Tom Wilbeck
That’s what the County Board seems likely to do.
The levy will be cut 10% (after an all-Republican Board raised the levy 4% a year ago), but added will be two employees not in the this year’s budget, costing something in the range of $150,000.
Even though Internal Services, the first committee to consider Joe Gottemoller’s measure to approve the patronage hiring, rejected the proposal that McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks desired, the second one gave its approval with a minor change.
The vote was 4-3 in Human Resources with reliable Franks’ supporters John Jung, Don Kopsell and Mary McCann being joined by Tom Wilbeck.
Joining Wilbeck in voting for the resolution were John Jung, Don Kopsell and Mary McCann.
In opposition were Donna Kurtz, Michael Rein and Craig Wilcox.
The only change was to make the two patronage employees report to County Administrator Peter Austin, rather than Jack Franks.
There is no indication that members of the public will be allowed to apply for the newly created positions.
Members of the third committee, Finance and Audit, are regular supporters of what Franks wishes.
So let me be sure I understand this correctly, an all-republican board raises the property tax levy by 4%.
The following year, Jack Franks comes in and reduces the levy by 10% even after hiring two new employees. And the republicans complaint is that he hired two new employees?
What am I missing?
Franks utilized existing line items that the all Republican county board had voted for.
He actually reduced the line items from 160 to 105 thereby saving the taxpayers $55,000 while providing a lot more service and cutting over $8 million from the budget they ought to give this guy a medal.
Thanks for the heads up on who NOT to vote for.
McCann has been useless to the people she serves (the entire County) as a self serving wannabe.
Should have been voted out many, many years ago.
Hoping district 6 voters do their research this time around.
There’s no research that needs to be done in District 6.
Ersel and Orville FTW!
So Jack Franks specified that two patronage employees be hired by the county to report to Jack Franks, no one else was considered for the positions, and now the employees will “report” to the County Board Administrator Peter Austin.
Peter Austin being the person that figured out how to “hire” the patronage employees specified by Jack Franks.
Was anyone else considered for the Kevin Craver hire to replace Oliver Serafini?
Did Jack Franks specify that Kevin Craver be hired?
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What is the current estimate for the county’s portion of the I-90 & Route 23 entrance and exit ramp project?
At one point the estimate was $15 million.
Does the county plan to fund their portion of the entrance and exit ramps at the I-90 Tollway & IL Route 23 interchange without issuing bonds?
Issuing bonds means the taxpayers pay fees to issue the bonds, and interest to the bondholders.
If the county does plan to issue bonds, what is the estimated payment plan for county to repay the bondholders (debt service schedule) itemized by year and itemized by principal and interest?
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If the county does plan on issuing bonds for that project, the taxpayers have a lower tax levy now thanks to cut 10 (savings achieved in part by dipping into various reserve funds), but in the long run pay more due to bond interest and fees.
The County Board took the 1 yr abatement from Valley Hi 2 yrs ago..
Just like after next yr. when the 10% is implemented it will go back up in 2019 without serious 10% cut.
Understand the shell game going on.
Go back and look at who voted to take the Valley Hi Levy that increased the Budget for 2017.
That will give you the indication of who is trying to cut taxes.
The IT position was going to be vacated and not filled so that would be a over $120,000 savings to the taxpayers.
However, the NEW and that means NEW position is costing the taxpayers around $87,000 with salary and benefits.
That is actually a $200,000 swing for taxpayers.
Now you have the Communication Specialist.
Does the County Board and the taxpayers want a Communication Specialist?
It seems like some of them don’t feel it is necessary.
Is it worth another $85,000 to have someone communicating to the public?
Vote for who you think is more fiscally responsible in the upcoming Primaries!!
You are missing the names of who voted how.
The fourteen responsible for the 4% tax hike by voting against cutting the amount the previously passed tax levy would allow were
Michele Aavang
Sue Draffkorn
Joe Gottemoller
Jim Heisler
Tina Hill
John Jung
Don Kopsell
Donna Kurtz
Bob Martens
Mary McCann
Robert Nowak
Carolyn Schofield
Mike Skala
Larry Smith
The following nine voted to abate $2.74 million from the tax bills which we paid this year:
Yvonne Barnes
Chris Christensen
Diane Evertsen
Andrew Gasser
John Hammerand
Michael Rein
Jeff Thorsen
Michael Walkup
Chuck Wheeler
Tom Wilbeck was the vote that pushed the Frank’s hiring resolution forward. Ask him what his rationale was.
Jim Heisler reminded HR committee members that he served as Chairman for Tina Hill when she was off and received no extra pay and needed no extra hires.
Why isn’t the Vice County Chairman asked to perform the duties in the job description to represent the chair?
The job qualifications and the description specify high school education requirement, secretarial duties and duties to represent Chairman Franks when he cannot attend meetings for $78,000-‘$87,000 total compensation for a NON POSTED JOB given to an individual by Chairman Franks.
What is wrong with this picture and the HR Committee County Board members moving this forwaard. Laughable that a high school graduate qualifies to represent a County Board Chairman..
Lawyer former legislator.
Voters got involved!!!!!!
Object!!!!!!
These hires are patronage jobs inflating the budget by a nonconforming process.
Votes those supporting out!!!
Ask Mary McCann if she wants to be on County Board for the health insurance until she gets,Medicare.
She told me so!
Cal,
You are a hack.
Fair Play, then why do you tune in, every day, several times a day?
Seems you can’t get enough of Cal…
Time for the list on which board members are taking health care isn’t it Cal?
what will the next Chairman do with these unnecessary ‘make-work’ positions?
where is the work product, for benefit of taxpayers, of these positions?
FOIA requests yielded only hours said to be worked, no work product, and no location any place of work taking place.
I understand that Daddy Herb Franks attended the H & R meeting, but not the Chairman.
Was it take-your-Daddy-to-Work Day, or, did Jocko forget his lunchbox?
It used to be that Al Jourdan would sit in on things, or ominously walk past the room, to intimidate people.
Now it is Herbie Franks.