McHenry County Blog

In these photos you can see Judge Michael J. Sullivan swearing in the eight McHenry County Board members who took office on Monday.

From left to right are

• Randy Donley (R-Union),
• Jim Heisler (R-Crystal Lake),
• John Hammerand (R-Wonder Lake),
• Virginia Peschke (R-Bull Valley),
• Bob Bless (R-Fox River Grove),
• Paula Yensen (D-Lake in the Hills),
• Kathy Bergan Schmidt (D-Crystal Lake),
• Mary Donner (R-Crystal Lake),
• Ersel Schuster (R-Woodstock),
• Scott Breeden (R-Lakewood),
• Sue Draffkorn (R-Wonder Lake) and Marc Muneratto (R-Algonquin).

In the bottom picture, you can see (if you click on the image) McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler to the right of Munaretto’s head awaiting the election of board officers.

Here are the details about the discussion about the contested election before the vote, which resulted in two Crystal Lakers taking control.

In these photos you can see Judge Michael J. Sullivan swearing in the eight McHenry County Board members who took office on Monday.

From left to right are

• Randy Donley (R-Union),
• Jim Heisler (R-Crystal Lake),
• John Hammerand (R-Wonder Lake),
• Virginia Peschke (R-Bull Valley),
• Bob Bless (R-Fox River Grove),
• Paula Yensen (D-Lake in the Hills),
• Kathy Bergan Schmidt (D-Crystal Lake),
• Mary Donner (R-Crystal Lake),
• Ersel Schuster (R-Woodstock),
• Scott Breeden (R-Lakewood),
• Sue Draffkorn (R-Wonder Lake) and Marc Muneratto (R-Algonquin).

In the bottom picture, you can see (if you click on the image) McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler to the right of Munaretto’s head awaiting the election of board officers.

Here are the details about the discussion about the contested election before the vote, which resulted in two Crystal Lakers taking control.

As you learned yesterday, McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler handily defeated two challengers.

In a 16-6-2 vote Koehler beat Barb Wheeler, the head of the county board’s Planning and Development Committee, and Marc Munaretto, chairman of the board’s Finance Committee. Here’s the roll call.

For the second spot on the board, Crystal Laker Jim Heisler won over McHenry’s Sandra Salgado in a 15-9 vote.

After his victory, Heisler, who sits two seats from Salgado walked over and hugged her. I was chastised for not getting a picture.

By the time that Koehler followed suit with Wheeler, however, I was ready.

It appears that Wheeler upgraded her ambition from vice chairman to chairman, joining forces with Salgado. Both voted for the other.

Something of a woman’s block was evident with Sue Draffkorn, Virginia Peschke, Salgado, Schmidt and Wheeler voting for the female candidates for the top two spots.

While Wheeler received six votes (the sole male being Huntley’s Dan Ryan), Salgado got 9. She picked up newly-elected Democratic women Kathy Bergan Schmidt and Paul Yensen, plus Cary’s Yvonne Barnes.

Nominating Koehler for chairman was Cary’s Anna Miller.

But that didn’t happen until after chairman candidate Munaretto questioned the contents of a memo prepared by the State’s Attorney’s Office based on a conclusion that the method used last time around had been “improper.”

Newly elected to her third non-consecutive term, Ersel Schuster moved to accept the recommendations of the State’s Attorney. I heard one “No” in the voice vote.

Miller read a prepared statement of support for Koehler.

Then, Draffkorn nominated Barb Wheeler and Randy Donley placed Munaretto’s name in nomination, saying, “I can’t think of anyone better to lead us through these troubled times.” He referred to Munaretto as “an economic wizard, to say the least.”

Democrat Jim Kennedy asked each candidate to explain why he or she was running for the top job.

Wheeler was the first to comply with Kennedy’s request. She explained that this was the first time in 20 years (that) there was a challenge for county board chairman (in which the results were not known.)

“We’re probably lambs (being led) to the slaughter,” she explained, but thought the process would lead to a “stronger board.”

She said that her quest for supporters might have led “some of your spouses (to) think I’m stalking you.”

She enjoyed talking at length with the board members during the last few days.

Munaretto’s comments came next.

“I’ve never run against an incumbent. I sense there is a desire for change. It pains me greatly that the county board would accept the control that has been exercised by a few (without question).

“The worst of economic times have not hit McHenry County,” the Finance Committee Chairman continued. Munaretto explained how under his leadership the county’s bond rating had risen from AA3 to AA1–”one notch away from Triple A.”

“I have been the proponent of open, constructive debate. 98% of the time I encourage open debate.”

Then, Koehler took the mike.

“I didn’t come here to talk about myself and I don’t intend to do that,” he started out. He explained how the board operates by committee.

“I’m proud to bring that all together.

“We’ve had our differences. We’ve walked some pretty tough times these past four years. I hope I can be your county board chairman for the next two years,” he concluded.

Peschke, who previously ran against Koehler, spoke on Wheeler’s behalf.

“I am impressed with her leadership. She took over from a very strong leader, Ann Gilman” and succeeded.

Peschke pointed to her introducing the board to conservation design and getting it passed.

“I have been truly impressed with her leadership.”
Having heard the reply to his request, Kennedy applauded the three members.

“I think competition is good. I think this is a very healthy thing for our county board.”

= = = = =
The photo on top is of McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler hugging Barb Wheeler, the woman who received 6 votes against him. In the background to the left is newly-elected member Bob Bless. Top right is Randy Donley. In the foreground is newly-elected Lake in the Hills Democrat Paula Yensen. Below that photo are two shots of the new county board. All photos may be enlarged by clicking on them.

As you learned yesterday, McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler handily defeated two challengers.

In a 16-6-2 vote Koehler beat Barb Wheeler, the head of the county board’s Planning and Development Committee, and Marc Munaretto, chairman of the board’s Finance Committee. Here’s the roll call.

For the second spot on the board, Crystal Laker Jim Heisler won over McHenry’s Sandra Salgado in a 15-9 vote.

After his victory, Heisler, who sits two seats from Salgado walked over and hugged her. I was chastised for not getting a picture.

By the time that Koehler followed suit with Wheeler, however, I was ready.

It appears that Wheeler upgraded her ambition from vice chairman to chairman, joining forces with Salgado. Both voted for the other.

Something of a woman’s block was evident with Sue Draffkorn, Virginia Peschke, Salgado, Schmidt and Wheeler voting for the female candidates for the top two spots.

While Wheeler received six votes (the sole male being Huntley’s Dan Ryan), Salgado got 9. She picked up newly-elected Democratic women Kathy Bergan Schmidt and Paul Yensen, plus Cary’s Yvonne Barnes.

Nominating Koehler for chairman was Cary’s Anna Miller.

But that didn’t happen until after chairman candidate Munaretto questioned the contents of a memo prepared by the State’s Attorney’s Office based on a conclusion that the method used last time around had been “improper.”

Newly elected to her third non-consecutive term, Ersel Schuster moved to accept the recommendations of the State’s Attorney. I heard one “No” in the voice vote.

Miller read a prepared statement of support for Koehler.

Then, Draffkorn nominated Barb Wheeler and Randy Donley placed Munaretto’s name in nomination, saying, “I can’t think of anyone better to lead us through these troubled times.” He referred to Munaretto as “an economic wizard, to say the least.”

Democrat Jim Kennedy asked each candidate to explain why he or she was running for the top job.

Wheeler was the first to comply with Kennedy’s request. She explained that this was the first time in 20 years (that) there was a challenge for county board chairman (in which the results were not known.)

“We’re probably lambs (being led) to the slaughter,” she explained, but thought the process would lead to a “stronger board.”

She said that her quest for supporters might have led “some of your spouses (to) think I’m stalking you.”

She enjoyed talking at length with the board members during the last few days.

Munaretto’s comments came next.

“I’ve never run against an incumbent. I sense there is a desire for change. It pains me greatly that the county board would accept the control that has been exercised by a few (without question).

“The worst of economic times have not hit McHenry County,” the Finance Committee Chairman continued. Munaretto explained how under his leadership the county’s bond rating had risen from AA3 to AA1–”one notch away from Triple A.”

“I have been the proponent of open, constructive debate. 98% of the time I encourage open debate.”

Then, Koehler took the mike.

“I didn’t come here to talk about myself and I don’t intend to do that,” he started out. He explained how the board operates by committee.

“I’m proud to bring that all together.

“We’ve had our differences. We’ve walked some pretty tough times these past four years. I hope I can be your county board chairman for the next two years,” he concluded.

Peschke, who previously ran against Koehler, spoke on Wheeler’s behalf.

“I am impressed with her leadership. She took over from a very strong leader, Ann Gilman” and succeeded.

Peschke pointed to her introducing the board to conservation design and getting it passed.

“I have been truly impressed with her leadership.”
Having heard the reply to his request, Kennedy applauded the three members.

“I think competition is good. I think this is a very healthy thing for our county board.”

= = = = =
The photo on top is of McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler hugging Barb Wheeler, the woman who received 6 votes against him. In the background to the left is newly-elected member Bob Bless. Top right is Randy Donley. In the foreground is newly-elected Lake in the Hills Democrat Paula Yensen. Below that photo are two shots of the new county board. All photos may be enlarged by clicking on them.

As expected, that hole in dike has manifested itself in District 5, where Republican turned Democrat Lake in the Hills trustee Jim Kennedy picked off Perry Moy two years ago.

With 59% of the vote has counted, Paula Yensen is leading the pack.

Odd man out, so to speak, is John Jung.

Yensen is leading the four-way race with 32.4%.

Top vote getter four years ago, Virginia Peschke, for whom I saw no literature, is second with 32.3%.

Jung is running third with 28.2%.

Green Party candidate Frank Wedig is pulling 7%, enough to earn the Green Party “established party status” in the Lake in the Hills-Huntley-Woodstock-Bull Valley district. (That means the party, if it elects a precinct committeeman, can nominate candidates the way the Democrats did in McHenry County this year—without running anyone in the primary election. Dave Bachmann is the only except on the Democratic Party side. He did stand for nomination in the primary.)

A similar upset may occur in the Crystal Lake-Prairie Grove-McHenry District 3, where Democratic Party Chair Kathy Bergen Schmidt is leading another incumbent male, Nick Provenzano, by 115 vote with only 3 out of 37 precincts not counted.

Leading is incumbent female Mary Donner with almost 37% of the vote in a three-way race.

There could also be a Democratic Party pickup in the most rural district in McHenry County.

With half the votes counted, the two Republicans in District 6 are leading, but they are not splitting the vote evenly.

Randy Donley is ahead with 31% of the vote in the four-way race. His running mate Ersel Schuster has 26.6%. Atypically, the male Republican is running ahead of the female. Incumbent Donley got more votes than Schuster in the primary election, too.

The leading Democrat, Darryl Frank, is 600 votes behind Schuster at 22%. He is ahead of his running mate Bob Ludwig by almost 300 votes. Ludwig has 20% of the vote.

I wonder if voters see the name “Frank” and think he must be related to Jack Franks, the candidate for state representative against whom the Republicans did not run a candidate.

In county board District 1 (Fox River Grove, Cary and Algonquin), with 77% of the vote counted, the two Republicans are winning handily. Newcomer Bob Bliss has 37% of the vote, incumbent Marc Munaretto has almost 34%.

Democrat James McTague claims 29%.

Republicans are leading in the Crystal Lake-Lake in the Hills District 2.

Perennial top vote getter Jim Heisler pulled it off again, leading the four-way race with almost 32% of the voted. His running mate Scott Breeden is running second at 25.5%

Two Democratic Party women—Jill Mawhinney and Anita Harmon—are running behind with 20.8% and 22%, respectively.

54% of the vote is counted.

Not much of a contest in District 4 either. It has a lot of Wonder Lake—where both of the candidates reside—McHenry, Johnsburg, Richmond and Spring Grove.

Republican John Hammerand is leading with 37.5% of the vote. His running mate Sue Draffkorn is second at 35%, with Democrat Jeff Thirtyacre coming in last with 27.5%. Note the anomaly of a male Republican out tallying a female Republican in this race. 66% of the votes are counted.

As expected, that hole in dike has manifested itself in District 5, where Republican turned Democrat Lake in the Hills trustee Jim Kennedy picked off Perry Moy two years ago.

With 59% of the vote has counted, Paula Yensen is leading the pack.

Odd man out, so to speak, is John Jung.

Yensen is leading the four-way race with 32.4%.

Top vote getter four years ago, Virginia Peschke, for whom I saw no literature, is second with 32.3%.

Jung is running third with 28.2%.

Green Party candidate Frank Wedig is pulling 7%, enough to earn the Green Party “established party status” in the Lake in the Hills-Huntley-Woodstock-Bull Valley district. (That means the party, if it elects a precinct committeeman, can nominate candidates the way the Democrats did in McHenry County this year—without running anyone in the primary election. Dave Bachmann is the only except on the Democratic Party side. He did stand for nomination in the primary.)

A similar upset may occur in the Crystal Lake-Prairie Grove-McHenry District 3, where Democratic Party Chair Kathy Bergen Schmidt is leading another incumbent male, Nick Provenzano, by 115 vote with only 3 out of 37 precincts not counted.

Leading is incumbent female Mary Donner with almost 37% of the vote in a three-way race.

There could also be a Democratic Party pickup in the most rural district in McHenry County.

With half the votes counted, the two Republicans in District 6 are leading, but they are not splitting the vote evenly.

Randy Donley is ahead with 31% of the vote in the four-way race. His running mate Ersel Schuster has 26.6%. Atypically, the male Republican is running ahead of the female. Incumbent Donley got more votes than Schuster in the primary election, too.

The leading Democrat, Darryl Frank, is 600 votes behind Schuster at 22%. He is ahead of his running mate Bob Ludwig by almost 300 votes. Ludwig has 20% of the vote.

I wonder if voters see the name “Frank” and think he must be related to Jack Franks, the candidate for state representative against whom the Republicans did not run a candidate.

In county board District 1 (Fox River Grove, Cary and Algonquin), with 77% of the vote counted, the two Republicans are winning handily. Newcomer Bob Bliss has 37% of the vote, incumbent Marc Munaretto has almost 34%.

Democrat James McTague claims 29%.

Republicans are leading in the Crystal Lake-Lake in the Hills District 2.

Perennial top vote getter Jim Heisler pulled it off again, leading the four-way race with almost 32% of the voted. His running mate Scott Breeden is running second at 25.5%

Two Democratic Party women—Jill Mawhinney and Anita Harmon—are running behind with 20.8% and 22%, respectively.

54% of the vote is counted.

Not much of a contest in District 4 either. It has a lot of Wonder Lake—where both of the candidates reside—McHenry, Johnsburg, Richmond and Spring Grove.

Republican John Hammerand is leading with 37.5% of the vote. His running mate Sue Draffkorn is second at 35%, with Democrat Jeff Thirtyacre coming in last with 27.5%. Note the anomaly of a male Republican out tallying a female Republican in this race. 66% of the votes are counted.

In the parts of McHenry County I have been, only one Republican candidate has been invisible.

Long-time county board candidate Virginia Peschke, who can be counted upon to be an independent thinker and actually ran against Ken Koehler for McHenry County Board Chairman, was no where to be seen.

Sure, she ran first four years ago, but Democrat Paula Yensen has been working hard going door-to-door in her end of the district (the more populated Lake in the Hills and Huntley), while there were no reports of Peschke doing anything.

I saw none of Peschke’s pamphlets earlier this month at GOP headquarters on literature distribution day.

Meanwhile John Jung seemed to be working hard.

And, well he should be given the history of extremely negative campaigning by Democrats in District 5.

(See

Picking of Perry – Part 1,
Picking on Perry – Part 2,
Picking on Perry – Part 3,
Perry Takes Another Hit, and
Negative Campaigning Apparently Works.)

Frankly, I expected Jung to bear the brunt of similar negative attacks. I figured he was in the Democrats’ bull’s eye, since women are typically seen more favorably at the polls than guys.

Muddying the waters is the candidacy of Woodstock’s Frank Wedig. He is running on the Green Party ticket.

Today driving down Fleming Road I saw a

“Re-Elect Peschke – McHenry County Board”

sign. After that I saw a few others.

I don’t know if she is going to make a last week mailing to make up for not having given the precinct committeemen anything to pass out.

She certainly should.

Besides Peschke’s signs, I saw one for Yensen, her Lake in the Hills village Trustee opponent. I saw some for Green Party candidate Frank Gedig and yard sign

There were 4X4’s for Peschke’s running mate John Jung near Ridgefield.

In the parts of McHenry County I have been, only one Republican candidate has been invisible.

Long-time county board candidate Virginia Peschke, who can be counted upon to be an independent thinker and actually ran against Ken Koehler for McHenry County Board Chairman, was no where to be seen.

Sure, she ran first four years ago, but Democrat Paula Yensen has been working hard going door-to-door in her end of the district (the more populated Lake in the Hills and Huntley), while there were no reports of Peschke doing anything.

I saw none of Peschke’s pamphlets earlier this month at GOP headquarters on literature distribution day.

Meanwhile John Jung seemed to be working hard.

And, well he should be given the history of extremely negative campaigning by Democrats in District 5.

(See

Picking of Perry – Part 1,
Picking on Perry – Part 2,
Picking on Perry – Part 3,
Perry Takes Another Hit, and
Negative Campaigning Apparently Works.)

Frankly, I expected Jung to bear the brunt of similar negative attacks. I figured he was in the Democrats’ bull’s eye, since women are typically seen more favorably at the polls than guys.

Muddying the waters is the candidacy of Woodstock’s Frank Wedig. He is running on the Green Party ticket.

Today driving down Fleming Road I saw a

“Re-Elect Peschke – McHenry County Board”

sign. After that I saw a few others.

I don’t know if she is going to make a last week mailing to make up for not having given the precinct committeemen anything to pass out.

She certainly should.

Besides Peschke’s signs, I saw one for Yensen, her Lake in the Hills village Trustee opponent. I saw some for Green Party candidate Frank Gedig and yard sign

There were 4X4’s for Peschke’s running mate John Jung near Ridgefield.

Sharp real estate wheeler and dealers it appears the majority of the McHenry County Board aren’t.

I mentioned in an article a month ago how we taxpayers had managed to buy the new Route 14 and Woodstock Street animal control-health department facility when the real estate market was hot.

I guess I shouldn’t complain that the county board has finally figured out that Crystal Lake is in McHenry County and that every facility doesn’t have to be at the Hebron site in Woodstock. It really seems to make sense that there be some outposts that are more conveniently located for the majority of taxpayers than is the county government center.

And, I guess one couldn’t expect that the county board would know that the real estate market was about to crash when the Crystal Lake purchase was made.

That cannot be said today.

The market has been predictably headed south since at least the 2006 Carpentersville District referendum campaign.

So, the Northwest Herald’s Regan Foster report of the McHenry County Board’s voting 18-4 to sell the old Banford Road facility surprises me. The property is on the growth tip of Woodstock with lots of nearby residential property.

Board member and Woodstock resident Tina Hill is quoted as saying,

“I’m really glad for the city of Woodstock and for us. It’s the neighborly thing to do.”

The board did agree to an open sale, for which its members deserve praise.

But this is not the time to sell.

Unfortunately, the names of those who voted “No” were not in the article.

I figure they should be know, so here they are:

• Marc Munaretto (R-Algonquin)
• Virginia Peschke (R-Woodstock)
• Randy Donley( R-Union)
• John Hammerand (R-Wonder Lake)

All four are up for re-election and, presumably, won’t get punched by their Democratic Party opponents on the issue.

Sharp real estate wheeler and dealers it appears the majority of the McHenry County Board aren’t.

I mentioned in an article a month ago how we taxpayers had managed to buy the new Route 14 and Woodstock Street animal control-health department facility when the real estate market was hot.

I guess I shouldn’t complain that the county board has finally figured out that Crystal Lake is in McHenry County and that every facility doesn’t have to be at the Hebron site in Woodstock. It really seems to make sense that there be some outposts that are more conveniently located for the majority of taxpayers than is the county government center.

And, I guess one couldn’t expect that the county board would know that the real estate market was about to crash when the Crystal Lake purchase was made.

That cannot be said today.

The market has been predictably headed south since at least the 2006 Carpentersville District referendum campaign.

So, the Northwest Herald’s Regan Foster report of the McHenry County Board’s voting 18-4 to sell the old Banford Road facility surprises me. The property is on the growth tip of Woodstock with lots of nearby residential property.

Board member and Woodstock resident Tina Hill is quoted as saying,

“I’m really glad for the city of Woodstock and for us. It’s the neighborly thing to do.”

The board did agree to an open sale, for which its members deserve praise.

But this is not the time to sell.

Unfortunately, the names of those who voted “No” were not in the article.

I figure they should be know, so here they are:

• Marc Munaretto (R-Algonquin)
• Virginia Peschke (R-Woodstock)
• Randy Donley( R-Union)
• John Hammerand (R-Wonder Lake)

All four are up for re-election and, presumably, won’t get punched by their Democratic Party opponents on the issue.