Rachael Lawrence
For an off year election, Algonquin Township is clearly shaping up to have the most contested Republican Primary election in memory.
Political newcomer Rachael Lawrence and candidate for Algonquin Township Trustee attended the Algonquin Township board meeting and gave a statement at public comment. Here is her statement:
As a taxpayer of unincorporated Algonquin Township and a Committeeman representing Cary’s 3rd Precinct, I’ve heard many concerns from constituents about nepotism in this township–specifically within the Highway Department operated under Bob Miller.
As I researched the topic myself, I was appalled to learn that not only is Mr. Miller the THIRD generation in succession to hold his position, he has also three additional familial employees being compensated well above the comparable average salaries.
When I asked Mr. Miller directly who he wanted to replace him when he inevitably retires, he answered “Derek Lee, my son in law,” lining up yet a FOURTH generation family member to take the throne, so to speak.
In a Northwest Herald article entitled “Township jobs all in the family” Mr. Miller himself is directly quoted stating, “You use ‘nepotism’ as a dirty word.”
While I realize that in the bygone era of predominantly rural townships, it was common for families to run these departments, Algonquin Township has grown and modernized over the last 51 years since the first generation of this family dynasty began.
Many citizens are now demanding that this township be run as a public government entity and not a family business.
I come before you tonight, on behalf of those concerned citizens to ask that the township board, and especially the Highway Department, adopt policies that denounce nepotism, ensure every job opening within the township is publicly posted, that everyone has a fair shot at employment, that interviews take place, and salaries be commensurate with the market standard.
While I have nothing but praise for the way Mr. Miller has managed the maintenance of my street, I do have ethical and moral reservations about what some call the abuse of his position to benefit his own interests.
Put quite simply, the ends don’t justify the means.
Thank you.
Good statement Rachael Lawrence . . . the voters have many things to consider before they vote. Your comment about ethical and moral reservations is so true, either candidate should be looked at very carefully. Every one knows Bob Miller’s History, but do you really know Andrew Gasser’s History?
For some people, ridding our township Hwy Dept of over a half century of nepotism and exorbitant family salaries is a strong platform toward tax reduction. For others, ethics in government (perplexingly enough) seems to be a non-issue.
Ironically, a recent letter to the editor by a self professed “rookie” Highway Commissioner Mike Lesperance, seems to attest to his success with no more than competent advisors and diligent research. Ironically, proving Mr. Gasser’s points.
Insofar as personal histories, I have no interest in partaking in those irrelevant distractions.
There is no ONE or one FAMILY more dedicated to their job than the Millers. Most Saturdays during the summer the entire family is out working with residents on the enormous recycling center they have developed, recycling paint and giving the recycled paint to schools, NGOs and other governmental agencies….providing mulch to residents free of charge, providing a convenient drop off point for other recyclables. All of this is done gratis for the community. I have personally observed 2 generations of Millers do an outstanding job. Their work on the township roads and bridges is unparalleled.
Just what does a township trustee do?
Apparently they point out that you have been hornswaggled by a dynasty of spendthrifts.
Jim- can we stop acting like the Miller’s walk on water… They don’t. They don’t spin gold from yarn, poop silver nuggets or save kittens from trees. In many people’s minds Miller has worked very hard to make him and his family look important so they can continue to collect their fat cat paychecks forever.
There is no such thing as gratis in township government because these folks are collecting a salary.
I can guarantee after Gasser gets in and drains the swamp in Algonquin all of the Miller’s ‘gratis’ work for the community will disappear in a puff.
Re: “There is no ONE or one FAMILY more dedicated to their job than the Millers.”
This is an absolute falsehood – Illinois has the Madigans!!
Isn’t that working out great also?
Now we have the little “round mound” bringing Madigan principles to the County!
Drain the swamp!
Vote for Gasser!!
Miller may be the highest paid part timer in Illinois!!
Add his spouse plus the extended family and you have a sinful burden supported by the taxpayers!
lol Questioning. How could Jim have forgotten our first family! (brainwashed – probably)
Way to go, Rachel! Forget “anotherwatcher”, just a primpropperupper, casting doubt on Gasser.
You’ll be a great Trustee.
I agree with what anotherwatcher – do we know the REAL Andrew Gasser?
We know Andrew was the ONLY Republican County Board Member to speak out against pensions and was castigated for it.
We know Andrew is the ONLY Republican County Board Member to refuse all benefits and embraces term limits.
We know as Chairman of the Algonquin Township Republican Party Chairman the party has brought in so many new people, including myself, to become more active in the party.
We know that under Andrew’s leadership as the Township Party Chairman reformer candidates won every election but one.
We know Andrew worked his ass off for Bill Prim in the 2014 primary.
We know Andrew is the most accessible county board member often posting his personal contact information on this blog and on his website.
We know Andrew has made many Republicans uncomfortable with how they have acted over the past few years.
We know Andrew was the only Republican who thought it was a conflict of interest for Anna May Miller to be the Chairman of Transportation while also being employed by the Algonquin Township Highway District.
We know that Andrew is a pretty passionate guy and is not afraid to tell you what he thinks.
We know Andrew has three children from two marriages.
We know two of Andrew’s kids are over 18 and one is a minor.
We know Andrew lives with his disabled mother.
We know Andrew has had wheelchair ramps installed throughout his house because of his mother.
We know Andrew is a pro-life conservative.
We know Andrew works hard for the people and causes he believes in.
We know Andrew has helped more Republican candidates inside and outside of McHenry County than anyone else from precinct committeeman to Governor.
We know Andrew was responsible for the 2014 pep rally where three gubernatorial candidates spoke.
We know that Andrew has real issues with Chris, Christina, and Eileen.
We know Andrew helped coordinate precinct walks inside and outside Algonquin Township and McHenry County.
We know Andrew volunteered for Governor Scott Walker during the recall election.
We know Andrew is an honorably retired US Air Force officer.
We know Andrew also served in the US Navy as an enlisted person.
We know Andrew maintained the (then) state of the art fighter F-14 Tomcat.
We know Andrew worked on advanced systems and was an instructor in the Navy.
We know Andrew was an instructor in the Air Force too.
We know Andrew served one tour of duty on the ground in Afghanistan.
We know Andrew isn’t afraid to stand up for what he believes in even when he is in the minority.
We know Andrew is a horrible politician.
We know Andrew has health issues with his stomach.
We know Andrew has worked in Washington DC on space policy issues.
We know Andrew has had papers on space policy published.
We know Andrew is a pretty smart guy who can get distracted.
We know Andrew is completely AGAINST eminent domain.
We know Andrew grew up in Fox River Grove.
We know Andrew graduated high school in 1990 from Cary-Grove.
We know Andrew does not like football.
We know Andrew does like soccer.
We know Andrew is very protective of his children.
We know Andrew has two sisters who live in Algonquin Township.
We know Andrew builds teams and surrounds himself with good people.
We know Andrew has built some bad teams in the past.
We know Andrew has built some good teams in the past.
We know Andrew was the first one to bring up McHenry County pays the 29th highest property taxes in the United States.
We know Andrew will be an excellent highway commissioner.
We know Andrew Gasser.
Andrew you just need to come clean on the whole Chris and Christina thing. Everyone knows about it and I know you won’t talk about it, but you should. It would explain a lot of their drama and everyone can move on. It won’t stop it all but most rational adults will simply walk away. Then again, we all know those two or three people who just live off the drama, innuendo, and gossip.
No one can deny Andrew isn’t a positive force for the local Republican Party. He has helped so many people. He gives time and money to those he believes in. Andrew isn’t perfect either. Sometimes I wish he would just sit back and breathe. Sometimes Andrew should just trust his friends more. If some want to spread gossip about Andrew and his second wife that is their right but we don’t need that in the Republican Party and I hope they leave. When you hear it you should stop it.
Please vote for Rachael and Andrew. We need to end the nepotism in our county.
Sorry Andrew. This needed to be done. Someone has defend you publicly as well as force you to address the elephant in the room.
Hopefully the constant articles on Mr Miller will work as well as your constant articles on Mr Franks!
Unfortunately politics is all too often a way to generate dynasties whether it be the Millers, Obamas, Bush, Clinton or whomever.
Same old story over and over.
Except CP, this is the year that we are taking them ALL down. Three from your list are going down right now. It’s up to us to keep this ‘drain the swamp’ going right here in our own backyard. If you can’t afford to escape Illinois like so many others – then stand and fight!
I’d like to know why this position isn’t a hired one similar to village’s hiring administrators with hiring family would be in the bylaws.
bob: It’s the Constitution.
Bob: it’s because, despite what Miller and their supporters may believe, it’s a job that can be done by anyone who can read a government handbook. Just because Algonquin Township has grown to be a behemoth does not change that fact.
@yetanotherwatcher
You aren’t doing the man any favors when you reveal that he likes soccer and doesn’t like football. That’s borderline Un-American.
Transparency and sharing your opinion in a public way is great!
Rachael and Andrew, since you both supported Trump in a big way, I’d like to hear your opinion on Trumps Nepotism.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/01/09/tumps-son-in-law-jared-kushner-expected-to-join-white-house-as-a-senior-adviser/?utm_term=.39326e5dcbf3
That answer’s easy, Nob. Jared Kushner isn’t being paid a $90k taxpayer funded salary and benefits package. In fact, he’s not taking a salary at all.
Very good Waltz Rachael, but yet as President Trump says Nepotism is OK, he’s setting the example is he not?
I’m sure Jared will be compensated in one way or another at our expense.
Yes I support trump and nepotism. Nepostim only applies if the person is not qualified to do the job. When a person is qualified then it is not nepotism. However, patronage is worse like when Bill Prim hired all the people like Sandy Salgado the GOP chairman and whose daddy worked for Lou Bianchi and the others for political purposes is a problem. Andrew Gasser and his supporters believe that is ok. When they passed the Algonquin anti nepotism they refused to put in the patronage and cronyism clause because that was against the status quo of the new GOP. You stand for nothing when you stand fall for anything.
Rachael clarify this please:
“Ironically, a recent letter to the editor by a self professed “rookie” Highway Commissioner Mike Lesperance, seems to attest to his success with no more than competent advisors and diligent research. Ironically, proving Mr. Gasser’s points.”
A tad misleading saying all Mike needed was advice which came from Bob mostly, and research which comes mostly from a manual, since Mike had/has a business called Iron Mike, a excavating and paving business that relates directly to the Job.
So that is proving Andrew’s point meaning he doesn’t need practical hands on experience to be a success?
Oh, was that the LTE that Mike endorsed Bob?
I suppose the definition of nepotism has different interpretations based on the individual.
Mirriam-Webster defines it as:
Favoritism (as in appointment to a job) based on kinship.
When statutory requirements for job postings and fair interviews are foregone in favor of an appointment of kin, an important ethical question is raised, and the appearance of impropriety is present.
My constituents and others thought so, at least.
Now is where I leave you, unfortunately, as we’ve just learned of the passing of a dear family friend, but I’d encourage anyone to call or email me with any questions tomorrow through the my Web page which contains all my contact information.
God Bless.
OK that definition works, so is Trump unethical or not?
Have a good night, you can answer tomorrow?
It’s also important to note that Jared Kushner is an merely an adviser to Trump, and his duties are whatever Trump says they are. The only real qualification for being an adviser is that the person you are advising values your input. It’s not as if he was put into a job he was not qualified for, a la JFK appointing his little brother to be Attorney General.
The Nob is another idiot. What did Obummer cost us? You are a complete fool for knocking Trump, especially on such a flimsy issue. Just what he has done in the first few weeks is going to make eveyone’s life easier. Did you catch the tax stuff he is doing right now? You are a fool to bad mouth anything about this sincere POTUS. Nepotism my backside.
Give me a break Jim B. For $400K going to ONE FAMILY in that township, working an occasional Saturday had better not be a complaint!
Everyone gets curbside recycling thru their normal garbage pickup. The county Defenders and other outfits will take oddball things that you’re not to include in regular curbside pickup. And everyone knows a lot of that recycling doesn’t get properly recycled anyway and is a big ruse that may stop one day very soon because it doesn’t have proper oversight. You must be one of the over-paid son-in-laws!
Good list ‘yetanotherwatcher’
Nob, NOTE: Trump isn’t taking Salary, Pension, Cadillac (or any kind of) Gov. paid Healthcare. Haven’t heard if his family members are even taking anything. That kind of nepotism doesn’t cost us! It doesn’t Drive the cost of operation up like it has in Algonquin Township! If voting for Trump even with his son-in-law having an appointment kept Hitlery Killton out of office, I was glad to vote Trump!!!
And don’t say Trump is setting precedent for our local elections! The MILLERS have been rolling in taxpayer nepotism over 51 years!! We have the opportunity to vote in local elections where it hits home! And Nationally to often times elect the lessor of two evils. We want to FIGHT this nonsense locally and we shall !
DRAIN THE SWAMP an Cast your Votes for:
Gasser,
Lawrence,
Cardelli,
Taillet,
Fischer, and
Lutzow (Chuck Lutzow’s lovely wife helps out but I don’t believe she takes a salary, let alone an overblown FT salary for a PT job!)
IL is a cess pool of corruption. Let me quote from page 50 of a book I just started reading.
“There are tangible costs to corruption. It is estimated that corruption in Illinois costs taxpayers as much as five hundred million dollars per year.” The book “Corrupt Illinois: Patronage, Cronyism and Criminality”
was written by Thomas J. Gradel and Dick Simpson.
Josey, you couldn’t be more wrong! Consult any dictionary. The very definition of-Nepotism- is when you hire family! Qualified or NOT! Doing so favors loyalty over merit every time and is done on the taxpayers dime!
There is less oversight/accountability and it negitively effects morale! It’s clearly a vehicle for self-enrichment as those over bloated, self set salaries go to Your Family! The taxpayers don’t think that’s fine!
The reason the Township didn’t include Patronage hiring in the Resolution is because it is too hard to prove! Nepotism is clear cut and can easily be proved and denounced! Like the County Clerk hiring her husband! Even if he was ‘uniquely qualified’ (which clearly he wasn’t for the position she deemed a good place to slide him into) the smart thing would have been to import an employee if no one in the county could have been in charge of whatever she put him in charge of. That decision compromised our Elections!!!! And furthermore, it showed all he was ‘uniquely qualified’ for was chasing skirts (or should I say ‘light blue pants’) and being a public embarrassment to that elected office and the county! We are a laughing stock in the state!
“Lawrence, Rachael” or “Guest, Rachael” (http://68.21.116.46/wow65/runApp?id=0) Care to talk about the multiple felonies and misdemeanors you have been charged with? Order of Protection, Civil suits, Driving Suspensions, DUI’s, Aggravated Battery, Disorderly Conduct, Assault, harassment, resisting arrest, and the other plethora of charges you have accumulated? You, Andy Gasser’s OH history are going public. Welcome to “We the people”. We will not stand for this.
If you cared to visit my campaign page, you’d already know all about my decades old troubling past (yes, all but one charge was dismissed), as well as my thirteen year old misdemeanor DUI and how it changed my life.
You’d know how it forever altered the course of my life. What it doesn’t show is how I served on a Committee serving young people who are recovering from alcohol abuse and addiction, where I met my husband and grew my family.
The proof of a good person lies in not their mistakes, but in how they learn from them. As you can see, the past fourteen years have proven that anyone, troubled young adult or not, has the capability to better their life if they choose to live according to God’s will and in service to others.
If you prefer to focus on decades old dismissed charges, that’s your prerogative. I’d prefer to focus on lowering taxes and reinstating ethics in our local government.
-Rachael Lawrence
Good for you Rachel – great response to the sleezy post by John Galt.
Rachael THX for that last comment, the yetanotherwatcher post also.
When anybody agrees to public service, even the regular employees, you have lost any chance at privacy, that’s a unfortunate fact.
Andrew, Bob, pick anybody, they are open targets for some degree of over the top abuse.
This is in the NWH this morning:
http://www.nwherald.com/2017/02/08/letter-reversing-stereotypes/af5hrln/
Please comment on that, Trumps nepotism, and my 9:38pm post last night.
I have questions on your research on wages also, but I’ll have patience and not pile on at this point.
I asked the question why is the Road Commissioner not a hired position similar to Village’s hiring Administrators. And someone replied it’s the Constitution. Wasn’t the Constitution written before we had road commissioners? When it’s a hired position the trustees would hire someone that has the qualifications for the job at hand. Not someone that has a lot of political pull and not qualified for the job. Just saying.
State’s Constitution I believe he/she was referring to.
Lots of thing could be changed, but the laws and Constitution would need to be changed first.
Your idea has some flaws also, no one way is perfect of course.
Tks Nod, You are correct. no perfect way. tks
Vote Andrew Gasser!
outwiththeold, normally that would make sense, not so sure now.
Tired of the Miller empire
We are in dangerous times! Gas bag gasser and his cohorts are dangerously close to removing good republicans like Bob Miller. WE MUST NOT ALLOW THIS. Gas bag gasser is only in this for himself. Gas bag gasser has never done ANYTHING for McHenry County.
Gas bag gasser lives in his mommy’s basement. Gas bag gasser is not a successful military officer. Gas bag gasser is some two bit air traffic controller. Gas bag gasser can’t fly planes. Gas bag gasser is a phoney soldier. Gas bag gasser shows up to county board meetings smelling soiled.
No one on this blog can name one real accomplishment of gasser. You cannot.
He, and all fo his supporters, are frauds.
Vote OUT the Miller family empire, getting rich on our dime and admitting to passing the torch to another family member upon retirement.
Offensive as Dirty Gasser’s alternative facts and fake news.
Go Andrew Gasser! Thank you for your service.
I think the post by Dirty Gasser is as much use to Miller as the cry baby tactics of the delusional left are to the Democrats.
I never thought of dirty as a delusional dem. I just thought they had some personal vendetta.
No, I don’t think he’s a delusional Dem, I just don’t think he’s helping Miller in any way at all.
Maybe it is not meant to help Miller.
Could it be meant to hurt Miller??
I think Dirty Gasser is posting under a false flag. I think he is really trying to gin up sympathy for Andrew Gasser by being so over the top moonbat crazy.
Billy Bob we have heard that Andrew Gasser comments with different names on Cal’s Blog. I really do not want a picture, in my head, of Andy on a Pity Pot, for sympathy votes.
Reply to Nob’s request for comment:
You are correct in that any public candidate has lost his right to privacy the moment he steps into the public eye. I have faith that the decent people of Algonquin Township can see the character smear attempts for what they are–distractions. I believe that evidence of my character lies in my spotless record for over a decade since then, and that it proves that a (wo)man is not defined by his worst mistake, but what he learned from it. I hope that my own sucess story can inspire others who have experienced hardships or mistakes in their own past.
Regarding President Trump’s “nepotism,” I have admittedly not been aware of any instances in which he has provided relatives taxpayer-funded employment. (This is not to say it hasn’t happened, just that I have not been aware of it). If indeed that has happened, I denounce that as well.
As busy as I have been lately, it’s difficult to keep up with replies to this post, so please feel free to reach me directly with questions or comments at rachaelklawrence@hotmail.com or by calling me at (847)220-3333.
Thank you.
Nob is a nitwit. But, nice answer Rachael.
You are so right, Cindy.
LORI, so nice of you to join the conversation. In WIsconsin now but still trying your hardest to have an effect on McH Co elections? Your total Irrelevance must be killing you. To wake up and realize all you have to offer is being a bitter, middle aged, washed up, gal pal of Andrew’s ex, must be one hell of a harsh reality.
Now that’s funny, Sweded. A cheddar head.
totally Cindy!!! Hilarious!!!
Rachael
My questions will be all made public and your answers should be also!
Please comment on The Kunz LTE and my 9:38pm post two nights ago.
I have faith that the decent people of Algonquin Township can see the character smear attempts for what they are–distractions.
I believe that evidence of Bob’s character lies in his spotless record for over 13 years since then, and that it proves that a (wo)man is not defined by his worst mistake, but what he learned from it.
I hope that his own success story can inspire others who have experienced hardships or mistakes in their own past.
Welcome to the wide wide world of politics, have a fun ride.
Just another shill.
Speaking in the possessive again friend? LOL
Not your friend; and I knew something was up when you showed up in here with that name. You have slowly shown your true colors. Nice job “fitting in”.
Thx, like your bluntness also.
YouTube
Upstream Ideas channel
Nepotism in Algonquin Township Government
published on February 20, 2017
http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLzZCl_etY1CmmTZN0VmLCwoUstMzGZi2e&v=UjH4PSL2E8s
McHenry Times
Algonquin Trustee Contender Lawrence Calls Out Nepotism
by Carol Ostrow
February 13, 2017
http://www.mchenrytimes.com/stories/511081298-algonquin-trustee-contender-lawrence-calls-out-nepotism
“”I’ve heard many concerns from constituents about nepotism in this township – specifically within the Highway Department,” she told the McHenry County blog in a statement, adding that a recent Northwest Herald article quoted Highway Commissioner Bob Miller as stating, “You use the word ‘nepotism’ as a dirty word.””
McHenry Times
Miller Embraces Hiring of Family in Algonquin Highway Commissioner Race
February 13, 2017
“Cary’s Bob Miller, who earns $117,824 in his job as Algonquin Township Highway Commissioner, is actually embracing his nepotism, arguing he purposely hires this way because ‘one can always count on family.'”
“Miller’s wife – a former McHenry County Board member – serves as his secretary, earning $96,697.
His son-in-law Derek Lee and Andrew Rosencrans also work for him, earning $91,027 and $92,245, respectively.”
http://www.mchenrytimes.com/stories/511081829-miller-embraces-hiring-of-family-in-algonquin-highway-commissioner-race
Tuesday February 28, 2017 Republican Primary Election
Algonquin Township candidates
Township Supervisor – 4 year term – vote for 1
– Charles A Lutzow, Jr
– Ellen M Brady (Mueller)
Incumbent Township Supervisor, Dianne Klemm, is not running for re-election.
Charles A Lutzow, Jr. is the incumbent Algonquin Township Clerk & and incumbent Republican Township Precinct 5 Committeeman.
+++++++
Township Clerk – 4 year term – vote for 1
– Karen Lukasik
– Melissa A Sanchez – Fischer
The incumbent Township Clerk, Charles A Lutzow Jr, is running a candidate for Algonquin Township Supervisor.
Melissa A Sanchez – Fischer is an incumbent Algonquin Township Trustee.
++++++++++++
Township Assessor – 4 year term – vote for 1
– Richard S Alexander (sole candidate)
The incumbent assessor, Robert R Kunz Jr, is not running for re-election.
++++++++++++
Algonquin Township Highway Commissioner – 4 year term – vote for 1
– Robert J “Bob” Miller (incumbent Algonquin Township Highway Commissioner)
– Andrew Gasser
Andrew Gasser is an incumbent member of the McHenry County Board and an incumbent Republican Algonquin Township Precinct 4 Committeeman.
+++++++++++
Algonquin Township Trustee – 4 year term – vote for not more than 4 (all 4 seats are up for re-election)
– Terence G Ferenc
– Dan Shea (an incumbent Algonquin Township Trustee; also an incumbent Republican Algonquin Township Precinct 9 Committeeman)
– Melissa L Victor
– Rachael Lawrence (incumbent appointed Republican Algonquin Township Precinct 3 Committeeman)
– Russell W Cardelli (an incumbent Algonquin Township Trustee)
– David Chapman
– Scott Taillet
Incumbent Algonquin Township Trustees Melissa Sanchez – Fischer and Larry Emery are not running for re-election.
Melissa Sanchez – Fischer is running for election as Algonquin Township Clerk.
End the Miller family business by voting for Andrew Gasser!