I wasn’t the only one to listen to the McHenry County Board’s Human Resources Committee meeting last week. You can read my take Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Former McHenry County Board member Ersel Schuster gives her take below: … Continue reading
Category Archives: Patronage
A Friend of McHenry County Blog filed the following Freedom of Information request for “Any documents, reports, presentations, emails, meetings, etc. that Oliver Serafini had involving Division of Transportation, including outside vendors, elected officials, consultants, other units of government, the … Continue reading
This is Part 3. Part 1 can be found here. Part 2 is here. Michael Rein wondered if most jobs were not advertised on the internet and advertised. “That’s correct,” County Administrator Peter Austin replied, [but] it varies for the … Continue reading
Part 1 can be read here. Continuing the questioning of McHenry County Administrator Peter Austin, Human Resources Board member Craig Wilcox said, “You exercised an authority that the County Board is responsible for, that we do spell out in [your … Continue reading
A bare majority of the McHenry County Board’s Human Resources Committee refused to rubber stamp McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks’ hiring of two patronage employees at its Wednesday meeting. By a 4-3 vote, HR Committee members voted down a … Continue reading
A Friend of McHenry County Blog filed a Freedom of Information request with the McHenry County Department of Transportation. He asked for “any documents that show Oliver Serafini worked at the Department of Transportation in February 2017.” Here’s the reply … Continue reading
A Friend of McHenry County Blog filed a Freedom of Information Request with county government on February 2nd asking for “any documents that show Oliver Serafini worked at the Department of Transportation this January.” You can read the reply below: … Continue reading
McHenry County Board member Chuck Wheeler visited the McHenry Expo Saturday. He learned that the McHenry County Board booth has now become the Jack Franks’ re-election booth. It was manned by his patronage hire Oliver Serifini and Scott Hartman. “Serifini … Continue reading
Look at the agenda for Wednesday’s 8:15 meeting agenda below: Go to New Business, item 8 and you will read: “Discussion on the County Board Rules, Electronic Voting Rules and Electronic Voting Training” What you won’t find after the work … Continue reading
As previously reported, less than 25 days after taking office, newly elected county chairman Jack Franks hired two former campaign workers for patronage jobs that he created, using unauthorized funding sources and untrue job descriptions. (See article “Jack Franks’ Patronage … Continue reading
I filed a Freedom of Information request with McHenry County last week asking for “documents that show the authority for County Board Chairman Jack Franks to hire Bridget Greenen and Oliver Serifini without formal approval from the County Board.” Below is … Continue reading
Besides the letters previously published, below is the paperwork for the two people Jack Franks and Peter Austin hired as personal assistants to Chairman Franks. Note that no previous County Board Chairman needed an Executive Assistant or a Communications Specialist. … Continue reading
McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks, with the concurrence of County Administrator Peter Austin, has hired his former legislative assistant Bridget Geenen of Lake in the Hills for $54,000 a year. When she worked for the State of Illinois she … Continue reading
Reading Kevin Craver’s Northwest Herald article on the Human Resources Committee I found a reference from McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks that amused me. Apparently, he thinks he has the same power as county officials created by the Illinois … Continue reading
The Northwest Herald has decided to endorse Republicans Steve Reick and Allen Skillicorn from State Representative over Democrats John Bartman and Nancy Zettler. The endorsement of Reick mentions that Bartman worked for the Illinois Department of Transportation, but does not … Continue reading
A press release from Governor Bruce Rauner: Abolishes Position in IDOT Patronage Hiring Scandal Illegal hires off state payroll SPRINGFIELD – The Rauner Administration announced today it has abolished the staff assistant position at the Illinois Department of Transportation. The … Continue reading
A four-color leaflet promoting Mike Walkup’s campaign for McHenry County Board Chairman was distributed at McHenry’s Fiesta Days Parade last Sunday. The front also points out that Walkup led the fight to cut $3 million from the property tax levied … Continue reading
Jack Franks big poll had a question about cronyism in it. What he doesn’t want people to know is the patronage he requested after Rod Blagojevich took office. Take a look at the names in the correspondence below: Franks’ wife … Continue reading
A constituent of Algonquin Township Republican Party Chairman Andrew Gasser forwarded this email from him: Friends, I know I rarely email you but I wanted to make you all aware of what we in the Algonquin Township Republican Central Committee … Continue reading
In a move that seems antithetical to a political party the Algonquin Township Republican Central Committee will consider a policy statement on nepotism and patronage at its upcoming 7:30 May 10th meeting at Republican Headquarters next to Joseph’s Market in … Continue reading