McHenry County Blog

The recent filing of potential conflict of interest information by Democratic Party candidate for sheriff Mike Mahon means all of McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren‘s opponents have taken this step by transparency.

Nygren has not done so yet.

GOP primary opponent Zane Seipler was the first to file the form.  Green Party candidate Gus Philpott was the second.

The form in question was proposed as part of a county ordinance by the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water.

Its intent is to allow the public and other public officials to know what property those filing have as well as their business relationships.

Most county officials will show they have no such potential conflicts of interest.

16 of 27 county board candidates have their replies posted on the ALAW web site here.

But only five (half) of the incumbents running for re-election have voluntarily submitted a completed form:

• Tina Hill – District 5
• Mary McCann – District 6
• Lyn Orphal – District 2
• Sandy Salgado – District 4
• Barb Wheeler – District 3

None of the three male incumbents filed:

• Ken Koehler – District 2
• Pete Merkel – District 4
• Dan Ryan – District 6

And, the two District 1 females also did not fill out the ALAW ethics questionnaire:

• Yvonne Barnes
• Anna May Miller

Republican voters in half of McHenry County will see contests for county board as of the first day of filing.

In District 2, which has Crystal Lake south of Crystal Lake Avenue, most of old Lakewood and the Algonquin Township part of Lake in the Hills, the following have filed for election:

• McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler
• McHenry County College Board member Donna Kurtz (pictured left) and
• Incumbent County Board member Lyn Orphal

Petitions for Crystal Lake City Council member Ellen Brady Mueller were being passed, but were not turned in to the McHenry County Clerk’s office, so it could turn out to be a four-way race.

In District 3, comprised of Crystal Lake north of Crystal Lake Avenue up to McHenry and over to the Lake County line, the following filed:

• Veronica Armstrong of rural Crystal Lake
• Former County Board member Nick Provenzano of McHenry
• Karen Tynis of McHenry and
• County Board member Barb Wheeler (pictured right), who lives in Crystal Lake

In District 6, which makes up most of least populated townships of the county, plus the Sun City part of Huntley sees four people for the two GOP nominations:

• Richard Draper of Wonder Lake
• Diane Evertsen (pictured right) of Harvard
• Vic Narusis of Woodstock (pictured below right) and
• Incumbent Dan Ryan of Huntley

Incumbent Mary McCann has not filed. Neither have Mark Shepherd or Nick Carroccia, both of whom had reached the “mentioned” stage of the campaign.

In District 5, which is half represented by Democrats and consists of Woodstock, most of Bull Valley, the Grafton Township part of Lake in the Hills and most of Huntley in McHenry County, an expected contest did not manifest itself.

Only McHenry County Board member Tina Hill and former County Board member John Jung filed. Petitions are expected to be filed by former McHenry County Regional Education Board of Trustees member Dave Fredericks and former District 200 School Board member John Vrett.

District 1 Republicans incumbents Anna May Miller and Yvonne Barnes are thus far unopposedin the GOP primary. Only incumbent Sandy Salgado has filed for re-election in District 4.

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This is probably as good a time as any to remind candidates that McHenry County Blog is wiling to run their press releases the way weekly newspapers used to.  Just email them to me.  A photo would be appreciated.  Informal is preferred to posed.