Two local Republican Precinct Committeemen bloggers, Andrew Gasser and Larry Emery, wrote articles recently about areas of their interest.

Andrew Gasser

Gasser, from Fox River Grove, wrote an article entitled,

“McHenry County Taxpayers Left Holding the Family Services $1.4 Million Dollar Loan?“

about the downward spiral of the Family Services Agency.

After presenting financial information, which shows an unpaid loan to the 708 Board of $1.4 million, Gasser asks the following questions:

• Did the Family Services executive director inform the Mental Health Board and its staff of the serious nature of its financial difficulties?
• When did Family Services notify the Mental Health Board and its staff of the request by for an additional pay down of its liabilities?
• In 2011, what were the nature of the “problems with payments and continued funding from the state of Illinois”?
• What were Family Services’ “best efforts” to reduce its expenses while providing services?
• Was the Mental Health Board aware of the financial distress of Family Services when the vote was taken to provide a taxpayer loan?
• What terms and conditions were established by the Mental Health Board attorney prior to board approval of a $1.4 million dollar loan (in two payments of roughly $700,000) to Family Services?

Larry Emery

Emery wrote of the latest Algonquin Township Board meeting in which he proposed that the Township make its records more transparent:

“Algonquin Township Count Down to Transparency..10..9..8…“

He met some resistance, but argues, “It is better customer service if the information can be readily available in our web and not require a FOIA request where time by the requestor and us is required to get the information.”