McHenry County Blog

Jeremiah Silas O’Neill was born at Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington on November 10.

The big boy was 10 pounds, 10 ounces and 22 1/2 inches long.

His mother Basia accompanies her children to McHenry West High School for Marlin Swim team practice and mentioned she was a bit past due date, but that was not abnormal for her.

And what shows up but a big baby boy.

“Coincidentally enough, he was born while Senator Pam Althoff, Senator Dan Duffy, State Rep Mike Tryon, and State Rep Mark Beaubien were meeting with the Nursing staff at Good Shepherd to discuss how the Health Care bill, now headed to the Senate, may affect them,’ father John O’Neill reports.

“So really, all of McHenry County’s Republican lawmakers from Springfield were there along with the Republican hopeful; I was just busy holding my wife’s hand while she was giving birth.”

O’Neill, a member of both the McHenry Elementary School Board and the McHenry Library Board is the first Republican to challenge incumbent Democratic Party State Rep. Jack Franks in two election cycles.

At about 10:45 yesterday morning I caught a little of Dennis Miller’s nationally broadcast interview of McHenry County State Rep. Jack Franks (D-Marengo).

Apparently Miller made a pitch for term limits.

And Franks, considering a run for Congress after reapportionment, didn’t like the idea.

What follows is a bit of what I jotted down.

Franks said he was the “first Democrat elected since 1834.”

Fact check time.

I’d think Franks would give more credit to the Democrats who previously represented McHenry County in the Illinois House. I served with State Rep. Tom Hanahan (D-Johnsburg) and, even if Franks doesn’t remember Billy Giblin, a farmer from the Union-Marengo area, I’ll be his father Herb does.

Since Illinois had cumulative voting until Pat Quinn’s Cutback Amendment passed in 1982, my guess is there was a Democrat representing McHenry County except from 1983 until Franks took office in 1999.

“It’s the same bad actors.”

Before saying that, Franks had referred to McHenry County Establishment types. On the state level he mentioned Bob Kjellander and Bill Cellini.

“If you have newbies coming it, they’re going to get rolled.”

“Why not say, ‘I’m out of here in 8 years?’” Miller asked.

“You bridle at that.”

Franks then bragged of his “Sam’s Club for Seniors” pharmaceutical purchasing program, which he said represented “five years fighting with Big Pharma.”

“You’ve got corrupt officials stopping you,” explaining why a legislator like himself would need many terms in officethhe added before his segment was completed.

Miller addressed the legislator in the familiar “Jackie Franks” in his sign-off.

I’ve never hear anyone call Franks “Jackie.”

It occurs to me that someone of Franks’ relative youth (for Congress) might find term limits an issue that he would prefer not to face in a 2012 general election for Congress.

At the last board meeting of Grafton Township, the one in which constantly interrupting, newly-elected board member Gerry McMahon was censured, there were comments from Trustee Barbara Murphy (the one seen on the far left of the table) that may portend for big happenings Thursday night.

I’ll quote her comments in their entirety, but, first, let me set the stage.

Township governments are two entities in one. There is the Town Fund. It pays for township assessing, public aid, officials’ salaries, etc.

Then, there is the Road District. It is run by the road commissioner. About the only control the township board has over the road commissioner’s operation is making sure he doesn’t spend more than is appropriated.

Township Road Commissioner Jack Freund had handed out a proposed rental contract which would have the separate Town Fund paying his fund $3,500 a month rent starting November 7th.

“Digest it and next month I will bring my attorney, if you’re ready.”

McMahon didn’t seem to have a clear grasp of the separateness of the two parts of township government.

“It’s like charging your son rent for the basement of the bedroom.“Why should one arm of the government pay another for something the township owns?

“I don’t get it.”

Senior Trustee Betty Zirk explained the situation:

“We had this offer for $1.2 million for our property.“Jack said, ‘I want to buy it.’

“So, Jack bought it. He paid the town (fund) $611,000. The agreement was we’d probably be out of the building by November 7th.

“The Road Commissioner owns all the property. If we want to stay we’re going to have to pay rent.”

“Are we signing for both the lessor and the lessee?” McMahon asked.

“The only thing we can do with Jack is is he has a budget. We have to make him stay within the budget,” Zirk replied.

“We really don’t have any control over it.”

Zirk had previously suggested that the township board look for rental property elsewhere.

“Well, then I agree with you,” McMahon replied, “…as quickly as possible. It’s time to look for other places to move.”

Road Commissioner Freund was getting a bit irritated as this point.

“The Road District paid twice for that property. Once when they bought it originally and once when we bought it from the township and paid the township a year and a half ago.”

Referring to the proposed $3,500 month rent, Freund said, “That isn’t even making the payments on this property I have to pay.”

Then Trustee Barbara Murphy entered the discussion:

“My own opinion—I say we do the unwind. Put it all back to where it was and start from scratch.“Frankly, in my own opinion, I’m tired of this garbage.

“I’m tired of it.

“I’m tired of it. (I want it done.)”

Newly-elected Township Supervisor Linda Moore put in her two cents:

This board never approved the ordinance to borrow $700,000.”

Moore also noted that,

“In the Town Fund, we have $600,000…We’ve got some unwinding to do just as we did with the three and a half million.”

She further pointed out that the loan was for 20 years, but that “the township can borrow for 10 years.

“Basically, we have not followed the statutes.”

McMahon interrupted, but Moore finished her thought:

“I am concerned that the public was not properly noticed. Unwind this and soon.”

At the beginning of the meeting, right after public comments and approving bills the board will go into Executive (secret) Session for the following purposes:

1.Sale of Real Estate to Road District
2.Pending Litigation

The next item on the agenda is

Action on Sale of Real Estate to Road District

There’s a whole lot more on the agenda for the 7:30 meeting, which will be held at Faith Community Church at 10,547 Faiths Way in Huntley. It is located west of Tom’s Vegetable Market on the north side of Algonquin Road.

Outside of lottery outlets, church bingo, not-for-profit casino nights and the off-track betting parlor in McHenry, there is little legal gambling in McHenry County.

The passage of the non-threateningly named “video poker” will put video slot machines most taverns and restaurants in the State of Illinois.

Forty-some will be located in rural McHenry County, unless the McHenry County Board votes to ban them.

At Tuesday morning’s meeting of the McHenry County Board a resolution asking that citizens be given a chance to vote on a video poker referendum is on the agenda.

The last time there was an airing of the issue, lots of unemployed construction workers attended. They contended, incorrectly, according to State Rep. Jack Franks (D-Chicago) that construction projects would be endangered should the county ban five machines apiece for the forty-some bars and restaurants in unincorporated McHenry County.

If you are free to attend the Tuesday meeting, which begins at 9:00. The resolution featured here is way down on the agenda, so, goodness knows, when it will be voted upon.

= = = = =
Crystal Lake “Heck of a Guy” blogger Allan Showalter altered this cover of Time Magazine to fit McHenry County.

As readers know, I have been watching State Rep. Jack Franks (D-Marengo) prepare to run for Congress in a newly reapportioned 2010 district.

Should he succeed in capturing a congressional seat which contains all of McHenry County, one can almost predict a continuing downward spiral of the obviously deeply split Republican Party.

Franks was intimately involved in the township election cycle, even sending out campaign pieces which boldly proclaimed his political action committee paid for them.

But, here’s a canny new twist.

The 10-year legislator, who is superb at garnering publicity, whether it be with a bulk-buying prescription drug program or hinting at running for governor, was advancing his congressional ambitions in Algonquin Township this fall.

How?

The Franks campaign sent out invitations to his Bull Valley Country Club fund raiser to Republicans.

I’m talking hard core Republicans.

I didn’t make the list, but avoiding an article like this might be the reason.

But, it wasn’t just a mailed fund raising pitch.

A while later someone called on the phone to ask for a donation.

So, why would a state representative try to raise money in the hometown of the McHenry County Republican Party Chairman and fellow state representative Mike Tryon?

If one were planning on running for United States Representative in a district that contained all of McHenry County, how would a candidate do it?

Now, remember that Franks has hundreds of thousands of dollars that he cannot spend on a congressional campaign.  There are campaign limits on Federal contributions, but not for state campaigns.

But, he can spend it on a state legislative race.

Franks used part of that money to introduce himself in the Mike Tryon part of McHenry County.

And with Republican opponent John O’Neill running against him for state representative (not known until after the fund raising pitches in Algonquin Township), it is easy to predict that a lot of money will be spent identifying every possible supporter in his own district. That information, of course, will form the basis for his 2012 campaign for Congress.

No one has ever said that Jack Franks is not a canny politician.

McHenry Grade School Board and Library Board member Republican John O’Neill has been bold enough to announce the first challenge in years.

Incumbent Democrat State Representative Jack Franks seems determined to nip the challenge in the bud.

Saturday Franks was knocking on doors in John O’Neill’s McHenry precinct.

He also had volunteers out helping him protect this Democratic Party “franchise.”

Franks’ strategy pretty obviously is to try to make sure O’Neill can’t even carry his own precinct.

He probably figures that would discourage a series challenge, if he runs for Congress in a McHenry County-dominated district.

= = = = =

John O’Neill can be seen top left.  Jack Franks is bottom right.  Both photos were taken at the Patriots United meeting on gambling, which was held at the Woodstock VFW.  Franks spoke.  O’Neill gathered petition signatures after the meeting.

For several election cycles, McHenry County’s Democratic State Representative Jack Franks has been given a pass by local Republicans. One time ex-Republican County Chairman, Bill LeFew, even attended his fund raiser.

Now McHenry Grade School Board and Library Board member John O’Neill has stepped forward. O’Neill won the District 15 school board race, even though his family home schools.  The family has lots of photogenic children.

Many might consider him a sacrificial lamb.

Others might think that he is staking out the territory in anticipation for Franks’ abandoning the State House for a candidacy for Congress in a newly-drawn 2012 district.

O’Neill has been active in the Republican Party, being elected a precinct committeeman the year all statewide Republicans lost. In 2008, he was recruiting walkers for McHenry’s Fiesta Days Parade.  He attended the state GOP convention. 

O’Neill also was one of the organizers of the demonstration on Route 47 in Woodstock in front of Jack Franks’ legislative office in March. Protesters objected to Franks’ position on abortion and gun control.

O’Neill wrote Franks “had given me the tired old line that,

‘I personally oppose abortion but I support a woman’s right to choose.’”

The ad below appeared in the Northwest Herald:

After the demonstration and ad, both legislators retreated.

While always having described himself as “pro-choice,” Franks had a fairly conservative voting record on the issue in his early days. He infuriated pro-lifers statewide, however, by blocking the advancement of a “CHOOSE Life” license plate in the committee he chairs.

To understand why pro-lifers were enraged, take a look at the specialty license plates Illinois allows on the right hand side of the Sun-Times article above:

• Illinois & Michigan Canal
• Sheet Metal Workers
• Agriculture in the Classroom
• Illinois Route 66
• Master Mason

Previously, it appeared that Woodstock Mayor Brian Sager was preparing to run for the office. He, however, is a strong enough supporter of Franks that he was listed as a sponsor on Franks’ 12th Annual Breakfast Fundraiser October 3rd. Sager also would qualify as a liberal Republican, while O’Neill fits into the conservative mold.  Sager retired in July from McHenry County College, his last position being Interim President after Walt Packard was forced from the post, albeit with the biggest governmental golden parachute that has been seen locally.

Below is the email that popped into my computer:

Dear Friends,

For the past couple of election cycles here in McHenry County as well as our Nation, we have seen our political opponents gaining momentum. In some cases we have not even fielded a conservative candidate for office. I would like to reverse that trend.

I will be seeking the Republican nomination for Representative in the General Assembly for the 63rd District.

Since this is an 11th hour decision, based in part on the fact that nobody else in McHenry has stepped-up, I am seeking your help. Attached is a copy of the primary petition, we need to have a minimum of 500 signatures collected which need to be submitted to the Illinois Board of Elections during the week of of October 26.

I am asking you to get involved and help me collect these signatures. I have also included an instructional sheet explaining the general requirements for both the petition Circulator and Signer.

The petition sheets may be printed in multiple or copied and the Circulator needs to have them notarized in order to be valid. Please do not number the sheets; we will do that once they have all been returned.

I would like to have all of the petiton sheets returned by Monday, October 26 so I may prepare the packets for submission. Petition sheets without the full 10 signature lines completed are valid as long as they are notarized.

Please call or email if you have any questions.

I sincerely appreciate your help.

Thank you,
John O’Neill
(815) 276-2507

Zane Seipler, the man challenging almost 11-year incumbent Republican McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren has issues a press release challenging the incumbent’s credentials as a Republican. The statement follows:

Republican Sheriff Keith Nygren’s Support of the Democratic Party

Woodstock, IL, September 30, 2009- In the latter part of the 1970’s, Keith Nygren embarked on a political career.

Record states that Mr. Nygren was a Democratic committeeman in Algonquin Township.

At the age of 32, Keith Nygren was endorsed as the candidate for the appointment of sheriff by the McHenry County Democratic Central Committee. He did not get the appointment but his career as a politician began.

Keith Nygren was appointed Sheriff of McHenry County in 1997, this time as a Republican.

Prior to 1997, Mr. Nygren never participated in Republican Party politics.

According to recent record, Sheriff Nygren has not completely left his Democratic ideologies behind.

At a time when the Republican Party struggles to rebuild, Sheriff Nygren gives financial aid to a local Democratic leader.

Not just once but several times over the past couple of years.

When the Republican Party is in need of cohesiveness, leadership and support, Sheriff Nygren openly undermines the party that appointed him to office.

By providing campaign contributions to members of the Democratic Party, Keith Nygren turns his back on the Republican campaign donors that have helped solidify his tenure over the past 12 years.

Bi-partisan relationships are necessary in all aspects of government, including law enforcement.

Financing the other team crosses the line.

If Mr. Nygren has formed personal relationships with members of the opposing party, those relationships are to be respected.

Party unity and loyalty should also be respected.

Republican campaign contributions should not end up in Democratic coffers.

County Republican leaders should not be attending breakfast fundraisers for any member of the Democratic Party.

I am asking Republican Sheriff Keith Nygren to publically withdraw his support for any and all Democrats running for office, or to resign from the Republican Party.

= = = = =

I presume Seipler is referring to Keith Nygren’s name being listed as a member of State Rep. Jack Franks’ “Host Committee” for his October 3, 2009, fund raiser.

He is not the only Republican whose name was published–a couple of letters at a time–over the last two weeks on McHenry County Blog.

If don’t want to go down on the blog to find the article you seek, just click on the image you wish to enlarge.

Zane Seipler is the head shot on top of the article. Keith Nygren’s is just below.

The big news in the Northwest Herald Sunday was that State Representative Jack Franks was not going to run for governor.

He had been teasing the media that he might make such a run for a long time, gathering about a million dollars of mainly family money into his campaign fund to generate a July publicity push.

He was getting mentioned into late August. But not so much after State Comptroller Dan Hynes entered the race against appointed Governor Pat Quinn.

He said he would decide by Labor Day.

But didn’t.

Instead he went to Ireland with the two guys who will have the most to say about reapportionment for Congress for the 2012 election.

And, Sunday the big news was Franks’ congressional ambitions, about how he’d like to have McHenry County all be in one congressional district, which, I would point out, it would come close to dominating.

And, in order to wait for that, he would run for state representative again.

Which brings us to the question about his run for governor:

“If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?“

So, I anxiously watched to see if any of the statewide media would report that Franks was not running for governor.

Last night, I typed “Jack Franks, governor” into Google’s news search engine and set it to be from newest to oldest story.

I discovered that only one paper had written a story besides the Northwest Herald. That was the Galesburg Register-Mail. The story appeared on its web site Tuesday night at about 6 P.M.

= = = = =
The cartoon of Jack Franks wearing a cook’s hat is from his invitation to his Bull Valley Country Club breakfast on October 3rd.

We finished the list of individuals listed on State Rep. Jack Franks’ fall fund raiser invitation. Today, we list the political action committees and businesses below:

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen
BNSF Railway
Elevator Constructors Local 2
Freise’s Country Market
Fraternal Order of Police, IL State Lodge
IBEW Local 117
IBEW Local 150
Illinois AFL-CIO
Illinois Association of Fire Protection Districts
Illinois Bankers Association
Illinois Education Association
Illinois Federation of Teachers
International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150
Laborers International Union – Midwest Union
Local 11 Cement Masons
McHenry County Conservation Voters
McHenry County Building Trades Council
McHenry County Federation of Teachers Local 1642
Plumbers Local 93
Rockford-Area United Auto Workers CAP
United Transportation Union