McHenry County Blog

Nunda Township resident Gerry Walsh filed a complaint with the Illinois State Board of Elections complaining that a political group had been allowed to meet at the Nunda Township building without paying a fee.

A final order has been entered in the case with the State Board finding
“That the complaint was not filed on justifiable grounds.”

The State Board dismissed the case, which Walsh could have appealed to McHenry County Circuit Court, but, apparently, did not.

Heisler told me any Nunda Township was welcome to meet in the township hall.

In one of the first county board fund raisers of the year, McHenry County College Board member Donna Kurtz gathered supporters at The Cottage at the corner of Crystal Lake Avenue and Brink Street Thursday night.

Kurtz is running to replace either incumbent County Board Chairman Ken Koehler or member Lyn Orphal in the early February Republican primary election.

Crystal Lake City Councilman Jeff Thorsen introduced the candidate.

“I am very, very, very enthusiastic supporter of Donna Kurtz,” he said. “We need someone with her honesty and integrity in county board government.”

Kurtz said she was inspired by her mother former State Rep. Rosemary Kurtz’ concern for environmental protection and former State Rep. Cal Skinner’s fiscal conservativeness. Rep. Kurtz defeated Rep. Skinner in the 2000 GOP primary election.

Former State Reps. Rosemary Kurtz and Cal Skinner, plus McHenry County College Board member and County Board candidate Donna Kurtz. (Jeff Thorsen commented that this should be sent to Ripley's Believe It or Not.)

“As many of you know, the world goes full circle.”

Kurtz said she running for the board of directors of a $260 million organization, McHenry County government.

Reflecting on her service on the McHenry County College Board, Kurtz said it had taught her this lesson:

“You gotta do your own research. Everyone’s got their own agenda.”

She didn’t say she was reflecting on her support of building a minor league baseball stadium on college property and, then, changing her mind with the announcement being at the Crystal Lake City Council meeting the night re-zoning was being discussed, but that might be a good guess.

“My courage was driven by my thought I couldn’t stand not to do the right thing,” she stated.

Besides Thorsen, City Council members Carolyn Schofield and Brett Hopkins were in attendance, as were park board members Mike Walkup and Richard Sexton.

McHenry County Recorder of Deeds Phyllis Walters, who actually lives in District 2 in the tiny bit of Algonquin in the district was also in attendance, as was Nunda Township Supervisor John Heisler.

Members of A-LAW, the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water were in attendance. The group recently proposed strict potential conflict disclosure rules for county elected and appointed officials.  The Alden Road Alliance was also represented. District 3 county board candidate Craig Steagall, who actively opposes the location of the proposed Ridgefield Metra station on Country Club Road, also was present.

Touchdown Sponsor

• Tamara Kurtz

Field Goal Sponsors

• Erv & Louise Lecoque
• Dr. Robert & Carol Minkus

Safety Sponsors

• Jeannine Thoms
• Connie Zukowski
• Scott Summers
• Jewel Hahn
• Jill Hartman

Extra Point Sponsors

• Keith & Marge Nygren
• Phyllis Walters
• Bill & Alice Howenstine
• James & Diane Gesler
• Lou Ann & Jerome Majewski
• Jean Plews
• Patricia Floeter
• Brett & Tina Hopkins

In August and September, McHenry County Blog reported on Jerry Walsh’s and William Douglas Mann’s petition attempt to call a special Nunda Township meeting called to obtain a referendum to repeal the Nunda Township Open Space Plan.

A press release has been received from Walsh that tells of their attempt being rebuffed. It appears below:

Nunda Supervisor John Heisler denies citizens’ request for special town meeting

According to township attorney, James Militello, the nine pages of petitions filed by “approximately 67 alleged voters” is “not in compliance with township code….”

The reasons given for denial were stated as

1) “The Petition does not state ‘a special meeting is necessary for the interests of the Township’ and

2) The object of the meeting is not relevant to powers granted to electors under the Township Code.”

It is obvious that Supervisor Heisler is doing all that he can to stop this citizen action aimed at repealing Nunda’s mechanism to increase residents’ future taxes.

Watch their web site for updated postings, and email NoOpenSpaceTax@gmail.com if you would like to join with us in fighting future Nunda Township tax increases through the defeat of the Nunda Open Space Plan.

As readers know, the folks who want McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi out of office have prevailed upon Associate McHenry County Judge to appoint a special prosecutor to probe whether taxpayer resources were used to promote his campaign.

That special prosecutor is following up on leads, McHenry County Blog has learned.

But another front has opened on the issue.

Nunda Township tax fighter Gerry Walsh is taking on Nunda Township Supervisor John Heisler.

Walsh filed a complaint with the Illinois State Board of Elections (ISBE) against the Nunda Township Supervisor Friday.

Walsh says Heisler allowed his Nunda Township office to be used for the Nunda Neighbors for Open Space meetings (a pro-tax increase group) in February and March. Apparently that information was on McHenry County Blog. (I’m not sure if the Nunda Neighbors for Open Space is the same group, Nunda Neighbors, that successfully found commercial zoning on Route 176 west of Burton’s Bridge in 2007.)

“I had planned to ask the Nunda Neighbors rep about how much they paid for the room at the preliminary hearing at the ISBE on September 16 (Walsh vs. Nunda Neighbors),” Walsh emailed me, “but no one showed up. My suspicion is that they are going to plead nolo contendere (no contest) about this election violation.

“The Hearing Officer said that the use of the Supervisor’s office for a campaign meeting was unusual, but a separate issue.

“I handed John Heisler a letter on September 18th asking about how much Nunda Neighbors paid for the use of his office for their campaign meetings.

“As of this morning, he hasn’t responded. That is why I filed the complaint with the Illinois State Board of Elections.”

“The reason I haven’t responded was that the letter was not addressed to me,” Nunda Township Supervisor John Heisler told McHenry County Blog.

“It was addressed to Bridgett Provenzano. I got a copy of a memo he had addressed to my clerk.

“I handed it to my attorney Jim Militello and he advised me that it was addressed to Bridgett, not me, and I need not respond.”

= = = = =
The photo is from the Nunda Township Republican Picnic.

Not only Algonquin Township, but Nunda Township rolled out campaign literature at the Crystal Lake Expo.

Both were found at the Algonquin Township Republican Central Committee booth, which was right on the first aisle of the exhibition.

The booth looked more like a Nunda Township-sponsored one than one put up by the Algonquin Township folks.

That was because all the township trustee candidates had yard signs. You see Nunda Township Trustee candidate Lee Jennings above.

True, you could see a sponsor’s sign on top, but the six Team Nunda red and white yard signs dominated the booth. Here you see Algonquin Township Trustees Linda Lance and Lowell Cutsforth, both running for re-election, at the booth.

But, back to the literature.

There’s a side with “Team Nunda” candidates listed, even the ones who are not opposed. An “Early voting begins March 16th” is highlighted in pale yellow.

The values the Republicans tout as sharing with constituents are

• Teamwork
• Managed Growth
• Fiscal Responsibility
• Quality Road Maintenance
• Promoting Programs to Assist Residents

The reason for ignoring the two Democratic Party candidates for township trustee who are on the ballot (not phrased that way, obviously):

We have the experience and desire to maintain a strong and secure township government for Nunda Township residents.

The other side of the folded 8½ by 11 inch sheet of paper has a pitch for voting for Team Nunda, a web site address and another reminder of early voting.

Strangely, Township Supervisor John Heisler is missing from the candidates listed on the sign, but he is in the endorsement list. Township Clerk Bridgett Porvenzano is not mentioned at all. Both are unopposed, but so are Township Highway Commissioner Don Kopsell and Assessor Dennis Jagla and they are on the sign.

There’s a panel of endorsements and supporters surrounding and above the 4 by 4 foot sign that first appeared prior to the primary election.
They include

• Dick Klemm, former State Senator
• Dan Duffy, State Senator
• Mike Tryon, State Representative
• Keith Nygren, McHenry County Sheriff
• Ed Dvorak, McHenry County Board
• Mary Donner, McHenry County Board
• Barb Wheeler, McHenry County Board
• Pam Althoff, State Senator
• Bill LeFew, McHenry County Treasurer
• Ken Koehler, McHenry County Board Chairman
• Pam Palmer, McHenry County Auditor
• Marlene Lantz, McHenry County Coroner
• John Heisler, Nunda Township Supervisor
• Bryan Javor, Chairman, McHenry County Young Republicans

Click to enlarge the images.

= = = = =
For those of you who don’t know much about townships, they perform three basic functions: assessing, road maintenance in unincorporated areas and hand out local welfare, called General Assistance. Crystal Lake is in four townships. The two major ones are Algonquin and Nunda. The horizontal dividing line is Crystal Lake Avenue. The western part of Crystal Lake (west of our home in Lakewood on Meridian Street, in fact, is Grafton Township. The far Northwestern corner is in Woodstock-dominated Dorr Township.)

I spotted my first political signs of the February 23rd Republican primary election yesterday.

They are for “Team Nunda.”

The slate includes unopposed Supervisor John Heisler, opposed incumbent Assessor Dennis Jagla and opposed Trustee candidates

• Tom Palmer (incumbent)
• Joni Smith (challenger)
• Jim Schlader (incumbent)
• Lee Jennings (who unsuccessfully sought appointment)

In addition to the “Team Nunda” 4 by 4 foot sign, each of the candidates on that sign have smaller color coordinated yard signs. You can see them if you click on the picture to enlarge it.

Trustees left off the sign are appointed incumbent Dick Meyers and incumbent Kevin Sarnwick.

Also missing from the sign are unopposed Road Commissioner Don Kopsell and Clerk Bridgett Provenzano.

If someone would like to tell me why which trustee candidates made the slate and which didn’t, I’ll bet that would be an interesting story.

I spotted my first political signs of the February 23rd Republican primary election yesterday.

They are for “Team Nunda.”

The slate includes unopposed Supervisor John Heisler, opposed incumbent Assessor Dennis Jagla and opposed Trustee candidates

• Tom Palmer (incumbent)
• Joni Smith (challenger)
• Jim Schlader (incumbent)
• Lee Jennings (who unsuccessfully sought appointment)

In addition to the “Team Nunda” 4 by 4 foot sign, each of the candidates on that sign have smaller color coordinated yard signs. You can see them if you click on the picture to enlarge it.

Trustees left off the sign are appointed incumbent Dick Meyers and incumbent Kevin Sarnwick.

Also missing from the sign are unopposed Road Commissioner Don Kopsell and Clerk Bridgett Provenzano.

If someone would like to tell me why which trustee candidates made the slate and which didn’t, I’ll bet that would be an interesting story.

A funny thing happened on the way to the end of the calendar year.

The Consumer Price Index has been decreasing.

It’s still up 1.1% for the last twelve months.

That is probably enough to earn an

from many tax district officials.

Why?

The “Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average” is the percentage increase (until now) upon which the property tax cap is based.

This coming year, tax districts are allowed an increase in their “tax take” of 4.1%, plus new construction.

But look what is happening since August. It’s on the table below:

The cost of living was the same in September as it was in August.

From September to October, however, it decreased a seasonally adjusted 1%.

And from October to November, the seasonally adjusted CPI fell 1.7% more.

That’s good news for consumers, but very bad news of tax districts.

Will the CPI fall more than 1.1% from November to December?

Will the schools, non-home rule villages, junior colleges, townships, fire protection districts, park districts, etc., get no increase whatsoever in property taxes collected in 2010?

Will their friends in the General Assembly change the tax cap law?

Will that offer legislative challengers the opportunity to label supporters of gutting the tax cap the title of “tax hiker?”

Stay tuned for the “sturm und angst.” (And, no, I don’t know how to lay in an umlaut above the “u” in “sturm.”)

And the tip for this story? It came from CPA and Nunda Township Supervisor John Heisler.

For those in the Chicago metropolitan area, here is a press release telling what happened locally in the last month.

A funny thing happened on the way to the end of the calendar year.

The Consumer Price Index has been decreasing.

It’s still up 1.1% for the last twelve months.

That is probably enough to earn an

from many tax district officials.

Why?

The “Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U.S. city average” is the percentage increase (until now) upon which the property tax cap is based.

This coming year, tax districts are allowed an increase in their “tax take” of 4.1%, plus new construction.

But look what is happening since August. It’s on the table below:

The cost of living was the same in September as it was in August.

From September to October, however, it decreased a seasonally adjusted 1%.

And from October to November, the seasonally adjusted CPI fell 1.7% more.

That’s good news for consumers, but very bad news of tax districts.

Will the CPI fall more than 1.1% from November to December?

Will the schools, non-home rule villages, junior colleges, townships, fire protection districts, park districts, etc., get no increase whatsoever in property taxes collected in 2010?

Will their friends in the General Assembly change the tax cap law?

Will that offer legislative challengers the opportunity to label supporters of gutting the tax cap the title of “tax hiker?”

Stay tuned for the “sturm und angst.” (And, no, I don’t know how to lay in an umlaut above the “u” in “sturm.”)

And the tip for this story? It came from CPA and Nunda Township Supervisor John Heisler.

For those in the Chicago metropolitan area, here is a press release telling what happened locally in the last month.

Filing for the five Republican township primaries in McHenry County has ended and the major Nunda Township officers have emerged unchallenged, according to Township Clerk Bridgett Provenzano.

That means Supervisor John Heisler, Road Commissioner Don Kopsell, Assessor Dennis Jagla and Clerk Provenzano can relax between now and the February 24th township primary election.

However, there does appear to be a spirited contest for township trustee in the offing.

With the death of Township Trustee Walt Romanus, the Nunda Township Board appointed former Township Clerk and McHenry County Board member Dick Meyers as his replacement last week.

Those running for township trustee follow in alphabetical order:

• Kelvin (Lee) Jennings, who applied unsuccessfully for the Romanus vacancy
• Dick Meyers, appointed incumbent
• Thomas Palmer, incumbent
• Kevin Sarnwick, incumbent
• James Schlader, incumbent
• Joni Smith

Four will emerge as primary winners.

Nunda Township runs north from Crystal Lake Avenue in Crystal Lake into the southern part of McHenry north of Bull Valley Road. Its western boundary goes north from the middle of Crystal Lake. The Lake County line is its eastern boundary.

Democrats could caucus in mid-January and name opposing candidates.

If so, it would be much like the state Democrats, who are now backing away from U.S. Senator Dick Durbin’s suggestion to hold a special election to select President-elect Barack Obama’s replacement.

Why hold an election to select the party’s candidate when an appointment is so much less dangerous?