There was a transparency vote on the McHenry County Board that mystified me.
It was a change in the County Board Rules which would have required the posting of County Board member expenses.
The County Board annually budgets $1,000 per member to be spent pretty much as each member sees fit in the furtherance of his or her duties.
When it came time to vote whether to put who spends what on the County web site, the vote failed 12-11.
Voting to make the expense information more public were
- Yvonne Barnes
- Diane Evertsen
- John Hammerand
- Jim Heisler
- John Jung
- Donna Kurtz
- Robert Martens
- Nick Provenzano
- Ersel Schuster
- Mike Skala
- Mike Walkup
Voting for less transparency were
- Michele Aavang
- Nick Chirikos
- Sue Draftkorn
- Joe Gottemoller
- Tina Hill
- Ken Koehler
- Mary McCann
- Mary McClellan
- Anna May Miller
- Robert Nowak
- Carolyn Schofield
- Paula Yensen
Summaries for last year’s reimbursements follow. Expenses that were paid directly will be published when they are received.
Money McHenry County Board members spent from their $1,000 expense allowance last year.
Reimbursements for the Emergency Management Training Session.
Your math needs a little help. 21 plus 11 equals 32.
We have 24 board members.
So unless we’ve changed to Chicago politics, it doesn’t add up.
Typo or dyslexia – whatever. The bigger issue is that it failed. Up to $24,000 of taxpayer money without accountability.
Nice.
I give credit to the Elite Eleven who voted in favor of accountability and transparency.
In contrast, a “THWACK” to the back of the head of the Terrible Twelve who voted down the measure.
What are you people thinking?
Oh, wait – a response would be a sign of accountability.