McHenry County Blog

Here are the McHenry County Board members who signed Nick Provenzano’s petition to call a special meeting on Friday, January 18th at 9 AM to consider whether voters should have a shot in April at passing a referendum on whether the Board Chairman should be elected.

You can see eleven signed the petition.  Eight–one-third of the Board’s members–were required to sign to call a special meeting.

So people can find their names, let me list them in the order in which they signed and who they ended up voting for in the County Board Chairman’s race:

• Nick Provenzano (supported Koehler)
• Mike Walkup (new, supported Hill))
• Ken Koehler (supported Koehler)
• Robert Nowak (supported Koehler)
• Joe Gottemoller (new,  supported Gottemoller)
• Mike Skala (new,  supported Gottemoller)
• Robert Martens (new, supported Hill)
• Diane Evertsen (supported Schuster)
• Donna Kurtz (supported Schuster, then Hill)
• Sandy Salgado (supported Koehler)
• Mary McCann (supported Hill)

Four supported Tina Hill for Board Chairman.

Four supported Ken Koehler for Board Chairman.

Two supported Joe Gottemoller.

One supported Schuster.

All are Republicans, which when one thinks about it, that probably just recognizes the lay of the political land, that is, Democrats are more likely to gain positions of power, e.g., Paul Yensen’s appointment as Chairman of the Management Services Committee, through politicking in the current system of selecting a Board Chairman than through a one-on-one fight with any Republican in a countywide contest.   Both Yensen and first time Democratic Party Democratic Party Board member Nick Chirikos voted for Hill and neither showed any support for an at-large election at the Monday Management Services Committee meeting.

Only one of what I would consider hardcore supporters of Hill broke ranks to potentially endanger the new ruling coalition’s ability to continue its power after the 2014 election cycle.

Just because someone signed the petition does not mean that they are committed to vote for an April referendum.

There are twenty-four Board members and a majority vote will be required to put the question on the ballot.

Do you want to express your viewpoint to your County Board members?

Here are their phone numbers:

• Michele Aavang – 815-648-4210
• Yvonne Barnes – 847-516-2719
• Nick Chirikos – 847-658-3434
• Sue Draffkorn – 815-653-6057
• Diane Evertsen – 815-943-3298
• Joe Gottemoller – 815 382 9940
• John Hammerand – 815-728-0700
• Jim Heisler – 815-459-1971
• Tina Hill – 815-347-4222
• John Jung – 815-338-6201
• Ken Koehler – 815-459-7841
• Donna Kurtz -815-788-0632
• Bob Martens – 815-675-6353
• Mary McCann – 815-568-1061
• Mary McClellan – 815-482-5693
• Anna May Miller – 847-639-5112
• Robert Nowak – 847-516-9637
• Nick Provenzano – 815-355-8540
• Sandy Salgado – 815-271-5293
• Carolyn Schofield – 815-455-9550
• Ersel Schuster – 815-338-2207
• Mike Skala – 847-669-3804
• Mike Walkup – 815-459-7090
• Paula Yensen – 815-404-3918

At this point one can see that Nick Provenzano read the political wind better than the Management Services Committee did on Monday.

Whether the wind is blowing hard enough to overcome the reticence of Board members who like the current insider system (for reasons including an inability to raise sufficient funds to mount a countywide campaign–campaign cost having been mentioned by several Board members during the ongoing debate) remains to be seen on Friday morning.

And whether the measure passes or fails, the roll call will be used in the 2014 elections.

It will be interesting to see if any County board members from the last Board who voted to put a tax hike on the ballot in April will refuse to allow their constituents to vote on whether to elect their County Board Chairman at the ballot box.

Just from examining the agenda that newly-installed Management Services Committee Paula Yensen drafted, one could predict that nothing would come of the Monday morning meeting concerning whether the public should be allowed to vote on whether the Chairman of the McHenry County Board should be elected or not.

And, guess what?

Nothing did.

Parenthetically, let me point out that the previous County Board managed to put something probably more important on the ballot before they left office–a tax hike referendum.

So, the public will get a chance to vote on whether their property taxes are increased in April, but probably not whether they will get an opportunity to vote for the next County Board Chairman in 2014.

While 2014 sounds like it is a long way off, for the current insider system of selection of whose hands control County government to be changed in 2014, it has to be approved in April.

And, there is still a chance such a referendum on the ballot.

(Last day to adopt a resolution or ordinance is Tuesday, January 22nd, advised County Clerk Katherine Schultz.)

Committee member Mike Walkup brought up the topic of a special meeting, which takes one-third of the members to call.

Before that, however, Anna May Miller called for more input.

“I still am 110% in favor of allowing the public to weigh in on the subject,” but she said she though more time was needed for citizen comment, e.g., “different focus groups,” including “McCog for municipal perspective.”

“I don’t understand the need for speed on this issue,” she said, pointing out that under 20% of citizens would probably vote in April.

There was discussion of two options, one for a two-year term in which the County Board Chairman candidate would also have to be nominated as a district board candidate.  The other was a four-year term in which the Chairman would not have a vote on the County Board.

Non-member Nick Provenzano was allowed to address the Committee twice.

The first time, he contended County Board candidates “kind of made a grand bargain with the voters” by opposing Democrat State Rep. Jack Franks’ County Executive referendum.

“It was always assumed that we’d follow up immediately.

“I think it’s absolutely a bargain we should fulfill at the next election cycle.

“The decision was to get that to the voters as soon as possible,” he contended.

There was disagreement with that interpretation from member Ersel Schuster, who preferred limiting County Board Chairmen to two terms.

While she said she was “always for the electors being allowed to vote”… she was “totally comfortable with the existing process.

In December, Schuster ran for Chairman, along with Ken Koehler and Tina Hill.  Hill won.

Mike Skala, at his first Committee meeting, told of being told people “wanted change” and “wanted some turnover, fresh ideas, fresh perspectives” when he went door-to-door.

“I’m personally not in favor of it. I think what we have does work,” he said.

“I agree they the voters should need (an opportunity to vote on the issue.)  I don’t think it should be rushed to judgment.”

Anna May Miller suggested that “accountability” of the  Chairman was “the only issue that resonates with the public.”

“We’re trying to do this very quickly,” he said.

“Act in haste, repent in leisure.”

“That’s really right on,” Donna Kurtz interjected.  “It goes back to the problem we’re trying to solve.  The problem is how do I make government more responsive, how do I make it more honest?

“I better dam well sure be sure I’m not making the problem worse.”

But, if I understood her context correctly, Kurtz, referring to the at-large election of the Chairman, said, “Many of us wanted to do that on Day 1 when we took office.”

Advanced earlier by Schuster as a means of making the Board Chairman more accountable was the proposal of putting term limits in the Board Rules.

Assistant State’s Attorney Donna Kelly explained twice that doing so would subject the County to litigation. from not only an office holder who might want to exceed the term limit, but also from voters whose rights to see the person they wanted in office would be curtailed.

Kelly pointed out that neither the State Constitution nor current Illinois law allowed for such term limits for County Board Chairmen.

“Out concern is litigation,” she said.

Skala, who has chaired many a meeting while he was President of the Huntley District 158 School Board, pointed out,

“The way I’m reading the agenda, we couldn’t pass anything even if we wanted to.”

He then pointed out that “it comes down [to] if we have people that want to have a special board meeting to do it.”

Walkup, who carried the ball on the side of having an April referendum, said he though people out to be put on record.

Provenzano took the floor again, saying,

“The fact that you had no resolution on the agenda doomed this proposal.

“The only way to do that is a special election.

“We’ve talked about it for two years.

“There have been numerous public hearings.

“There’s been plenty of opportunity [for input].

“We do have all the answers; some just don’t understand [them].

“We have a four-year term.  Put it on the ballot.

“Let the County Board members vote on it.”

“It’s not something where you just toss a coin and it’s heads or tails,” Kurtz replied. “We could paint ourselves into a very dangerous situation. We could potentially create far worse problems than we have now.”

Closing the debate was non-member, newly-elected Nick Chirikos:

“I respectfully disagree with Mr. Provenzano. Fully a third of this board is new [and] haven’t had the opportunity to weigh in on this subject.”

Discussion also covered the monetary requirements to finance a countywide campaign for Board Chairman.

“I agree with some who have said [candidates would be ]self-funding millionaire or millionaire backing or special interest [financing, such as] developers,” Walkup said.

Newly-elected McHenry County Board Chairman attended about three-fourths of the discussion.

When the discussion got to the Planning and Development Committee, the choice advanced by Chairman Tina Hill was newcomer Joe Gottemoller.

Gottemoller is a newly-elected member of the McHenry County Board. He has done extensive zoning work in the area and campaigned repeatedly on the over-restrictiveness and unfriendliness to business reflected in the County Zoning Ordinance.

He cited, for example, the requirement that someone operating a business out of his or her home have a separate entrance for the business.

So what does someone with extensive connections in the business community do to allay concerns about potential conflicts of interest?

Hill announced that Gottemoller’s law firm had agreed to forego any business concerning McHenry County government.

In discussions about the vice chairmanship of the Management Services Committee, someone of the Committee on Committees suggested Mike Walkup.

Another suggested Mike Skala.

Hill pointed out that Walkup had “publicly said he won’t take a chairmanship or vice chairmanship because he didn’t want [it] to appear [as] a quid pro quo.” She said it appeared in a blog comment.

Both Gottemoller and Walkup are attorneys.

Woodstock’s Tina Hill has taken the gavel that Crystal Laker Ken Koehler wielded for the last eight years.  Elected as Vice Chairman was Jim Heisler, who held the same post under Koehler two years ago.

When the vote was taken to elect the McHenry County Board Chairman to replace Ken Koehler, the following were nominated:

• Tina Hill
• Ken Koehler
• Ersel Schuster
• Joe Gottemoller

After nominating speeches, the vote was taken with the names being called in alphabetical order. Here’s how members voted on the first ballot:

• Tina Hill – 11
• Ken Koehler – 6
• Ersel Schuster 4
• Joe Gottemoller – 3

For Tina Hill

• Michele Aavang
• Nick Chirikos
• Sue Draffkorn
• Jim Heisler
• Tina Hill
• Bob Martens
• Mary McCann
• Mary McClellan
• Anna May Miller
• Mike Walkup
• Paula Yensen

For Ken Koehler

• Yvonne Barnes
• John Jung
• Ken Koehler
• Robert Nowak
• Nick Provenzano
• Sandy Salgado

For Ersel Schuster

• Diane Evertsen
• John Hammerand
• Donna Kurtz
• Ersel Schuster

For Joe Gottemoller

• Joe Gottemoller
• Carolyn Schofield
• Mike Skala

I note that the two Democrats, Paula Yensen and Nick Chirikos voted for Hill.

On the second vote, three votes shifted to Hill, two from Koehler and one from Schuster.  Koehler lost Jung and Nowak and Schuster lost Kurtz.

For Vice Chairman, two men that traded places two years ago–Heisler and Jung–were nominated along with newcomer Mike Skala.

The vote was 13 for Heisler, 9 for Jung and 3 for Skala.

In the vote for Vice Chairman, Hill held her majority together with the exception of Aavang, Jung, Martens and McCann.

Stepping in to fill the void were Barnes, Schofield and Schuster.

Multiple sources have told McHenry County Blog that the McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi’s Office is making contact with the three newly-elected members of the County Board to advise them of the conflict of interest that would exist if they did not resign their current posts.

The three and their current positions follow:

• Carolyn Schofield, Crystal Lake City Council
• Mike Skala, Huntley District 158 School Board
• Mike Walkup, Crystal Lake Park District

Of the three, Walkup has resigned as of midnight Thursday, November 15th.

Schofield has announced her intention to resign.

Skala has said that he does not intend to resign until February.

In the article linked above, you can read  1993 opinion from Attorney General Roland Burris that concludes serving on a school board and a county board at the same time is “incompatible, and one person may not serve simultaneously in both offices.”

Delaying his resignation from the School Board until February would allow the remaining members of the Board to appoint his replacement for the next two years.

Resignation prior to being sworn into the County Board would allow people to run to fill the remaining two years of this term.

Pete Gonigam at First Electric Newspaper has details of Skala’s resignation plans.

I missed the Northwest Herald article about newly-elected McHenry County Board member Mike Skala deciding to stay on the Huntley District 158 School Board until after a suit with contractors is settled.

And, it seems that former McHenry County College Board member Scott Summers thinks Skala missed a 1993 Attorney General’s opinion from Roland Burris saying that serving on both a school board and a county board at the same time is “incompatible, and one person may not serve simultaneously in both offices.”

The NWH notes that McHenry County citizens voted 9-1 against people holding more than one office at the same time.

There is also a political impact to Skala’s not resigning until February.

The current school board would not have to worry about someone running for the vacancy.

Its members could just appoint someone with whom they felt comfortable.

You can see the results here.

The five-page opinion that Summers found can be seen below. Click to enlarge any page.

Just in case you are interested in the new faces who will serve on the McHenry County Board starting in December, here they are.  All six of McHenry County’s Districts will have newcomers.  (In the case of District 1, Yvonne Barnes is not exactly a newcomer, having served one term previously.)

District 1

District 2

District 3

District 4

District 5

District 6

Here’s something to ponder:

Who will these newcomers vote for McHenry County Board Chairman?

Two Crystal Lake and one Huntley politician will be giving up their seats on the city council, park and school boards in the near future.

Carolyn Schofield, who is in her second term on the Crystal Lake City Council, and Mike Walkup, who is also in his second term, will tender their resignations prior to being sworn in for the McHenry County Board during the first week in December.

In Huntley, long-time School District 158 Board member Mike Skala will be vacating his seat as well.

The three governmental bodies have the choice of filling the vacancies just prior to elections which will be held next April or not doing so.

Those deciding to appoint someone will be giving such people a leg up on non-incumbents running next spring.

For the second time, District 5 Republican non-incumbents have joined forces to put out a mailing.

You can see the first combo here and the one in the mail below.

The back of the mailing features Skala:

The two incumbents running for re-election are John Jung and Tina Hill.

The four Republicans home to defeat Democratic Party incumbent Paula Yensen.

When I got the mail today I noticed a piece from District 5 GOP candidates Mike Skala and Mike Rein.

Wow, I thought, they surely have a bad mailing list.

After I got inside, I figured out there was no address on the piece.

Skala ran first in the Republican Primary Election and Rein ran fourth, edging out incumbent Virginia Peschke.

Incumbents Tina Hill and John Jung ran in between.

The four GOP candidates divided up the precincts and passed out literature for all four.

Hill told me District 5 was the only one where the Republican County Board candidates were running a coordinated campaign.

Now, I’m wondering.

The piece from Skala and Rein tout

• Lower taxes
• Policies that promote business and jobs
• Fiscal accountability and balanced budgets
• Transparency
• Protection of natural resources

And, there’s a nice quote from Senator Pam Althoff:

“A blend of experience veterans an new ideas is a benefit to government, and Mike Skala and Mike Rein can provide new ideas.”

On the back are maps showing where people can vote early, plus an endorsement from State Rep. Mike Tryon.