The reply from the McHenry County Department of Transporation to my request for documents relating to the Eisenmann property in Crystal Lake resulted in a denial.
A view of the Eisenmann building.
I was searching for confirmation that the non-office building portion of the Virginia Street Road property was being considered for the salt storage facility some county board members think is needed in southeastern McHenry County.
This part of McDOT’s answer pretty much verifies my story:
“The public records requested meet an exemption set forth in the Freedom of Information Act. The disclosure of records relating to any real estate parcel or parcels the Division of Transportation has researched may affect purchase negotiations.”
Nick Chirikos
On Tuesday, District 1 Democrat Nick Chirikos added to my confidence that the story’s contents were correct.
He told me before the County Board meeting that I had disrespected the entire County Board by revealing the location of the building that the County is considering spending about $5 million.
Later in the meeting, after I had left for a luncheon appointment, he must have repeated some of what he told me during the meeting for the public record.
Chirikos has pretty much a perfect record for favoring secrecy over transparency.
On Tuesday, he and fellow Democrat Paula Yensen joined Republicans in Tina Hill’s coalition voting to keep the audit of a Senior Services bus grant to Nunda Township secret. (More about the issue here.)
Earlier, he joined a one-vote majority refusing to post expenses of County Board members. (Fellow Democrat Yensen again joined him on the side of secrecy.)
Chirikos is up for re-election this fall, running against incumbent Robert Nowak and challenger Andrew Gasser.
All of this secrecy is very creepy. What cannot stand the light of day?
Nick Chirikos is a big supporter of Jim Harrison.
Does that tell you something?
There should be NO secrets!
If you are making decisions on behalf of taxpayers we deserve to know how much money you are spending and what you plan to do.
We deserve transparency and we deserve every single dollar and cent accounted for.
If Chirikos is against transparency then he should be voted out when he runs for re-election
Lots of union money being dumped into the Dem candidates coffers.
REPUBLICANS get out and vote or this county will be paying a high price.
I would have voted to publish the audit.
I have been involved with many audits and unless there is direct evidence of criminality in which law enforcement officials ask to keep restricted while they investigate it should be public.
Respectfully,
Andrew Gasser
Andrew you are ABSOLUTELY right.
VOTE FOR HONESTY, VOTE FOR ANDREW GASSER
There was a very good reason the Millers posted the Chirikos campaign sign on their entry in the Founders day parade.
The Millers will work very hard to keep Gasser off the Board.
Who will run against Anna May in two years and who will take on Bobby in three?