Northwest Herald Endorses County Board Candidates

The Northwest Herald concluded its endorsements for County Board yesterday.

McHenry County Board District lines.

Here are the results:

District 1

Yvonne Barnes, Anna May Miller, Nick Chirikos and Robert Nowak were endorsed. Chirikos is the only Democrat on the ballot. Passed over was incumbent Republican Bob Bless.

Bless, Miller and Nowak did not attend the County Board candidates’ night.

District 2

The four Republican running in the Crystal Lake-Lake in the Hills-Lakewood district were selected by the Northwest Herald Editorial Board. They are Jim Heisler, Ken Koehler, Donna Kurtz and Carolyn Schofield.

There was an interesting comment about Koehler: “If Koehler is re-elected, we do think it is time for him to step down as County Board chairman, a position he’s held for eight years.”

Part of the reason is probably the Editorial Board’s strong disapproval “of the secret meeting he presided over during last year’s redistricting…”

Koehler did not attend the County Board candidates’ night.

The two Democrats, former Board member Jim Kennedy and Jim Roden were not recommended.

District 3

While I am listing the candidates in alphabetical order, the NWH listed Democrat Cathy Bergan Schmidt first in is District 3 endorsement editorial.

The candidates preferred are Joe Gottemoller, Mary McClellan, Nick Provenzano and Kathy Bergan Schmidt.

Disappointment was expressed with Provenzano’s “involvement in a secret meeting during last year’s redistricting process.”

Left out in the cold was Republican Mike Walkup.

District 4

Those endorsed are Sue Draffkorn, Bob Martens, Mary Margaret Maule and Sandra Salgado.

Martens is identified as the former CEO of Family Service. He did not attend the County Board candidates’ night.

Odd man out was John Hammerand, who ran first in the Republican primary election.

District 5

In its District 5 endorsements, the NWH picked Tina Hill, John Jung, Mike Skala and Paula Yensen.

Yensen is an incumbent Democrat who defeated Jung four years ago. Two years ago, Jung took out Jim Kennedy, who is running in District 2 this time around.

Republican Michael Rein and Green Party candidate Frank Wedig did not make the select list.

Disappointment was noted in the editorial for Hill’s and Jung’s participation in an illegal secret meeting about reapportionment.

District 6

A Democrat and three Republicans were recommended for election in District 6, the most rural in McHenry County.

The Democrat is Scott Summers, former President of the McHenry County College Board, who, along with then board member Donna Kurtz, was censured by his colleagues for changing his mind on forcing taxpayers to guarantee the bonds for a minor league baseball stadium.

The Republicans are Mary McCann, Diane Evertsen and Ersel Schuster.

Not recommended were Republican Michele Aavang, Democrats Jay Kadakia and Ryan Heuser, plus Independent Larry Smith.


Comments

Northwest Herald Endorses County Board Candidates — 8 Comments

  1. District 5 should be Michael Rein.

    We do not need a teachers husband that will sit and watch another strike by D158 teachers which is coming up.

    Put in Michael Rein for leadership.

  2. During the last strike, did Skala not recuse himself from negotiations or from voting on the contract even though his wife was/is a district employee?

    If that is so, he seems to be following in Chairman Koehler’s tracks.

  3. When Skala was asked how many years did he vote to increase the school district levy, his answer was I voted to increase the levy every time.

  4. District #1 County Board
    Newspaper endorsements are bogus and useless.
    Especially for Nick Chirikos, the Obama loving Democrat.
    He lies like Obama and can’t be trusted.
    Nick Chirikos inexperience is another reason not to vote for him.
    Vote for EXPERIENCED REPUBLICANS ONLY.
    Our county doesn’t need more money grubbing Democrats.

  5. Comments about NWH endorsements.

    Note District #1 County Board Candidates.
    Miller and Nowak didn’t attend interview, but got the endorsement anyway.
    Proves how USELESS the NWH endorsements are becoming.

    I agree, we don’t need more Democrats on the county board.

  6. THEY SHOULD ALL RESPOND TO THE NWH AS THE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THEIR REPS..

  7. Its interesting how you say the Democrats are responsible for the state the county is in but its the Republicans that have been in charge .

    Really how are your property taxes the school boards are run by republicans and that’s why your taxes go up every year, because the school boards give the teachers your money for school training reimbursements and medical and Retirement, what ever they want.

    I am a State Employee and I pay for my health insurance and Retirement no one else does.

    Why can’t they??????????

    The School boards are the reason your taxes have been going up research it and you will see where your money goes…. Then blame those responsible… Not someone else..

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