McHenry County Blog

I haven’t looked at the state of McHenry County Republican Central Committee since Republican Play Day on July 17th.

Inspired by Stephen Di Bendiedtto’s Sunday article in the Northwest Herald, I decided to take another look.

In mid-July, there were fifty-five vacancies.

Some have been filled since then. The newly appointed GOP Committeemen follow:

• ALGONQUIN 24 – Bryan Javor (Appt 7/23/12) – Crystal Lake – 119 GOP primary votes
• CHEMUNG 4 – William G Matteson (Appt 7/22/12) – Harvard -54 GOP primary votes
• GRAFTON 12 – Joseph M. Oskorep (Appt 7/27/12) – Lake in the Hills – 151 GOP primary votes
• GREENWOOD 1 – Tamara DeModica (Appt 09/05/2012) – Woodstock – 198 primary votes

One Committeeman resigned, as reported on McHenry County Blog here:

• MCHENRY 3 – Mark C Widhalm (Appt 5/24/12) Resigned 9/4/12 – McHenry – 156 GOP primary votes

So in the one year in four when most people are taking an interest in politics, McHenry County Party leaders found only four new folks willing to take on the responsibility of Precinct Committeeman, but lost one volunteer.

I’ve put the townships with GOP vacancies in rank order from lowest percentage of precincts filled to highest:

• Grafton – 42% vacant
• Algonquin – 37% unfilled
• Burton – 33% empty
• Greenwood – 25% vacant
• Marengo – 25% unfilled
• Richmond – 25% empty
• Nunda – 21% with no one
• Chemung – 20% empty

Below are the precincts in which no GOP Committeeman will be trying to help Republican candidates get elected this fall:

Algonquin Township – 37% Vacant (25 out of 68)

If nobody sent you to volunteer, but you would still like to help Republican candidates who need volunteers, email me. We’ll plug you into a campaign. The email button is on the left side of the page.

ALGONQUIN 1
ALGONQUIN 11
ALGONQUIN 14
ALGONQUIN 20
ALGONQUIN 21
ALGONQUIN 26
ALGONQUIN 27
ALGONQUIN 29
ALGONQUIN 31
ALGONQUIN 32
ALGONQUIN 35
ALGONQUIN 38
ALGONQUIN 39
ALGONQUIN 41
ALGONQUIN 43
ALGONQUIN 54
ALGONQUIN 58
ALGONQUIN 59
ALGONQUIN 60
ALGONQUIN 61
ALGONQUIN 62
ALGONQUIN 63
ALGONQUIN 64
ALGONQUIN 66
ALGONQUIN 68

Burton Township – 33% Vacant (1 out of 3)

Burton 1

Chemung Township – 20% Vacant (1 out of 5)

CHEMUNG 5

Grafton Township – 42% Vacant (13 out of 31)

GRAFTON 3
GRAFTON 10
GRAFTON 11
GRAFTON 14
GRAFTON 15
GRAFTON 16
GRAFTON 17
GRAFTON 21
GRAFTON 23
GRAFTON 24
GRAFTON 27
GRAFTON 29
GRAFTON 31

Greenwood Township – 14% Vacant (2 out of 7)

GREENWOOD 4

McHenry Township – 6% Vacant (2 out 35)

MCHENRY 3
MCHENRY 22

Nunda Township – 14% Vacant (4 out of 29)

NUNDA 3
NUNDA 6
NUNDA 8
NUNDA 25

Richmond Township – 25% Vacant (1 our of 4)

RICHMOND 2

When one compares the Republican with Democrats, one finds that the Democrats have fewer Precinct Committeeman than the Republicans have vacancies.

I counted forty-six Democratic Party Precinct Committeemen listed on the County Clerk’s web site.

Mike Tryon is the Republican Party Chairman, while Mike Bissett head local Democrats.

As the swim team folks say, “If you’re not in the pool, you can’t win the race.”

McHenry County Democrats are far from filling every lane in the fall County Board races.

And in McHenry County Board District 3, there is now one less Democrat in the race.

Democrat Lori McConville withdrew her candidacy for the McHenry County Board in District 3.

A little over a week ago, Democrat Lori McConville wrote the McHenry County Clerk that she did not want to be on the ballot this fall.

That leaves but one Democrat, incumbent Kathy Bergan Schmidt, running against four Republicans.

Democratic Party primary results in 2012.

2012 Republican Party primary results in District 3, which runs north from Crystal Lake Avenue to southern McHenry.

Mike Bisset at a campaign seminar in Woodstock,

Having done a couple of articles about people that McHenry County Republican Party Chairman Mike Tryon has appointed where no one ran for the office of Precinct Committeeman, I thought it was time to look at what success the Democrats have had finding volunteers to work in geographic grass roots.

The answer, according to the McHenry County Clerk’s list (and it’s the official one) is “no success.”

Mike Bisset, head of the McHenry County Democratic Party Central Committee is the man with the authority to make such appointments.

In my comparison of the resources of the Republican and Democratic Parties in McHenry County, I just revealed what is in the official party treasuries.

The Democrats look as if they have more. They reported having $7,620.53 at the end of March. I pointed out, that figure had already been augmented by their annual Jefferson Day Dinner.

The Republicans reported having $7,188.71 in the bank.

Mike Tryon

But, since at least McHenry County Treasurer Bill LeFew was Republican Party Chairman there has been a hidey hole for big contributors.

Current Chairman Mike Tryon calls his the McHenry County Chairman’s Circle (MCCC). It’s officers are

• Mike Tryon – Chairman
• Ken Koehler – Treasurer

Previously, Blake Hobson served as Vice Chairman.

The fund received $2,925 in contributions below the identification level and $8,625 above the $150 level.

$11,550 in all during the first three months of the year.

Below are the contributors made public:

• $1,200 – Robert & Paula Gray, Prairie Grove
• $1,200 – John & Heather Horeled, Crystal Lake
• $500 – Arlington Park Race Course, Arlington Heights
• $500- Citizens for Pamela Althoff, Crystal Lake
• $500 – Citizens for Beaubien, Barrington
• $500 – Mathewson Right of Way Company, Chicago
• $500 – Gary Overbay, Gary, Crystal Lake
• $500 – Republican Womens Club of McHenry County, McHenry
• $500 – Robert Stephenson, Barrington Hills
• $450 – Ernest & Cheryl Riggen, Morrison
• $450 – Committee to Elect Michael Tryon, Crystal Lake
• $400 – James F. Bishop PC, Crystal Lake
• $300 – AT&T Illinois Employee PAC, Chicago
• $300 – Susan Barkley, Crystal Lake
• $300 – Exemplar Financial Network, LLC, Crystal Lake
• $300 – George R. Greenlee, Crystal Lake
• $300 – Chas. Herdrich & Son, McHenry
• $300 – Innovative Component Sales, Inc., Huntley
• $300 – Heidi Kang, Algonquin, IL 60102
• $300 – Leslie Schermerhorn, Chicago

So what does Tryon spend this money on?

$1,054.59 on small stuff.

Joe Walsh at the 1776 event.

Here’s where the other $6,200 went:

• $5,582.25 – 1776 Restaurant, Crystal Lake, [Joe] Walsh Event
• $348.49 – AT&T, Aurora, Phone Charges
• $269.75 – Mailways Enterprises, Inc., Crystal Lake

At last Saturday's Jefferson Day Dinner, this donkey danced with Crystal Lake's Ashley Beese and Jessica Coates, plus Margi Tinberg of Woodstock. Photo credit: The First Electric Newspaper.

The McHenry County Democratic Party reported having $7,620.53 on hand at the end of March.

That number reported spending $1,047 for the invitation, but a number of contributions for last Saturday’s event don’t seem to have been booked by March 31st…unless they are among $1,300 unitemized contributions.

There were two $500 union contributions from

• Carpenters Local 2087 PAC
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 117 PAC

Local Republicans have $7,200 in the bank after depositing Lincoln Day Dinner receipts.

Mike Bissett

The McHenry County Democratic Party Central Committee held its meeting Wednesday night and re-elected all but one of its officers.

Michael Bissett of Lake in the Hills will continue to be the Party Chair.

Huntley’s Sam Melei will again be Vice Chair.

Tom Cynor of Woodstock will be serving another term as Treasurer.

The only change was in the office of Secretary. Judy Vandenboom of Cary will replace Brian Meyers of Woodstock.

Serving as General Counsel will be Phil Robertson, who serves as a Regional Office Director at Illinois Attorney General’s Office

McHenry County Democratic Party Chairman talks about giving to food pantries as a way of advancing "social and economic justice."

Here’s an article on the web site of the McHenry County Democratic Party.

Re-printed with permission, it tells of Chairman Mike Bissett’s fast to benefit the Northern Illinois Food Bank from last Wednesday until his party’s annual Jefferson Day Dinner on Saturday, April 14th.

Hunger is not a game

“Do you know what real hunger is? Have you ever wondered if you’ll eat today, or tomorrow, or even next week?

“Nearly 50 million Americans wake up every day wondering if they will have enough to eat. One out of every 8 people in Illinois need help from a food pantry just to get by.

“Those statistics are shocking. Those facts are shameful. This is America, the richest country on Earth. Why is there so much hunger? What can WE do to fix this?

“We can do two things.

“First, we can work to elect leaders who care about the poor and the hungry, and who recognize our collective responsibility to ensure a life of dignity for every American. That’s what makes us Democrats.

“Second, we can help the hungry by supporting local food pantries and the Northern Illinois Food Bank. If you really believe in social and economic justice, there is no better way to prove it than by helping to make life a little better for your neighbors in need. That’s what makes us human.

“I’ve decided to help raise awareness of this issue by fasting for 10 days. I haven’t had anything to eat since the morning of Wednesday April 4, and I won’t eat again until the evening of Saturday, April 14. I’ll be posting a daily video blog during my fast, and I will use that as an opportunity to tell you more about the problem of hunger in America.

“April 14 is also the evening of the Democratic Party’s Thomas Jefferson Dinner. Our keynote speaker will be Pete Schaefer, the president and CEO of the Northern Illinois Food Bank.

“I hope you will join us. Supporting our party’s mission is one of the most important things you can do. Thank you.”

The McHenry County Democratic Party Central Committee is holding a dinner April 14th.

The Jefferson Day Dinner is a counterpoint to the annual Lincoln Day Dinner Republicans run.

This is the message on the address side invites people to "Take a Stand for Justice." The affair will be held at Village Hall Banquets, 8512. S. Union Road in Union.

Reservations are due by April 7th.

The price is $75, $600 for a table of eight or $750 for a table of ten.

McHenry County Board member Paula Yensen has her number on the invitation as the contact person:  815-404-3918.

Pete Schaefer, CEO of the Northern Illinois Food Bank will be the keynote speaker.  Food donations are solicited.

The McHenry County Building Trades Council will be given the Robert McGarry Award for Community Service.

The McHenry County Democrats' Jefferson Day Dinner invitation features Occupy Wall Street demonstrators, as well as other iconic images of downtrodden people, plus quote from President John F. Kennedy.

I just noticed that Mike Bisset and Terry Kappel are writing articles for the “Urgent Action” page of the McHenry County Democratic Central Committee.

Chairman Mike Bisset writes on the top article:

The Wisconsin recall effort is continuing. Volunteers needed!

“Our friends in Wisconsin are looking for volunteers to help with their petition drive in Kenosha. If you can help with any of these events, contact Scott Page at 262-308-1879 or at scottp@wisdems.org

Some parade stickers, like this one from the McHenry County Democratic Party, end up on the pavement.

Shortly before Christmas McHenry County Blog published evidence of the declineof the Republican Party locally.

The percentages below represent the proportions of McHenry County’s precincts where people filed for Republican Precinct Committeeman during the last three election cycles.

• 2008 – 63%
• 2010 – 61%
• 2012 – 49%

Here are the figures for McHenry County Democrats.

• 2008 – 19%
• 2010 – 17.9%
• 2012 – 18.9% (two more than 2010)