McHenry County Blog

He wasn’t at the front of the parade but the owner of Port Edward, Ed Woloweic, was the Grand Marshall.

The parade took about an hour, truncated because of construction south on Route 31.

Most of the politic entries which I try to document were fairly near the front of the parade.

But, before they arrived, a volunteer for Congressman Peter Roskam, who will, pending a political upset of tremendous proportions, represent Algonquin Township in Congress next session, was sighted passing out small bags. With candy on their minds, a lot of folks took them.

Of course, there were the members of the Algonquin Village Board.

But before the politicians came Police Chief Russ Laine.

And an entry dedicated to the Chicago Cubs.

Founder Favorite Rusty Cherbak was surrounded by a Chicago Cubs wish fulfillment contingent.

There was even a goat.  A billy goat, of course.

Then came the village politicians.

Village President John Schmidt waved.

Village Trustee Bob Smith was accompanied by Buzz Lightyear.

Village Trustee Debbie Sosine was in waving mode.

Trustee Jerrold Glogowski was one of three trustees walking the route handing out candy.

The other two were Jim Steigert and John Spella.  Handing out candy is the Algonquin Parade is easy on Route 31 because the spectators are all on the south side of the street.

The village clerk came dresses as the clown Lazy Bonz.

The first partisan politician was District 1 Republican McHenry County Board member Bob Bless.

District 1 Republican McHenry County Board members Marc Munaretto and Anna Miller were driving in a Mercedes convertible by Algonquin Township Road Commissioner Bob Miller.

I asked Munaretto, who is not running for re-election to the County Board, whether he was running for re-election for Algonquin Township Clerk.

“You’ll have to wait and see,” he replied.

That was the same answer he gave last year before for filing deadline for County Board.

There are no Democrats in District 1, but there is one in District 5–Paula Yensen.

Next came Jean and McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi.

 McHenry County Auditor Pam Palmer followed Bianchi.

Both Bianchi and McHenry County Auditor Palmer are unopposed this fall.

Kane County politicians followed the McHenry County ones.

There were two County Board members, Hollie Lindgren and Maggie Auger.

There are always pictures that could have been.  The one below was going to be of the current and future Kane County Auditors, incumbent Bill Keck and candidate Terry Hunt.

Fortunately, I got a shot of Keck and Hunt before the parade.

“Take my picture. Take my picture,” the two members of the Eagles, a youth football team shouted as they mugged for my camera.

How could I resist?

Interrupting the parade was the girder from the World Trade Center brought by the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District.

On the sides of the fire engines you can see the above sticker.

I was seated on the porch of a closed building when I way something political after a truck for the Red Run.  (The 5K is August 11th starting at Presidential Park in Algonquin.)

It was the McHenry County Republican Party entry…right at the end of the parade.

There was a banner for GOP State Rep candidate David McSweeney up front.

Right behind were people carrying Congressman Peter Roskam signs.

Then, Dave McSweeney passed me quickly.  I got his attention and he turned around so I could get the photo above.

Next came the McHenry County Republican float.

I just kept snapping my shutter, getting County Board member Nick Provenzano and County Chairman & State Rep. Mike Tryon.

Next came supporters of State Senator Dan Duffy, whose district mirrors that of David McSweeney on the eastern edges of McHenry and Kane Counties.

Next I found McHenry County Board member Robert Nowak.

And with the passing of the next entry, cheerleaders from CEE Snowball Blast Grand Champion, the Algonquin Founders Day Parade was over.

Afterward, however, the young man who had been assiduously gathering candy during the parade put on a Young Republican sticker and agreed to let me take his photograph.

= = = = =
A special note for you Sheriff’s Department watchers. The McHenry County Sheriff’s Department had no entry in the parade. Neither Sheriff Keith Nygren nor his Undersheriff Andrew Zinke was anywhere to be seen.

The McHenry County Courthouse anyway.

None of the four countywide offices in McHenry County have a Democratic candidate.  While it is possible for candidates to pop up after the primary on March 20, 2012, it seems unlikely.

So, the following people will in all likelihood hold the title before their names after the December 2012 swearing in date:

• McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi
• McHenry County Recorder of Deeds Phyllis Walters
• McHenry County Circuit Clerk Katherine Keefe
• McHenry County Treasurer Bill LeFew
• McHenry County Auditor Pam Palmer and
• newcomer McHenry County Coroner Anne Majewski

And, if all the Democrats who have filed for the McHenry County Board were able to win next fall, the GOP would still hold a 14-10 margin.

Here’s what McHenry County Board members will have before them about salaries that they or their successors will earn starting after next fall’s elections:

A resolution calls for “compensation beginning December 2012 and fringe benefit options are hereby approved for the Chairman and Members of the McHenry County Board:

1. Chairman of the Board: The Chairman of the Board will receive an annual salary of $82,200 for FY2013 and FY2014.
2.  Vice-Chairman of the Board: The Vice-Chairman will receive $5,000 per year more than Board Members.
3.  Members of the Board: The Members of the Board will receive an annual salary of $21,500 for FY2013 and FY2014.
4.  Fringe Benefits: The Chairman and Members of the Board may choose to participate in any or all of the benefit programs made available, now or in the future, to all County employees including, but not limited to health, dental and vision plans subject to the same rates, benefit levels, rules and regulations established for all County employees.

And about future raises, here is what is proposed:

“the Chairman and Members of the County Board shall receive an annual increase for FY2015 through FY2021 based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), as provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the Chicago-Gary-Kenosha labor market, or the same pay rate increase provided to non-union employees, or 5%, whichever is less.”

And, a slap at those county board members who do not live in the Woodstock area:

They “shall not accept mileage reimbursement attending County Board Meetings or County Board Committee meetings.”

That, of course, means that those who live closest to the courthouse will have higher compensation than those living in McHenry, Crystal Lake, Cary, Fox River Grove, Algonquin, Huntley, and other outlying areas.

And here are the salaries proposed for the countywide elected officials up this year (except for the State’s Attorney and Regional Superintendent of Schools, which are set by state stature):

McHenry County Auditor
For the year 2013…………………….$104,750
For the year 2014…………………….$104,750
For the year 2015……………………salary increased by CPI
For the year 2016……………………salary increased by CPI

McHenry County Coroner
For the year 2013…………………….$104,750
For the year 2014…………………….$104,750
For the year 2015……………….……salary increased by CPI
For the year 2016………………….…salary increased by CPI

McHenry County Clerk of the Circuit Courts
For the year 2013…………………….$104,750
For the year 2014…………………….$104,750
For the year 2015………………….…salary increased by CPI
For the year 2016…………………….salary increased by CPI

McHenry County Recorder of Deeds
For the year 2013…………………….$104,750
For the year 2014…………………….$104,750
For the year 2015…………………….salary increased by CPI
For the year 2016…………………….salary increased by CPI

= = = = =

Port Edward has pleasant memories for me all the way back to visiting the Algonquin Jaycees back in the late 1960′s.

Then it was only a small corner bar at Harrison and Route 62.

Algonquin Founders Days luncheons, fund raisers, Mother’s Day Breakfasts.

Always good food.

A gift shop to keep your wife and children out of by buying another glass of wine.

Urinals below portholes.

A host without peer–Ed Wolowiec.

Monday night the McHenry County Republican Central Committee held a fundraiser that about 100 people attended.

I was astounded that some candidates were not there. Maybe they don’t know that majority parties have to maintain an infrastructure that minority parties can ignore. Things like rent, phones, utilities, salary.

Not that candidates weren’t present.

Plenty, like Recorder of Deed Phyllis Walters brought petitions.

Barb Wheeler was doing the same and worked two streets in my precinct for signatures this afternoon with Blake Hobson.

Congressman Randy Hultgren’s employee Nick Provenzano was circulating, as was Congressman Joe Walsh’s wife Helena and new staffer Andrew Nelms, who is from Genoa.

I mentioned that State Rep. candidate Barb Wheeler was courting votes.  So were two candidates from the 52nd District Mark Beaubien used to represent.

Appointed State Rep. Kent Gaffney was there with his wife Elizabeth.

So was former 8th Congressional District candidate David McSweeney, now running against Gaffney.

There are three candidates running for the empty 33rd District State Senate seat.  The only one to show up was Kane County Board member Karen McConnaughay.

McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren was making the rounds.

He was introducing his chosen successor, Undersheriff Andy Zinke, although Zinke was doing that well enough by himself before Nygren arrived.

So was McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi.  I did not see the Sheriff and the State’s Attorney conversing.

McHenry County Auditor Pam Palmer was busy gathering petition signatures.

Candidate for McHenry County Coroner Dr. Anne Majewski was courting support at Port Edward, too.

There were a good number of McHenry County Board members and a  couple of township officials.

The County Board members were spread throughout the room. No open meetings violations for these folks.

Some, like District 1′s Anna May Miller and her husband, Algonquin Township Road Commissioner, I didn’t get photos of. Anyone who feels aggrieved can not their attendance in the comment section.

It’s petition gathering time and candidates are thinking about how they are going to finance their campaigns.

McHenry County Auditor is planning on being on the ballot for the third time and knows it costs something to print pamphlets.

Thus far, no one has surfaced to opposed her. There aren’t even any rumors of such a person, Republican or Democrat.

Palmer’s fund raising invitation appears below. The event will be held in Union at Donley’s Banquet Hall on Thursday, September 22nd from 5:30-8.

While the teen were exploring other parts of the McHenry County Fair on Friday, I went looking for things political.

Democratic Party State Rep. Jack Franks’ tent was first.  It was closest to the free parking.

Then,  I saw the Sheriff’s Department’s Crime Stoppers Trailer.

The McHenry County Sheriff’s booth was at the front of the first building I entered, although Sheriff Keith Nygren had not yet arrived.

McHenry County Citizens for Choice was way around the corner.

The McHenry County Republican Party booth was down the aisle to the right. My second time around I found Jack Franks’ staffer conversing with the folks behind the table.

I found the Sheriff’s Department had a second booth location to the right of the main one.

In the next building, the Libertarian Party booth was the first I saw.

Most pennies were in the “Cut Spending” jar.

Next door was the best political story.

The booth was called “Peter’s Net.” Those in it were clearly Catholics and they were explaining how Catholics were Pro-Life.

Here’s a closer look at the models.

The booth renter across the aisle, described as a “modeling agency” complained about the medical models to Fair Officials. One came and, I’m told, said that the display might not be allowed next year.

Since I vividly remember a similar display from 2000 at the McHenry County Right-To-Life organization, I have a hard time understanding such logic, assuming the story that reached my ears was correct.

It certainly makes no economic sense for the Fair, since another Catholic group, renting three or four spaces–as many as the Sheriff’s Department–also had in utero models.

Maybe it was the message on the button saying, “It’s a child, not a choice” that bothered the folks across the aisle or maybe the models were drawing too much attention from the young girls the complaining booth was targeting.

Just around the corner was the McHenry County Democratic Central Committee’s booth.

They had an intimidating American history quiz that they were encouraging people to take.  I was told Jack Franks wouldn’t take it.

I hesitated, read the questions on the front page and figured by 7th and 8th grade American history classes would stand me in good stead.  Then I started checking off the best answer.  I did find until I got to the national debt question.  It asked when the first debt ceiling had been passed.  That was not in any of the American history classes I took.  I won’t ruin the quiz. Suffice is to say that was my only wrong answer.

As I continued my political tour of the McHenry County Fair, I found a second large Pro-Life booth.

Young girls were looking at a display of baby booties and shoes called “Little Soles.”

This is the other booth in which I found the in utero models seen above.

Right across the aisle was the booth of the McHenry County Sportsman’s Association and the McHenry County Right to Carry Association.

With Illinois’ being the last state in the union where individuals are not allowed to carry firearms to protect themselves, the petition signatures gathered in past years may have been the reason that Jack Franks’ flipped from being opposed to being favor.

President Anthony Lopez was standing out front talking to Barb Wheeler, who was helping staff the booth. His wife Laura Rakers was behind the table with Richard Pere.

I went looking for Congressman Joe Walsh’s outpost.

It was on the midway in a corner tent.

I doubled back to the building with the Sheriff’s display in hopes of finding Sheriff Keith Nygren and was rewarded by his presence.

I made another circuit and found Congressman Don Manzullo’s booth. Former Wonder Lake resident Marilyn Davis was behind the table.

As I left the building, Nunda Township Republican Chairman Brent Smith and Sheriff Nygren were having a conversation.

On the way out, I saw John O’Neill, an announced candidate for McHenry County Board staffing the Ray Chevrolet tent.

You know that I read politicians in parades like tea leaves.

Sometimes I just let the photos speak for themselves.

Algonquin’s Marc Avelar shared some photos he took on Saturday’s Algonquin Founders Day Parade.

The one below may speak volumes about who will be run from the GOP faction headed by McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi.

From the picture of Bianchi in the parade, it is unclear whether Kelly was in the car. The name tag probably means she went to the luncheon at Port Edward before the parade. If so, it means she had an opportunity to meet community influentials from Algonquin. Before next spring’s primary election.

Two other countywide officials were in the parade–Pam Palmer, who is up for re-election next year, and Kathie Schultz, McHenry County Clerk. Schultz was elected last year and is in the first year of a four-year term.

All the McHenry County Board members are on the ballot next year, but I only got photos of three of them–Donna Kurtz, Anna May Miller and Marc Munaretto.

Algonquin has seen significant growth into Kane County. This year newly-elected Kane County Board member Maggie Auger was in the parade.

The list below shows the line-up for the parade. Although I don’t have a photo of newly-appointed State Rep. Kent Gaffney, his name is on the list.  So is Algonquin resident Phyllis Walters, McHenry County Recorder of Deeds.

District 1 McHenry County Board member Bob Bless’ and Robert Novak’s names also appear, but, again, I didn’t get photos of them.  Same with District 5 Board members Tina Hill and Paula Yensen.

Karen McConnaughay, the Kane County Board Chairman who is running for State Senator west of Hansen Road, is also in the parade line-up.  Another Kane County politician, State’s Attorney Joseph McMahon is also listed.

There were, of course, the Algonquin Village Board members and Carpentersville’s Mayor.

Certainly the Algonquin Village officials were in the parade. Whether the others listed for which I do not have photos took part perhaps readers can tell us in the comment section.

Then came the fire engines.

This is getting humorous.

As you know, I have been trying to obtain information about Special Prosecutor Henry Tonigan’s bills to the county.

The County Board apparently is approving tens of thousands of dollars for his work and, I assume for his forensic computer consultants, without seeing anything but a resolution from the Finance and Audit Committee.

I have asked for the billings and had that Freedom of Information request denied.

There’s an ongoing investigation, don’t you know?

I have asked for any documents that would show the hourly billing rate for Tonigan and his consultants.

None exist.

I have just asked McHenry County Auditor Pam Palmer for something that would at least tell us what judge is ordering payment.

Here’s yesterday’s response from Palmer:

Dear Mr. Skinner,

Pam Palmer

Per your Freedom of Information Request received by my office on Monday, September 27, 2010 which requested “some part of the court order which will identify which judge has authorized, that is, ordered the payment of Special Prosecutor Henry Tonigan’s bills”,  I am denying the information request based upon the following:

Reason for denial:  All documents requested are subject to the ongoing investigation exemption and the case seal.

Statutory Reference for Exemption Claimed:  Freedom of Information Act 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(c)(viii)

A taxpayer might find his or her temperature rising at the ridiculousness of this extent of secrecy.

I think I’ll just chuckle and wonder what County Board members will do when the next resolution comes out of the committee called Finance and Audit.

“Audit.”

Just what does that mean?

Zane Seipler, who is seeking re-instatement as a deputy sheriff before a judge tomorrow, has filed a complaint with McHenry County Auditor Pam Palmer concerning primary foe Keith Nygren’s expenditure of money on parade expenses.

Is this “deja vu all over again?” as Yankee Manager Yogi Berra asked.

Remember when Daily Herald political columnist Amy Mack, in conjunction with Republican Party Chairman Bill LeFew, smacked down McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi for spending a couple of hundred dollars on parade candy?

Now Seipler has gathered documents showing parade expenses paid for with tax dollars through the Sheriff’s Department.

Here is his complaint:

To McHenry County Auditor Pamela Palmer,

My name is Zane Seipler and for the last 2 years I have been investigating the Sheriff, Keith Nygren, and his use and abuse of county funds for his political gains.

As you may know I am involved in a civil lawsuit where I have asked the court to appoint a Special Prosecutor to investigate Sheriff Nygren.

Myself and many other county tax payers believe Nygren has abused his office and used county funds to post his political campaign logo (Seven Point Star Emblem) on county property. I have no documentation to submit at this time regarding the costs to the county to replicate and produce the campaign logo but it should be an issue you and your office can investigate based on this complaint.

Recently I acquired “Approved Overtime Pay Request Forms” from the Sheriff’s Office. I filed FOIA requests specifically asking for these forms. The forms were requested because I had information that led me to believe that Sheriff’s Office personnel were being paid to participate in parades for Sheriff Nygren.

I found a Northwest Herald Article (Does candy cross political line? 9/23/07, by Brandon Coutre). You are quoted as saying

“That is political in nature, to be in a parade. In my judgment, it should be a political expense.”

After reading your comments and researching your position, I decided to report to you what I have found regarding Sheriff Office employees and overtime pay, for participating in parades.

Attached are 2 PDF files. Contained in those files are copies of the overtime slips. You will find that all the slips are notated with the word “Parade”.

Many of the employees that received overtime pay for participating in the parade are deputies.

We understand that an argument could be made that the deputies are representing the official office and not the politician.

Normally we would agree with that, except the county vehicles, that the deputies are driving in the parade, have Keith Nygren’s political campaign logo prominently displayed.

The county vehicles also have the words, “Keith Nygren Sheriff”, prominently displayed.. I believe any objective observer would tend to agree that the deputies are participating in a activity, that is at the very least pushing the boundaries with regards to politicking and representing an official department.

The final and most persuasive evidence, that improprieties are occurring with regards to the overtime pay the Sheriff’s Office is authorizing, is the forms related specifically to Bryan Krause and John Trotter.

Krause and Trotter are employed by the Sheriff’s Office as mechanics. They are both known to chauffeur Sheriff Keith Nygren and his wife in Nygren’s campaign vehicles in parades.

I am attaching pictures of Nygren in his campaign vehicles participating in parades. Bryan Krause is known to chauffeur him in such events and in at least one of the pictures attached he is the driver. I have been informed that John Trotter has also participated in a political capacity as a chauffeur for Nygren during parades.

I can not believe that anyone would consider that Krause and Trotter were representing the Sheriff’s Office by driving Nygren and his wife in a parade. Based on statements you have made to the local media I am confident you can see the problem with paying Krause and Trotter with county funds for the services they provided for Nygren at the parades in question.

I believe if a thorough investigation, going back to the late 1990′s is conducted, you will find that the practice of paying county employees with county funds to participate in parades for Sheriff Nygren has a long history of abuse.

I am confident that this issue will peak your interest and that you will do all in your power to ensure that county funds are not being abused with regards to my complaint.

I can be contacted by phone at (847) 561-1180, by e-mail at zaneseipler@yahoo.com, or by mail at 1455 Fox Sedge Trail, Woodstock IL 60098.

I will also be sending the information I have obtained to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and the Illinois State Board of Elections occupanied by formal complaint letters.

I appreciate your time and effort with regardes to this matter.

Sincerely,

Zane Seipler

One of the differences I noticed between the McHenry Fiesta Day Parade entries of McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren and Democratic Party challenger Mike Mahon was that Mahon had people walking and Nygren didn’t.

One would assume that the uniformed deputies appearing in the parades with Sheriff Nygren were being paid by the taxpayers.

Maybe that’s OK.

But the driver of the convertible on loan from Gary Lang Auto Group?

I would have thought it would have been a volunteer.

Maybe it was and has been.

But Nygren’s former primary election opponent Zane Seipler has discovered overtime pay going to five employees from 2006 to present that amounts to something between “$18,920-$23,650.”

“ 473hrs of overtime at $40-$50/hr during the summer months.”

You can read about some of it on Seipler’s “McHenry County Sheriff’s Department Exposed.”

Seipler quotes from Northwest Herald articles about McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi’s spending tax dollars to buy candy to distribute to the crowd. None of the articles mention that members of his staff were paid to show up.

Here’s a photo of a 6-17-06 requests for 7 hours of overtime pay for a deputy who participated in a Hebron parade that I found on both Seipler’s and Dave Bachmann’s blog “Dirty Keith v. Dirty Harry.”

Neither Seipler’s blog nor Bachmann’s make past article accessible, so if you want to see what’s up you probably should wait.

Seipler reprints Northwest Herald articles quoting McHenry County Auditor Pam Palmer about the use of public money at parades. Referencing specifically the $474.15 spent by Bianchi for candy, Palmer says,

“This is political in nature to be in a parade. In my judgment it should be a political expense.”

Fair enough. I always bought the candy I distributed at parade with money out of my campaign fund.

Although not a direct quote, the story relates Palmer’s saying

“no other elected county officers submit parade expenses for reimbursement.”

She then went on to express embarrassment that the parade expenses were approved for payment by her office.

In the same article, Nygren says any of his deputies in parades are paid at their regular rates (“normal wages” are the words used in the article).

He says he pays for candy out of his campaign fund.

Then there is this paragraph:

“Marching in parades gives him exposure to the community, including voters, Nygren said, but there is always a thin line between marching as an elected official and as a politician.”

I don’t know about other former elected officials or candidates, but I never was in a parade when I wasn’t one or the other.

Nygren talks about the advantages of incumbency.

So, the question that Seipler and Bachmann seem to be asking is whether the use of Sheriff’s deputies in parades is a political expense.

More tomorrow.