Grafton Township Assessor Al Zielinski Taking Boone County Supervisor of Assessments Post

The following letter to Grafton Township residents was sent by Grafton Township Assessor Al Zielinski:

Al Zielinski proposes leaving the Grafton Township Assessor’s Office in good, competent hands of Marty Kinczel, Certified General Real Estate Appraiser

An open letter to Grafton Township property tax payers.

Dear friends,

Instead of a formal press release, after some reflection I decided it’s best to personally speak to you.

At tonight’s Grafton Township meeting, I notified the Board that, absent some significant change, I won’t be taking another oath of office as your Grafton Township Assessor on January 1, 2018 because I’ve accepted the position of Boone County Chief Assessment Officer.

I never would have considered another position unless I truly believed your property assessments are in much better shape now than when I took office January 1, 2014.

The Department of Revenue’s performance data clearly show Grafton’s assessment process to be a shining star not only in Illinois but in most of the nation.

Since 2014, your assessments have led McHenry County in both assessment accuracy (sales ratio) and fairness (uniformity).

2017’s numbers aren’t in yet but we expect that stellar performance to continue.

As of today, we’re setting a record for the lowest number of appeals ever filed.

Accuracy and fairness performance rests squarely on your Deputies’ shoulders.

Grafton can be proud of having the most highly-qualified team in McHenry County and most of Illinois: one Certified General Real Estate Appraiser and all four Deputies have advanced “I” designations from the Illinois Property Assessment Institute who certifies assessors in Illinois.

All four will be taking their next level “S” designation exams later this year.

I’ll remain in office through the end of this calendar year fulfilling my term, ensuring an orderly closing of our 2017 assessment book and doing all I can to achieve a seamless, transparent and efficient transition.

During that time, I hope to shake many hands of the wonderful people I’ve met and served over the past four years.

To assist in the successful transition, tonight I proposed to the Board that Marty Kinczel, our Certified General Real Estate Appraiser, become Grafton Township’s Assessor under contract from 1/1/18 through 12/31/21.

My proposal is cost-neutral allocating the annual $30,000 assessor salary to be split among the four Deputies based on their credentials and responsibilities.

Please contact your township Board via phone, e-mail and your presence at upcoming township meetings to convey your wish they accept my practical, cost-effective and Grafton resident-friendly proposal so “the band stays together.”

It’s clearly a win-win-win for all parties and your help is needed to preserve Grafton’s success.

You can take great satisfaction in the accomplishments the Deputies and I achieved on your behalf as measured by attaining top tier accuracy and fairness for your assessments.

You should also know I kept both my campaign promises:

“Pay only your fair share” and

“Fairness for all, deals for none.”

In closing, please accept my heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity of being your Assessor.

It was an oath I took seriously and a duty fulfilled to the absolute best of my abilities.

Thank you for your trust and please know you will always have my warm wishes for health, happiness and prosperity

Respectfully,
Alan Zielinski


Comments

Grafton Township Assessor Al Zielinski Taking Boone County Supervisor of Assessments Post — 13 Comments

  1. Mr. Zielinski,

    It’s quite amusing that you bypass one item that was bought up continually at the Grafton meeting last night: that you already started as Assessor of Boone County on August 1st, and you are working for both that County and Grafton Township right now. You are drawing two full time salaries (are you drawing two pensions?) and working just a few days a week at both.

    You say it’s important that you stay in Grafton until the end of the year, but you’re also advocating that instead of appointing a replacement for your position in 2018, you recommend that a Deputy that you personally hired take on your responsibilities, in addition to his own.

    If your elected position is so critical and industrious, why didn’t you advocate for an all new employee in your place? If appeals are so low, why do you still need to be here? Just go on to Boone.

    Also, it’s quite interesting that this “letter” comes out mere minutes after the Grafton Township meeting ended. Much of that meeting was spent with you arguing with the Township board. You can tell the editor of this blog takes extensive time before publishing an article, so man that was quick.

  2. Won’t waste time replying to snide remarks but will correct blatant lies.

    I am not “drawing two full time salaries.”

  3. Oooh. Alan Zielinski, (non)purveyor of truth. It’s funny how you say it’s a lie but don’t correct with those pesky “facts.”

    So let’s hear it. You draw a full time salary from Grafton with Benefits. Do you mean you are drawing a part time salary in Boone? Because again, you work a few days there and a few days in Grafton.

  4. Get out RAT!

    He wouldn’t return SIX (6) of my many calls and was never in his township nest.(3 attempts)

    There must be better pickings across the County line!

  5. I would love to have been at that meeting.

    Does anyone have a re cording?

  6. Thank the gods.

    Ali, please just leave now and let us correct this disaster that you’ve put us all through.

  7. The Grafton Township board had better not take Al’s hand-picked puppet as a replacement.

    There needs to be a new search for a competent assessor with no ties to the shenanigans of the old regime.

    Grafton Board… you were just elected, some of you with direct platforms to reign that guy in.

    Now is the time to stand up for what’s right.

  8. The board asked for and did not receive his immediate resignation on Monday night.

    Any Grafton citizens that would like to voice their opinion directly to the Assessor and/or the board should plan to make their voices heard at the next Grafton meeting.

    There is time for public comments on every Board agenda.

  9. Alphonse would lead us to believe that he is above the law. Our township board absolutely must work with the county board and state authorities to rectify this situation.

  10. And for goodness sakes, only in the uber whacked out township of Grafton in the mystifying county of McHenry in the supremely corrupt state of Illinois can someone quit a job, take another one and get both salaries at the same time, be forced out of the second, and finally be welcomed back to the first. Anyone associated with Grafton should be ashamed.

  11. And yet, he is NOW at Ela TOwnship (for the past week). This time, he is pretending to be a USMC combat veteran with 3 purple hearts (yup, he actually “allegedly” said that in his meeting with the township board). According to my (and others) FOIA requests to the US Govt., he never graduated either OCS or any USMC recruit depot).

    He listed combat veteran on his concealed carry website.

    Stolen Valor? After my public comment to the board, I accused him of it to his face at the Ela Township public meeting last nite. He just looked at his shoes. Any true Marine would have jumped up and clocked me if they actually served.

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