Grafton Township Sets Salaries

At its September meeting, the Grafton Township Board set salaries for terms that begin after next April’s election.

The Township Supervisor will be paid $43,500, plus participation in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund pension system.

The Township Assessor will be paid $30,000 with IMRF being the only fringe benefit. The current assessor earns $71,000, plus IMRF pension, plus health and life insurance. Supervisor Jim Kearns and Trustee Bob Wagner voted against the motion to lower the salary and eliminate fringe benefits other than the pension.

The Road Commissioner will receive $62,500, plus IMRF and health benefits.

The Township Clerk, now paid $7,641, plus health and life insurance and IMRF pension benefits will receive $10,000 and now fring benefits.

Township Trustees compensation will go from $90 per meeting to $125 per meeting.


Comments

Grafton Township Sets Salaries — 27 Comments

  1. (posted too quickly)

    It’ll be interesting to see if anyone applies for the job, or if it goes vacant!

    Wouldn’t that be a hoot!!

  2. I am sure Trustee Betty Zirk has a part time candidate already chosen.

    She hates Zeilinski this is a calculated manipulation.

  3. Not so much of a hoot for Grafton Township property tax payers.

    The Property Tax Code states only the assessor (not a deputy) can sign the assessment book affidavit.

    This fact was clearly conveyed to the Board during their deliberations.

    Grafton Township property tax payers lose big if either:

    – the Board has to contract someone (for a LOT more money) or
    – let the county handle the assessments (with a LOT less accuracy).

    35 ILCS 200/9-230
    “(a)…If a township or multi-township assessor in a county with less than 3,000,000 inhabitants, but more
    than 600,000 inhabitants, based on the 2000 federal decennial census, does not return the assessment books or work books within the required time, the supervisor of assessments may take possession of the books and complete the assessments pursuant to law…”

    “(b) If the supervisor of assessments determines that the township or multi-township assessor has not completed the assessments as required by law before returning the assessment books under this Section, the county board may submit a bill to the township board of trustees for the reasonable costs incurred by the supervisor of assessments in completing the assessments. The moneys collected under this subsection may be used by the supervisor of assessments only for the purpose of recouping costs incurred in
    completing the assessments.”

    It’s very sad the only office that touches each and every tax payer in Grafton Township got this.

    Four very highly-qualified and diligent deputies, as well as most honest tax payers, will suffer.

    Appears someone wanted the old “Let’s Make a Deal” days back…

  4. What’s the bloated pay for the townships Nunda, McHenry and the Algonquin rat’s nest o’ nepotism???

    Inquiring taxpayers want to know.

  5. OldManWinter doesn’t like anyone to be paid for anything.

    He says money is evil.

    And he says, “you kids stay off my lawn.” 🙂

  6. The Road Commissioners pay is to low, many of the employees make more.

    Being frugal is fine, overly cheap leads to discontent.

    Union employees with the county and cities make more, and management types way more.

    Reducing the Assessors pay that much, come on.

  7. Candidate Pre-Filing Notice

    Notice is hereby given that the office of Grafton Township will be open from 8AM – 4PM beginning November 21, 2016 through November 23, 2016, and again on November 28, 2016 from 8AM – 5PM for the purpose of accepting candidate petitions or certificates for election in the Consolidated Primary on February 28, 2017.

    Offices to be voted on:

    Grafton Township Supervisor (currently James Kearns)

    Grafton Township Highway Commissioner (currently Tom Poznanski)

    Grafton Township Assessor (currently Alan Zielinski)

    Grafton Township Clerk (currently Kathryn Hurley)

    Grafton Township Trustee (currently Betty Zirk)

    Grafton Township Trustee (currently Bob Wagner)

    Grafton Township Trustee (currently Dan Ziller Jr)

    Grafton Township Trustee (currently Joe Holtorf)

  8. Grafton Township annual wages

    ++++++++++++++

    James Kearns, Supervisor

    2015 – $41,802
    2014 – $41,877
    2013 – $24,039

    ++++++++++

    Tom Poznanski, Highway Commissioner

    2015 – $59,888
    2014 – $59,829
    2013 – $62,172
    2012 – $54,915
    2011 – $54,393
    2010 – $53,517
    2009 – $55,324
    2008 – $52,333
    2007 – $50,990
    2006 – $45,574
    2005 – $25,588

    +++++++++++++++

    Alan D Zielinski, Assessor

    2015 – $72,360
    2014 – $68,000

    There was also a $3,000 payment from the Illinois Department of Revenue for an Alan D Zielinski.

    ++++++++++++++++

    Kathryn Hurley, Clerk

    2015 – $7,435

    ++++++++++++++++

    source: Open the Books Widget

    No compensation reported for Trustees.

  9. Public Disclosure of Total Compensation

    Illinois Public Act 97-0609

    As per Public Act 97-0609 the total Compensation Package consists of:

    – salary

    – health insurance

    – housing allowance

    – vehicle allowance

    – clothing allowance

    – bonuses

    – vacation days

    – sick days

    Employee Name – Position – Gross Salary – Health Insurance – Total Compensation

    Alan Zielinski – Assessor – $70,747 – $16,970 – $87,717

    Tom Poznanski – Highway Commissioner – $61,550 – $13,498 – $75,048

    http://www.graftontownship.us > Clerk > Public Notices > Illinois Public Act 97-0609

    +++++++

    PA 97-0609 applies to those whom receive $75,000 or over total compensation.

    +++++++

    Apparently Grafton Township does not provide sick or vacation days for those positions.

  10. Grafton Township participates in the IMRF pension fund.

    The following information regarding the township’s participation in IMRF is located in the Grafton Township 2015 – 2016 audit.

    Employer Contributions: $59,629

    Employee Contributions: $28,485

    Pension Plan Net Investment Income: $9,036

    Benefit Payments and Refunds: ($86,220)

    Other: $15,336 (no further explanation provided…what is other?)

    Net Change in Plan Fiduciary Net Position: $26,266

    Plan Fiduciary Net Position – Beginning: $1,806,288

    Plan Fiduciary Net Position – Ending: $1,832,554

    Net Pension Liability (unfunded liability aka taxpayer IOU to the pension fund): $206,690

    +++++++++

    note:

    Net Pension Liability is not the difference between the beginning and ending Plan Fiduciary Net Position.

    Rather, it is the Total Pension Liability – ending Plan Fiduciary Net Position.

    Total Pension Liability is the total amount the actuary calculated should have been in the pension fund.

    see the audit for more details.

    http://www.GraftonTownship.us > Clerk > Public Notices > 2015 – 2016 Annual Township Audit

  11. Mark, thank you for your in-depth financials.

    What the taxpayers realize but the Board apparently did not is there’s a difference between an expense and an investment.

    An expense will be getting someone, anyone (regardless of their familiarity with Grafton Township properties) including the county, to submit the assessment books for 2018-21.

    The result will be mere statutory compliance and a return to the high levels of inequity present when I took office.

    An investment is getting a competent, qualified and motivated valuation professional to create accurate and fair market value determinations for Grafton Township tax payers who will thereby receive as a ROI more stable assessments resulting in lower appeals and people feeling they’re being treated justly.

    Grafton has the second highest EAV in McHenry County and the third highest parcel count.

    An assessor’s compensation only 30% of those other two townships represents extremely poor mismanagement by the Board.

  12. Now that most assessments have recovered from the over-assessments caused by the recession AND

    new construction / remodeling is almost at a stand still AND

    Illinois State government shows no sign of reining in the social spending which is strangling the taxpayers AND

    the exodus from the state is not slowing down,

    How much work is there anymore in a Township Assessor’s office?

    Here is hoping no one runs for the job.

    Hire an Assessor because then you can fire him / her.

    Elected Assessors cannot be fired.

    This: “It’s very sad the only office that touches each and every tax payer in Grafton Township” is a typical comment by someone who is “full of himself”.

    Each and every dollar spent by a Township or any unit of local government affects each and every tax payer, Mr. Zelinski!!!

    They should have reduced the Road Commissioner salary also!!

  13. “…new construction / remodeling is almost at a stand still …”
    Grafton Township has the highest new construction in McHenry County.
    2015: $7.2M
    2016: $8.1M

    “…Each and every dollar spent by a Township or any unit of local government affects each and every tax payer…:
    Not true.

    Thankfully not all Grafton residents need the special services the township provides.

    Algonquin, LITH, Lakewood and Huntley maintain their municipal roads.

    But, every property owner in Grafton receives an assessment notice.

  14. The road commissioner takes care of 27 miles of road.

    That’s it!

    Just subcontract the work out and sell all that equipment.

    You could save millions in Grafton alone!

  15. Not the assessor, while Grafton has few roads, those maintaining them are few and not unionized.

    Please explain how your rant would work since all the surrounding other types of Gov agencies are union?

    Truly go on Open Book and do some research, know who to compare, either of those wages are on the low side comparatively speaking.

  16. All of the area school districts contract out their road maintenance work.

    When will townships get on board with these savings?

    The county already groups any road construction work done by the townships via the county engineer and then bids out the jobs.

    I am sure landscape contractors in the area would give very competitive prices for mowing and snow plowing.

  17. Taxpayer, Townships do small road maintenance in house as it’s cheaper than paying prevailing wage, and contract out major road work that requires paying prevailing wage.

    School contracts have to pay prevailing wage and don’t do road maintenance in house, their job is education, they have no expertise in road maintenance.

    Some of the Townships do contract out mowing like around buildings and cemeteries, no so much ROW mowing which takes special machines most landscapers don’t commonly use.

    Snow plowing contracts have to pay prevailing wage, in house is cheaper and more responsive.

    Try doing some research first.

  18. Nob …maintenance work does not require prevailing wage pay.

    Check the laws yourself.

    Grafton already pays prevailing wage for road construction work because they bid out the work through the county engineer and dept of transportation.

  19. Wait, Zielinski sees the assessment office as an “investment?”

    Was the $25000 FOI lawsuit on his office an investment?

    The destroyed documents?

    The odd office hours and infrequent returned calls?

    The cavalier spending that caused the township board to take away the assessor’s credit card?

    Maybe the assessor’s salary was reduced to cover the undue burdens that Zielinski created.

  20. It was reduced by Trustee Betty because just like Supervisor Kearns position, its the best paid part time job you can get.

  21. Not the assessor, fact is some things can and do get contracted out, but some are cheaper and better service done in house.

    If you really want to save, teach the whiners to stop constantly asking for more, that’s the biggest driver of increased spending and higher levies.

    Example: In the early seventies the standard was 2″ of snow before the plows would even get called out, now if it’s snowing and the pavement isn’t dry so they can still drive 10 over the speed limit, they are whining big time.

    Saying “NO” to voters is a Catch 22 for the Gov guys.

  22. What a jump in the Supervisor’s pay!

    Great part-time gig funded by taxpayers.

  23. The supervisor only shows up once a month for the meetings and gets paid over 40k a year to work 12 days a year.

    What a gig!

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