Although the Grafton Township Annual Meeting would not occur until almost six months later, Ancel Glink was billing legal services March 1st. Here people are standing in line waiting to have their identities checked before being given paper ballots, which were not used except for holding up on voice votes.
Although the Grafton Township Annual Town Meeting occurred on April 13, 2010, Ancel Glink billed $8,328.22 for that purposed during the month of March.
One can only wonder how many thousands of dollars more were billed in April when the event actually took place.
Outside the entrance of the Huntley High School gym Township Attorney Keri-Lyn Krafthefer brings up concerns about a broadside being handed out at the Annual Town Meeting by people wearing "NO MORE TAXES" tee shirts to Supervisor Linda Moore while Township Trustee Rob LaPorta observes. Moore told the Trustees' attorney that she did not prepare the handout.
On the very first day of March, a month and a half before the meeting, Associate Jeffrey R. Jurgens put in an hour drafting a memo and researching issues related to “proposed agenda items by electors.”
The result was that Ancel Glink ruled no motion to fire their firm could be voted upon.
In fact, the only motion proposed by citizen petition approved for a vote by the Electors was one on whether Robert’s Rules of Order would be used at the Annual Town Meeting.
Ancel Glink ruled that the Electors could not vote on whether Robert’s Rules would govern township board meetings.
Also ruled out of bounds for the Electors was a motion to fire Township Administrator Pam Fender.
The line bunched up inside the gym as people showed identification cards and were checked in. Over 700 registered voters attended the meeting. Those arriving after the 700 ballots had been handed out stood along the side of the gym just in case a vote was close. None were.
March 1st also saw main Grafton Township Attorney Keri-Lyn Krafthefer bill an hour and three-quarters to
- “review petition filed by voters regarding annual township meeting;
- “confer with Pam Fender regarding [unnamed] miscellaneous issues;
- “confer with [Township Assessor] Bill Ottler [sic] regarding [unnamed] miscellaneous issues;
- “research voters lack of authority to control items on the petition.”
An additional hour was spent by Krafthefer to “work on issues related to ‘unwind’ to put on agenda for annual towns meeting.”
March 2nd saw five hours of billing by Krafthefer. Four hours to
- “complete research on Town Meeting Agenda issues, including scope of petition and proper matters for electors
- “review memo
- “research issues related to planning committee and appointment of same
- “correspond on same.”
The bleachers near the sign-in tables were full by the time these voters arrived near the 7 PM supposed starting time. Chairs had to brought in from the hall to provide almost enough places for the over 700 to sit.
In addition, a quarter hour each was spent on
- “Review(ing) power of electors to appoint Plan Commission
- “Review(ing) and respond(ing) to inquiry from Pam Fender regarding annual town meeting issues”
Another half an hour “work on unwind issues related to Town meeting.”
March 3rd‘s bill was for 6.75 hours:
- “Work on issue related to agenda items for annual town meeting and advise regarding same (Krafthefer – 1 hour)
- “Review issues on property conveyance and annual town meeting and advise on same (Scott Puma – ¾ of an hour)
- “Review memorandum regarding conveyance to Road District; review statutory provisions relating to electors’ corporate authority at Annual Meeting (Paula V. Randall – 3 hours)”
The Huntley High School gym was packed. You can see some of the chairs that particpants brought in after the bleachers were filled.
March 4th saw billings for two and a half hours by Randall for “review(ing) conveyance documentation, fil(ing) materials and purposed lease; preparin(ing) resolution authorizing the sale of township property.
March 5th had Krafthefer back on the job. She billed an hour and three-quarters to
- “review draft resolution to sell township real property
- “prepare revisions to same
- “prepare resolution to purchase township property by Road District.”
Crystal Lake City Councilman Jeff Thorsen, seen foreground left, looks for an empty seat in the crowded gym.
March 9th was a 5.5 hour billing day for Ancel Glink. Krafthefer spent an hour “revis(ing) and finaliz(ing) memo to Township board regarding questions presented in petition of voters related to annual town meeting.
Randall worked 4.5 hours to
- “prepare resolutions to lease real property for township and Road District
- “prepare resolution conveying Road District property to township [what Judge Michael Caldwell had ruled was done unlawfully by the previous township board]
- “confer…with Pam Fender
- “prepare memorandum outlining township options relative to property transfer and lease.”
A view from the top of the bleachers with sign-in table below. Participants said that the sound system was inadequate.
March 10th, end of the first page of the “Annual Town Meeting” part of the bill showed Krafthefer working an hour on a “memo regarding unwind procedures and resolutions for annual town meeting.”
You can read about the other hour and a half tomorrow.
That’s when billings from March 10th through March 31st will be revealed.
How convenient that the lawfirm dictates that we can not vote to fire them. I am intimately familar with Roberts Rules, if a motion is made, it must be voted on, not decided by the board if it can be voted on, and anyone at the meeting (who is a township member) can make a motion, they just may not be able to vote on it. A motion that was voted on and approved (should be one on which law firm to use) can be recinded by a 2/3 vote.
If we have to have a law firm tell the board what to do, why don’t they officially run the township and get rid of the board? Is it really necessary to have almost daily charges from these people? The board needs to grow up, handle their personal issue like adults and with their own money, and vote the way people want them to, not how they personally want to. These selfish power hungry (for no reason, it’s a township) individuals need to check themselves and do the job right.
Judge Caldwell run the township from his bench. I love its great drama and it make the kook above nuttier then they already are 🙂
Don’t worry. The Supervisor will not pay this bill…just like she won’t pay the forensic computer expert.