MCCD Escaping Consolidation Threat

Jack Franks

Jack Franks

Thursday, the Senate Executive Committee approved by a 17-0 vote State Rep. Jack Franks government consolidation bill.

A memo from the McHenry County Council of Governments says,

HB 229 – the Consolidation Bill that applied to McHenry and Lake Counties – did pass out of the Senate Executive Committee late last night with a trailer bill HB 245 SA2 – which exempted conservation districts. [I cannot find the amendment.  Look for yourself.]

The MCCD was in support of this exemption and thanks those who made calls and contacted their legislators.

That leaves the McHenry County 708 Mental Health Board as a possible local government which could be taken over by the McHenry County Board.

Senate President John Cullerton replaced Pam Althoff as Chief Sponsor of the bill on Monday, May 25th.


Comments

MCCD Escaping Consolidation Threat — 13 Comments

  1. Illinois government just like Illinois public sector pensions has a ridiculous number of variations.

    The McHenry County 708 Mental Health Board is already a component unit of McHenry County, even though it has its own board of directors.

    Mental Health Board Members
    Connee Meschini – President
    Cathy Ferguson – Vice President
    Diane Wasilk – Secretary
    Sam Melei – Treasurer
    Mary McCann – County Board Liaison
    Kathleen Kuchta – Member
    Raymond Lapinas – Member
    Bruce Treadway – Member
    Sarah Wilson – Member

    http://www.co.mchenry.il.us > County Government > Departments J – Z > Mental Health Board > Board Members

    http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/county-government/departments-j-z/mental-health-board/about-us/board-members

    +++++++

    The Mental Health Board is primarily funded through property taxes.

    The Mental Health Board is not listed as a property taxing district along with the other taxing districts in McHenry County, it’s property tax revenue is included with the County itself, as it is a component unit of County government.

    +++++

    The Mental Health Board reports to the County Board Chair.

    McHenry County Budget Fiscal Year 2014

    page 19

    http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/home/showdocument?id=28957

    +++++++++

    McHenry County lists the Mental Health Board as a Department within McHenry County Government

    http://www.co.mchenry.il.us > County Government > Departments J – Z > Mental Health Board

    http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/county-government/departments-j-z/mental-health-board

    +++++++

    Here is a description of the Mental Health Board

    http://www.co.mchenry.il.us > County Government > Departments J – Z > Mental Health Board > About Us

    The Statute and Bylaws Governing the Mental Health Board

    The Mental Health Board (MHB) is a special purpose unit of the county government that is regulated through Illinois House Bill 708, also known as the Community Mental Health Act (CMHA).

    The CMHA mandates the MHB to administer the mental health fund through the direction of a nine-member board of community representatives appointed by the county government.

    The board is responsible for making sure that the duties and responsibilities of the CMHA are fulfilled.

    The MHB was established after McHenry County voters passed a referendum in 1967 to levy an annual tax for the purpose of “…providing community mental health facilities and services…”

    In accordance with the CMHA, the MHB distributes levied funds through a yearly application process to organizations that treat and educate county residents affected by mental illness, substance abuse, and other populations in need of behavioral health care.

    The first full-time employee, the executive director, was hired in 1975.

    The volunteer members of the board needed professional leadership to coordinate day-to-day affairs, provide planning expertise, monitor services, initiate networking of services, and develop a closer affiliation with local schools.

    Since that time, the MHB worked to develop a comprehensive community mental health system.

    It won two federal Substance Abuse Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) grants with the goal of establishing a comprehensive, integrated, and cost effective mental health system.

    The MHB also partnered with Lake County to win another SAMHSA grant to coordinate services for veterans and their families.

    In Fiscal Year 2012, the MHB administered a budget of over $12.6 million and funded 29 agencies that provide 18 different services for members of our community.

    To read the statutes that govern Mental Health (708) Boards click here.
    http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/home/showdocument?id=10697

    To read the Bylaws of the McHenry County Mental Health Board click here
    http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/home/showdocument?id=21852

    +++++++

    The Mental Health Board Meetings are in the County Board calendar.

    http://www.co.mchenry.il.us > County Government > County Meetings

    http://mchenrycountyil.iqm2.com/Citizens/default.aspx

    +++++++

    Along with pension benefit hiking legislation, one of the most persistent activities in the Illinois General Assembly over the last 45 years has been government consolidation.

    There have been many consolidation efforts over the years.

    There will be many more.

  2. Thank you to a GREAT Republican State Senator Pam Althoff for protecting us from Democrats outside the party and obviously a few inside the McHenry County GOP.

    Sadly, some of our elected officials do not understand McHenry County even though their districts are in McHenry County.

    We will remember that in 16.

  3. Looking for a replacement for Althoff.

    Each year her votes indicate a continued swing to the left.

  4. We voted it in, we should be the only ones able to vote it out.

    Maybe the MCCD board should be elected, not appointed also.

    Some none YES people on that board would be a wonderful thing also.

  5. Thanks Mark for the great explanation.

    More information can be found in today’s NWH guest column by Donna Kurtz.

  6. The voters established the MCCD and the Mental Health Board and there is ALREADY a way built in that the voters can follow a process to dissolve them.

    Why is everyone so in favor of passing a law that takes voter’s rights away and puts the power in the hands of a few people?

    I don’t get it – especially for all the people who post on here who never want a single thing done that takes any power away from the people.

    Now you all are advocating for a move to take power away from voters on this issue – why?

    Just because you don’t like open space or mental health?

    Right now, the Board president has no interest in consolidating these two agencies into the county board – but that can change.

    Let’s remember that there is a new law that makes the position of county board president to be elected by the people.

    My guess is that Franks is sizing up this position for himself in the next election and he wants to pass as many laws while he is a legislator to give him SUPER POWER if elected as County Board Pres.

    Remember the Franks for County Czar move a few years ago?

    Kurtz from the county board pretends to be a big conservation advocate.

    It’s funny to see her run around at all the conservation events and pretend to be everyone’s buddy.

    It is nice that she is coming on strong with this anti mental health and anti conservation movement in public so everyone can see who she really is.

    Franks is also a strong anti-conservation and mental health legislator.

    As one tiny example, all of you people drinking from a well better be glad that MCCD has open space and is protecting your aquifer recharge sites from contamination or you will be drinking poison.

    MCCD does alot of very beneficial things for this county on a very small budget.

    I am also tired of hearing about how their police department duties can be taken over by the Sheriff.

    Go to Cook County and see how safe it feels in the Forest Preserve which is patrolled by the Sheriff.

    MCCD police have one priority — MCCD property and MCCD participants.

    I like that my wife and baby can go for a walk at a district site and feel safe.

    Also, why are you people so excited about getting rid of mental health services?

    People in this world need those and if you get rid of it, then where do they go?

    But everyone calls for reform when someone who is mentally ill goes on a rampage – but after the dust settles, then they want to get to cutting those same services out.

    Hopefully this actually gets posted and stays up – unlike the post I wrote on the Northwest Herald site which spoke against Franks and was deleted within a few hours.

    I guess the Northwest Herald just specializes in bashing people who vote against Franks.

  7. When you look at the list of current MHB members, note that Mary McCann, long a supporter of the status quo on the MHB, is the liason.

    This is unusual in that she is also the Chair of the PHHS Committeee and the liason to the Board of Health, contrary to former practice where the Chair of PHHS was only the liason to the Board of Health and some other PHHS Committee member was the MHB liason.

    What does that tell you?

  8. GAgnos: There are two problems with using the citizen referendum process for either the MCCD or the MHB.

    First, you have to get about 9000 valid signatures on the petition (compared with 200 for a back door referendum following a County Board vote).

    This is a lot of effort, though not impossible as Jim Harrison recently proved.

    Second, the question has to be phrased as a tax question.

    The voters are asked essentially: “Do you want to keep paying a special tax for this?”

    If they answer “No”, not only does the Board in question disappear but SO DOES THE TAX LEVY.

    Now some people may like this but I think that you, GAgnos, probably would not.

    After that it is up to the County Board which would have to vote to impose a tax to cover the missing funds WHICH THE VOTERS HAVE JUST SAID THEY DON’T WANT TO PAY.

    I think this would be difficult, leaving us with no mental health funding and/or no money to run the conservation properties we have already acquired.

    In the case of the MCCD, we would probably have to form a Forest Preserve District similar to Lake County.

    In Lake County each member of the County Board is also a member of the Forest Preserve District Board and is PAID AN EXTRA SALARY.

    I think they are getting around $40K per year total vs $21K that we receive.

    So be careful what you wish for, GAgnos.

  9. GAgnos said, “My guess is that Franks is sizing up this position for himself in the next election and he wants to pass as many laws while he is a legislator to give him SUPER POWER if elected as County Board Pres.”

    Definitely worth repeating – SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS.

  10. Mike we shouldn’t have to back door ref.

    the legislation is a$$ backwards.

    You dudes on the county should get the facts and numbers together and ask us to vote on consolidation or whatever.

    You have talked about yes politicians, and we know there are some that are owned also.

    So why trust any politician when we know the history and some times the track records?

    Ask us, don’t ass-ume!

  11. Legislators and the Governor should vote no to Senate Amendment 2 to House Bill 245.

    The bill favors organized labor at the expense of unorganized taxpayers.

    One area of government that can sometimes benefit from consolidation is the consolidating of fire departments and fire protection districts (with each other and between each other).

    This bill nullifies some of the savings that can be gained from such a consolidation.

    It’s as if government is a jobs program for organized labor.

    It’s as if taxpayers are taxpayer servants to organized labor.

    99th General Assembly
    Senate Amendment 2 to House Bill 245
    Senator John J. Cullerton

    Filed May 28, 2015

    09900HB0245sam002

    LRB099 03754 AWJ 36345 a

    Amendment to House Bill 245

    Amendment No. ______.

    Amend House Bill 245, as amended, by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

    “Section 5. If and only if House Bill 229 of the 99th General Assembly becomes law, then the Counties Code is amended by changing Section 5-44020 and adding Section 5-44060 as follows:

    (55 ILCS 5/5-44020)

    Sec. 5-44020.

    Definitions.

    In this Division 5-44:

    “Fire protection jurisdiction” means a fire protection district, municipal fire department, or service organized under Section 5-1056.1 of the Counties Code, Sections 195 and 200 of the Township Code, Section 10-2.1 of the Illinois Municipal Code, or the Illinois Fire Protection District Act.

    “Governing board” means the individual or individuals who constitute the corporate authorities of a unit of local government.

    “Unit of local government” or “unit” means any unit of local government located entirely within one county, to which the county board chairman or county executive directly appoints a majority of its governing board with the advice and consent of the county board, but shall not include a fire protection district that directly employs any regular full-time employees, a conservation district organized under the Conservation District Act, or a special district organized under the Water Commission Act of 1985.

    (Source: P.A. 98-126, eff. 8-2-13; 98-756, eff. 7-16-14.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-44060 new)

    Sec. 5-44060. Rights of former employees.

    On the effective date of dissolution, the employees of the former unit of local government shall be transferred to the governmental unit assuming the functions of the former unit of local government.

    The status and rights of employees represented by an exclusive bargaining representative shall not be affected by the consolidation or this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly.

    Obligations assumed by the government unit assuming the functions of the former governmental unit shall include the obligation to honor existing representation rights under the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act and any existing collective bargaining agreements.

    The rights of employees under any existing pension, retirement, or annuity plan shall not be affected by the consolidation or this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly.

    Section 99.

    Effective date.

    This Act takes effect upon becoming law.”

    http://www.ilga.gov > Bills & Resolutions > House Bills 0201 – 0300 > HB0245 Muni CD-Contract Expenditures > Senate Floor Amendment No. 2

    http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09900HB0245sam002&GA=99&LegID=83946&SessionId=88&SpecSess=0&DocTypeId=HB&DocNum=0245&GAID=13&Session

  12. Legislators should also vote no for House Bill 229.

    Same story as House Bill 249, they are not taxpayer friendly consolidation efforts, they are organized labor friendly consolidation efforts by Senate President John Cullerton.

    99th General Assembly

    Senate Amendment 2 to House Bill 229

    Sen. John J. Cullerton

    Filed: 5/25/2015

    09900HB0229sam002

    LRB099 04103 AWJ 36140 a

    AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 229

    AMENDMENT NO. ______.

    Amend House Bill 229 by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

    “Section 5. The Counties Code is amended by changing Sections 5-44010 and 5-44020 and by adding Section 5-44060 as follows:

    (55 ILCS 5/5-44010)

    Sec. 5-44010.

    Applicability.

    The powers and authorities provided by this Division 5-44 apply to McHenry County, Lake County, and DuPage County only to counties with a population of more than 900,000 and less than 3,000,000 that are contiguous to a county with a population of more than 3,000,000 and units of local government within such counties.

    (Source: P.A. 98-126, eff. 8-2-13.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-44020)

    Sec. 5-44020.

    Definitions.

    In this Division 5-44:

    “Fire protection jurisdiction” means a fire protection district, municipal fire department, or service organized under Section 5-1056.1 of the Counties Code, Sections 195 and 200 of the Township Code, Section 10-2.1 of the Illinois Municipal Code, or the Illinois Fire Protection District Act.

    “Governing board” means the individual or individuals who constitute the corporate authorities of a unit of local government.

    “Unit of local government” or “unit” means any unit of local government located entirely within one county, to which the county board chairman or county executive directly appoints a majority of its governing board with the advice and consent of the county board, but shall not include a fire protection district that directly employs any regular full-time employees, a conservation district organized under the Conservation District Act, or a special district organized under the Water Commission Act of 1985.

    (Source: P.A. 98-126, eff. 8-2-13; 98-756, eff. 7-16-14.)

    (55 ILCS 5/5-44060 new)

    Sec. 5-44060.

    Rights of former employees.

    On the effective date of dissolution, the employees of the former unit of local government shall be transferred to the governmental unit assuming the functions of the former unit of local government.

    The status and rights of employees represented by an exclusive bargaining representative shall not be affected by the consolidation or this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly.

    Obligations assumed by the government unit assuming the functions of the former governmental unit shall include the obligation to honor existing representation rights under the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act and any existing collective bargaining agreements.

    The rights of employees under any existing pension, retirement, or annuity plan shall not be affected by the consolidation or this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly.

    Section 99.

    Effective date.

    This Act takes effect upon becoming law.”

    http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09900HB0229sam002&GA=99&SessionId=88&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=83913&DocNum=0229&GAID=13&Session=

    http://www.ilga.gov > Bills & Resolutions > House Bills 0201 – 0300 > HB0229 Counties-Reduction-Efficiency > House Floor Amendment No. 6 > Senate Amendment 002

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