home Rule government can do is anything the General Assembly doesn’t say it can’t do.

If Schofield, the newest member of the city council, follows decides to make a variation of the ALAW ordinance mandatory in Crystal Lake, the debate could turn quite interesting.

Since city Councilwoman Ellen Brady Mueller is running for county board in District 2, she might get elected. She certainly is in the top three in the sign war.

If elected, I imagine she would resign from the council. If so, a replacement would have to be selected.

Might the council require applicants for the possible vacancy to answer the conflict of interest questions first?

Whether or not the city council passed such a requirement, any council member could let it be known that he or she would not support a candidate who did not fill out the form.

Yes, ALAW has started something that could get very, very interesting.

Barbara Wheeler

Diane Evertson

Donna Kurtz

Endorsements from the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water has endorsed folks for the McHenry County Board.

Here is the group’s press release:

John Jung

Mary McCann

The Alliance for Land Agriculture and Water (ALAW) is pleased to recommend the following candidates for McHenry County Board and asks for your vote in their respective districts.

• Donna Kurtz (R) District Two
• Barb Wheeler (R) District 3
• John Jung, Jr. (R) District 5
• Frank Wedig, (Green Party) District 5
• Diane Evertsen (R) District 6
• Mary McCann (R) District 6

Frank Wedig

Each of these candidates has pledged to work for preservation of our natural resources, our fresh water supply and our prime farmland.

These goals are critical to maintaining our quality of life and economic viability in the county.

Survey results are available here.

We would like to remind voters that “vote for two” on your ballot is not a command, but a choice.

One of the roles McHenry County Blog plays is alerting daily newspapers of stories they otherwise might not think of.

This might be one of those articles.

The Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water came up with an idea to help remove the suspicion that many members of the public have that county board members use their office for personal gain.

If you tell me people you have talked to haven’t brought this up, I’d suggest you are not very deeply into local citizenship.

The questionnaire idea was presented at the committee level of the McHenry County Board, received a chilly reception, and sent to the State’s Attorney’s Office for reviews, that is, to see if any or all of it would be legal for a non-Home Rule unit of local government to impose upon its officials.

Then, District 3 challenger Craig Steagall decided to fill out the form and submit it to ALAW.

District 2 challenger Donna Kurtz followed suit.

As of now, seven challengers and three incumbents have submitted such information about their personal financial situation.

Ten in all.

Considering Steagall is in District 2 and has demonstrated deep enough pockets to buy full page ads in the Northwest Herald, perhaps it is not surprising that two of his opponents—former County Board member Nick Provenzano and incumbent Barb Wheeler– have decided to make voluntary disclosure.

In District 5, incumbent Tina Hill has filed. In District 6, Mary McCann is among three candidates who have made disclosure.

So, three incumbents running for re-election are willing to stand up for reform.

Barb Wheeler

Tina Hill

Mary McCann

And, they are all women.  Does that tend to re-enforce my analysis that voters think women are less likely to be crooks than men?

Only three, it should be noted. They deserve to have their photos here, don’t you think?

And no one not up for reelection has yet to file a form.

Below is ALAW’s press release:

CANDIDATES DISCLOSURES KEEP COMING

Ten candidates for County Board in the upcoming primary have now voluntarily sent ALAW statements pursuant to the ALAW conflicts disclosure ordinance. Disclosure have been received from

• Donna Kurtz (R), District 2;
• Craig Steagall (R), District 3;
• Nick Provenzano (R), District 3;
• Barb Wheeler (R), District 3;
• Jeff Thirtyacre (D), District 4;
• Tina Hill (R), District 5;
• Frank Wedig (Green Party), District 5;
• Diane Evertsen (R), District 6;
• Mary McCann (R), District 6;
• Richard Draper (R), District 6.

(Incumbents are shown in bold face type; party identification has been added.)

The disclosures and the ordinance are both posted on the ALAW web site here.

ALAW expects to receive more disclosures over the next few days and challenges all candidates file statements.

There is no deadline for filing statements, but it is hoped that all candidates will file prior to the February 2 primary election.

ALAW presented the draft ordinance to the County Board on December 1, 2009.

It is currently under review by the McHenry County States Attorney’s office. If passed, the ordinance will require up front disclosure of elected and appointed county official’s real estate holdings and business relationships with the county.

“Our intent is to dispel the perception that our county officials sometimes place personal interest over their duty to their constituents. That idea has been an undercurrent in our county for a long time, and has recently become more widely expressed by the general public,”

said ALAW Director Emily Berendt. “With “transparency in government’ being such a key issue statewide right now, and the primary election approaching, the timing was right to present this ordinance.”

ALAW President Patricia Kennedy said,

“This was certainly unexpected but is a wonderful affirmation of our belief that full disclosure is as welcome by these candidates as it is by the public.”

Alliance for Land Agriculture and Water
PO Box 1021, Woodstock
Contact: Patricia Kennedy
815-943-7223

= = = = =
Come to think of it, this voluntary disclosure idea probably has as it precedent the voluntary release of income tax forms by Illinois Democratic Party politician Paul Simon.  I remember reading his Atlantic Monthly article in my Aunt Louise Stevens copy while visiting my grandparents in Maryland several years before moving to Illinois in 1958.  His article about the blatant crookedness in Springfield was my introduction to Illinois politics.

Confirmation has been received that Woodstock’s Frank Wedig will again run for the McHenry County Board in District 5.

That district covers Dorr Township, which covers most of Woodstock and Bull Valley, plus the eastern part of Grafton Township, including parts of Huntley, Lake in the Hills, Lakewood and Crystal Lake.

Wedig ran two years ago. You can find out how well he did here.He then ran for Dorr Township Trustee.

Wedig was competitive, running 158 votes behind the lowest Republican, Joseph Evanoff.

Wedig received 84% of the votes of the lowest Republican vote getter. (That is the margin prior to adding in absentee and early voting results, which were not tremendous in this election.)

Most recently,. the Green Party came out against the Woodstock baseball stadium’s being allocated $15 million in Federal Stimulus Recovery Zone Bonds.

There are four Republicans who have taken out primary petitions in District 5:

• Tina Hill (incumbent)
• John Jung (who lost to Democrat Paula Yensen last year)
• Dave Frederick
• John Vrett

The winners will face Democrat Jim Kennedy and Wedig.

I have received the following statement from Frank Wedig, Chairman of the McHenry County Green Party. He ran for a District 5 county board seat (how well he did is in this article) and, next, Dorr Township Trustee.

“One of the components of the Green Party Platform that is at the lop of my priority list is Fiscal Responsibility.

“The $15 Million Federal Stimulus Bonds to be allocated to the Woodstock Baseball Stadium do not meet that criterion.

“If the Stadium starts out being heavily subsidized by taxpayer money, future taxpayer bailouts are almost guaranteed.

“What is worse, if future bailouts are not forthcoming the $15 Million Dollars will have been lost – wasted. The economics of the stadium should stand on their own and be totally transparent.

“I am against corporate welfare, but in these difficult economic times some Government stimulus to the private sector can be justified.

“Spending the limited stimulus money on an entertainment complex is economically unsustainable. There will be good paying construction jobs initially, but then the permanent service-sector jobs will be low paying.

“For this Stadium to succeed, the local residents will have to spend their hard-earned money on entertainment. There are only so many entertainment dollars a family can spend. In this economy, people’s discretionary income may be diminished for a long time to come.

“This whole thing just doesn’t make good economic nor policy sense.”

An article that focused on the issue, on the Tuesday agenda at the Finance Committee meeting at 9:30, can be found here. Here is an article about the Woodstock City Council meeting that approved the proposal.

= = = = =
The photo is of Frank Wedig knocking on doors while running for Dorr Township Trustee.

Green Party candidate for Dorr Township Trustee Frank Wedig is knocking on doors in his second attempt to become the first Green Party member elected to office in McHenry County while being identified as such on the ballot.

The first time, he ran for county board in a multi-township race. Wedig received 1,412 Dorr Township votes but placed last.

McHenry County College Board member Scott Green was the Green Party candidate in the 16th congressional district race this past year, but college trustees are elected on a non-partisan basis.

Here is what Wedig is handing out:

Frank Wedig

Green Party Candidate For Dorr Township Trustee

I believe the number one issue for Dorr Township is transparency. The Township web site, although useful, could better inform residents about what is happening with their tax dollars. I advocate including more practical information regarding property taxes and appeals. The posting of all township expenditures – an open checkbook – would promote confidence in the government.

All information regarding the relocation of the Dorr Township office to a larger facility should be posted on the web site. The fiscally and environmentally responsible solution would be to find an suitable existing structure. A long-term rental agreement should also be considered.

The Illinois Green Party stands for, in part, grassroots democracy. I also believe in openness and accessibility in government. I am a fiscal conservative, and am anxious to bring a progressive voice and innovative ideas to township government.

In office, I will work to:

• Use your tax dollars responsibly
• Propose that the township formulate an opinion to the McHenry County Board on zoning changes
• being considered within the township
• Encourage conservation design techniques in township projects
• Add alternatives, besides the construction of a new building, to the discussion for new Dorr TownshipOffices

Frank Wedig and his wife Jeanne have been residents of Woodstock since 1990. He received an MBA from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL. and an undergraduate degree from Illinois Benedictine College in Lisle, IL. He has been a Flight Attendant for American Airlines since 1987. He is a member of the McHenry County Environmental Defenders.

Why am I running for this office?

Several of the current Dorr Township Trustees have been in office for over 15 years and it is time for new ideas and new perspectives.

The main issue for the Township is the much needed move to a larger facility. I don’t think the Township is considering all its options except for building a new facility outside of Woodstock. Finding a suitable existing building would be the environmentally and fiscally responsible option. A long-term rental is also a possibility.

I would like to bring total transparency to Township government. The Township web site would be ideal for communicating actions being considered on behalf of its residents. Letting people know what the Township is doing with their tax money will only help increase trust.

Currently the Township expresses no opinion regarding zoning changes being considered within its district. I believe that it should.

What skills and experience do I have?

The Township Board can be considered a legislative branch of government, and establishing township policy is its main focus. Approving legally incurred bills and expenses, certifying tax levies, and adopting the annual budget are some of the specific tasks undertaken by the Trustees. A trustee needs to consider the future consequences of decisions. I am detail oriented and my MBA has provided me with a solid background in financial matters. I am also a fiscal conservative and am ready to look at new approaches to money matters in these difficult economic times. I am a good listener and will consider all options before deciding. I am not afraid to ask the difficult questions required before arriving at a carefully considered conclusion.

Vote on April 7 – Early voting starts March 16 and ends April 2.

Wedig is running against the four incumbent Republican township trustees:

• Alan Swanson
• Harry Lamb, Sr.
• Mark Anderson
• Joseph Evanoff

The Democrats didn’t slate anyone for Dorr Township office, but the Green Party did.

Frank Wedig, the man who ran for McHenry County Board and received 1,412 votes in Dorr township, is trying again.

This time he is running for Dorr Township trustee.

The local Republican Party voted to have a primary election, but the only candidates who filed were the Republican incumbents.

Scratch the primary.

Here is what Wedig has to say:

“I believe the number one issue for Dorr Township is transparency.

“The Township web site, although useful, could better inform residents about what is happening with their tax dollars.

“I advocate including more practical information regarding property taxes and appeals.

“The posting of all township expenditures – an open checkbook – would promote confidence in the government.

“All information regarding the relocation of the Dorr Township office to a larger facility should be posted on the web site.

“The fiscally and environmentally responsible solution would be to find an suitable existing structure. A long-term rental agreement should also be considered.

“The Illinois Green Party stands for, in part, grassroots democracy.

“I also believe in openness and accessibility in government.

“I am a fiscal conservative, and am anxious to bring a progressive voice and innovative ideas to township government.

“In office, I will work to:

• Use your tax dollars responsibly
• Propose that the township formulate an opinion to the McHenry County Board on zoning changes being considered within the township
• Encourage conservation design techniques in township projects
• Add alternatives, besides the construction of a new building, to the discussion for new Dorr Township Offices.”

Frank Wedig and his wife Jeanne have been residents of Woodstock since 1990.

He received an MBA from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL. and an undergraduate degree from Illinois Benedictine College in Lisle, IL.

He has been a Flight Attendant for American Airlines since 1987.

He is a member of the McHenry County Environmental Defenders.

Besides the incumbent Republicans who filed for Dorr Township office, the Green Party candidate for Frank Wedig filed for trustee.

When he ran for McHenry County Board in District 5, Wedig received over 8% of the vote.

Top vote getter Virginia Peschke got almost 32% while challenger Paula Yensen claimed 31.7% in her successful quest to claim the seat of John Jung, Jr. Jung received 28.3%, falling 1,323 behind.

Wedig received 1,412votes in Dorr Township in November. In all, he got 3,105.

In eight of fourteen precincts Wedig received over 10% of the votes. In Dorr 5, 6, and 8, he got more than 14% of the vote in the four-way race. He received 7% in his worst Dorr Township precinct, Dorr 12, where Perry Moy is the GOP precinct committeeman.

The township trustee contest will be a five-way race.

Republicans on the ballot are

• Alan Swanson
• Harry Lamb, Sr.
• Mark Anderson
• Joseph Evanoff

By receiving over 5% of the District 5 votes, the Green Party is allowed to slate candidates for county board two years from now. If Wedig receives over 5% of the votes for township office the Greens will be able to slate candidates for the township election in 2013, according to the person I talked to at the Illinois State Board of Elections.