McHenry County Board Committee Recommendations (Corrected)

Correction: My eyes were not working well enough yesterday when I copied the following information from item 14.2a in tonight’s McHenry County Board Agenda.  Most of my mistakes were in the Public Health Committee. = = = = = On … Continue reading

Mike Skala Elected Vice Chairman of McHenry County Board

Grafton Township Republican Party Chairman Mike Skala has been elected Vice Chairman of the McHenry County Board for the next two years. The position of Vice Chairman of the McHenry County Board has been a largely ceremonial position for the … Continue reading

Leslie Schermerhorn Emails to State’s Attorney & County Board Members

McHenry County Regional Superintendent of Education Leslie Schermerhorn is in a fight with some on the County Board, including Chairman Jack Franks, over her budget. Last week, she asked McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally for an opinion in the … Continue reading

County Board Discussing Cutting Real Estate Tax Levy from $71.8 to $69.8 Million

The McHenry County Board put next year’s real estate tax levy at $69,848,422. That is a reduction from this year’s $71,839,610. Last year the levy was $79,424,610.97. The County Board reduced it by about 9.5%, but some County Board members continued … Continue reading

County Board Candidate Carolyn Schofield Holds Fundraiser

Crystal Lake Brewing was the site of McHenry County Board candidate Carolyn Schofield’s fundraiser Tuesday night. I got a photo of Schofield and her running mate Josh Howell, a member of the Cary Grade School Board, which has cut it … Continue reading

Jack Franks Seeks Leasing Agent for Valley Hi Nursing Home Without County Board Involvement

In a move of which no McHenry County Board member attending State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally’s fundraiser last night was aware, Jack Franks has asked for Requests for Proposals to lease Valley Hi, the County nursing home. One member of the … Continue reading

“Nunc Pro Tunc,” After the Fact Purchasing Approval

You can read the last substantive item on the Tuesday McHenry County Agenda below: Resolution Authorizing the Purchase of a Used 2015 Chevrolet Silverado Pickup Truck Nunc Pro Tunc for the McHenry County Emergency Management Agency in FY2016. There are … Continue reading

McClellan Gains Support for Rapid Election Software Payment

“Houston, we have a problem,” began McHenry County Clerk Mary McClellan’s presentation of the Finance Committee of the County Board Wednesday. She explained that she could not conduct the February 28th township primary elections without the voting software from Dominion Voting … Continue reading

Jack Franks’ Agenda Item to Raise Real Estate Taxes Sees Nineteen County Board Members Vote Approval

Discussion showing that far too many McHenry County Board members don’t understand the property tax system ended with nineteen County Board members, including many who campaigned Taxes will be increased $80,000.against increasing real estate taxes, voting to increase next year’s … Continue reading

“Tax Fighter” Jack Franks Puts Tax Hike on County Board Agenda

McHenry County Board Chairman and State Representative Jack Franks is about to chair his first substantive County Board meeting. In the agenda package as item 48 (page 529 of 721) that Franks published is the following tax hike increase  (note … Continue reading

Franks Makes Progess on Lowering Number of Committees

McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks made significant progress in convincing Board members to lower the number of committees from twelve to seven. Can’t imagine why readers might be intereste, but here’s an attempt to list the proposal: Finance Internal … Continue reading

The County Board Winners Get Sworn In

There are so many aspects of the December 5th McHenry County Board meeeting that there will be stories coming for a while. One that was overshadowed by the activies of newly-elected Chairman Jack Franks was the swearing in of the … Continue reading

Jack Franks Temporary Rules Committee

There is a provision in the McHenry County Board Rules that allows its Chairman to appoint ad hoc committees. It was designed, according to one member of the Management Services Committee who was there when the language was added, to … Continue reading

GOP Letter from Dorr Township Precinct Committeeman

Woodstock Republican Precinct Committeeman Cyndi Hemauersent sent this letter to her Dorr 7 precinct: October 26, 2016 Dear Neighbor, My name is Cyndi Hemauer and I am your Republican Precinct Committeeman for Dorr 7 and neighbor from Winslow Circle. I … Continue reading

NWH Endorses Second Lawyer Democrat

With endorsements completed yesterday for the McHenry County Board, in its District 5 picks, the Northwest Herald has endorsed its second Democrat who is a lawyer.  (The first was District 3’s Diane Johnson, a former Crystal Lake Grade School Board … Continue reading