McHenry County Blog

Clint Eastwood handled one empty chair at the Republican National Convention.

Had he attended the candidate’s night for County Board Districts 1, 2 and 3 Wednesday at McHenry County College, he would have had to deal with four of them.

In District 1 no incumbent Republican showed up.

Only former County Board member Yvonne Barnes, trying for a comeback, was there to represent the Republican Party.

Missing were Bob Bless, Anna May Miller and Robert Nowak.

Perhaps that means they consider Democrat Nick Chirikos, who was in attendance, not much of a challenge.

In District 2 County Board Chairman Ken Koehler begged off because of a knee operation and “a family obligation has me elsewhere tonight,” according to a statement read by the moderator.

The candidates were unanimous in the opposition to Jack Franks’ referendum to change the form of government to County Executive-dominated structure.

Yvonne Barnes got the first whack at that ball.

“I’m 100% opposed,” she said. “If the senior class in high school is having an election, it is the senior class members who should be voting, not all the citizens of McHenry County.”

“The County Board has operated the way it should,” Democrat Chirikos added.

He criticized the referendum as “ill-timed, ill-planned.” He said it was unfair for voters “to hhave this foisted upon them” and related a conversation with a Will County State’s Attorney’s candidate: “Don’t let this happen in McHenry County.” Will County has a County Executive form of government.

In District 2, incumbent Republican Donna Kurtz got first chance at the microphone.

She pointed out that the referendum “stemmed from Jack Franks.”

Kurtz criticized the idea as one that would bring “political management” to McHenry County with “patronage for over 1,500 employees…Chicago-style government.

“I hope you will vote ‘No.’”

Incumbent GOP member Jim Heisler was next to speak.

“Vote ‘No!’ Vote ‘No!” was his succinct advice. Passage, he argued, would result in a complete 180 degree turn[ing of] things in the wrong direction.”

Newcomer to County politics, Republican Carolyn Schofield, now on the Crystal Lake City Council, also opposed the proposal.

“Instead of taking someone to be held accountable [by the County Board] on a daily basis, [the County Executive would be held accountable] once every four years.”

She said she did support electing the County Board Chairman at-large.

Former District 5 County Board member Jim Kennedy, a Democrat from Lake in the Hills now running in District 2 because of reapportionment, said he was glad “the proposition was put on the ballot,” then said, “I’m against a County Executive.”

Her said he was in favor of electing the County Board Chairman at-large.

“I’m against it as well,” Democratic Party newcomer and Kennedy running mate Jim Roden said.

He pointed out, however, “If there wasn’t a problem, this issue wouldn’t be on the ballot. Enough people though the Chairman was too powerful. If Mr. Koehler is not re-elected it is a moot point.”

Roden was quite critical of Koehler when Metra offered to buy the land that he and his deceased partner’s estate owned in Ridgefield.

Democratic Party incumbent Kathy Bergan Schmidt, the first of the District 3 candidates to offer an opinion repeated her characterization of the proposal as a Trojan Horse.

“Once you get him in there, he has all the power or she. It could be a woman.”

Schmidt pointed out that it would take a 3/5 majority to override a County Executive’s veto.

She also favors popular election of the County Board Chairman.

“I, too, am opposed to this. This is not like the city [of Chicago],” Republican newcomer Mary McClellan said.

“All they’re offering is another layer of government.”

Republican County Board aspirant Mike Walkup first brought up the subject in his opening remarks: “The County Executive is a very, very dangerous idea.”

He claimed credit for coining the phrase “County Czar.”

In answering the question, he said, “I think I was the first person out of the box to oppose this.”

He related being at the County Fair when Franks and his assistants “were accosting people saying it would elect the County Board Chairman. That’s not correct.”

Incumbent Republican District 3 member Nick Provenzano pointed audience members to the web site NoCountyCzar.com.

“I am against the County Executive form of government,” he said. He explained there would be no term limits and it would cost someone over $100,000 to unseat in incumbent County Executive.

Non-incumbent District 3 Republican Joe Gottemoller also lined up against the proposal.

“I can’t tell you how much I think this is a bad idea.”

He talked of how it would be a “consolidation of power.”

“There is no reason to put this much power in the hands of one person.”

Earlier this month, the percentages of precincts for which people filed for Republican Precinct Committeeman was published.

Republicans, you may remember filled 49% of McHenry County’s 212 precincts, while Democrats had candidates in 19%.

Today we look at how the Democrats did, township by township.

Dunham – 100% (1 of 1)
Hebron – 50% (1 of 2)
Seneca – 50% (1 of 2)
Burton – 33% (1 of 3)
Coral – 33% (1 of 3)
Grafton – 32% (10 of 31)
Nunda – 31% (9 of 29)
Dorr – 29% (4 of 14)
Greenwood – 14% (1 of 7)
McHenry – 14% (5 of 35)
Algonquin – 9% (6 of 68)
Alden – 0% (0 of 1)
Chemung – 0% (0 of 5)
Hartland – 0% (0 of 2)
Marengo – 0% (0 of 4)
Richmond – 0% (0 of 4)
Riley – 0% (0 of 1)

As with Republicans, it’s easier for a small township to have a large percentage. Indeed, none of the top five townships have more than three precincts.

Of the six townships that have absolutely no candidates for Precinct Committeeman in the Democratic Party, none has more than five precincts.

Of the largest townships, there is a close contest among Grafton, Nunda and Dorr. All three have just under one-third of their precincts with candidates on the ballot.

McHenry in times past was a Democratic Party stronghold. Only 14% of its 35 precincts are filled.

The county’s largest township, Algonquin has 68 precincts, but only 6 candidates. Not even previous candidates for township or county board are running for Precinct Committeeman.

Jack Franks brought colleagues to his home town of Marengo Saturday to the hard-to-find new Marengo High School for a reapportionment hearing whose process will be completely controlled by Democrats in the General Assembly and Governor’s Mansion.

To reach the high school, one had to take Franks Road, observed State Rep. Mike Tryon.  (He wondered if that “is s a sign that this will be the center of the 63rd (Franks’) District.”)

Not mentioned was that when one enters the auditorium, one walks past a placard saying the performing and fine arts programs are supported by financial contributions of the Franks family.

State Rep. Lou Lang chaired the meeting, which was attended not only by McHenry County residents but people from as far away as Plainfield and Sycamore.

Tryon took the microphone to point out that McHenry County was “fortunate to have two House districts that (were entirely within McHenry County).”

The Republican Party Chairman said he was “hoping that we will have three House seats that will substantially, if not wholly, in McHenry County.”

He asked that county and city boundaries be considered.

He also asked for an ability to see the map, as well as what it is based upon, for a two to three week period prior to passage.

Judy Szilak, President of the McHenry County League of Women Voters testified first, calling for openness and echoing Tryon’s wish for several weeks to contemplate the maps before passage.

Former State Rep. Rosemary Kurtz (R-Crystal Lake) took the microphone in support of a less partisan approach to reapportionment.

McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler was second to speak.   He asked a series of questions about whether the public would have two weeks to analyze and comment on the suggested maps, how they will be shown to the public and whether the transcripts would be posted on the internet.

He pointed out that the county had not grown as much as had been expected, but how it was now the sixth largest county in Illinois.

“I would hope that  103,000 (McHenry County residents) would be represented in each of these (three) districts,” Koehler said.

 

Tryon asked if Lang would answer Koehler’s questions.

“I have no intention of doing that today,” Lang replied.

Just after Janet Silosky, a Republican Precinct Committeeman from Plainfield introduced herself, the lights went out in the auditorium, indeed, in the whole school.

“If this doesn’t tell us something about the process, I don’t know what would,” State Rep. Tim Schmitz (R-St.Charles) observed.  [I wonder if that will make it on the transcript.]

The Will County precinct committeeman expressed distrust in the reapportionment process.

 

“How are we going to get this done in an equitable process?” she asked.  “Gerrymandering that goes on will not create a map that is contiguous and compact.

“What difference does it make?”

“It’s already decided,” she continued, mentioning House Speaker Mike Madigan.

“I’ve lived in this state for 50 years and the Democrats have been in control since I was knee high to a grasshopper.”

She commented on the unfairness of Democrats who are going to be running for office knowing what their districts will be already, while challengers are left in the dark.

“I’d like to hear some input from you gentlemen.”

There was none.

McHenry County Board member Mary Donner came next.  She read a statement from an indisposed colleague, Tina Hill.

Donner said that the new 2030 County Land Use Plan had growth occurring next to areas that were already populated.

A DeKalb County band teacher from Sycamore, Ken Goodman, asked that his community be put in one congressional district.  His area now has two congressmen, Randy Hutlgren and Don Manzullo.

Stephen Polep, a retired teacher who lives in Cary, asked that Cary and Crystal Lake be kept in the same district [as they were until 2002, which this plus parts of eastern McHenry County further norther were included in a Lake County House district].

Algonquin’s Jim Carlin, a Republican Precinct Committeeman who said he was in the leadership of the Huntley Tea Party, pointed to the huge growth west of Randall Road, said that Tryon had represented it well and asked that it continue to be in his district. Carlin is a former Huntley School District Board member.

Noting the “communities of interest” mentioned in the meeting’s introduction, he asked that both the Kane and McHenry County portions of Sun City be included in the same legislative district.

He was effusive of his praise of Tryon.

“I like this,” the represented interjected.

“You’re kicking me out of Huntley,” Schmitz asked.

“Once we get a state government and federal government that encourages jobs, we’re going to take off.”

He said he was talking about taxes.

That was the end of those who signed up to speak. Then Lang asked if there was anyone else who wanted to talk.

Yours truly couldn’t resist criticizing the district boundaries included in “Currie II.”

I called it “Currie 2.”

I argued that McHenry County had little in common with the tract subdivision east of the Fox River in Carpentersville. It’s mainly Meadowdale, one of the first post-World War II housing developments.

Following me was MaryMargaret Maule, who ran a hard campaign for McHenry Count Board in District 4. She suggested that legislative districts try to have as much as McHenry County College in them as possible, rather than crossing the Lake County line. She complained about part of the eastern part of McHenry County being used to complete State Rep. Mark Beaubien’s Lake County district.  She manages MCC’s Shah Center in McHenry, which is an area split between two legislative districts.

Kathy Bergan Schmitt, another Democrat, one who got elected to the County Board from District 3

and who used to be Chair of the McHenry County Democratic Party, also complained about being the tag end of a Lake County district.

“I often feel in the orphan part of the county,” she said.  “There is an overabundance of the disease known as ‘incumbent protection.’”

She agreed that it would always be a factor, but “it doesn’t have to be (the main) factor.”

Without it, she said, “Civil life would be ever so much better.”

Bill Jordan of Woodstock also spoke up.

He talked about having “a certain amount of skepticism about the process.  Iowa has a (computerized) system of drawing districts.”

Jordan pointed out that we were “moving toward a government that can be audited.”

He suggested that the process used by both the Greek and Venetians–random selection of public officials–might be better than what we have in Illinois.

Not speaking from the microphone was Cary resident Raymond Scheff (at least that’s what my notes say).

He had suggested reapportionment maps that he had prepared for Tryon.

Lang asked if he wished to share them with the committee.

The reply was that was up to Rep. Tryon.

Led by Finance Committee Chairman Marc Munaretto, the deadline to have borrowed the money allocated by the McHenry County Board under the subsidized Federal Stimulus Program was extended until the end of December for three projects previously approved:

• $15 million for the EquityOne minor league baseball stadium in Woodstock got a 16-7 vote.
• $5,932,730 for Wonder Lake’s Master Property Owners Association of dredging purposes won 19-4.
• $18 million for the McHenry County SportsPlex planned for Lakewood tallied 15-8.

= = = = =
The eight voting “No” on the SportsPlex question were Yvonne Barnes, Randy Donley, John Hammerand, Jim Heisler, Mary McCann, Kathy Bergan Schmidt, Ersel Schuster, Paula Yensen (in whose district the project sits).

The seven voting against EquityOne’s minor league baseball funding were Randy Donley, Ed Dvorak, John Hammerand, Jim Heisler, Virginia Peschke, Kathy Bergan Schmidt and Ersel Schuster.

The vote opposing the Wonder Lake dredging financing were Randy Donley, John Hammerand, Virginia Peschke and Ersel Schuster.

Thanks to a friend of McHenry County Blog, I can offer the following take on what happened at Nunda Township’s Annual Town Meeting:

I thought I’d fill you in on the outcome of the Nunda Township Annual Meeting.

Aside from the formalities of the standard Annual Meeting Agenda (there were some interesting comments from Supervisor John Heisler at the beginning of the meeting relative to general assistance funds… mainly they will likely be depleted by October), the big question on the agenda was with regard to the Nunda Open Space Plan and a question put forth as to whether or not to put an advisory question on the November Ballot which would allow the voters to express whether or not they favored repealing the Nunda Open Space Plan.

I wish I had brought my digital recorder or had taken better notes, however below is a quick summation of a couple of key points made during the meeting:

Douglas Mann put the motion forward to discuss the question and admitted that while the question was advisory he called the plan a plan to tax the residents of Nunda Township.

In his remarks he referred to page 13 of the Standards and Procedures which indicates that “Cost, availability and willingness of the seller will be the standards that guide the Township Board in acquisition” and that references to Hydric Soils or other water related issues would not be guiding factors when purchasing properties.

Former Nunda Trustee, Kevin Sarnwick, asked a series of questions of Supervisor John Heisler relative to the Open Space Plan.  Among the answers, it was revealed out that the township could not accept land donations without an Open Space Plan.

Several homeowners indicated that their wells had run dry and they had been forced to dig a deeper well as the aquifers had been reduced as a result of development.

Democrat Candidate for County Board Lori McConville, who also serves on the Nunda Township Planning Commission and is President and Chairman of Nunda Neighbors for Open Space spoke against having the question on the ballot.

Gerry Walsh, one of the advisory question proponents, questioned Ms. McConville’s credibility, noting that he was scheduled to appear in front of the Illinois Election Commission with regard to an infraction related to campaign finance filing against Nunda Neighbors tomorrow.  McConville’s argument was that her involvement was based out of concern for the quantity and quality of water available to township residents.

Also speaking in support of the Open Space Plan among others were County Board Member Kathy Bergen Schmidt and Nunda Township Planning Commission Chairman Ders Anderson.

Among the supporters many discussed the failed tax referendums and how they would, eventually, when the timing is right, win approval.

During one of her Remarks, Kathy Bergen Schmidt identified as the same Gerry Walsh who served as a Trustee in Roselle back in the 90′s.

Debate lasted for nearly an hour and the final vote was 31 in favor of letting the voters voice their opinion and 47 against.  I did note that there were many people that chose to abstain from the vote.

I voted in favor of putting the question on the ballot; while the referendum was advisory, it would have given the voters another chance to express their opinion on the document that they approved of, but not enough to fund, and it would have given the proponents that would want to see taxes raised on Nunda residents the opportunity to promote the value of the plan and build their case for their next attempt at the tax increase.

No winners or losers here, I guess.

I had heard the rumor that McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler had told those thinking of voting against him that such action would result in their not getting a chairmanship.

If true, Koehler, re-elected in early December over challengers Barb Wheeler (whom you see at the left being hugged by Koehler after he beat her) and Marc Munaretto, did not apply that guideline uniformly.

Otherwise, Marc Munaretto would not have been re-appointed Chairman of the Finance Committee.

He was the only exception, however.

Challenger Wheeler was stripped of her Planning and Development Committee chairmanship and even denied a vice chairmanship, usually a pretty meaningless position.

First term Lake in the Hills Democrat Jim Kennedy, who voted for Koehler, on the other hand, landed two vice chairmanships:

• Law and Justice and
• Liquor & License

Let’s see what happened to those who voted for candidates other than Koehler.

Republicans voting for Barb Wheeler:

Sue Daffkorn – District 4
Virginia Peschke – District 5
Dan Ryan – District 6
Sandra Salgado – District 4
Barb Wheeler – District 3

Like Wheeler, Sue Draffkorn ended up as neither a committee chairman or vice chairman.

Long-time member Virginia Peschke, who was chairman of the Public Health Committee and who previously ran against Koehler, ended up a complete backbencher.

Dan Ryan was not selected to be neither a chairman nor a vice chairman.

Sandra Salgado also didn’t place in the chairman, vice chairman derby.

Freshman Democrat Kathy Bergan Schmidt, who also supported Wheeler, had to settle for being an ordinary committee member like the rest of Wheeler’s supporters.

Randy Donley, who supported Munaretto, also finished out of the money, so to speak.

“Reward your friends, punish your enemies” is old political advice.

Koehler seems to have followed that advice, except for Munaretto.

Maybe Koehler concluded that his political coalition didn’t have anyone as qualified as Munaretto to head the Finance Committee.

I had heard the rumor that McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler had told those thinking of voting against him that such action would result in their not getting a chairmanship.

If true, Koehler, re-elected in early December over challengers Barb Wheeler (whom you see at the left being hugged by Koehler after he beat her) and Marc Munaretto, did not apply that guideline uniformly.

Otherwise, Marc Munaretto would not have been re-appointed Chairman of the Finance Committee.

He was the only exception, however.

Challenger Wheeler was stripped of her Planning and Development Committee chairmanship and even denied a vice chairmanship, usually a pretty meaningless position.

First term Lake in the Hills Democrat Jim Kennedy, who voted for Koehler, on the other hand, landed two vice chairmanships:

• Law and Justice and
• Liquor & License

Let’s see what happened to those who voted for candidates other than Koehler.

Republicans voting for Barb Wheeler:

Sue Daffkorn – District 4
Virginia Peschke – District 5
Dan Ryan – District 6
Sandra Salgado – District 4
Barb Wheeler – District 3

Like Wheeler, Sue Draffkorn ended up as neither a committee chairman or vice chairman.

Long-time member Virginia Peschke, who was chairman of the Public Health Committee and who previously ran against Koehler, ended up a complete backbencher.

Dan Ryan was not selected to be neither a chairman nor a vice chairman.

Sandra Salgado also didn’t place in the chairman, vice chairman derby.

Freshman Democrat Kathy Bergan Schmidt, who also supported Wheeler, had to settle for being an ordinary committee member like the rest of Wheeler’s supporters.

Randy Donley, who supported Munaretto, also finished out of the money, so to speak.

“Reward your friends, punish your enemies” is old political advice.

Koehler seems to have followed that advice, except for Munaretto.

Maybe Koehler concluded that his political coalition didn’t have anyone as qualified as Munaretto to head the Finance Committee.

Kathy Bergan Schmidt, new chair of the McHenry County Democratic Central Committee, was almost picking off incumbent Republican County Board member Nick Provenzano before the early votes were folded in.

Provenzano was reported to be leading by 97 votes. There were 23,308 votes reported then.

After adding the early and absentee votes, there were 29,458 ballots cast in District 3.

286 votes is the margin now reported that Schmidt beat Provenzano.

Kathy Bergan Schmidt, new chair of the McHenry County Democratic Central Committee, was almost picking off incumbent Republican County Board member Nick Provenzano before the early votes were folded in.

Provenzano was reported to be leading by 97 votes. There were 23,308 votes reported then.

After adding the early and absentee votes, there were 29,458 ballots cast in District 3.

286 votes is the margin now reported that Schmidt beat Provenzano.

Glancing at the final week’s contributions to McHenry County candidates, I found two for the county board district north of Crystal Lake.

One was a $500 contribution to incumbent Republican Nick Provenzano from Jack Roeser, who runs the Family-Taxpayers Network.

The second was more interesting. It was for Kathy Bergan Schmidt, the new McHenry County Democratic Central Committee Chair.

She is the only Democrat challenging Provenzano and Mary Donner.

She started off with $1,887 on Jul 1st and has picked up $2,131.

So, she has a bit over $4,000 for her campaign.

Over half of the money has come as a loan from herself.

She also received $500 from the Eight District Democrats and Independents out of Lake Zurich.

Provenzano started out July with $465 and has garnered $1,780 since then. Besides the Roeser $500, the only other donations big enough to be reported was $250 from former State Senator Dick Klemm.

Donner had about $8,000, counting what she had on July 1st and what she has raised since. That does not take into account whatever her fund raiser cost.

Those identified as contributors are

• $500 – Richard Klemm Trust
• $250 – Mr. and Mrs. G. Weiler
• $250 – Local 150 Operating Engineers
• $250 – Referrals Plus, Inc.
• $240 – National Association of Systems Administrators
• $150 – Madsen Sugden and Gottemoller