Joe Gottemoller

When the discussion got to the Planning and Development Committee, the choice advanced by Chairman Tina Hill was newcomer Joe Gottemoller.

Gottemoller is a newly-elected member of the McHenry County Board. He has done extensive zoning work in the area and campaigned repeatedly on the over-restrictiveness and unfriendliness to business reflected in the County Zoning Ordinance.

He cited, for example, the requirement that someone operating a business out of his or her home have a separate entrance for the business.

Mike Walkup

So what does someone with extensive connections in the business community do to allay concerns about potential conflicts of interest?

Hill announced that Gottemoller’s law firm had agreed to forego any business concerning McHenry County government.

In discussions about the vice chairmanship of the Management Services Committee, someone of the Committee on Committees suggested Mike Walkup.

Another suggested Mike Skala.

Hill pointed out that Walkup had “publicly said he won’t take a chairmanship or vice chairmanship because he didn’t want [it] to appear [as] a quid pro quo.” She said it appeared in a blog comment.

Both Gottemoller and Walkup are attorneys.