Considering the Proposed Valley Hi Surplus Rebate

Past Republican Party County Board members can take full credit for overtaxing local residents for the county’s nursing home, Valley Hi. Voters passed a referendum to build a new complex and Board members decided to keep the money rolling in … Continue reading

Jack Franks Nominates Republican Joe Gottemoller, Who Lost Board Race, to Replace Mike Walkup on County Board

Former County Board Chairman Joe Gottemoller was has been recommended for appointment to replace Mike Walkup, who resigned late last year. Gottemoller was bested for the opportunity to run against Franks for Board Chairman in the 2016 GOP Primary Election … Continue reading

Jack Franks Set to Ignore GOP District 4 County Board Replacement Recommendation

With the retirement of McHenry County Board member Craig Wilcox to assume Pam Althoff’s seat in the Illinois State Senate McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks has the statutory duty to appoint a replacement. The only checks on this power … Continue reading

$10 Million to Expedite Randall Road Land Purchase Rejected

The McHenry County Transportation Committee rejected the staff proposal to approve spending $10 million to “expedite” right-of-way purchase for an expansion of Randall Road. The article announcing proposal can be found here. Also contained in the article is how $5.7 … Continue reading

County Eliminates $3 Million Valley Hi Tax

The all-Republican McHenry County Board  Tuesday night voted unanimously to cut the tax levy for the Valley Hi Nursing Home to zero. The significant amendment did not even require a roll call, as County Board Chairman Joe Gottemoller called for … Continue reading

Justification of Valley Hi’s $40 Million in the Bank

Peter Austin unveiled graphic results of Valley Hi Administrator Tom Annarella’s modeling efforts Tuesday. All versions assumed that the levy would be cut from $3 million to $2.250 million. The first version, seen below, shows the Valley Hi bank account … Continue reading

Finance Reverses Course, Cuts Valley Hi Levy by $750,000

What a difference five days makes. On Thursday, the members of the McHenry County Board’s Finance Committee voted 4-3 against lowering the $3 million Valley Hi Nursing Home levy by one penny. First-term member Chuck Wheeler, who was recently appointed … Continue reading

Township Consolidation Dead – Updated with Public Comment

Led by McHenry County Board Chairman Joe Gottemoller, thirteen members tacked the lid on the coffin of the township consolidation movement. During the lengthy public comment period, in which the opponents of township consolidation dominated the podium, County Board members … Continue reading

Prim Gets 6-Months to See if Fed Jailing Worthwhile

After cutting jail expenses since he took office in December, McHenry County Sheriff Bill Prim asked County Board approval to continue housing ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and U.S. Marshal detainees and prisoners for another six months. Wonder Lake’s John … Continue reading

Valley Hi’s Future

Below are the August 4th County Board minutes of the discussion of hiring a consultant to made recommendations on the future of Valley Hi. The County nursing home, an enterprise account (meaning it is separate from other parts of McHenry … Continue reading

The 2016 Recorder of Deeds Race

Candidates are already lining up to win the Republican Party primary for Recorder of Deeds next spring. After all, petition passing for next year’s primary election starts around the first of September. Long-time incumbent Phyllis Walters is expected to retired.  She … Continue reading

Joe Alger’s Comments to the County Board

When the McHenry County Board met Tuesday, people went away talking about what Patriots United leader and, now, McHenry County Sheriff’s Commission member Joe Alger said in his public comments. He covered the committee interview when he applied and was … Continue reading

Jack Franks Angling for State Comptroller, GOP Fight for State Rep. Seat Imminent

I think State Rep. Jack Franks has decided to run for State Comptroller in 2016. Why? He didn’t show up at the College of DuPage Board meeting to chastise six of the seven Trustees who were about to approve a … Continue reading

Hill/Miller Submitted No Doctor’s Notes for Remote County Board Access

Earlier this month John Hammerand was denied the opportunity to participate by phone in a County Board meeting. Fellow member Ken Koehler asked whether Hammerand had handed in a note from his doctor, according to the Northwest Herald. Reading that, … Continue reading