McHenry County Blog

Although the Grafton Township Annual Meeting would not occur until almost six months later, Ancel Glink was billing legal services March 1st. Here people are standing in line waiting to have their identities checked before being given paper ballots, which were not used except for holding up on voice votes.

Although the Grafton Township Annual Town Meeting occurred on April 13, 2010, Ancel Glink billed $8,328.22 for that purposed during the month of March.

One can only wonder how many thousands of dollars more were billed in April when the event actually took place.

Outside the entrance of the Huntley High School gym Township Attorney Keri-Lyn Krafthefer brings up concerns about a broadside being handed out at the Annual Town Meeting by people wearing "NO MORE TAXES" tee shirts to Supervisor Linda Moore while Township Trustee Rob LaPorta observes. Moore told the Trustees' attorney that she did not prepare the handout.

On the very first day of March, a month and a half before the meeting, Associate Jeffrey R. Jurgens put in an hour drafting a memo and researching issues related to “proposed agenda items by electors.”

The result was that Ancel Glink ruled no motion to fire their firm could be voted upon.

In fact, the only motion proposed by citizen petition approved for a vote by the Electors was one on whether Robert’s Rules of Order would be used at the Annual Town Meeting.

Ancel Glink ruled that the Electors could not vote on whether Robert’s Rules would govern township board meetings.

Also ruled out of bounds for the Electors was a motion to fire Township Administrator Pam Fender.

The line bunched up inside the gym as people showed identification cards and were checked in. Over 700 registered voters attended the meeting. Those arriving after the 700 ballots had been handed out stood along the side of the gym just in case a vote was close. None were.

March 1st also saw main Grafton Township Attorney Keri-Lyn Krafthefer bill an hour and three-quarters to

• “review petition filed by voters regarding annual township meeting;
• “confer with Pam Fender regarding [unnamed] miscellaneous issues;
• “confer with [Township Assessor] Bill Ottler [sic] regarding [unnamed] miscellaneous issues;
• “research voters lack of authority to control items on the petition.”

An additional hour was spent by Krafthefer to “work on issues related to ‘unwind’ to put on agenda for annual towns meeting.”

March 2nd saw five hours of billing by Krafthefer.  Four hours to

• “complete research on Town Meeting Agenda issues, including scope of petition and proper matters for electors
• “review memo
• “research issues related to planning committee and appointment of same
• “correspond on same.”

The bleachers near the sign-in tables were full by the time these voters arrived near the 7 PM supposed starting time. Chairs had to brought in from the hall to provide almost enough places for the over 700 to sit.

In addition, a quarter hour each was spent on

• “Review(ing) power of electors to appoint Plan Commission
• “Review(ing) and respond(ing) to inquiry from Pam Fender regarding annual town meeting issues”

Another half an hour “work on unwind issues related to Town meeting.”

March 3rd‘s bill was for 6.75 hours:

• “Work on issue related to agenda items for annual town meeting and advise regarding same (Krafthefer – 1 hour)
• “Review issues on property conveyance and annual town meeting and advise on same (Scott Puma – ¾ of an hour)
• “Review memorandum regarding conveyance to Road District; review statutory provisions relating to electors’ corporate authority at Annual Meeting (Paula V. Randall – 3 hours)”

The Huntley High School gym was packed. You can see some of the chairs that particpants brought in after the bleachers were filled.

March 4th saw billings for two and a half hours by Randall for “review(ing) conveyance documentation, fil(ing) materials and purposed lease; preparin(ing) resolution authorizing the sale of township property.

March 5th had Krafthefer back on the job. She billed an hour and three-quarters to

• “review draft resolution to sell township real property
• “prepare revisions to same
• “prepare resolution to purchase township property by Road District.”

Crystal Lake City Councilman Jeff Thorsen, seen foreground left, looks for an empty seat in the crowded gym.

March 9th was a 5.5 hour billing day for Ancel Glink. Krafthefer spent an hour “revis(ing) and finaliz(ing) memo to Township board regarding questions presented in petition of voters related to annual town meeting.

Randall worked 4.5 hours to

• “prepare resolutions to lease real property for township and Road District
• “prepare resolution conveying Road District property to township [what Judge Michael Caldwell had ruled was done unlawfully by the previous township board]
• “confer…with Pam Fender


A view from the top of the bleachers with sign-in table below. Participants said that the sound system was inadequate.

• “prepare memorandum outlining township options relative to property transfer and lease.”

March 10th, end of the first page of the “Annual Town Meeting” part of the bill showed Krafthefer working an hour on a “memo regarding unwind procedures and resolutions for annual town meeting.”

You can read about the other hour and a half tomorrow.

That’s when billings from March 10th through March 31st will be revealed.

Grafton Township Trustees Barb Murphy, Rob LaPorta, Betty Zirk and Gerry McMahon.

This article covers the third page of the $18,000.73 bill from the Grafton Township law firm Ancel Glink for services regarding the Separation of Powers suit filed by Supervisor Linda Moore against the four Township Trustees.  We are now on the third page where more March 19th bill notation are shown.

March 19th, a Friday, Keri-Lyn Krafthefer spent 3.75 more hours researching “powers and duties of supervisor and other legal issues raised in the complaint.

Monday, March 22nd, Jeff Jurgens was researching the subject as the supervisor’s limitations as a Chief Executive Officer.

Krafthefer, meanwhile, was preparing more correspondence to Huntley Police Detective Kevin Keane.

March 23rd, Tuesday, Krafthefer shared her information in the counterclaim with the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office and exchanged correspondence with the police detective.

Besides that Krafthefer’s time was spent coordinating “issues with Forensicon relating to mission public records.”

Wednesday, March 24th, Krafthefer worked on

• the “issue of the DSL line failing,”
• “items needed for depositions,
• “bill payment issues related to allegations in amended counterclaim,”
• “responses to false allegations in Supervisor’s Complaint,” and
• drafting “initial sections of amended counterclaim.”

Thursday, March 25th, was phone day. Krafthefer was on the phone two hours with AT&T “regarding supervisor’s unauthorized hijacking of Township phone numbers, plus “numerous phones (sic) calls with Township’s officials regarding same.”

She also conferred with the “forensic computer technician” and the “State’s Attorney’s investigator.”

The township attorney drafted a “Notice of Motion and Motion.”

Krafthefer also “finalize(d) materials for court” and “prepare(d) witnesses for hearing.”

Also on the job was Ellen K. Emery, another $185 an hour attorney with Ancel Glink. She prepared a ‘Notice of Motion for Emergency Motion for Temporary Restraining Order and g(o)t notice to opposing counsel.”

Almost eight hours of billing in total.

Friday, March 26th, Thomas DiCianni and Krafthefer were off to court with Betty Zirk, Gerry McMahon and Pam Fender. Moore was there, too, but her Rockford attorney John Nelson could not make the morning hearing.

DiCianni billed 4 and a half hours for the court hearing.

Krafthefer prepared for and attended the court hearing on the TRA, billing 2 hours, but noting in parentheses “NO CHARGE.”

For 3.75 hours Krafthefer

• worked on issues related to evidence,
• met with the State’s Attorney’s investigator,
• exchanged correspondence with AT&T,
• had several phone calls with AT&T and “Township regarding same,” and
• conferred with an unnamed client regarding status.

Come Monday, March 29, DiCianni was researching “cases on supervisor’s powers on board,” while Krafthefer still working on the problems with AT&T and reviewing “correspondence campaigning (sic) about denial of general assistance benefits.”

She was also offering advise about an “issue related to forensic computer evaluation.”

The first part of the Tuesday, March 30th, bill appears on page 3 of this section of the bill titled Linda Moore v. Grafton Township.

March 30th was the day of the Township Trustees’ effort to obtain direct telephone service from the township phone numbers.

Since no photographs are allowed in courtrooms, this one of Ancel Glink Partners Keri-Lyn Krafthefer and Rob Bush from the Grafton Annual Town Meeting will have to suffice.

DiCianni billed 3.5 hours in court “regarding hearing on Motion for Temporary Restraining Order before Judge Caldwell,” plus another quarter hour for a “telephone conference with Pam Fender regarding access to desk.”

For the rest of what was charged taxpayers for the day during which DiCianni replied  a terse, “No comment,” to the First Electric Newspaper Editor Pete Gonigam’s question for one, you’ll have to wait until tomorrow.   That’s the day DiCianni’s and Krafthefer’s clients were threatened with being found in contempt of court.

Linda Moore on the phone in the outer office of the township supervisor's long-time complex in the Grafton Township Hall.

That was the hearing in which Ancel Glink got what it asked for, but not what it wanted. It resulted in Judge Michael Caldwell’s ordering the Trustees to allow Moore back in her and her predecessor’s office complex.

Yesterday, we presented the bill for the first two days of the Linda Moore v. Grafton Township Trustees suit that was filed on March 10th.

Lots of action on the part of Ancel Glink to defend the Trustees who did their best to replace Supervisor Linda Moore.

We got halfway through the March 12th bills when we reached the end of the page.  So, onto page 3.

Today we finish revealing what was done on the rest of the March 12th and work through to March 19th.

Ancel Glink bill for Linda Moore v. Grafton Township from March 12-19. Click to enlarge.

March 12th, Keri-Lyn Krafthefer conferred with the McHenry County State’s Attorney and the Huntley Police Chief. With the billing being for a half an hour and the firm charging in fifteen minute increments, it looks like two phone calls. Another quarter hour was billed for reviewing “correspondence from State’s Attorney regarding next steps of criminal investigation.”

Associate James Olsen continued researching “background materials for court” for three hours, billed at $105 an hour.

Krafthefer continued to work with Township Administrator Pam Fender regarding the Annual Town Meeting, in this case the notice. What that has to do with the lawsuit is beyond me.

That finished up the third day after the case was filed.

Saturday, March 13th, Krafthefer was working hard. She billed 4 and three-quarters hours continuing drafting the counterclaim, a motion for a preliminary injunction and finalizing court pleadings.

The firm took the Sabbath off.

Monday, March 14th, Thomas DiCianni, the attorney who did the talking in court the next day, reviewed the resolutions regarding the supervisor and the material for the upcoming hearing.

Grafton Township Hall, the touring of which taxpayers were billed $370.

Tuesday, March 15th, Stewart H. Diamond, another $185 per hour guy, wrote a memo of “suggestions for litigation response.”

Three and half hours for court for DiCianni. Next, an hour to tour the Grafton Township offices “for background information.”

Then, a two hour meeting with Huntley Police.

Six and a half hours at $185 per hour.

Jeff Jurgens spent an hour and a half finishing a memo on “litigation issues.”

Krafthefer was busy for five hours

• 

  Keri-Lyn Krafthefer

  touring the township hall, presumably with fellow Ancel Glink named partner DiCianni,

• meeting “with investigators from Huntley Police Department,
• researching and working “on amended counterclaim,” plus
• preparing “correspondence regarding additional items requested by police department for investigation.”

Tuesday, March 16th, was a big billing day for Ancel Glink, too.

Krafthefer spend a quarter hour reviewing “information regarding criminal investigation” and forwarding it to an investigator. No indication of whether it was to the Huntley Police Department or the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Associate Olsen worked seven hours researching “necessary background materials” and reviewing “documents from same.”

Krafthefer also reviewed correspondence from the highway department “with employees.”

Wednesday, March 17th, was a light day at the office, just two and a half hours billed.

Krafthefer prepared correspondence to the Township Trustees regarding the status of the counterclaim and the motion for a Temporary Restraining Order against Moore, as well as correspondence to Detective Kevin Keane, who it turns out is with the Huntley Police Department, with the information he requested.

Olsen spent an hour scanning and organizing documents from the McHenry County Clerk’s Office.

March 18th, a Thursday, was also an inexpensive day for Grafton Township taxpayers, just a hour and a half billed.

Krafthefer “exchanged(d) correspondence regarding criminal investigation,” gathered information requested by Detective Keane and prepared correspondence to him, as well as researched case law regarding employees.

Friday, March 19th, Krafthefer worked on “discovery matters and list for rider,” whatever the later is.

More on March 19th billings tomorrow.

In the next section of Grafton Township Attorney Ancel Glink’s bill we get to the juicy parts.

This part, totaling just over $18,000 is entitled, “Linda Moore v. Grafton Township.” This concerns the Township Trustees’ reaction to Supervisor Moore’s Separation of Powers lawsuit.

This is the bill for the day Linda Moore filed her suit against the Township Trustees, plus the day and a half later. Click to enlarge.

The counter move to the Trustees having stripped Moore of most of her duties and office was filed Wednesday, March 10, 2010, and not surprisingly, the first work done by Ancel Glink appears that day—12 and three quarters hours worth.

Five lawyers were involved:

• Daniel J. Bolin
• Robert K. Bush
• Jeffrey R. Jurgens
• Keri-Lyn Krafthefer
• Scott A. Puma

Linda Moore had single practitioner John Nelson prepare her suit.

So, what did Ancel Glink do the first day?

The words “review” and “research” appear a lot. One of the cases reviewed involved Worth Township, which I believe is the one that says the Supervisor hires all employees, if there are less than five. There are less than five in Grafton Township under the Town Fund. Jurgens is researching the powers of township trustees and “retention powers of board.”

Krafthefer advises “clients of victory.” The judge did not issue a Temporary Restraining Order as Moore requested. She also begins preparing a response and counterclaim.

Thursday, March 11th saw Associate Jason T. Olsen added to the team. He worked on creating the “Pleadings section of file regarding search,” plus reviewed the TRO filing.

More research took place regarding case law about the “day-o-day management of township employees.” Two hours by Partner Rob Bush.

Meanwhile, Krafthefer was working on “research regarding forensic computer technology company to recreate missing Township records” and drafting a response to Moore’s suit, plus preparing “correspondence to (Township Administrator Pam) Fender regarding items needed for lawsuit.”

“Only” 5.75 hours billed Thursday.

Friday, March 12th billing entries on page 1 of the Moore lawsuit shows 8.5 hours. (4.5 more show up on page 2 of this section of Ancel Glink’s invoice.)

Thomas G. DiCianni, a litigator with the firm, spent an half an hour reviewing the paperwork.

Jurgens continued researching “disputes between trustees and supervisor.
Krafthefer was researching, too, and talking with Township Trustee Betty Zirk, Fender and Moore’s attorney. 4.75 hours getting ready for court.

She spent another hour and a quarter preparing an “opinion requested by Supervisor regarding Trustee’s ability to direct employees to assist with their statutory functions.”

Let’s tiptoe through the Grafton Township Attorney’s legal billing for the month of March, 2010.

Because it’s so long—14 pages totaling $36,432.14—I’ll break it up for you so your eyes won’t glaze over.

Or at least they’ll have to glaze over every day for a couple of days.

You saw the $36,432.14 summary of the bill here.

Below you see the first page of what the law firm of Ancel Glink characterizes as “Corporate” work for Grafton Township. There are four more, which will be published one a day.

In this page of the Ancel Glink invoice, after workking on Township Administrator Pam Fender's job description, Keri-Lyn Krafthefer spends 4 1/2 hours at $185 an hour preparing for and attending the March 2nd budget workshop. She also reports work for Trustee Barb Murphy, Rob LaPorta and an unnamed trustee. The phone and financial records controversies come up, as does the bus schedule and changing of locks on Township Superivsor Linda Moore's office. Krafthefer also bills an hour and a half for organizing township files. Eavesdropping relating to Moore is addressed, as is David Moore's "recording of personal lienesses of township employees." Click to enlarge.

In four days, Keri-Lyn Krafthefer bills 14 hours at $185 per hour and associate Jason T. Olson bills 1.5 at $105 per hour, if my addition is correct.  There are three pages to come.