Algonquin Township Board Allows Andrew Gasser to Transfer $70,500 to Legal Fees

$70,500 of Algonquin Township Road District funds were transferred to legal services in three different funds on Wednesday night.

The action came at the end of Algonquin Township’s Board meeting.

The Local 150 members and supporters who brought three inflated rats to place on the right-of-way in front of the township office complex had all gone home.

Only Democratic Party activists remained.

Road Commissioner Andrew Gasser did not attend the meeting.

Township Trustee Rachael Lawrence reported  that he was meeting with constituents on a “catastrophic failure” on one of the township highways.

Trustee David Chapman added that a culvert was in danger of collapsing.

After the meeting Lawrence said it was on Dennis Road, a neighborhood south of Algonquin Road down the hill from the incorporated part of Algonquin.

Dennis Road, Algonquin.

During the public comment period, Richard Fahy, an official of Local 150, excoriated Gasser for the “mess” he had created at the Road District.

Defending predecessor Bob Miller, Fahy said Miller had “the duty to bargain collectively” and had done so.

Gasser, he said had fired three union members his first day in office and later repudiated the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Fahy revealed that Gasser’s refusal to reply to Freedom of Information requests had led to a law suit to which Gasser had counter-sued.

“There is no legal authority to support Mr. Gasser’s position,” he continued.

“Mr. Gasser is playing house with house money.

“He’s made a risky bet with taxpayers’ money.”

Fahy concluded by urging Board members “to cut off the litigation right now.”

His supporters then cheered.

Jenny McCracken took up the cudgel.

“He has evaded his responsibility by not showing up today.”

Pointing to a $20,000 retainer and $71,000 more in legal fees, she said, “We don’t have to pay his legal fees.”

She referred to a Facebook post Gasser made on January 23rd saying that he would post bills and employee salaries on the internet, pointing out that had not yet been done.

She also said Gasser had denied numerous Freedom of Information requests.

In other business, Chapman gained passage of a resolution pledging Township support to the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus’ Greenest Region Compact 2, a ten-point agenda concerning climate, economic development, energy, land, leadership, mobility, municipal operations, sustainable communities, waste & recycling and water.

Township Clerk Karen Lukasik reported that she would need more money for legal expenses, storage of township records and a part-time employee to digitize Township records that may go back as far as the late 1960’s.

She complained about Gasser’s having moved Township records and said she would have to hire some to access records, if Gasser were unwilling to assist in their retrieval.


Comments

Algonquin Township Board Allows Andrew Gasser to Transfer $70,500 to Legal Fees — 26 Comments

  1. Rarely does a township prevail in firing employees for political reasons.

    Why is Gasser spending property tax dollars on attorneys?

    The township’s insurance policy covers legal fees.

    Clearly the blind leading the blind.

  2. What three funds got cut to support a poorly done effort of political nonsense?

  3. The Nob… Miller left plentiful funds for legal fees behind.

    His levy was double what it needed to be.

  4. I think this is just the beginning of costs.

    I heard the insurance company rejected gassers claim… figures.

    Have to wonder why Mr transparency doesn’t disclose and discuss all this.

    Have to wonder why “the mouth” was afraid to come to the meeting, last one he hid in another room, this time he used a phony excuse, like really he couldn’t briefly show up bad culvert or not, really????

    Really?

  5. It’s weird that people rush to attack Gasser for the cost of defending the Township when sued but defend Miller for decades of blowing money on his family and questionable expenses.

  6. Should he sell all the woodworking equipment and storage trailers to recover the costs?

    Oh!

    I almost forgot!

    Miller’s spouse is no longer employed!

    Is the + $70,000 coming from the salary bucket for the Highway department where she was getting almost $100,000 per year?

    The “political nonsense” is playing in D.C.

    Algonquin Twp. is attempting to right a wrong.

  7. There are two admin in the office for the Road Dist now!

    Wait for the combination of pay and benefits, my guess is the costs to the tax payers will be hire.

    Isn’t our local hero’s hero in DC attempting to right wrong in DC?

    Lots of similarities on how bad both are being handled.

  8. Goonie, double?

    Please explain as the Road Dist levy was reduced to not have to many $$$ at hand legally?

    The only possible funds that seem extra are funds for a future intersection improvement that I know of.

    So please explain I’m listening.

  9. So, Andrew spent 20k on lawsuits he’s created and transferred 70k more into the fund?

    Sounds like his attorney is doing a nice job as using Andrew to line his pockets.

    Maybe next election he donates more than 1k to Andrew.

    Hanlon has made Andrew his personal cash cow and Andrew doesn’t even realize it. Lol

  10. At this point, at the national and local levels, the playing board is set, the players are known and the positions are clear.

    Right or wrong both sides are im moveable and there’s zero hope of common ground ever being reached.

    The unions want to bleed the taxpayer til they’re dead and a few brave souls are going to attempt to fight that horror show… In Illinois(fun) and across the world.

    To have some public shouting match with the implacable on both sides is the very definition of insane.

    The unions bring blow up cartoon characters to show the level of intellect they bring and anyone who sees that understands there cannot be reasoned engagement.

    The last resort of the weak and stupid is a fight.

    The unions choose a fight over reasoned engagement.

    The first tier of the fight is in courts all over the nation.

    The next tier is outside the courts.

    Trade unions have forever championed great men and driven excellent skill sets.

    Public unions are communist perversions of these protections for working people.

    The legal fight is hopeful.

    The next fight will be violent and horrible.

    Be aware, government and those who feed on government, historically The People always win.

    Always.

  11. why are people so concerned about finances now??

    when the miller ran the house they used tax dollars as own piggy bank, trips, gifts, meals (local), rct,ect.

    question should be when will they be inedited on theft, fraud, possibly more,its time to indict , if this was joe citizen that person would have had cuffs on by now

  12. When Gasser won and he was asked what he was going to do first I don’t think his reply was, “I’m going to Disneyland.”

  13. Priest is right in the beginning and end of his post.

    (The middle not so much.)

    But, read between the lines, folks.

    What he is saying is sure as chit happening.

    Those not awake (like the fools on our own county board) are going to be very surprised.

  14. Everyone in politics has a short memory and that is why the lawyers will win and the taxpayers will pay.

    Andrew collects a sweet salary for one term.

    Townships are ripe for these situations and lawyers know it.

    Just thank goodness Ancel Glinks Keri Lynn Krafthefer isn’t involved to really stir the pot and empty the coffers.

    Grafton Township first then Algonquin township who is next?

    Mchenry Township?

  15. Local 150 was invited to represent the men of the road district BY the men of the road district.

    All Mr. Gasser had to do was accept the bargaining agreement as it was presented to him and the men who made up his workforce.

    Instead, he hobbled the crew by firing the foreman and fired two others for political reasons.

    The political show he is putting on is falling apart before his eyes and no amount of money is going to make up for the mistakes he is making.

    The Dennis road fiasco is just another example of his ineptitude.

    That road hasn’t “catastrophically failed”, and the culverts haven’t “collapsed”.

    The only failure worth mentioning is Gasser’s panicked response to a simple repair that should have been done by the road district crews, had they not been decimated by the new commissioner.

    Instead he blew it up as a catastrophe, called in local police and fire departments who comically tried to shore up the fill using guardrail as pilings, and fell back on the expensive recommendations of his buddy at the engineering firm.

    Next will be an “emergency” no-bid contract awarded to his buddies with the road construction outfit who have been drooling for this moment, seeing several hundred thousand dollars’ work within reach.

    All this, and the only result is several dozen homeowners screwed out of access to their homes for the next 4-5 weeks.

    The truth hurts, folks.

  16. Algonquian Township is ready for its own disaster
    Andrew did have all the files from the township now they are tainted files

    this just get better

  17. Pushing back against misinformation and inuendo is something I consider both necessary and proper.

    It’s not often that I invade this space, but when I do, it’s for a specific purpose.

  18. We know your purpose, Nick Cheerikos.

    And we know why you were hired by Bobby on his way out the door.

    Come on now son. How many people at that age get hired to do government road labor.

    Truth hurts, doesnt it.

    You got played like an old outta tune church organ.

  19. I believe Priest is either being sarcastic (and rightly so) or made a mistake when he wrote ‘forever’ instead of “never” in his above post, recapitulated here:

    “Trade unions have forever championed great men and driven excellent skill sets.”

  20. Will Cal Skinner report how the gassbag who is a gasser lost in court today? Will Cal Skinner and his “sunshine blog” report how the gassbag who is the dirtiest of gassers is costing us thousands in legal bills? Will Cal Skinner and the notorious mchenry county blog report how gasser is denying the clerk records?
    YOU GET WHAT YOU VOTE FOR! DIRTY GASSER.

  21. No, but I am curious about what happened in court today.

    What did Happen? Has everyone found out little nick caused all these problems for Everyone?

    Maybe getting rid of him would be a start of reconciliation

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