McHenry County Blog

Former two decade Congressman Don Manzullo

Former Congressman Donald A. Manzullo was honored for his twenty years of service to McHenry County at a reception at Crystal Lake’s d’Andrea’s Monday night.

Sixty-some people, including the two Congressman who replaced him, gathered to offer laudatory comments.

A who’s-who of elected local elected officials were in attendance.

McHenry County Clerk Kathie Schultz, Sheriff Keith Nygren, Auditor Pam Palmer, Coroner Anne Majewski, County Board Chairwoman Tina Hill, Woodstock Mayor Brian Sager and surely others whom I’m forgetting.

Randy Hultgren

Peter Roskam

Both Congressman Randy Hultgren and Congressman Peter Roskam thanked Manzullo for being their role model.

Although neither was there when the other spoke, their comments about how Manzullo had managed to balance family life, keeping his ideals and public service could have been interchangeable.

A third legislator, State Rep. Mike Tryon had a letter read which also pointed to the Egan Republican as a role model.  (I’ll try to get a copy so I can share it with you.  It really was quite insightful.)

The man Manzullo beat in the 1992 Republican Primary, former State Senator Jack Schaffer, mentioned that he watched Manzullo’s career closely and was not disappointed.

Former McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler credited Manzullo with bringing $30 million in highway money to the area, including the Western Bypass in Algonquin, which he said would be finished next year.

Former McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler presented former Congressman Don Manzullo a plaque after praising his efforts to provide money for roads and water resource mapping.

He told of how the Postal System was convinced to yield a slice of its parking lot.  Manzullo was a good friend of the man who ran the Post Office and had him out for a hearing on closing a regional postal facility in Rockford.  As Koehler related the story, Manzullo said that he would find a way to get the Post Office honcho to Algonquin to show him the problem.

County Board Chairwoman Tina Hill and the man she replaced, Ken Koehler, had a chat.

Roskam, coming late after a 5:30 event in Elk Grove Village, brought forth something Manzullo constituents probably had never heard.

He revealed that Don Manzullo’s nickname in the U.S. House was “Mad Dog.”

Manzullo took the podium after that revelation and explained that only two Members of Congress had nicknames.

“There was a Congressman nicknamed ‘Doc’–and he wasn’t even a physician–and me,” Manzullo explained.

It was because of the intensity with which Manzullo pursued the issues about which he cared, for example, manufacturing in America.

Keven Craver has an interesting article in the Northwest Herald about the fight Democrat State Rep.  Jack Franks had with former McHenry County Republican Party Chairman, State Senator and Metra Board member Jack Schaffer.

You see, Schaffer owns Liberty Outdoor Advertising.

During the 2010 election a billboard critical of Franks went up in the location on Route 47 closest to Franks’ legislative office.

The 2010 billboard on one of Metra Board member Jack Schaffer’s signs that enraged Jack Franks, which made him mad at McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler when Koehler refused to prompt Schaffer to resign from the Metra Board. Franks began his House floor attack on Schaffer in the Veto Session after the November 2010 election.

Franks went ballistic about the billboard over the phone with a couple of folks involved.  That’s what I’ve been told by multiple sources.

He has lost his temper with others on other subjects as well.

There were attacks on the House floor during the veto session immediately after the 2010 election.

The first article I wrote about Franks attacking Schaffer was in January of 2011, while the Metra Phil Pagano scandal broke in the late April.

In any event, there was not an immediate attempt by Franks to remove Schaffer from the Metra Board after the Pagano scandal and suicide occurred.

The attacks on Schaffer began after the billboard appeared.

So, now Schaffer is not applying for reappointment.

And, according to the last paragraph of Craver’s story, Franks says the billboard had nothing to do with his calling for Schaffer’s removal from the Metra Board:

“While Franks has said his interest in the topic is based solely on good government, Schaffer has alleged that Franks is out to settle a score because Schaffer allowed an attack ad aimed at Franks to be posted on a billboard owned by Schaffer. Franks denies the allegation.”

Draw your own conclusions.

Jack Schaffer

Back when Jack Schaffer was State Senator and I was State Rep., we once had a conversation about patronage.

Both of us agreed that we were pleased to let McHenry County Republican County Chairman Al Jourdan handle that aspect of politics.

Now, Schaffer, serving on the Metra Board, has called out newly-installed Metra Board Chairman Brad O’Halloran on his proposal to give Board members the power to approve new hires earning more than $75,000 a year.  That’s what the Chicago Tribune says.

“I know what patronage is.  I want no part of it.”

O’Halloran took offense.

The Chicago Tribune headline tells the story.

So did other Board members, including Kane County’s Mike McCoy.

“Ridiculous and offensive.”

Schaffer was not alone in his believe, however.  Evanston’s William Widmer “feared the board ‘could become the go-to people about getting hired,’” according to the Tribune.

One of the mastheads that Andrew Gasser uses on his Fox River Grove blog.

The “Unimopper” article probably has gotten the most hits.

Who can’t be interested in someone stuffing mops down toilets which clog the sewer system at the lift pumps?

Today, Andrew Gasser reports on information he picked up about the new Fox River Grove train station from Metra Board member Jack Schaffer.

Where did he talk to Schaffer?

At the McHenry County Republican Central Committee meeting.

Tonya Franklin will be at Vauchan's Family Restaurant in Woodstock to answer questions Friday from 1- 9.

Tomorrow is the day that willing Republican State Representative candidate Tonya Franklin learns whether she is authorized to seek 500 “good signatures” in two days

The meeting, to which the public is invited, will be held Saturday at 9 AM at d’Andre’s at southeast corner of Routes 14 and 31 in Crystal Lake. Franklin will arrive at 8 for those who have questions.

Tonya Franklin is playing, “Mother, may I?” with those who are quite comfortable, thank you, with having Democrat Jack Franks represent over one-third of McHenry County in Springfield.

Some of the Central Committee members eligible to vote at the meeting are contributors to past Jack Franks’ fund raisers. They are listed on his “Host Committee.”

One leading Republican even spoke in praise of Franks when asked if he would like to say a few words at a fund raiser a couple of years ago.

At Ken Koehler’s fund raiser last night I was asked again and again, “What’s going on?”

“Has there been a deal cut between Republican and Democratic Party legislative candidates that involves slating no one against the other?”

I wish I could answer either question, but I can’t.

Former GOP County Chairman Jack Schaffer also had no idea why the resistance to Tonya Franklin’s candidacy exists.

County Board Chairman Ken Koehler welcomed someone willing to that Jack Franks on.

Maybe it is as simple as the opponents’ not wanting anyone who was inspired to her Republican activism by the Tea Party movement.

Goodness knows there are plenty of Republican office holders who do not think we in McHenry County have been “Taxed Enough Already.”

= = = = =
What has the GOP in McHenry County got to lose by allowing Tonya Franklin’s to take on “Chainsaw Jack” Franks?
Click on the title of my article from earlier this week below:

What’s the Downside of Tonya Franklin’s Running against “Chainsaw Jack” Franks?

= = = = =
Since the Illinois House of Representatives has adjourned for the summer, GOP Chairman Mike Tryon should be able to chair the meeting Saturday morning.

Thanks to Illinois Review for pointing me to a list pensions of retired legislators published by the Chicago Tribune.

Democrat Art Berman, one of my contemplates, seems to have gamed the system the best. He’s getting $203,428 a year.

Republican Ed Petka, who served as Will County State’s Attorney before being elected to the legislature and as a judge afterward, pulled in $161,280.

Locally, former State Senator Jack Schaffer, who headed the financial regulation department under Governor Jim Edgar, gets $99,010.

Former State Senator Bill Peterson got $93,737 in the last year.

Yours truly is receiving $79,831 this fiscal year.

Ann Hughes’ annual pension is $21,768.

In another connection to McHenry County, former felon and State Rep. Roger Stanley, who went to jail seeming to admit to illegalities in a GOP primary campaign by an Establishment Republican against me, but was allowed to keep his state pension because his conviction was not linked to his public service, gets $73,721.

296 are on the list.

The General Assembly Retirement System web site says,

“At June 30, 2010, the accrued actuarial liability of the System was $251.8 million and the actuarial value of assets amounted to $66.2 million resulting in an unfunded actuarial liability of $185.6 million.”

Jack Franks has given another signal that he wants to be King of McHenry County.

Today a robo-call poll asks whether people favor a McHenry County Board Chairman “elected by the citizens of McHenry County.”

Here’s as close to the script as a Friend of McHenry County Blog could get:

Jack Franks

“Hi this is State Representative Jack Franks asking for your opinion on a bill I just filed in the Illinois House of Representatives.

“After the tone press 1 if you think that County Board chairman should be elected by the citizens of McHenry County or press 2 if you think he should be appointed by the county board.

“Thank you for your time and consideration, and if I can be of any help please don’t hesitate to call my office for any reason.

“Thank you.”

Franks, sitting on $450,000 in his Political Action Committee, is again signaling that he is not satisfied just being a State Representative.

And, who in their right might would want to commute at least 3 hours twice very week the General Assembly is in session.

From personal experience I can tell you it is wearing.

Franks obviously enjoys the limelight and he obviously enjoys exercising influence.

So why not try to change the way the McHenry County Board Chairman is election in a direction in which he might well be able to win.

There is no way that the Democrats could gain control of the County Board if they had to elect a majority of its members.

And, even if he could, that does not guarantee enough power.

But in a big constituency big campaign money talks.

Ask Kent Gaffney and Danielle Rowe about that.

As readers may remember, I’m not a supporter of at-large election of the County Board Chairman.

The reason is not that I don’t want to have a say.

It is because, under state law, when a County Board Chairman is elected at-large, power is tremendously concentrated in the hands of that Chairman.

Concentration of power is something I have opposed all of my life.

It leads to abuses of power.

Do I think Jack Franks is capable of abuse of power?

Well, yes.

And would a Republican County Board Chairman be capable of abuse of power?

I believe so.

I think the County Board Chairman needs the checks and balances that the present system provides.

But since everyone wants to vote on everything, undoubtedly a sizable majority will say they want a direct election for the McHenry County Board Chairman.

The billboard that stimulated Jack Franks to remove Jack Schaffer from the Metra Board.

The problems that come with concentration of power won’t become evident until it is too late to do anything.

= = = = =
It should be noted that Franks is having a fight with McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler. Some say that it is because Koehler refuses to dump former State Senator Jack Schaffer from the Metra Board.

And, there is no doubt that Franks was fuming over the billboard that was put up by Liberty Outdoor at the location on Route 14 closest (next to Woodstock Harley Motorcycle) to his legislative office.

Just in case there was any doubt, “Fellow Republicans” received a letter from

• Mike Tryon
• William “Bill” LeFew
• Jack Schaffer
• Al Jourdan

informing them that are supporting David McSweeney, the GOP winner of the 52nd District State Rep. race this fall.

Targeted for opposition is Dee Beaubien, the widow of State Rep. Mark Beaubien who is gathering signatures to run as an Independent this fall after he favorite, the appointed incumbent Kent Gaffney lost to McSweeney.

“David McSweeney won that fight fair and square,” the letter says.

You can read the entire letter below:

McHenry County Republican Party Chairmen back to 1968 tell of their support for Dave McSweeney for State Representative over Dee Beaubien.

Mike Tryon gave a short speech at his Huntley Fish Boil.

What does one do when one has no announced opponent for State Representative?

You know you have to keep raising money, because the Republican GOP Leader in Springfield tries to assess you for thousands to use in marginal races. ($2,500 a year when I was there, probably $10,000 now.)

And, you want to be able to contribute significant amounts to candidates you support.

Undoubtedly there are even more expenses to be met because of Tryon’s role as McHenry County Republican Central Committee Chairman.

So you hold the fund raisers you have held before, hoping that people will continue to support you financially.

Early in the 5-9 informal fund raiser, Tryon was at the gate on the sidewalk in front of where money was being collected.

Later, he mingled inside the beer garden.

Because it is an election year, there were candidates drawn to the affair.

Two announced candidate for the empty State Senate district in which Tryon is running for State Representative were in attendance:

Kane County Board Chairman and State Senate candidate Karen McConnaughay talks with Dan Plote.

• Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay and
• former Rutland Township Trustee Chad Koppie.

State Senate candidate Chad Koppie was at the gate while former State Senator Jack Schaffer was signing in with Cheryl Meyer.

There were plenty of McHenry County Officials.

A ring of women power was sighted. From left to right are Chief Deputy Treasurer and Secretary of the McHenry County Republican Central Committee Glenda Miller, head of the Algonquin Township Republican Central Committee Rebecca Lee, Auditor Pam Palmer and Recorder of Deeds Phyllis Walters. Although attending, McHenry County Clerk Kathie Schultz missed being in this photo.

McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi was introduced.

McHenry County State's Attorney Lou Bianchi waves as he is introduced. To his right is Congressman Randy Hultgren. McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler and Cheryl Meyer can be seen to Bianchi's left. At the table are Huntley Village Trustee Pam Fender and Woodstock Mayor Brian Sager.

Ken Koehler was introduced as not only the Chairman of the McHenry County Board, but also the Treasurer of Tryon’s political action committee since its inception.

Congressman Randy Hultgren and McHenry County State's Attorney Lou Bianchi applaud as Ken Koehler is introducted.

McHenry County Board member Barb Wheeler, who seeks to be the next State Representative from the 64th District, the number of Tryon’s current district, was at the Fish Boil.

State Rep. candidate Barbara Wheeler was seen talking to Kim Keefe, the President-Elect of the McHenry County Board of Realtors.

More tomorrow.

The billboard near his office that set Jack Franks off.

Kevin Craver of the Northwest Herald wrote a story Tuesday about McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler’s unwillingness to ask for the resignation of former State Senator Jack Schaffer from the Metra Board.

The first indication I could find of Franks’ displeasure was after the fall election when he introduced bulls to toss both RTA and Metra Board members. Just a coincidence, Franks would have folks believe, is that Schaffer is a former McHenry County Republican Party Chairman as is RTA Board member Al Jourdan.  And Schaffer owns Liberty Outdoor Advertising.

According to the article

Schaffer “said he believes Franks’ efforts stem directly from the billboard ad on Route 47 in Woodstock, which alleged that Franks collected almost $1 million from lobbyists, unions and lawyers.

“’To the extent that he’s attacking everyone on the board, that bothers me, but if he’s strictly after me, as a former legislator, I’m offended by it,’ Schaffer said. ‘Voters elect people to go out and represent them, not to pursue petty vendettas. The state has plenty of other problems to focus on.’”

Missing from the article was a photo of the billboard. Had anyone asked, I would have been pleased to provide the one you see here.