Another View of the Human Resources Committee Meeting on Patronage

The following was written by former McHenry County Board member Ersel Schuster:

4/12/17 McHenry County’s Internal Support & Facilities (ISF) meeting:

There is no greater insult to voters/taxpayers than public officials who think their responsibility is to their own personal comfort-zone, personal agenda, or worse yet, in this case, covering for County Board Chairman Jack Franks by working to move his agenda forward.

Oliver Serafini’s McHenry County employee identification card showing he works for the Department of Transportation as well as for the County Board Chairman.

On this count, Michele Aavang & Kay Bates certainly exposed their true colors today.

This is what happens when people place their names on a ballot where it is easier to be elected than on a ballot fitting their personal philosophies.

Once again, KUDO’s to Yvonne Barnes, Mike Walkup, Donna Kurtz, Michael Rein, and Jim Heisler for coming to the meeting prepared and for understanding what they will be talking about.

It is enlightening to see these folks standing strong against those who would go-along-to-get-along.

Still at issue is a resolution attempting to “‘legitimizing” the inappropriate hiring of 2 people by the County Board Chairman… in collusion with County Administrator Peter Austin.

The resolution was again voted down.

Bridgett Geenen’s McHenry County employee identification card.

It appears the County Administer put himself in a no-win situation when he succumbed to demands of the newly elected County Board Chairman to hire “his” people.

These positions were neither needed, nor were they approved by the board.

This simple fact was explained by member Walkup as he quoted County Policy.

Unfortunately, it may be time for the Internal Services and Facilities Committee to place a document in the Administrator’s personnel file depicting the insubordinate acts that have occurred.

He has clearly been evasive and irresponsible in dealing with both the ISF and HR committees on the matter.

Caution however!

There may actually be more to this scenario than we know as others at the county may be feeling threatened.

Could it be that the same holds true for the Administrator?

County board members… it would appear there are much deeper issues needing investigation.

Regarding our Administrator, it would be most disappointing to have him leave his position because he was put between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place and unable to feel he could bring his concerns to board members.

For years, he has represented McHenry County in a professional manner and has had the county running like a well-oiled machine.

There has to be a reason he would throw himself under the political bus.


Comments

Another View of the Human Resources Committee Meeting on Patronage — 8 Comments

  1. Politics aside, I don’t understand how some board members are willing to vote against the Board’s own policies.

  2. Did Austin have to leave the meeting early to attend a meeting with Franks about bonds sales or something?

    Is that what I heard on the audio?

    Since when does the Chairman get involved with those types of meetings?

  3. Exactly, Bot! It’s because they’re not DOING THEIR JOBS! Very disappointed in Bates and Aavang.

    I walked for Bates and dropped literature against some people’s better judgement than mine and I don’t even live in McHenry.

    Never again!

    But more than voting the delinquent board members out, they need to be held accountable now.

  4. Do not assume that you can work for and elect a candidate and then not talk to them again.

    Once one is elected the special interests start talking to public officials. Or, probably in this case, Jack Franks started talking to Kay Bates.

    Why let them or him be the only one offering advice about how to vote?

    If you want to communicate with Kay Bates or other County Board members, their email addresses and phone numbers can be found here:

    https://www.co.mchenry.il.us/county-government/departments-a-i/county-board/meet-your-county-board-members

  5. Cal is correct.

    Unless elected officials hear form / meet with the ‘taxpayers’, the elected officials will be totally controlled by:

    —– people DEMANDING services which will cost taxpayer dollars

    —– Staff – each with their own personal agenda which has THEIR salary and pension demands at the top of the list

    —– other unscrupulous elected ‘loud mouths’ and “round mounds” who have their own personal agendas which do NOT care a whit about the best interest of the taxpayers

    CALL, WRITE, TEXT, MEET WITH all County Board members and other elected officials.

    This includes school boards that are completely under the control of teacher / admin special interests.

  6. I thank my lucky stars that I got OUT of teaching before common core produced nitwits such as you!

  7. Cal:

    I couldn’t agree with you more on your point about communicatimg with our elective officials.

    What about the concept of electing people with a track record of actually doing what they say?

    Surely there must be some.

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