Meanwhile, Keely Cat is taking the Northwest Herald approach to the adding of about $50,000 worth of administrative cost to the delivery of Grafton Township services.

Keely ignoring what's going on in Grafton Township.

Until the blood-letting is over, Keely Cat has decided to hide his head and sleep.

Eventually, the Democrats lust for patronage and the other benefits of controlling state government will result in slotting State Comptroller Dan Hynes in Scott Lee Cohen’s place as the running mate for Pat Quinn and the media can concentrate on how “unqualified” the Republican’s Lieutenant Governor candidate Jason Plummer is.

And, if you don’t believe they will, read this paragraph from Friday’s column by the Tribune’s Eric Zorn:

“Democratic and Republican primary voters Tuesday nominated inexperienced, unknown rich guys to be the running mates for their gubernatorial candidates, touching off memories of 1986, when another unknown slipped his way onto a major-party ticket.

This time, lumber company heir Jason Plummer, 27, spent more than $1.3 million in family money to get 34 percent of the GOP primary vote, enough to prevail in a six-candidate field.

“…the outrage was obvious: Neither man is remotely qualified to be one heartbeat or one federal indictment away from becoming governor of Illinois.”

Nothing about how the county was looking for a place not near a residential neighborhood…on cheap land…without brick walls and ended up near a residential neighborhood on one of the busiest highways in McHenry County with brick walls.

After Blake Hobson gave Ken Koehler the credit for the new facility, someone named “OakLeaf” wrote the following:

OakLeaf wrote on January 25, 2010 12:44 p.m.

“I think the county could have found a much less expensive place. This is from mchenrycountyblog The folks running for re-election (or, in the case of one seeking to return to the board) who voted to impose the cat tax in order to help pay for new animal control shelter on Route 14 in Crystal Lake follow:

• Ken Koehler, County Board Chairman, Crystal Lake, District 2
• John Jung of Woodstock, District 5
• Tina Hill of Woodstock, District 5
• Anna May Miller of Cary, District 1
• Sandra Salgado of McHenry, District 4
• Barbara Wheeler of Crystal Lake, District 3″

Keely Cat doesn't have to hide from the McHenry County Cat Tax Collector anymore.

It was a coincidence that I wrote a story about the votes on the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax the same day the NW Herald did a two-year retrospective.

And, the Herald didn’t point out the role its approval played in the defeat of Woodstock Republican County Board member Perry Moy by Lake in the Hills Democrat Jim Kennedy.

There are certainly different roles played by the NW Herald and McHenry County Blog.

And, only McHenry County Blog features the best know cat in McHenry County:

The one, the only

Keely Cat

Keely Cat takes a dim view of those county board members who wanted to send out the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax Collector. (He also takes a dim view of people who wake him up to take his picture to illustrate a story like this.) Catkins still can't understand why they thought he couldn't take care of any rabid bat that might penetrate the Skinner household. The bugs he has hunted are no longer around and, if he could get out of the sun porch, he knows that chiprats would be no problem.

Now that the primary election is but a week away, I’m going to give you a chance to read my article on the McHenry County Board’s 2007 defeat of the Republican Cat Tax.

The folks running for re-election (or, in the case of one seeking to return to the board) who voted to impose the cat tax in order to help pay for new animal control shelter on Route 14 in Crystal Lake follow:

• Ken Koehler, County Board Chairman, Crystal Lake, District 2
• John Jung of Woodstock, District 5
• Tina Hill of Woodstock, District 5
• Anna May Miller of Cary, District 1
• Sandra Salgado of McHenry, District 4
• Barbara Wheeler of Crystal Lake, District 3

The original February 21, 2007, article follows. For some reason Google has removed the original photographs, even though I paid extra to keep the up.

11 Republicans, 1 Democrat Kill McHenry County Republican Cat Tax

If you ever think that your voice can’t make a difference in local government, think again!

Both opponents and proponents of the Republican Cat Tax mentioned they had been lobbied by their constituents.

And some of them used language (“Cat Tax Collector”) that made me know that McHenry County Blog readers had been spreading the word.

The McHenry County Board, stacked 23-1 in favor of the Republican Party, defeated the cat tax backed by County Chairman Ken Koehler (he called it a “fee”) and nine other GOP county board members.

The motion to eliminate the cat tax from the revision of the animal control ordinance passed 12-10 on a motion by Lyn Orphal, seconded by Mary Lou Zierer. Perhaps Republicans have been this split on a board vote before. I don’t follow it closely enough to know. It must be a rarity, however, for a county board chairman not to get his way.

The 11 Republicans voting to kill the Republican Cat Tax follow. (Those in bold face type are on the ballot.)

• Yvonne Barnes of Cary, a newcomer
• Sue Draffkorn of Wonder Lake
• Randy Donley of Union
• Ed Dvorak of Crystal Lake
• John Hammerand of Wonder Lake
• Mary McCann of Woodstock, just elected
• Lyn Orphal of Crystal Lake
• Nick Provenzano of McHenry
• Daniel Ryan of Huntley, just elected
• Dan Shea of Fox River Grove
• Mary Lou Zierer of Marengo

Newly elected Democratic Party member Jim Kennedy of Lake in the Hills joined this majority of voting Republicans (two were absent) to kill the cat tax.

Get down, Catkins. I’m writing a story.

Don’t worry, you’re safe now from the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax Collectors.

Relax.

I’ll scratch your chest and neck later.

Those voting in favor of the Cat Tax ordinance, which would require rabies inoculation, plus the fee (which even a supporter slipped and called a “cat tax”), couched their arguments primarily toward being fair to both dog and cat owners, plus getting ahead of the spread of cat rabies, which is in Pennsylvania.

Those voting in favor of imposing the Cat Tax Hike were all Republicans. Their names follow (those on the ballot shown in bold face type):

• Ken Koehler, County Board Chairman, Crystal Lake
• Marie Chmiel of Crystal Lake
• Mary Donner of Crystal Lake, just elected
• John Heisler of Crystal Lake
• Tina Hill of Woodstock
• John Jung of Woodstock
• Anna May Miller of Cary
• Virginia Peschke of Woodstock
• Sandra Salgado of McHenry
• Barbara Wheeler of Crystal Lake

= = = = =
Here, minus Chairman Ken Koehler, are those who attended the Cat Tax County Board meeting. (Click to enlarge.)

Koehler is pictured in profile on top, while Lyn Orphal, the Crystal Laker who made the motion to kill the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax is just below.

Keely cat is shown relaxing after the death of the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax Collector ordinance.

I’m a big advocate of putting your message on the address side of the envelope, if a candidate is sending a letter.

As you can see Koehler did that and Orphal didn’t.

Without even opening the envelope, you can see that Koehler is running a better financed campaign. He uses color; Orphal uses black and white.

That difference is continued inside.

Koehler encloses a heavy card stock piece. Full color treatment.

On one side he touts

• Financial stability with a balance budget
• Transportation improvements, citing future improvements
• Groundwater protection to pass the first comprehensive groundwater protection ordinance in Illinois
• Economic Development – fostering responsible economic development

It is conceivable that Koehler may be called on the 2030 Plan’s not recognizing his hometown’s Watershed Ordinance. This was brought up by primary opponent Ellen Brady Mueller in the city council debate about moving forward to zone the property on Country Club Road in Ridgefield where Metra wants to build a train station on land half-owned by Koehler.

One interesting aspect of the side of the piece you see above is that it lists both elections. That means Koehler can use any left over literature this fall, assuming he wins the primary in which he is clearly the favorite.

The other side pretty much reiterates the points made on the more detailed, although it does add “Proactive land use planning” and improving “public transportation.”

His letter (click to enlarge), which is not in color, highlights his web site and talks about early voting, noting he brings “a unique perspective that is not offered elsewhere in the District 2 race” because of his nine years experience on the board with five years as chairman.

“Perhaps my greatest contribution to the county board so far has been my commitment to the protection of our groundwater supply,” Koehler writes.

Perhaps someone will ask him at Friday night’s Patriots United candidates’ night at 7 at McHenry County College whether that concern extends to recognizing the building restrictions imposed by the Crystal Lake Watershed Ordinance.

On the back of his letter are listed where one can vote early. Locally, the two places are Crystal Lake City Hall and the Algonquin Township Hall.

Lyn Orphal’s letter (click to enlarge) is printed in the cheaper black and white. She lists the committees on which she has served over the last ten years. For the last four years she has served as “chair” of Public Health and Human Services.
She also lists her being board liaison to the housing authority, senior service grant commission, the Workforce Investment Board and the McHenry County Economic Development Board.

Orphal accurately describes herself as a “veteran” board member and says, “I have been able to make a difference and want the opportunity to continue to do so.”

She is Executive Director of Leadership Greater McHenry County.

I can’t find a web site for her campaign.

Keely Cat, who led the fight againstg the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax, still is keeping an eye out for a rabid bat, which was the stated excuse to impose this tax. Keely never understood how rabid bats could get inside, when even the mouse holes have been plugged up. The animals he is watching move around his domain about as much as the bats. The Republican Cat Tax was proposed to finance the re-modling of the Animal Control Shelter on Crystal Lake's Route 14 across from Woodstock Street. As with McHenry County Board and the McHenry County College Board, Keely doesn't like having the camera flash in his eyes when I take pictures.

What she doesn’t mention is the key role she played in killing the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax. She made the motion to kill it, bringing great surprise to Koehler, who was a strong supporter.

But both mailings were amateur night performances compared to the 8½ by 11 inch post card that arrived from challenger Donna Kurtz yesterday.

Mine arrived unbent sticking out from the other mail.

It also promotes early voting, but has polling places in Huntley (park district), which is not in the district, and, more importantly, Lake in the Hills (village hall), which is in District 2.

Kurtz says she is into

• Protecting the Future
• Ensuring Our Quality of Life

She says, she

• is principled, honest, and on our side
• will protect our quality of life (here she talks about safeguarding lake, fen, and stream watersheds, but does not specifically mention Crystal Lake’s Watershed Ordinance)
• will speak her mind and stand up for you (for some reason she does not give her best example, which was changing her mind from supporting the minor league baseball stadium in Crystal Lake’s watershed at McHenry County College, on whose board she serves)

Looking at the piece again, I notice that a photo on this side has her talking to old guys. It looks like a piece of Kurt Stobach cut crystal in the background.

The address side gives some background:

• Long family tradition of public service
• 23 years in corporate management overseeing multi-million budgets
• B.A. – Southern Illinois University
• MMA – University of Illinois – Springfield

And some experience:

• Office of Illinois Auditor General – Auditor
• McHenry County College Trustee (in 5th year)
• Republican Precinct Committeeman
• Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce member
• Former McHenry County Family Service Board member

Her pledges:

• I will be a County Board Member who will place the public good first
• I will dedicate myself to making life better for residents of my district
• I will keep you informed of issues facing our county
• I will fight for fiscal responsibility through smaller government

Naturally, Kurtz points to her web site.

Missing from the literature is that Kurtz has filled out the conflict of interest questionnaire. Koehler and Orphal have not.

Maybe that information will show up in a later comparison piece from Kurtz.

“Who says I even want a Halloween costume?” he asks. “And nobody but you has those tasty fish-flavored treats anyway.”

A woman emailed me asking permission to reprint a photo of a cat in a brown paper bag.

When I finally found it, I discovered I had photographed it where it hung on the fall of Crystal Lake’s Colonial Cafe.

So, I set off to recreate the shot with Keely Cat.

“Oh, the ignomy of it all,” he seems to be thinking.

So far, only one has died.

We bought it when Keely Cat was a kitten.

He sniffed at it too closely then and jumped backwards when a touched a spine.

This month when we took it down to water, Keely sniffed again.

More carefully.

Now do you see the relationship of yesterday’s “Message of the Day” to today’s?

One of my son’s friends was sitting on top of him. My wife was above.

My son and I were standing up.

Then, my son told me where the Mitten was.

In the safest place in the house should a tornado hit.