McHenry County Blog

At the August 20th meeting of the McHenry County Mental Health Board, former County Board member Lyn Orphal brought up two interesting topics in the Public Comment period.

She said that communications between the Mental Health Board and one or more agencies had been recorded. I filed a Freedom of Information request asking for electronic copies on the spot and expect a reply in the near future.

The second topic was tuition payments Orphal said were made to finance the earning of a doctorate degree by Executive Director Sandy Lewis, whose resignation was accepted that night.

Now comes in mail an accounting of the money spent by the Mental Health Board in 2010, 2011 and 2012 at Aurora University for “Administration.”

Whether or not it is for Lewis I don’t know. She lists an Ed.D from George Williams College.

As with a number of candidates, former County Board member Lyn Orphal did not answer the ALAW Questionnaire, so you will be denied the comparison answers to its questions provide.

Nevertheless, McHenry County Blog has obtained her palm card and a letter which you can see below.  As usual, click to enlarge.

Orphal’s web site can be found here.

In looking at her page on County Board experience, I see no reference to what I shall always remember her for.

To the utter surprise of McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler, she moved to strike all language about the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax from the re-write of the Animal Control Code.

Those who presented the revised ordinance expected to use the money to finance a more elaborate facility in Crystal Lake.

McHenry County Blog ran an almost daily campaign against the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax from house cat Keely’s perspective.

The campaign penetrated the political Establishment enough that ordinance sponsor Tina Hill even referred to her proposal as a “Cat Tax,” before realizing her (what word should I use, “embarrassing,” no, “hilarious” is better; I was laughing too loudly in the audience) mistake.

One of the arguments for the tax was to make certain that all cats were inoculated against rabies…all cats but those most likely to have it, barn cats.

The proposal made no sense and public pressure was so great that Orphal made a last minute decision to offer her amendment to the ordinance.

It succeeded.

Now Keely Cat can rest comfortably assured that the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax Collector will not come searching for him.

= = = = =

To refresh people’s memories of this example of over-regulation by local Republicans, I’ll show you the story that I ran before the GOP primary election two years ago. (Please note, “Chainsaw Jack” Franks that you are not the first I have taken on for trying to over-regulate us in McHenry County.):

Remembering the McHenry County Republican Cat Tax Now that County Board Members Are Up for Election

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 running for higher office) who voted to impose the Cat Tax in order to help pay for new animal control shelter on Route 14 in Crystal Lake follow (updated for 2012):

• Mary Donner of Crystal Lake, District3
  
• John Heisler of Crystal Lake, District 2
  
• Tina Hill of Woodstock, District 5
• John Jung of Woodstock, District 5
• Ken Koehler, County Board Chairman, Crystal Lake, District 2
• Anna May Miller of Cary, District 1
• Virginia Peschke of Woodstock, District 5
  
• Sandra Salgado of McHenry, District 4
• Barbara Wheeler of Crystal Lake, running for State Rep. unopposed

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–updated for the 2012 election.)

• 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–updated for the 2012 election):

• 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.

You may remember that Kevin Craver’s Northwest Herald article about District 2 McHenry County Board candidates focused on the vote to increase the property tax levy by the maximum of 1.5% Cost-of-Living increase allowed by the Real Estate Tax Cap.

(You can find out who voted to hike your real estate tax bill as much as the law allows here.)

That stimulated my article entitled,

“Northwest Herald Turns Up the Heat on Three Crystal Lake County Board Members Who Voted to Maximize Tax Bill.”

Saturday’s NWH article about the District 3 campaign continued on the same property tax theme, the “touchiest issue,” as the reporter puts it.

There are three incumbents running for re-election.  Two Republicans–Mary Donner and Nick Provenzano–and Democrat Kathy Bergan Schmidt.

Donner and Schmidt voted for the tax hike; Provenzano did not.

Craver points out in the article that only challenger Lyn Orphal, a former District 2 Board member unseated by Donna Kurtz, came out in favor of the real estate tax hike.

Of the challengers, the following opposed the “Tax to the Max” approach:

• Mary Alger
• Joe Gottemoller
• Mary McClellan
• Jim Schlader
• Michael Walkup

Of the eight comments (as of 5:30 Saturday when this article was written) under the District 3 article, all are negative regarding the impending real estate tax hike.

After an overly long set-up yesterday, today we move into what office seekers who attended the McHenry County Young Republicans’ Candidates’ Forum said about the County Board’s having decided to maximize the amount of money it will take out of our pockets this summer.

Before beginning, let me remind you of those incumbents who voted to increase the tax levy so the tax take from property owners will be as high as allowed by state law.

Those running for re-election are in boldface type.

• Robert Bless
• Scott Breeden
• Sue Draftcorn (a switch)
• Mary Donner
• Jim Heisler
• Tina Hill (a switch)
• John Jung
• Donna Kurtz
• Mary McCann
• Pete Merkel
• Anna May Miller (a switch)
• Marc Munaretto
• Kathy Bergan Schmidt
• Ken Koehler

Candidates were allowed two minutes to introduce themselves. Some used the time to emphasize the tax hike issue.

Friday night it was Joe Gottemoeller, Nick Provenzano, Mary Alger, Sandy Salgado, John Hammerand and Ed Varga, (I was taking photos, so if I missed someone, let us know in the comment section.)

The tax issue surfaced in some of the opening comments.

“I voted ‘No’ on the tax increase,” District 3 incumbent Provenzano said in his opening.

“I’m here to put the brakes on…raising taxes,” said Tea Party candidate Mary Alger, running in District 3.

“I voted ‘No’ on the tax increase,” District 4 incumbent Sandra Salgado chimed in.

And that was all before the tax hike question was asked.

Crystal Lake City Councilwoman Carolyn Schoefield praised the process set in place to immediately begin an effort to see how the budget could be cut. She explained that her city “dipped into our reserves to lower the tax levy,” but noted, “the reserves are not limitless.”

“I voted against the budget increase,” John Hammerand said.

“If there’s money to be spent, we use it.”

District 4′s Ed Varga of Richmond:

Ed Varga

“I was upset about hearing about the tax levy, the last minute nature of it.

“Just go to each department and say, ‘You’ve got 5% less to spend.’”

Having served on the McHenry County Board of Health, he pointed to an outside audit that said the local health department did more with less than any other Chicago area health department.

Joe Gottemoeller, a challenger in District 3, expanded on his opening remark by answering, “No” and pointing out that property taxes had increase from 2% of a home’s value to 4% since 1994.

“Government has to tighten its budget.”

“I’m not looking for increasing the tax levy,” explained District 2 challenger Tom Wilbeck. “That’s what got me involved on the very last day.”

He told that people asked, “Are you going to raise my taxes?” as he went door-to-door soliciting petition signatures.

Incumbent Mary Donner of District 3 said, “I guess you get to hear frankly (from one in the) peanut gallery who voted, ‘Yes.’”

The Finance Committee member explained that the Committee started working on the budget in May. She pointed to mandates, e.g., courtrooms for two new judges.

“We are the smallest unit government [at least the smallest Illinois county] that has a Triple A bond rating.”

District 3 incumbent Nick Provenzano reiterated that he had voted against the $2.7 million increase. He pointed out that the Board had taken “an addition $1.2 million out of the tax reserves.

“That was a mistake.

“We need to relieve staff of some of the high level decisions. We have to stop spending where we don’t need to.”

District 3′s Tea Party Republican, Mary Alger, said, “I would not have voted for the increase in taxes. I’ve looked at the notices that are tacked on houses.”

“I did not vote for the tax levy,” District 4′s Sandra Salgado repeated. She told of excesses in the budgets of “political figures.”

Salgado was told by a colleague, “That’s a great question, but you’re not the one to ask it.” She said the question involved “over $600,000.”

She said she “put a stop to elected officials salaries” going up.

“The office pays what it pays,” she observed. [Most county officials get about $100,000 a year.]

District 3 challenger Mary McClellan, first on her ballot, had this response:

“A resounding, ‘No.’

“Hold any County Board member responsible for the votes they made.”

District 2 incumbent Donna Kurtz said,

“I voted for the tax levy because I believe in fiscal responsibility.

“We had labor contract’s and inflation of 1.5%. and that [was] what the tax levy [increase] was [for].

“Others wanted to use money earmarked for capital to pay for the [operating] expenses. That was [irresponsible].

Linda Kvidera Murphy of District 4 put in her two cents worth: “I also don’t support the increase in taxes. I think County Board members should be held accountable [for their votes].

“I did support the tax increase,” admitted District 2 incumbent Jim Heisler.

He explained he started out in opposition to the increase, but “wages got us corralled where we couldn’t back out of it.”

Crystal Lake Park District Commissioner Mike Walkup, a challenger in District 3, expresses his opposition to the hike.

“I agree with Cal [Skinner]. Set the number you have and [make] that number the [levy].

“The economy is not going to get better quickly,” he predicted.

[See

"How to Cut a Budget, Plus How to Provide Political Camouflage for Incumbent McHenry County Board Members"]

District 3 aspirant Jim Schlader was the last Friday participant to answer the tax question.

“People I talk to out on the streets are asking whether they’re going to but food or [pay taxes].

“I would not vote for that increase.”

Missing from the event were District 2 candidate Ken Koehler, the Chairman of the McHenry County Board.  Koehler voted for the tax hike.

Among the missing from District 3 was former Board member Linda (Lyn) Orphal.

Not taking part from District 4 were incumbent Sue Draffkorn, plus challenger Robert “Bob” M. Martens, Sr.  Draffkorn voted in favor of the tax  hike.

= = = = =
What District 5 and 6 candidates said Saturday night tomorrow.

Crystal Lake Park Board member Michael Walkup obviously was going to file someone’s petition(s).

He arrived about 4 when I did, but was very secretive about what was inside the unmarked plain paper envelope.

Jim Kennedy was there to file as a Democrat when we walked in the County Clerk’s Office. But, as detailed here, Kennedy was running in District 2, not District 5, which he served for four years. He had been remaped into the district to the east.

Only Huntley’s Mike Skala, running in District 5, was similarly waiting for the last moment. Obviously, both wanted the last ballot position.

McHenry County Clerk warned the two that their receipt for income disclosure must be filed and attached to their petition packets and the processing of the filing started before the 5 PM deadline.

Skala took her advice more seriously than Walkup, but both filed in time.

And, what did Walkup file?

A petition for himself for McHenry County Board in District 3.

As explained in my District 6 GOP County Board candidate story, last place gives a candidate a bonus of about 5%, the same as second place, with first place on the ballot worth an extra 10%.

Since six of the eight District 3 candidates had filed simultaneously, two would get bonus position, while the other four would be in the middle of the ballot.

Those six first minute filers are

• Mary Alger
• Mary Donner
• Joe Gottmoller
• Mary McClellan
• Nick Provenzano

Next to last is the worst position on the ballot and that’s where Jim Schlader ended up.

Presumably Walkup decided that filing last was the safety play.

Let’s look at the numbers from the two previous District 3 elections.

In the 2008 Presidential primary election, there were 7,976 votes.  Remember that each person got two votes.

From the canvass below, you can see that many people–2008–did not use both of their votes, probably lest their second choice beat out their first choice.

Similarly, election results in 2010, seen below, saw 6,944 votes cast.  1,772 votes went uncast.

One of the first things one does in a campaign is try to figure out how many votes it will take to win.

What’s your guess in District 3′s Republican primary election?

With the exception of any Democrats, most of those wanting to serve on the McHenry County Board filed petitions in the County Clerk’s Office today.

An asterisk in front of a name means they filed at 8 AM when the office opened and will take part in a lottery to determine the order on the ballot.

Four will be elected from each district.

Benefits include power, prestige, about $20,000 a year in salary with no attendance requirements, plus health and pension benefits that can be worth up to about $20,000.

Filing ends at 4:30 next Monday.

Republicans in District 1 follow:

• *Yvonne M. Barnes, Cary
• *Anna May Miller, Cary
• Robert “Bob” Bless, Fox River Grove

In District 2, the following will be on the ballot, pending any challenges:

• *James L. Heisler, Crystal Lake
• *Carolyn Schofield, Crystal Lake
• Kenneth (Ken) D. Koehler, Crystal Lake

The lively District 3 contest features

• *Mary R. Alger, Crystal Lake
• *Mary L. Donner, Crystal Lake
• *Joseph (Joe) Gottemoller, Crystal Lake
• *Mary McClellan, Holiday Hills
• *Linda (Lyn) Orphal, Crystal Lake
• *Nick Provenzano, McHenry

District 4 aspirants follow:

• *John D. Hammerand, Wonder Lake
• *Sandra Fay Salgado, McHenry
• *Edward Varga, Richmond
• Robert “Bob” M Martens, Sr, Spring Grove

District 5 contestants in the GOP primary so far are

• John P. Jung, Jr., Woodstock
• Tina R. Hill, Woodstock

In District 6, the following have submitted petitions:

• *Diane F. Evertsen, Harvard
• *Shawn Green, Union
• *David LaGue, Marengo
• *Mary T. McCann, Woodstock
• *Ersel C. Schuster, Woodstock
• *Rachel Elizabeth Smith, Wonder Lake, IL 60097
• Michele R. Aavang, Woodstock

Republican incumbents not filing yet are

• Marc Munaretto of Algonquin,
• Robert Nowak of Cary, Donna Kurtz of Crystal Lake,
• Pete Merkel of McHenry,
• Barb Wheeler of Crystal Lake, who is running for State Representative,
• Sue Draffkorn of Wonder Lake and
• Virginia Peschke of Bull Valley.

Neither Democratic Party incumbents Kathy Bergan Schmidt or Paul Yensen submitted petitions.

= = = = =

Candidates are invited to share their backgrounds, reasons for running, platforms, etc., on McHenry County Blog.  The email address is to the left.

Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady traveled up the Fox River Valley to talk to McHenry County Republicans Wednesday night.

The event was held at the Prairie Isle Golf Club in Prairie Grove.

A good number of countywide elected officials were in attendance.

Not only candidates for countywide office, but those for the McHenry County Board were courting voters. Nick Provenzano was there, but I don’t think he’d want me to post the photo I have for this event.

8th District Congressman Joe Walsh represented the national scene.

State legislators and candidates were in attendance.

McHenry County Republican Party Chairman Mike Tryon was present, as was McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler.

Steven Rooney, recently elected to the Johnsburg School Board, was present.

There was even a past school board member sighted.

The turnout was more than respectable.

I’m fortunate to have had a couple of people taking pictures for me, but good coverage of an event really requires feet on the ground. For instance, I’d love to knows what the politicians are laughing about in the photo below:

There was a gathering of Chairmen at the meeting.  Not only was State Party Chairman Pat Brady present, but McHenry County Chairman Mike Tryon, Lake County Chairman Bob Cook and the host, Nunda Township Chairman Brent Smith.

As I go through the second set of photos, I see one with Crystal Laker Rich Evans, who has announced his candidacy for Congress in Joe Walsh’s 8th District. There is no indication that Walsh is running for re-election there.

The Northwest Herald usually doesn’t send reporters to political events, but newcomer Jane Huh covered the event.

Prairie Isle Golf Club was the site for a Tuesday fund raiser for District 3 McHenry County Board candidate John O’Neill.

O’Neill is one of five Republican candidates vying for four slots on the fall 2012 ballot.

With incumbent Barb Wheeler running for State Representative, only two Republican incumbents remain–Nick Provenzano and Mary Donner. Both are running for re-election.

Two non-incumbents besides O’Neill have made their intentions know–Nunda Township Trustee Jim Schlader and former District 2 County Board member Lyn Orphal.

It is expected that Democratic Party incumbent Kathy Bergan Schmidt will be running for re-election.

I missed a good meeting of the Nunda Township Republican Central Committee earlier this month.

Besides the main speaker, newly-appointed State Rep. Kent Gaffney, other candidates were present to announce their candidacies.

McHenry County Board member Barb Wheeler was one of them. She is running for State Representative in the district that runs from my Crystal Lake-Lakewood precinct to Antioch in northern Lake County.

There is no incumbent living in this 64th District.  Mike Tryon, who is State Representative in the current 64th District has chosen to remain in his current home, which is not within the boundaries of the new 64th District.

Mary Donner and Nick Provenzano, the two other Republican incumbent County Board members, announced their candidacies for re-election.

The other County Board member from District 3 is Democrat Kathy Bergan Schmidt.

Three people appeared seeking to join the two GOP incumbents.

They are Lyn Orphal, who represented District 2 until she was knocked off by Donna Kurtz last year. Orphal’s precinct, just south of East Crystal Lake Avenue west of Route 31, was moved into District 3. She attended the County Board meeting when the new lines were approved.

John O’Neill, now a member of both the McHenry Grade School District and the McHenry Library Board, plus being the only one brave enough to challenge Democratic Party State Rep. Jack Franks, announced he was going to run for County Board in 2012.

Rounding out the trio of those seeking County Board seats was Nunda Township Trustee James Schlader. Schlader ran unsuccessfully for County Board in 2008, getting a bit over half the votes received by Donner and Provenzano. Kurt Milliman, recently murdered, ran in the same primary and got about the same proportion of votes.  He was elected Nunda Township Trustee in 2009.

= = = = =
The photo of Kent Gaffney is by Robin F. Pendergast, Inc.

It’s that time of year when those thinking about running for the McHenry County Board are trying to form coalitions.

There may have been other potential candidates at Tuesday’s McHenry County Board meeting, but for sure former member Lyn Orphal was one of them.

Clearly she was there to see what happened on the map.

The committee version placed her in District 3, a Nunda Township-dominated map.

The Marc Munaretto-Anna May Miller-John Jung-Nick Provenzano-Ken Koehler map put her in District 2, where she served eight years.