McHenry County Blog

Fox River Grove Republican Precinct Committeeman Andrew Gasser calculated 20% administrative expenses for the McHenry County 708 Mental Health Board on his blog.

Today, Kevin Craver of the Northwest Herald concludes that the number is 17%.

“The McHenry County Mental Health Board’s critics were much closer to the mark than its leaders as to how much the agency spends on administration, according to its end-of-year report,”

Craver starts his article.

He notes that is three times the 6% figure touted by previous President Lee Ellis.

The difference seems to be that previous official estimates did not include costs associated with the new building.

Craver’s article has many more details those interested in the 708 Board need to know.

The comments are insightful.

First Electric Newspaper is reporting today that only one resident showed up at Lake in the Hills’ Heineman Middle School to hear McHenry County College President Vicky Smith, Trustee Linda Lidell, Dean Jim Falco and Acadmic Affairs VP Tony Miksa.

Everything seems to be on hold awaiting the Power Wellness study later this summer.

And, in other MCC news, take a look at the following memo from the Northwest Herald about the $1,300 full-page ad featuring Smith right before the Board voted to extend her contract through the middle of 2015:

Friday, I received a campaign mailer from incumbent Crystal Lake City Councilmen Ralph Dawson and Jeff Thorsen.

The only problem is that I live in Lakewood, not Crystal Lake.

It was part of a mass mailing to “Registered Voter” to “Current Resident.”

I qualify on both counts.

The first rule of direct mail is to make sure the people you are sending it to live in the jurisdiction where you can get votes.

As I was delivering literature advising people to vote against the tax hike referendum, I saw Northwest Heralds with Lee Jennings stickers on them.

There’s a problem with that, too.

Jennings is running for Township Supervisor in Nunda, not Algonquin Township.

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When I went out to deliver more literature in my role as Algonquin Township Republican Precinct Committeeman, I saw still more Northwest Heralds with stickers promoting the Republican candidacy of Nunda Township Supervisor Lee Jennings. This time I took camera. You see what I saw below:

Last week, the Northwest Herald was set to endorse Chris Jenner for the McHenry County College Board.

But he was sued, along with Eric Sivertsen, by the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office in attempt to knock them off the ballot.

The suit must have unsettled the Editorial Board at the NWH, because when a revised editorial was posted, Jenner’s name was gone and Tom Wilbeck, Mike Smith and Molly Walsh were recommended.

Last Monday, the case went to trial and Judge Thomas Meyer ruled the State’s Attorney’s claim invalid.

So Jenner and Sivertsen stayed on the ballot for MCC.

Jenner had previously withdrawn from a second race to be elected to a third term on the Cary Grade School Board, but Sivertsen did not.

The dual candidacies were what the State’s Attorney was objecting to.

Because of Judge Meyer’s ruling Sivertsen remains on both ballots.

Now, the NWH has posted a revised editorial with the following note below it:

“Note to readers: The Northwest Herald Editorial Board’s original endorsement for McHenry County College’s Board of Trustees included candidate Chris Jenner.

“When the McHery County Clerk’s Office announced that Jenner and another candidate could not be on the ballot because the two simultaneously filed to run for other seats, we removed Jenner from our list of endorsed candidates, expecting that he no longer would be on the ballot.

“But a judge has since ruled that Jenner can remain on the ballot.

“In light of that, we add him back to our list of endorsed candidates.

“As a result, four candidates are endorsed. Note that voters can choose only three at the polls.”

“The endorsement of Jenner has been added to Wilbeck’s, Smith’s and Walsh’s.”

First there was a sticker on the masthead of the Northwest Herald paid for by Grafton Township Supervisor Linda Moore. It was published on the first day of early voting and urged people to do so.

Sunday, the team of Nunda Township Supervisor candidate Lee Jennings and Nunda Township Road Commissioner candidate “Iron Mike” Lesperance had the sticker.

Monday, it was Nunda Township Road Commissioner candidate Rob Parrish’s turn.

The question I have now is whether any candidate will buy a sticker on Tuesday.

A press release from the McHenry County 708 Board:

Rebuttal to “Mental Health Board’s way at stake”

By Lee Ellis, president of the McHenry County Mental Health Board

January 28, 2013

The McHenry County Mental Health Board (MHB) deems it necessary to clarify information and correct inaccuracies presented in the article “Mental Health Board’s way at stake” by Kevin Craver published on the front page of the Northwest Herald on Jan. 24, 2013, and in the Northwest Herald’s “Our View” editorial on Jan. 27, 2013.

Both of these pieces fuel ongoing misperceptions regarding how the MHB manages taxpayer dollars designated for the treatment of

• mental illness,
• developmental disabilities,
• chemical abuse, and
• traumatic brain injury

At a time when social services are deeply affected by cutbacks and late payments by the state, our community needs to work together to meet the needs of our citizens.

Effective collaborations benefit the people we serve, and effective collaborations can only begin with an understanding of the facts.

The MHB has dealt with differing opinions on how to manage tax dollars designated for the mental health fund since the people of McHenry County voted to establish a 708 Board, or Mental Health Board, in 1967.

The Board frames its decisions on management of taxpayer dollars based on its mission and by the mandates of the Illinois Community Mental Health Act.

The mission and mandates require the MHB to provide leadership in planning, coordinating, developing, and contracting for quality services for our citizens.

Transparency of MHB governance is an issue that comes up repeatedly. All MHB meetings are open to the public, and public comment is welcomed at each meeting. Meeting agendas are posted on McHenry County and MHB websites, and on the bulletin board just outside the main entrance to the MHB building. All MHB meeting minutes are available on the McHenry County Government website. The MHB also facilitates meetings of provider agencies monthly to share information and concerns.

Members of the community are welcome to contact the MHB at any time for clarification of any MHB related business.

Discussion of allocation of taxpayer dollars designated for the mental health fund in Craver’s article is sketchy and presents an inaccurate picture.

He notes that a Jan. 13 financial report shows that of the $13.1 million in revenue from taxes, $8.7 million is designated for use by community social services agencies, and that the MHB keeps “more than $4.4 million for itself.”

Craver does not explain that this $4.4 million includes funds for

• facilitation of community supports for family centered programs such as WRAPAROUND and
• Screening Assessment and Support Services (SASS).

This part of the budget also includes funding for

• psychological evaluations,
• mentoring, and
• medication support, as well as for
• the CareTrak program and
• client transportation.

It also includes scholarships for

• consumers and
• staff of funded agencies so they can attend trainings and conferences related to mental health.

Costs for management of clinical records of former clients of Family Services and Community Mental Health Center fall under this category.

It additionally includes MHB support of coordination programs such as Individual Care Grants, which are required as part of the SASS program, and support of Crisis Services.

All of these programs, and others, comprise a significant portion of the $4.4 million which Craver attributes to MHB administration.

Craver’s article also references criticisms of the MHB’s decision on the building expansion project.

The MHB used funds made available through the Americans Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for the capital costs.

These funds could only be used for capital projects and were not available to providers for services.

The now completed expansion provides rent-free space for several consumer-operated community organizations and groups.

Just one example is the McHenry County McCap program, which serves young adults with special needs; McCap uses two conference rooms Monday through Friday.

Another inaccuracy in Craver’s article references a contract with Virginia Commonwealth University to pay former Executive Director Sandy Lewis $150 per hour for consultation services. Craver obtained this

This proposed contract was never fully negotiated and was never signed by either the MHB or by Virginia Commonwealth
University.

The MHB previously advised the Northwest Herald on Nov. 27, 2012 in a Freedom of Information Act response to Sarah Sutschek of the Northwest Herald that “…there are no ‘Independent Contractor Agreements with Virginia Commonwealth University’ that have been entered into by or on behalf of the McHenry County Mental Health Board.”

Critics question funding of the former MHB Executive Director Sandy Lewis’ doctorial studies.

The MHB negotiated tuition costs with Dr. Lewis to promote continuing education and quality leadership development on behalf of the MHB, and it benefited throughout the education process.

The Board is currently reevaluating its policies on education benefits.

The MHB is guided by a volunteer board of eight community members who are appointed by the County Board, and one County Government  liaison. Its yearly budget is reviewed and appropriated by the McHenry County Board each year.  Additionally, MHB staff meets regularly with the Public Health and Human Services committee.

Furthermore, the MHB is CARF accredited, which is earned through a rigorous peer review process to ensure commitment to programs and services that are measurable, accountable, and of the highest quality. CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process that centers on enhancing the lives of the persons serviced.

The size of the MHB staff is frequently questioned by critics.

It is important to note that mental health boards across the state are very different in size, scope, and levy.

MHB staff size is driven by the community development required to effectively and efficiently support a community behavioral health system that serves the citizens of McHenry County.

Accountability and compliance to the rules and regulations of federal and state contracts are another factor.

Questions from the community are always welcome. The next meeting of the MentalHealth Board is scheduled for Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at 6 p.m. at 620 Dakota Street inCrystal Lake. For information call the MHB at 815-455-2828, or check out the MHB website: www.mc708.org.

Circulation figures have been released by the Audit Bureau of Circulation and the Northwest Herald is down a bit.

Sunday circulation has held relatively stable at more than 34,000 since 2009, while daily circulation had dropped about about 2,000.

September 30, 2012, circulation figures for the Northwest Herald.

Comparable figures for 2011 are below:

Information from 2010 showed weekday circulation is 30,950 and Sunday’s papers at 34,391, my article reports.

The 2009 and 1993 information is here.

Northwest Herald Editor Dan McCaleb evaluates Independent Dee Beaubien’s likelihood of voting for Democrat Mike Madigan for House Speaker today. Read his conclusion:

“Do you think the most powerful politician in Illinois would give so much money to an “independent” candidate without expecting anything in return? I don’t either.

“So the decision comes down to this: If you think Madigan is doing a fine job as speaker, vote for Dee Beaubien. If not, McSweeney is the choice.”

In its editorial Thursday, The Northwest Herald is not happy with the number of candidates running unopposed.

“…a sad commentary on the state of our democracy,” the editorial concludes.

Nice to be in agreement.

Commenting on the most obvious omission, the McHenry County Republican Party’s refusal to give Tea Party-inspired Tonya Franklin a chance, the editorial reads,

“The GOP failed to field a candidate to oppose Democrat Jack Franks in Illinois’ 63rd House District despite an unsuccesful attempt by tea party Republicans to caucus in Tonya Franklin.”

District 4 McHenry County Board member Sandy Salgado bought a sticker on the front page of the Northwest Herald in her part of McHenry County.

She also put an insert into the Walworth County paper that dips as far south as Johnsburg.

Donna Kurtz bought a quarter page ad.

It was similar in content to that of her post card.

Those were the only two candidates whom I found spending their promotional dollars in a newspaper.

Most money went into direct mail, although, as you can see from the article below, the Post Office has at least one employee who made that almost a waste of money.

Kurtz’ ad cost $650.

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I’m told that District 4 GOP candidate Linda Kvidera Murphy also inserted her palm card in the Northwest Herald. You can see it here.