McHenry County Blog

Remember hearing about how forest fires sometimes jump fire breaks that are intended to contain them.

That may have happened late last week with the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water’s conflict of interest ordinance.

Originally presented to the McHenry County Board in December, the draft ordinance was shipped off to the State’s Attorney’s Office for review.

The review came back with some good points, along with some trivial ones.

And the number of county board candidates voluntarily filing the form kept increasing. Here’s who have filed so far:

• District 1 – None
• District 2 – All but Ken Koehler, that is, Sandra DePaul, Donna Kurtz, Ellen Brady Mueller and Lyn Orphal
• District 3 – Everyone of them! Veronica Armstrong, Nick Provenzano, Craig Steagall, Barbara Wheeler and Karen Tynis
• District 4 – Sandra Salgado and Jeff Thirtyacre (Democrat)
• District 5 – Tina Hill, John Jung and Frank Wedig (Green).  Incumbent Jim Kennedy and challenger Dave Frederick have not yet filed the form.
• District 6 – All but incumbent Dan Ryan, that is, Richard Draper, Diane Evertsen, Mary McCann and Vic Narusis.

Since there is no deadline, candidates or public officials can still download the conflict of interest form, fill it out and send it in.

Indeed ALAW did not even ask candidates to fill out the ethics form; it did have a questionnaire on issued of interest, however, the results of which can be found here for the twelve county board candidates who completed it.

As you can see more candidates filled out the ethics statement than filled out the issue questionnaire.

Along the way, every candidate for sheriff has answered the conflict of interest questionnaire.

And, two incumbent county board members not up for election have completed it. One, Republican Virginia Peschke, the other, Democrat Paula Yensen.

Crystal Lake Councilwoman Carolyn Schofield

Late last week, however, the first municipal official sent in answers.

She is Crystal Lake City Councilwoman Carolyn Schofield.

What’s that all about?

She just got elected.

Does this portend an issue in the Crystal Lake city elections next spring?

Will Schofield introduce an ordinance to make completing the conflict of interest form a requirement for elected and appointed city officials, as well as city consultants?

Unlike the County of McHenry, the City of Crystal Lake is a Home Rule unit of government.

What’s that mean?

It means the Crystal Lake City Council and other Home Rule cities have more power than county government.

The standard explanation of what a Home Rule government can do is anything the General Assembly doesn’t say it can’t do.

If Schofield, the newest member of the city council, follows decides to make a variation of the ALAW ordinance mandatory in Crystal Lake, the debate could turn quite interesting.

Since city Councilwoman Ellen Brady Mueller is running for county board in District 2, she might get elected. She certainly is in the top three in the sign war.

If elected, I imagine she would resign from the council. If so, a replacement would have to be selected.

Might the council require applicants for the possible vacancy to answer the conflict of interest questions first?

Whether or not the city council passed such a requirement, any council member could let it be known that he or she would not support a candidate who did not fill out the form.

Yes, ALAW has started something that could get very, very interesting.

Looking for something else, I found a summary of the Daily Herald’s endorsements in McHenry County’s Republican primary.

All the incumbents were endorsed. When the paper couldn’t find enough incumbents running, it endorsed incumbent Republicans who were defeated by Democrats two years ago.

It appears the Daily Herald doesn’t think there is reason for any voter unrest in McHenry County.

But it does remind me of Dan Walker political operative and Department of Transportation Rest Stop Inspector Gary Fears.  In 1976, my intern Art Sternberg, then a Lakewood resident, now a Chicago lawyer, examined Fears’ time cards to make sure he didn’t take more time off for politics than he had coming in vacation and personal days off.

And off the public payroll came Fears.

At the time Springfield Republican Bill Cellini’s group got money to build a new Downtown hotel next to the new convention denter, Fears got money to build a Holiday Inn in Collinsville, my failing memory tells me.

At one point Walker ally State Rep. Hal Byers said that Fears wanted to know why I disliked him so much.  Since I had never met Fears, I had and have no animosity toward him.  I just thought if Dan Walker were going to have political operatives they should be on his political payroll, not my constituents’.

I don’t know whether it was then or later, that someone, maybe Byers, told me that Fears was a member of “the Incumbent Party.”  He supported whoever was in power.

Maybe the Daily Herald is a member of the Incumbent Party, too.

Looking out at the Lakemoor crowd, speakers would have seen this on the left side of the hall.

OK, so it’s still January.

This is a veiw of the right hand side of the room from the stage.

Nevertheless the approaching 500 people who showed up at the Operating Engineers Local 150 Lakemoor Banquet Hall was impressive.

On the dias were, from left to right, county board candidate Nick Provenzano, McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren, McHenry County Right to Carry Association President Lou Rofrano, McHenry County Sportsman Association's Lee Lexow, 8th Congressional District candidate Joe Walsh, the Illinois State Rifle Associations' Mike Weisman and IllinoisCarry.com's Valinda Rowe.

On the dias were, from left to right, county board candidate Nick Provenzano, McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren, McHenry County Right to Carry Association President Lou Rofrano, McHenry County Sportsman Association’s Lee Lexow, 8th Congressional District candidate Joe Walsh, the Illinois State Rifle Associations’ Mike Weisman and IllinoisCarry.com’s Valinda Rowe.

Below is a press release explaining what happened at the meeting:

McHenry County Right to Carry Association Holds Packed Town Hall Meeting

McHenry County Right to Carry Association President Lou Rofrano outlines the group's goals.

Lakemoor, IL – McHenry County Right to Carry Association, MCR2CA, held its inaugural Town Hall Meeting Thursday night, January 21st, 2010 at the Lakemoor Banquet Hall with over 475 attendees crowding the standing room only venue.

Second Amendment supporters gathered to hear a panel of guest speakers discuss the Right to Carry and how to bring this right to Illinois. “The citizens of Illinois deserve the same right to personal self protection as those currently enjoyed by the citizens of 48 states in the Union” said Lou Rofrano, President, McHenry County Right to Carry Association.

Rofrano welcomed the crowd, introduced the panel and explained the mission and objectives of the MCR2CA:

Mission:
The McHenry County Right to Carry Association is a non-partisan group of like minded individuals dedicated to advancing the right to carry for the citizens of Illinois.

Objectives:
1. The McHenry County Right to Carry Association will work to educate Illinois citizens in the benefits of the right to carry in the state of Illinois.

2. The McHenry County Right to Carry Association will work to inspire individual citizens and members to actively work for advancing the right to carry in Illinois in 2010.

3. The McHenry County Right to Carry Association will work to educate individuals and community organizations in the safe handling and responsibilities associated with the legal use and ownership of firearms.

4. The McHenry County Right to Carry Association will inspire the highest levels of good citizenship, safety and adherence to all local, state and federal laws.

McHenry County Board candidate Nick Provenzano addresses the crowd.

Nick Provenzano, County Board candidate discussed how he led the fight to pass the “Pro-2nd Amendment Resolution” at the McHenry County Board. “Through Chairman Ken Koehler’s leadership this resolution passed the County Board unanimously” stated Provenzano, who is also a member of the MCR2CA Board of Directors.

Provenzano also announced “If I am honored to be elected to the County Board, I promise you tonight that I will take another resolution back to the board supporting our right to carry and together we will send a message to the county, state and the city of Chicago that enough is enough, we want our constitutional right to carry – right here in McHenry County”.

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Photos by Ryan Provenzano

RyanProPhotos ryanprophoto@hotmail.com

I wish I could attend the McHenry County Right to Carry meeting being held at Lakemoor’s Banquet Hall tonight.

There are all sorts folks scheduled to speak listed on the agenda below.

Two are on the ballot:

• Nick Provenzano, running to recapture his seat on the McHenry County Board
• Joe Walsh, Republican 8th congressional district candidate

McHenry County Right To Carry Association
presents
Illinois Right To Carry Town Hall Meeting
Lakemoor Banquet Hall
28874 W. State Rt. 120
Lakemoor, IL. 60051
January 21, 2010
7:00 – 9:00

Meeting Topic: Advancing the right to carry in Illinois.

Meeting Agenda

Welcome & Introduction.

Pledge of Allegiance

Speakers

• Lou Rofrano   President McHenry County Right To Carry Association
• Lee Lexow  Vice President, McHenry County Sportsman  Association
• Julie Chiebe   President,  McHenry MISS IPSIC Sport Shooters
• Valinda Rowe  Spokesperson Illinois Carry
• Mike Weisman  ISRA 1st Vice President Illinois State Rifle Association
• Nick Provenzano Candidate For McHenry County Board District 3
• Joe Walsh   Candidate For US Congress 8th District

Discussion Segment

Networking Opportunity

”MCR2CA” mcr2ca.com: website coming soon!
email us at mcr2ca@gmail.com!

With the submission of the ALAW conflict of interest form, the total now stands at eleven of those county board members who have opened up financial aspects of their personal lives.

McHenry County Board member Barbara Wheeler, on the left, mugs with one of her District 3 challengers, Veronica Armstrong, who is holding a rubber jar opener that says, "Get a grip on your future. Get rid of the screw offs." The two were at the literature distribution last for Republican precinct committeemen last Friday night.

Republican Veronica Armstrong, who is running for a District 3 seat, has just submitted her information.

She is a challenger running against

• Incumbent Barb Wheeler
• Former Board member Nick Provenzano
• Challenger Craig Steagall and
• Challenger Karen Tynis

Tynis is now the only District 3 candidate who has not filled out the questionnaire whose completion the Alliance of Land, Agriculture and Water wants the county board to make mandatory.

Steagall started the domino effect, being the first in the county to file.

Others who have filled out the form are in this article.

The following press release from congressional candidate Joe Walsh is presented for your information:

Lake Zurich, IL, January 12, 2010. Joe Walsh Candidate for Congress in the IL  8th District is announcing support and endorsements.

Walsh continues to receive endorsements and support in his race for Congress.  The following is an initial list of endorsements, further endorsements will be forthcoming:

The following organizations have endorsed Joe Walsh:

• Illinois Federation For Right to Life
• Tea Party Palatine
• Lake County Tea Party
• Illinois Conservatives on Facebook
• National Taxpayers United of Illinois
• Republican Assembly of Illinois

The following individuals and elected officials have endorsed Joe Walsh:

• Bryan Javor, Chairman McHenry CountyYoung Republicans
• Don Castella, Chairman, Vernon Township Republicans
• Nick Provenzano, Candidate for McHenry County board, District 3
• Tom Roeser, Conservative Catholic Activist
• Louis Rofrano, Mc Henry County Right to Carry Association
• John E. Vincent, Former Wauconda Township Committeeman
• John O’Neill, Candidate for State Representative, 63rd District
• Glenn Garamoni, Precinct Committeeman, Fremont Township 121
• Bill Parrot, Chairman, Patriots United
• Peter S. Karlovics, Precinct Committeeman, Warren Township 308
• Joyce Story, Precinct Committeeman McHenry 14

Walsh has garnered lots of support from numerous committeemen throughout the district as well.

“Once again I am honored to have received the support of these organizations and these individuals.  Their support is providing crucial momentum to my campaign and has raised the energy level going into the final weeks of this election,” said Walsh.
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I would observe that not all of these endorsements are exclusive. The Illinois Federation Right to Life, I know, endorsed more than one candidate.  Maria Rodriguez was also endorsed.

One of the roles McHenry County Blog plays is alerting daily newspapers of stories they otherwise might not think of.

This might be one of those articles.

The Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water came up with an idea to help remove the suspicion that many members of the public have that county board members use their office for personal gain.

If you tell me people you have talked to haven’t brought this up, I’d suggest you are not very deeply into local citizenship.

The questionnaire idea was presented at the committee level of the McHenry County Board, received a chilly reception, and sent to the State’s Attorney’s Office for reviews, that is, to see if any or all of it would be legal for a non-Home Rule unit of local government to impose upon its officials.

Then, District 3 challenger Craig Steagall decided to fill out the form and submit it to ALAW.

District 2 challenger Donna Kurtz followed suit.

As of now, seven challengers and three incumbents have submitted such information about their personal financial situation.

Ten in all.

Considering Steagall is in District 2 and has demonstrated deep enough pockets to buy full page ads in the Northwest Herald, perhaps it is not surprising that two of his opponents—former County Board member Nick Provenzano and incumbent Barb Wheeler– have decided to make voluntary disclosure.

In District 5, incumbent Tina Hill has filed. In District 6, Mary McCann is among three candidates who have made disclosure.

So, three incumbents running for re-election are willing to stand up for reform.

Barb Wheeler

Tina Hill

Mary McCann

And, they are all women.  Does that tend to re-enforce my analysis that voters think women are less likely to be crooks than men?

Only three, it should be noted. They deserve to have their photos here, don’t you think?

And no one not up for reelection has yet to file a form.

Below is ALAW’s press release:

CANDIDATES DISCLOSURES KEEP COMING

Ten candidates for County Board in the upcoming primary have now voluntarily sent ALAW statements pursuant to the ALAW conflicts disclosure ordinance. Disclosure have been received from

• Donna Kurtz (R), District 2;
• Craig Steagall (R), District 3;
• Nick Provenzano (R), District 3;
• Barb Wheeler (R), District 3;
• Jeff Thirtyacre (D), District 4;
• Tina Hill (R), District 5;
• Frank Wedig (Green Party), District 5;
• Diane Evertsen (R), District 6;
• Mary McCann (R), District 6;
• Richard Draper (R), District 6.

(Incumbents are shown in bold face type; party identification has been added.)

The disclosures and the ordinance are both posted on the ALAW web site here.

ALAW expects to receive more disclosures over the next few days and challenges all candidates file statements.

There is no deadline for filing statements, but it is hoped that all candidates will file prior to the February 2 primary election.

ALAW presented the draft ordinance to the County Board on December 1, 2009.

It is currently under review by the McHenry County States Attorney’s office. If passed, the ordinance will require up front disclosure of elected and appointed county official’s real estate holdings and business relationships with the county.

“Our intent is to dispel the perception that our county officials sometimes place personal interest over their duty to their constituents. That idea has been an undercurrent in our county for a long time, and has recently become more widely expressed by the general public,”

said ALAW Director Emily Berendt. “With “transparency in government’ being such a key issue statewide right now, and the primary election approaching, the timing was right to present this ordinance.”

ALAW President Patricia Kennedy said,

“This was certainly unexpected but is a wonderful affirmation of our belief that full disclosure is as welcome by these candidates as it is by the public.”

Alliance for Land Agriculture and Water
PO Box 1021, Woodstock
Contact: Patricia Kennedy
815-943-7223

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Come to think of it, this voluntary disclosure idea probably has as it precedent the voluntary release of income tax forms by Illinois Democratic Party politician Paul Simon.  I remember reading his Atlantic Monthly article in my Aunt Louise Stevens copy while visiting my grandparents in Maryland several years before moving to Illinois in 1958.  His article about the blatant crookedness in Springfield was my introduction to Illinois politics.

Appointed Appeallate Court Justice and candidate for election to that position Mary Schostok stands behind a table of her literature, while appointed Appellate Court Justice and candidate for a different vacancy Ann Jorgensen looks at the camera in the foreground. McHenry County Board candidate Nick Provenzano stands between the two.

Friday night I picked up my literature at Liberty Outdoor and found two 2nd Appellate Court judicial candidates at the second table. Mary Schostok from Lake County and Ann Jorgensen from DuPage, were handing out literature and talking to the very relatively few precinct committeeman who came out in the cold.

Not only was candidate Schostok in Crystal Lake Friday, but she is having a fund raiser Thursday after work at Crystal Lake’s D’Andrea Banquets (southeast corner of Route 14 and 31).  Jorgensen will also be present as “a special guest.”

And, Schostok started off my week with a page four-color campaign piece in my mail box.

Having a life story helps a candidate identify with voters. Schosotok’s is summarized on the front page of her mailing:

From Immigrant
Shoemaker’s
Daughter to the
Illinois Appellate Court

How much better does it get than that?

Page two puts the story in pictures. Click to enlarge the page.

A resume appears on the third page. Schostok tells how she was selected by the Illinois Supreme Court “out of several hundred potential candidates” for appointment to fill a vacancy on the appellate court. Previously, she served as a circuit court judge and a Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney. Four awards are highlighted, including

• Fred Foreman Award for fighting child sexual/physical abuse
• Outstanding Service Award, Arson Investigation Association
• President’s Award for Excellence, Lake County Bar Association
• Benedict J. Ori Award for distinguished service to the legal community

The address side is mainly aimed at informing people about voting early and absentee. It’s well done, so you see it above.

There are also examples of her leadership in the community, including being on the board of Carmel Catholic High School.

The Thursday “Countdown to Election Day Reception “ fund raiser will be sponsored by “McHenry County Lawyers for Justice Schostok” on January 14th.

Special guest for the $30 event will be Justice Ann Jorgensen. Tickets cost $30 for everybody but Republican Precinct Committeemen, who may attend as guests .

RSVP’s to Renee, 847-989-3801, are appreciated for the 5:30 to 7:30 event.

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You may remember that both Schostok and Jorgensen, joined with McHenry County’s Sue Hutchinson in upholding Judge Michael Caldwell’s decision prohibiting Grafton Township from building a new township hall without a referendum.

The two justices also attended the Nunda Township Republican Picnic this summer.

Illinois Citizens for Life, a statewide pro-life group, has endorsed Zane Seipler for McHenry County Sheriff.

Seipler is challenging incumbent Sheriff Keith Nygren in the February 2nd Republican primary election.

The organization is also endorsing candidates for county board.

In District 1, ICF is endorsing the only man and only non-incumbent running for one of the two spots. His name is Robert Nowak. He is a Cary resident, as are the two incumbents he is challenging—Anna May Miller and Yvonne Barnes.

In District 2, McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler and challenger Sandra DePaul are the two getting the group’s nod. Both are from Crystal Lake. Other candidates are incumbent Lyn Orphal and challengers Donna Kurtz, a McHenry County College board member and Crystal Lake City Councilwoman Ellen Brady Mueller.

In District 3 the only incumbent running for re-election, Barbara Wheeler is endorsed. Former county board member Nick Provenzano also won the group’s support. The opponents are Karen J Tynis, Veronica Armstrong and Craig Steagall.

In District 5, newcomer Dave Frederick and former county board member John Jung received the pro-life endorsement. Also running is incumbent Tina Hill.

There is no endorsement in District 4, where there is no GOP primary election, or in District 6, where five candidates are vying for the two places on the fall ballot.

State legislative candidates are ranked as well.

Mike Tryon (R-Crystsl Lake) is deemed to be “Fully Pro-Life.” His Democratic Part opponent Bob Kaempfe merited an “Unknown (Did not answer or complete survey).” State Reps. Jack Franks (D-Marengo) and Mark Beaubien (R-Barrington Hills) are rated the same as Kaempfe.

Franks’ Republican opponent, on the other hand, was characterized as “Fully Pro-Life.”

The only other state candidate endorsed is for the 2nd Appellate Court. Mary S. Schostok is endorsed for the Barbara Gilleran-Johnson vacancy.

Maybe it was the $20,000 salary, plus full and generous health coverage, but whatever the motivation, all the incumbents but District 4 incumbents Sandy Salgado and Pete Merkel, both from McHenry, drew challengers.

Twenty-three people are vying for twelve spots on the fall ballot.

Thirteen are women; ten men.

In District 1, incumbents Anna May Miller and Yvonne Barnes are being challenged by Cary’s Bob Nowak.

In District 2, incumbents Ken Koehler and Lyn Orphal will face not only MCC Board member Donna Kurtz, but Crystal Lake City Councilwoman Ellen Brady Mueller, but also Sandra DePaul.

Mueller likes to be last on the ballot, but she didn’t wait long enough this afternoon. DePaul gets the coveted spot, worth an extra 5% in a six-person race, probably less in this five-person race.

In District 3, newly energized entrepreneur Craig Steagall, who lives just north of Crystal Lake will take on incumbent Barb Wheeler, former county board member Nick Provenzano and newcomers Veronica Armstrong and Karen Tynis.

Steagall is known for his full-page ads in the Northwest Herald in opposition to Metra’s purchase of 17 acres next to the old 84 Lumber (new Alexander’s Lumber) on Country Club Road.

Those ads have attacked McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler. Less well known is that he put together the people who built Prairie Ridge High School’s soccer field.

In District 5, Dave Frederick filed his nominating papers. The veterinarian will be running against incumbent Tina Hill and former county board member John Jung. The announced candidacy of John Vrett did not materialize.

In District 6, incumbent Mary McCann filed her petitions Monday. She joins incumbent Dan Ryan and challengers Richard Draper of Wonder Lake, Dianne Evertsen of Hartland Township and Victor Naursis of Woodstock.