$1 Million and The Tax Collector Doesn’t Know Who It Belongs To

Found this little item on “Boone County Watchdog.”

How would you like to be a Boone County resident and read in a county management letter accompanying the annual audit:

“We noted the Collector held over $1 million in savings as of January 2009, which was after the final distribution related to the 2007 tax levy.

“At that point in time, Collector’s accounts should be minimal as distributions have been made for the prior levy and amounts are not being collected on the upcoming levy.

“We suggest the Collector why these large balances exist and determine who this money belongs to, whether it is the County, other taxing bodies, or the state as unclaimed property.”

That’s from the management letter to the Boone County Board. It was dated July 14, 2009.

It was brought to my attention by former Cary resident Bill Pysson ‘s
Boone County Watchdog

This article stimulated my interest.

Huntley School District 158 Documents Show Purchase of Read 180

Special Ed Mom Sara Deifucci started this story at the Huntley School District Board meeting on November 5th.

She asked this intriguing question:

“Has the district already purchased anything that parents aren’t aware of? Have you already purchased Read 180 licenses?”

Superintendent John Burkey replied,

“No.”

“If I FOI it, (will I find something)?” Deifucci continued.

“Do your FOIA (short for Freedom of Information request),” he said.

I don’t know whether she followed through, but I filed one that night.

Here is the summarized contents of the reply (click to enlarge any image):

D158 Read 180 FOI Reply Summary

  • Intervention Treatment Proposal for Heineman Middle School for Read 180 and System 44 Materials Purchase
  • Request to Purchase Form to Scholastic Inc. in the amount of $57,295.20
  • Purchase Order #58187 to Scholastic in the amount of $57,295.20 for 180 licenses, Teacher and Classroom Materials
  • Scholastic Invoice #2833847 in the amount of $5,760.00
  • Scholastic Invoice #2833071 in the amount of $51,168.22
  • Check #065672 payable to Scholastic Inc. in the amount of $57,233.62

D158 Read 180 60 Licenses for Heineman for Below Avg

It appears from the backup material from Heineman that Scholastic made an offer for 30 Read 180 licenses and 30 System 44 licenses for $57,295.20 and someone was able to convince the vendor to allow District 158 to buy 60 licenses for Read 180 and none of System 44 for the same price.

The heading does not indicate the Read 180 license will be used for special ed kids. As you can see, it says,

“Intervention Treatment Proposal for Heineman Middle School – 60 Below Proficient Students”

The date on the request to purchase form signed by Chief Academnic Officer Mary M. Olson is 8-28-9.   D158 Read 180 10-14-9 OK to pay in fullOn the purchase order, she writes, on 10-14-9, “OK to pay in full.”

On 8-31, Scholastic apparently received a $5,760 bill for what appears to be four Read 180 licenses.

D158 Read 180 9-2-9 Bill for 51,168.62

Next in the FOI reply package was a bill for $51,168, apparently for Marlowe Middle School, according to the check stub. It identifies the $5,760 purchase and the $51,168 as coming from “ADA Block Curriculum materials.”

I note one line for $998 seems to be for college prep. At least that’s what “COLLE PP” seems to indicate.

So, what’s it all mean?

I asked District 47’s Community Relations Officer Lorie Woods for a reaction and here’s what she sent:

“The question was in reference to the use of ARRA or IDEA funds to purchase Read 180 licenses, materials, etc. The purchases for which you have copies of Purchase Orders, Invoices, etc. were for the pilot program at Heineman Middle School.  Those items were paid for through the ADA (Average Daily Attendance) Grant.”

Plea Agreement in Joey T’s Arson

A press release from the State’s Attorney’s Office:

KASIMER SOWA PLEADS GUILTY TO SETTING FIRE

TO JOEY T’S RESTAURANT

Louis A. Bianchi, McHenry County State’s Attorney is pleased to announce that

Kasimer Sowa pled guilty today to the Class 2 offense of Arson and was sentenced to four and one-half years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Pursuant to a negotiated plea, prosecutors dismissed the remaining charges of theft and burglary.

Sowa was charged with setting fire to Joey T’s restaurant which was located on Riverside Drive in McHenry. As a result of the fire, the restaurant closed and the eighty-year old building was demolished.

The McHenry Police Department, with the assistance of the Illinois State Fire Marshall’s Office and the McHenry Fire Department, investigated the fire.

Assistant State’s Attorney, Phil Hiscock, of the recently formed Arson Prosecutions Unit, prosecuted the matter.

Testing Being Gamed in School Districts

The Tribune has an article that should concern everyone in McHenry County and Illinois.

You know it has to be bad for the State to step and say

“Whoa! Wait a Minute!”

Here is the link to the story.

“These students didn’t qualify as juniors in May, and their districts chose not to test them, state records show. But months later in October they were listed as 12th graders — seemingly skipping 11th grade.

“With little (if any) board member oversight in school districts, apparently administrators feel they won’t get caught if students drop skip 11th grade.

No one would do that in McHenry County, would they?

“The number of students who were never technically juniors has almost doubled during the last two years, state records show. Across the state, 78 of the 473 school districts that tested juniors excluded more students than average, but two dozen districts accounted for a third of all the current 12th-graders who did not take the exam last spring.”

What are the chances that administrators will voluntarily confess to how many (truthfully) are in their district? 

How large of a problem is this?  You can get an idea from what was written in the article:

“The state recommendations come on the heels of a Tribune analysis published last month that found 34,000 Illinois sophomores — about 20 percent — didn’t officially advance to junior level status in 2008-09 and, therefore, didn’t take the high school exam.”

Don Manzullo Catches New Tribune Cartoonist’s Wrath

Manzullo Cartoon Bad GuysIn a follow-up to 16th District Congressman Don Manzullo’s objection to bringing Gitmo terrorists to the largely empty Thompson Correctional Center in Northwest Illinois, the Chicago Tribune cartoonist, whose name I can’t decipher, took out after him.

Plus Congressman Mark Kirk, who is seen as a very small man.

Plus a fat elephant, all standing in front of the prison the Feds are considering buying.

The text in the balloons has Manzullo saying, “BAD GUYS?!”

Kirk adds, “IN A PRISON?!!”

The elephant concludes, “THAT’S CRAZY TALK!!!”

7 PM 8th Congressional District Candidate’s Night Friday at MCC

If you are not satisfied with the representation of Democrat Melissa Bean in the 8th Congressional District, you might was to head on over to McHenry County College’s Conference Center tonight at 7.

All six of the GOP primary opponents will be answering questions.

In case you have figured out who is running, here they are:

From the number of them, I would suggests some folks think Bean, who just voted for the Democrats Health Care Plan, is vulnerable.

The event is being sponsored by the McHenry County Young Republicans and Patriots United.

Jerry Agar from the Illinois Policy Institute and WGN will moderate our debate/panel discussion.

Doors will open at 6:30. A $5 donation is requested to defray the MCC rent.

For more information, contact Jon Heideman, MCYR Education Committee Chairman, or Patriots United’s Bill Parrot or Mary Alger.

Pro-Life Speaker in Wonder Lake Saturday Morning

Patricia Bainbridge, Director of Respect Life Activities for the entire Rockford Diocese, is speaking at Wonder Lake’s Christ the King Church on the east side of Wonder Lake on Saturday at 10 AM.

Bainbridge, a former professor at Michigan State University currently serves as director of the Respect Life Office for the Diocese of Rockford.

Local organizers say,

“She will have an excellent talk about the value of all life and miracle babies and the achievements of those with great disabilities.  It should be OUT OF THIS WORLD GOOD!  She plans on having a powerpoint presentation to accompanying it, too.”

Bambridge is co-founder and executive director emeritus of Life Decisions International and presently serves as chairman of the board for Human Life International—the largest pro-life, pro-family, and pro-woman organization in the world. She is on the board of advisors for a number of organizations including: Pro Vita Advisors, The Women’s Center, Life Decisions International, Gianna’s House, The Haven (a perinatal hospice), and Love From Above/Time to Speak.

She has been interviewed by numerous media outlets and writes a monthly column for The Observer, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Rockford.

Refreshments will be served before the event and there is a Mass and Adoration starting at 8 AM.

No cost, of course.

McHenry Deanery Coordinator Karen Verr is helping Colleen Dumais, Christ the King Parish Respect Life Coordinator.

Linda Moore Fulfills Campaign Promise about No Referendum Town Hall – Grafton Township Decides to Buy Back the Old Town Hall from Itself

Getting rid of the deals that went down to build a new town hall on Haligus Road without a referendum was the primary campaign promise that propelled challenger Linda Moore to a 30-vote Republican primary victory over Grafton Township Supervisor John Rossi.

Moore-2nd Mortgage Piece in RedThe message was

“What is someone put a second mortgage on your home…without asking your permission?

“Your Grafton Township Supervisor and his township trustees have done something very close to that.

“Borrowing $3.5 million to build a new township hall without voter approval…in the middle of a recession…while spending less than $17,000 last year helping people in need with General Assistance…is bad government.

“You will have to pay that $3.5 million – PLUS interest – back with your property taxes.

“If you want an elected official who will ask your opinion before you are put into debt

“Vote for Linda Moore for Grafton Township Supervisor”

Put on a yard sign, the message was

Moore No Taxation without ReferendumNO TAXATION WITHOUT REFERENDUM

A court case led by Dan Ziller, Jr., in which Moore was a co-plaintiff forced to repayment of a $3.5 million township loan intended to pay for most of that building.  Judge Michael Caldwell made the decision.

Grafton Twp Ziller NO 3.5 mi town hall sign(Ziller ran an unsuccessful write-in campaign for township trustee in which he emphasized the $3.5 million loan on his yard signs.)

It also forced a voter referendum on whether to borrow $3.5 million to build a new township hall.

Another $611,000 was raised by selling the current town hall to the to the Township Road District. Moore said last night that transaction did not end up in the minutes.

(Two different legal entities were created by the General Assembly resulting from township road commissioners wanting less oversight from township boards.)

In any event, the township hall is now controlled by the Road Commissioner Jack Freund. He has to be repaid over $611,000. He was planning to do so by charging the Town Fund rent, plus kicking in the difference from Road Fund taxes. The township board even paid a $66,000 commission on the transaction to McHenry County Board member Marc Munaretto.

When I left the Grafton Township meeting last night, the board was hiding behind closed doors so the public could not hear what its members were saying or what the two lawyers present were advising.

Newly-elected Township Supervisor Linda Moore had not fared well earlier, as she had been advised that her 7 PM meeting had been improperly posted and the 7:30 meeting, which has also been improperly, but not fatally wrongly posted, had gone according to the majority bloc of four trustees plans.

But when the doors at the Huntley Park District opened, the board took action to “unwind” the loan Grafton Township took out to buy its own township hall (after taxpayers had already paid for it once).

Only Moore’s erstwhile running mate Gerry McMahon voted against

When the vote was taken, Moore wasn’t the lonely girl that she was before going in

So, what happened?

“We were informed by the township attorney that the way things were done were not in accordance with the law,” Moore told me, “and it left the township open to suit.“In order to avoid further legal expenses, four of the five members of the board voted in favor of Barb Murphy’s motion to unwind the selling of the township property to the Road District.”

Grafton Barbara Murphy Talking re Unwinding DealAt the October board meeting Trustee Barbara Murphy signaled her desire to undo the Town Hall loan:

“My own opinion—I say we do the unwind. Put it all back to where it was and start from scratch.“Frankly, in my own opinion, I’m tired of this garbage.“I’m tired of it.

“I’m tired of it. (I want it done.)”

What Was Not in Cary School Board President David Ruelle’s Resignation Letter

The Northwest Herald published a long letter of resignation from former Cary School District 26 School Board President David Ruelle.

He just resigned as the school district’s finances are tanking.

One item in the letter was Ruelle pointing out;

“For the third year in a row, the District exceeded its expenditure budget.”

He omitted how this is prohibited under the Illinois School Code. Must not have any meaningful consequential in the law.

So why would a board member, who became board president, allow such overspending with apparently inadequate accountability for Superintendent Brian Coleman?

Is it because his wife is a teacher in Cary District 26?

I’ve never gotten this “serve on the school board with a wife on your payroll” approach to public service.

It’s not exactly a phenomenon. Huntley School District 158’s past President Mike Skala has a wife who is a Huntley High School teacher. She was even co-president of the teachers’ union.

It always stuck me as a conflict of interest or at least an appearance of a conflict of interest.

Apparently Skala agreed, because, last time around, he didn’t participate in the union negotiations.

But, back to District 26.

You can find the salary/compensation info for the ex-school board president’s wife Elizabeth Rulle on the Champion web site.

There you can see;

Ruelle, Elizabeth A – $92,821

That is more than Thom Gippert , Principal of Maplewood School, is reported to make in the same database.

Gippert, Thomas R – $89,084

Ruelle voted to not close Maplewood school.

Mrs. Ruelle’s compensation also compares favorably with Principal Chad Nass at Briargate School in the same database.

Nass, Chad W – $88,864

The above is 2008 data.

District 26 has the highest average teachers’ salaries in McHenry County for all elementary or unit school districts, according to a chart published by the Northwest Herald.

That’s probably because of a school board caved a couple of years ago when the teachers went on strike.

Ruelle didn’t formally vote for his wife’s current teachers contract. He abstained.  He apparently did negotiate the contract’s compensation for the 2006-8 contract, plus terms and conditions.  The 2008-11 contract had the same terms and conditions as 2006-8, just different salary schedules.  He abstained on that vote, too.

It’s hard to believe this is perfectly legal in Illinois with all of our ethics and conflict of interest laws.

Wait a minute.

No, it isn’t.

The Illinois Education Association (the teachers’ union for most teachers outside of Chicago) is one of the most influential special interest groups in Illinois.

One of the provisions that Ruelle did not get removed from his wife’s teachers’ contract is this:

2. A post-retirement lump sum payment of $20,000 to be paid after the certified staff member’s last day of creditable service and after the last paycheck for regular earnings (after July 1st of retirement year) as a non-elective employer paid contribution into a post-retirement tax sheltered 403(b) annuity.

You can find it using this link. Go to electronic page 27.

Does any school district around, besides Cary, have this cash retirement wealth transfer?

Ruelle’s letter of resignation complaining about being fiscally responsible reminds me of a scene from the movie Casablanca. Maybe this dialogue will remind you of it:
Casablanca Capt Renault holding envelope

Captain Renault:   “I’m shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on, in here!”Croupier walks over and gives Renault a lot of money.

Croupier:  “Your winnings, sir.

Captain Renault:   “Oh, thank you very much.”

It’s fair to say that Ruelle wanted his board to vote for another tax increase referendum.

When you have lump sum $20,000 give aways in a teachers’ contract, in view of the current economy, it’s easy to explain why residents would vote “No” to using their money to ratify such a policy.

= = = = =
For those who need more of an explanation about the dialogue from “Casablanca,” I offer this from MSNBC:

Remember when Captain Renault, looking for an excuse to close down Rick’s, declares himself “shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here,” just before the croupier hands him his winnings?

Ever since, people have used that double-adjective to describe the false innocence of public officials: those who know the score, benefit from the score, and then loudly condemn the score.

GOP State Rep. Candidate Has Son

O'Neill, Jeremiah 11-10-9 Baby PicJeremiah Silas O’Neill was born at Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington on November 10.

The big boy was 10 pounds, 10 ounces and 22 1/2 inches long.

His mother Basia accompanies her children to McHenry West High School for Marlin Swim team practice and mentioned she was a bit past due date, but that was not abnormal for her.

And what shows up but a big baby boy.

“Coincidentally enough, he was born while Senator Pam Althoff, Senator Dan Duffy, State Rep Mike Tryon, and State Rep Mark Beaubien were meeting with the Nursing staff at Good Shepherd to discuss how the Health Care bill, now headed to the Senate, may affect them,’ father John O’Neill reports.

“So really, all of McHenry County’s Republican lawmakers from Springfield were there along with the Republican hopeful; I was just busy holding my wife’s hand while she was giving birth.”

O’Neill, a member of both the McHenry Elementary School Board and the McHenry Library Board is the first Republican to challenge incumbent Democratic Party State Rep. Jack Franks in two election cycles.

Paying Grafton Township’s Lawyers…Or Not

Grafton Twp Meeting 11-18-9

It appears that the four-member Grafton Township Board majority got its act together Wednesday night with the help of newly hired attorney Ancel Glick partner Keri-Lyn Krafthefer.

Left on the losing end of all contested votes was Grafton Township Supervisor Linda Moore.  So, while she had company, she was still lonely.

No boycotts like Monday and the Thursday before.

McMahon looking left Murphy behindA still interrupting, but markedly calmer than before Trustee Gerry McMahon put it best,

“I believe the essence of the problem is majority rules and some people don’t understand majority rule.”

LaPorta Being Playful with Linda Moore 11-18-9The obvious leader of the four trustees was Robert LaPorta.  Most of the agenda items proposed by LaPorta and Betty Zirk can be seen in this story.  You can see that Laporta was enjoying himself.

When I left, the board was going into secret session to discuss what apparently they dare not discuss in public:

“Discussion and potential action on prior sale of real estate for road district.”

Prior to going into what elected officials prefer to call “Executive Session,” Moore pointed out there was no mention of the sale she could find in the township minutes.

She had elaborated on the perceived legal problem at more length a previous meeting.

The township attorney at the time, Jim Kelly, and Krafthefer were both included in the closed session.

When Moore questioned Kelly’s inclusion, Trustee Robert LaPorta said,

“We need him as a subject matter expert.”

Earlier in the meeting the four trustees voted to pay Kelley $6,351 owed him.

Before the vote Moore pointed out that $48,941 had been spent on legal fees since the change of administration:

There was also a bill pending to the latter for “over $5,000,” she said.

Moore observed that only $45,000 had been budgeted for legal fees for the entire year and that state law said that only 10% of that total– $4,500–could be moved from other line items to legal fees.

Moore Looking Left 1 Finger up Facing LaPorta and Zirk 11-18-9“The only was we can pay any attorney fees if at another meeting we (revise) the budget,” she continued.

The majority four approved payment. In her negative vote, Moore reiterated,

“We do not have the funds available.”

All of the above took place in the meeting called by two of the trustees. The meeting called by Supervisor Moore was ruled illegal by the township attorney because its notice had not been posted by Township Clerk Dina Frigo.

Moore read the opinion and, then, reported that the McHenry County State’s Attorney was investigating where an illegal meeting had been held prior to the Thursday boycott of the township meeting.

Grafton Twp Atty Keri-Lyn KraftheferFrustrated members of the audience gave their views before a third trustee entered the room. Then, Krafthefer silenced them, saying that no business could be conducted.

One woman echoed Trustee Barbara Murphy’s comments from a month ago about the need to “unwind” the loan which the township’s Road Fund took out to pay the Town Fund for the township hall.

Huntley Park District Meeting at nightThat was some irony in such a discussion being held at the old Huntley High School, which the Huntley Park District bought from School District 158.

Both the town hall and the old high school will be paid for twice by local taxpayers, unless the over $600,000 township loan is “unwound.”

Grafton Twp Meeting 11-18-9 Women in AudienceOne woman in the audience said that would save taxpayers $50,000 a month.

Of course, that does nothing to keep Huntley Park District taxpayers from paying for the high school twice.

The all-Republican township board, by the way, show no sign of recognizing the opportunity their open disagreements are providing local Democrats in 2013.  Indeed, McMahon announced his intention to increase the Clerk’s salary because of the additional duties she was being assigned by the board majority.

Democratic Party Candidate for Sheriff Plans Fund Raiser Thursday Night

Mahon, Mike MastheadAlthough unopposed in the February 2nd Democratic Party primary election, Lake in the Hills resident Mike Mahon is holding a fund raiser in Huntley Thursday night.

It will be held at 9874 Fairfield Road in Covington Lakes and runs from 5:30-7:30. Tickets in Huntley are $25.

Another one will be held in Chicago at Billy Goat Tavern, 1535 W. Madison, from 5:30-7:30. Due to the cost of renting the facility the tickets are $50.

Questions may be directed to 847-515-4772.

Below is what the candidate has on his web site about himself:

Mike Mahon’s career in the Cook County Sheriff’s Office has been one of ever-increasing responsibility and scope which has earned him the trust of three different Sheriff’s Administrations, one Republican and two Democrat.

All three have repeatedly demonstrated their assessment of Mike as a hard-working, honest, responsible and intelligent officer in the most tangible way: by promotion.

Beginning in 1987 as a Correctional Officer inside the nation’s largest single-site jail, two years later Mike was one of a handful of pioneers tapped to form the new Electronic Monitoring Unit, where he rapidly rose in the ranks to Supervisor of the Monitoring Center.

In 1991, Mike was selected for the elite Tactical Section, later called the EM Fugitive Unit, whose mission was to locate and apprehend detainees who ran away from home monitoring and resisted recapture. The work of this unit on the streets of Chicago and suburbs is as dangerous and difficult as police work gets.

After about 12 years on the streets, and looking to learn and grow in his career, Mike requested transfer to the Internal Affairs Unit of his home department and earned new respect for his handling, as an IAD Investigator, of citizen complaints and violations of law and internal policy by sworn officers.

There he gained crucial skills in the handling of corruption and cases of officer malfeasance. Mike then applied himself to the Correctional Sergeants’ exam and was promoted to Sergeant in 2004. Currently, he serves as a Deputy Director in the Sheriff’s Office focused on issues like strategic
planning, program evaluation, personnel and productivity.

Throughout his career, Mike has sought to make the most of his talents, to see each assignment through to a successful conclusion and earn the trust of his fellow officers and the public alike. These have been the keys to a continuous rise through the ranks.

Mike lives with his wife and four children in Lake in the Hills, where they have resided for the last 14 years.

For more information on the Mike Mahon for Sheriff Campaign please visit http://mikemahon.org/ or e-mail info@mikemahon.org.

The Grafton Township Board Game

Yesterday, “Lonely Girl” inspired an article about Grafton Township Supervisor being the only Grafton Township Board member to attend the Monday meetnig.

Today features “It’s All in the Game.”

And, be sure about it.

This is all a political game.

A political board game that Democrats two years from now may turn into a devastating campaign piece, as they did with their

Monoploy McHenry County

McHenry County Monopoly
The Game of One Party Rule

Just think of the ridicule possible.

Monopoly Community Chest cardA Community Chest card that says,

Grand Opening of Brand New Offices
Try to Collect $3.5 million without a referendum

Or, how about one saying,

Take Food Pantry Equipment without Approval

Monopoly Chance Card Get out of jail free

Or a Chance Card with

Sit Where You Are
No Quorum

Or, maybe

Lose Your Turn
You Boycotted the Meeting

You get the idea.

A devastating campaign in the making.

And Republicans are doing it all to themselves.

= = = = =
In grad school at the University of Michigan, the most perceptive book I read was Anthony Downs’ “The Behaviorial Theory of the Firm.”

It’s premise was that business organizations don’t know they are failing until it is too late to save themselves.

Most of Grafton Township is now represented 50% by Democrats on the McHenry County Board.

If that wasn’t an early warning call, I can’t image what would be.

It must be so much fun to be a Democrat in McHenry County.

And being a Republican?

It’s all defense, a result of over 100-years of one-party rule and not having to worry about consequences of decisions that are open to criticism.

Today, think of General Motors. I think one of his examples was buggy whip manufacturers.

Another Stiff Sentence for McHenry County Drunk Driver

Another week, another press release about how the McHenry County State’s Attorney is putting away another drunk driver…for a long time:

12 TIME DUI OFFENDER IS SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS 

Louis A. Bianchi, McHenry County State’s Attorney is pleased to announce that Daniel Munoz was sentenced to 10 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for two separate charges of Aggravated Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol.

Judge Joseph Condon also sentenced the defendant to a 6-year sentence on a related felony Driving While License Revoked charge. 

Assistant State’s Attorney Philip Hiscock argued for a 15-year sentence due to the defendant’s extensive DUI related background.  Munoz was previously found guilty of Driving Under the Influence on at least 12 separate occasions. 

Lonely (Grafton) Girl

During the non-meeting of the Grafton Township Board last night, a song has been running through my head.

“Hey there, lonely girl.”

There was Grafton Township Supervisor Linda Moore sitting at the table.

Not all alone, because her landlord, Township Road Commissioner Jack Freund, was at the table, too.

But the township board members and township clerk were apparently deliberately and with the complicity of newly-appointed Township Attorney Keri-Lyn Krafthefer missing in action.

The best show in town Wednesday starts at the Huntley Park District, 12015 Mill Street at 7.

There will be an encore at 7:30.

No Objections to Precinct Committeemen Filings in McHenry County

Friday was the deadline for challenges to challenge party offices, which means precinct committeemen.

The leadership of the two parties must be settled, since hotly contested precinct committeeman contests generally occur only during periods of leadership instability.

State central committeemen are elected in the Democratic Party only in McHenry County.

Republicans do not allow direct election of those serving on its state central committee, a matter of significant dispute among those in control and those who are not.  (State Senator Chris Lauzen, who represents Kane County south of the McHenry County line is the leader in the effort to institute direct democracy in the State GOP.)

Three people are running in the 16th district for the Democratic Party state central committeewoman slot:

  • Wendy Schneider of Rockford
  • Linda McNeely of Rockford
  • Barbara Votaw of Sycamore

Linda McNeely is the incumbent.

Barbara Votaw’s petitions have been protested.

The last day for filing objections for county and state candidates was five days earlier—the Monday before last.

All the Republican and Democratic Party candidates for county office will appear on the ballot without petition challenges.

Although Chris Maley of Springfield pulled the petitions of the first GOP challenger to State Rep. Jack Franks (D-Marengo) in three election cycles—McHenry Grade School and Library Board member John O’Neil—no challenge was filed.

On the congressional front, however, a Democratic Party operative is trying to the only primary opponent of 8th Congressional District Democrat Melissa Bean off the ballot.

The petitions of Woodstock Democrat Jonathan Farnick have been contested.

Farnick turned in just over the minimum number of signatures required, so it is likely that challenges will bring disqualification from appearing on the Democratic primary ballot.

The same man challenged the Green Party petitions of Bill Scheurer.

All candidate challenges had to be filed by last Monday.

Grafton Township Trustees Blow Off Second Meeting – Ancel, Glinck Partner Writes Boycott OK

For the second time in four days, Grafton Township Trustees boycotted a meeting called by newly-elected Supervisor Linda Moore.

Grafton Township Meeting 101-16-9 WaitingMoore was criticized by township attorney Keri-Lyn J. Krafterfer in a November 6th letter for not having included items on her agenda requested by Trustee Robert LaPorta.

They included

  • Motion to approve Board rules that were originally submitted by Trustee LaPorta and approved by Trustees in a Grafton Special Meeting that Supervisor Moore did not attend (because of being physically indisposed, I was told).
  • Discussion and motion to approve Senior Transportation Fees and Fee Change procedure.
  • Inclusion of Huntley Chamber Bill and Attorney Kelly’s open bills on warrant and motion to approve full payment of.
  • Motion to define, complete and approve FOIA stating Clerk Fergo as the person to assemble, report on, and delegate FOIA request completions.
  • Motion to approve Grafton Township maintenance of Haligus Road property.
  • Motion to approve ‘new location’ of Grafton Township Food Pantry inclusion on Grafton Township website and Posting in Grafton Township Offices.
  • Motion for authorization to have assessor’s office research available office space within Grafton Township for consideration of a lease and/or purchase agreement.
  • Distribution, review, discussion and motion to approve or reject township audit.

These items Moore included in her Monday meeting agenda, but complained at that boycotted meeting that Township Clerk Dina Frigo had removed them from the door of the township hall.

In a letter to Township Attorney Krafthefer, dated November 16th, said the removal “was witnessed by a reliable source.”

Frigo, who Thursday indicated she did not know where the missing trustees were, apparently knew they were not showing up Monday night and joined their boycott.

But Frigo did post a notice for a 7:30 PM Wednesday township meeting called by Trustees Betty Zirk and Rob LaPorta.

Many of the items listed above in LaPorta’s request to Moore were included, as well as others, including

  • new locks for Frigo’s office
  • paying bills that would have been approved at last Thursday’s meeting
  • establishing a procedure for receiving and distributing the trustees and clerk’s mail
  • establishing a township investment policy

The changes seems to have had the advice of an attorney.

Moore posted her own agenda for a meeting at the same location—the Huntley Park District at 12,015 Mill Street in Huntley—but starting a half an hour earlier at 7 PM.

At the 12-minute meeting tonight, Sun City resident Ralph Wehnes had some comments:

“Is this really a major problem with you and John Rossi?…It looks like something is going on that’s going to cost somebody a lot of money.”

“It already has,” Moore replied.

Commenting on Rossi, whom Moore defeated by 30 votes in the Republican primary election, she said, “I haven’t spoken with Mr. Rossi since I kidded with him about other people being able to do the job.”

Asked about the problems, Moore suggested,

“Three of the board were on the previous board. I think it’s a case of sour grapes.”

Moore also wasn’t happy at the new attorney’s having suggested in writing,

“Further, there is nothing to prevent the Township Trustees from boycotting the regular meeting with your proposed agenda and posting their own notice of a special meeting with an agenda including their items.”

The attorney wrote that it would be “happy” to prepare the agenda.

Dueling Township Meeting Agendas for Wednesday Night at the Park DistrictIn a November 16th letter, Moore asked if “the clerk need(s) to follow the same rules you laid out in your recent opinion letter and include the supervisor’s agenda items on her agenda.”

Moore’s agenda items were not included in the Zirk-LaPorta agenda.

Moore also asked,

“If three or more trustees have a daisy chain telephone conversation and decide to boycott township meetings, twice in a row, does this constitute a violation of the open meetings act?”

Both sides of the dispute are sending the McHenry County State’s Attorney copies of their missives.

Carroll County Woman Takes Offense at Congressman Don Manzullo’s Opposition to Federal Take-Over of Thomson State Prison for Terrorist Incarceration

The following comment was received from a lady in response to 16th District Congressman Don Manzullo’s press release opposing putting Gitmo prisoners in the Quad Cities:

Here’s the email I sent off to Congressman Manzullo this morning.Congressman Manzullo:

I live in Carroll County just 6 miles from the Thomson Correctional Center. I happened to hear your interview this morning on WGN.

I am amazed that you are against bringing the Guantanamo detainees to our prison.

You are I’m sure, well aware that Carroll County has a 10.5% jobless rate and ranks 32nd in Illinois in unemployment.

You also must know that Carroll County has a per capita income of only $18.688 and that 9.60% of the population is below the poverty line.

With this in mind, HOW can you in good conscience, be against a plan that will bring more jobs and businesses to our area?

The purchase of the Thomson facility by the Federal Government will be a huge gain for us.

It will mean that people will move to Carroll County, purchase homes and pay taxes.

Aren’t you putting politics above your constituents?

The surrounding towns are little more than ghost towns. There are no businesses to speak of.

People have to travel to Clinton, Iowa to shop, leaving the sales tax they pay to plump up Iowa’s coffers, not Illinois’.

You are OK with this?

In your interview, your rational(e) left much to be desired.

Do you believe your constituents to be ignorant farmers?

Your statement that Al Qaida and the Taliban will travel to O’Hare Airport to visit the prisoners is ludicrous.

Certainly there are terrorist cells here on US soil, but these are very covert operations.

I hardly think Al Qaida will flock through O’Hare and schlep all the way out to Carroll County to visit their friends.

They hardly seem to care about sentimentality. They wouldn’t want to be visible, and advertise their presence in that way, so your argument reeks of that same old Republican scare tactics.

In addition, the detainees in Gitmo are hardly capable of arranging a jail break from a super-max prison.

I don’t see how this would be a concern. Most were merely teens when captured and are hardly the threat you make them out to be.

Please, for once put your partisanship aside and think about what is good for your constituents.

If you are unable to do this, you may find yourself unemployed.

Seven McHenry County High Schools Sent Students to “Model Congress” in Rockford Saturday

The following seven McHenry County high school students will participated in a “Model Congress” next Saturday in Rockford:

  • Alden-Hebron H.S.: Leah Arthur, Cody Eskridge, Dillion Lalor and Morgan Lohse.
  • Cary-Grove H.S.: Maurissa Dorn, Luke Jenner, Jon Lubow and Alix Rozolis.
  • Crystal Lake Central H.S.: Juan Gonzalez.
  • Harry D. Jacobs H.S.: Grant Dixon.
  • Marengo H.S.: Amanda Kenny, Paulette Saldana, Jacob Tucker and Tyler VanVoorhees.
  • Marian Central Catholic H.S.: Sylvia Bennett, John Jaworski, Heather Ross and Jan Wueger.
  • Woodstock H.S.: Ana Ahmeh, Chris Banville, Katelyn Frisby and Jon Larson.

And presiding was former House Speaker Dennis Hastert preside.

Was that be an experience or what?

When I was trying to select a college, I was already enamored by the political process. On the Crystal Lake Community High School student council, I guess I wanted to be more involved in the decision-making process than being asked to ratify Superintendent John Buckner’s decision to move the smoking corner from right outside the back door of the school next to the field house to the parking lot. (I voted against that, arguing that if the administration wanted to move the smoking corner, fine, but I wasn’t going to be a front—not the word I used–for the action.)

In any event I looked for colleges with mock political conventions. I ended up applying for Northwestern, Oberlin College and Lawrence. Oberlin was ranked highest on a Tribune listing for co-educational colleges from 2,000-3,000 and had held the first mock convention, so, when I was accepted I decided to go there. I ended up  chairman of the Republican Mock Convention.

I also participated in a Model United Nations at the instigation of Steve Hutzelman. My friend Paul Keefe, who, ironically, was buried in Crystal Lake because of a family connection after he died jogging in New York’s Central Park shortly after our 5th college reunion, although he lived west of Cleveland and I were the back-up guys. (Keefe is second from the right on the top row next to Melinda Kunz. I’m bottom right.) We learned that two people can get a whole audience applauding by clapping at the back of both sides of the audience.

This is the eleventh year that the 16th District Congressman has sponsored this event.

“I’m always amazed at their passion for public policy and their thirst for knowledge, and I’m very much looking forward to our visit,” 16th District Congressman Don Manzullo said.

His press release points out,

“The ‘Model Congress’ simulation, which provides students with hands-on experience in how an idea becomes a law, is a core feature of the organization’s Washington, D.C.-based conferences, but this is the first time CYLC has conducted it as a stand-alone program. Seventeen CYLC staff members will be on site in Rockford to administer the program.”

143 students are attending from 37 high schools.

During the morning session, students were assigned a political party and committees, where debate ensued on a fictional bill. Students debated, amended and voted on the bill in committee and then come together as the full Model Congress in the afternoon for further debate, take action on amendments, and a final vote on the bill.

For the life of me, I cannot understand why every high school in McHenry County (or at least in Manzullo’s part of McHenry County) isn’t sending a student.

The entire press release is here.

McHenry County Sheriff’s Department Says State Required Rule Change Making It More Expensive to Help Inmates and ICE Detainees

Daily Herald reporter Chuck Keeshan wrote a story on Sheriff Keith Nygren’s jail having making it more expensive to give money to inmates and ICE detainees.

McHenry County Blog broke the story last Wednesday.

Keeshan’s article about the complaint of Crystal Lake resident David Warren, who is a member of the Secular Franciscan Order of the Catholic Church has one paragraph that caught my attention:

“Deputy Corrections Chief Patrick Firman said the change was necessary for the jail to abide by state regulations governing how it handles inmates’ money.“

It is true that the Illinois Department of Corrections regulates local county jails. In my experience, this regulator has cost local taxpayers to spend money they would not otherwise have spent.

But, according to DOC Public Information Officer Januari Smith, this is not one of them.

I called her up and asked if this change by the McHenry County Jail had been required by state officials.

“We don’t oversee how they take in money,” she told me.

“We don’t oversee this particular part of a county jail.”

Maybe Firman was referring to a different state regulator.

No story from the Northwest Herald on the subject yet.