Connee Meschini

I’ve been to one meeting of the McHenry County Mental Health Board.

That’s the taxing district most call the 708 Board.

As I sat in the audience, one member didn’t “go with the flow.”

That was Connee Meschini.

She asked questions.

Now, the McHenry County Board’s Public Health Committee has recommended that she be appointed to the one-year term that is open.

At the conclusion of the last meeting, the Committee had tied on whether Meschini or former County Board member Mary Donner, who served on the 708 Board as liaison to the County Board should get the appointment. The decision was made to wait for John Hammerand to return before making a selection.

708 Board attorney Frank Gosser confers with Board President Lee Ellis.

With the full seven person complement in attendance members Mary McCann and Anna May Miller advanced the name of Lee Ellis, the current 708 Board Chairman, for the one-year term.

That was shot down on a 5-2 vote with Donna Kurtz, John Hammerand, Sandy Salgado, Mike Walkup and Paula Yensen against him.

Next came a motion by Walkup to appoint Meschini. The vote on that was 4 to 3 in favor with McCann, Miller and Yensen voting in the negative.

The four-year selections made at the meeting without notice to the public that action would be taken were confirmed by the Committee:

The people recommended by the Public Health Committee for appointment to the McHenry County Mental Health Board.

For the four-year terms the following were recommended:

• Carrie Smith
• Robert Routzahn
• Heather Murgatoyd

Since state law says that the County Board Chairman makes the appointments, Tina Hill could substitute another name for one of Committee’s selections.

That would result in a floor fight that might define Hill’s term of office.

= = = = =
A correction has been made regarding the selection of Connee Meschini.