Illinois Leaks Questions Whether Algonquin Township Clerk Karen Lukasik Is Doing Her Job

Illinois Leaks’ Kirk Allen has written articles blasting Algonquin Township Clerk and Freedom of Information Officer Karen Lukasik.

Here’s one from today published with permission:

Algonquin Township Clerk -“It’s not my responsibility”

McHenry Co. (ECWd) –During our last couple articles regarding Clerk’s duties, numerous people reached out wanting us to disclose where we got our information.We never disclose our sources, but more often than not, the information is part of a public record that can be obtained through the public body.

Karen Lukasik

It is becoming clear the Algonquin Township Clerk, Karen Lukasik, is either obstructing the operations of the Township or at a minimum completely ignorant of what her obligations are.

As it relates to the position claiming she has to be present in order for a meeting to be held, four days prior to my article she was advised by legal counsel on that matter and we were correct in our assertion.

“You do not have the right to impede the scheduling of a public hearing based upon your belief that you should be present” – James P. Kelly, Algonquin Township Attorney

Of additional interest, email communications we have obtained reflect her position on November 22, 2017, as it relates to her appointing a Deputy Clerk.

I am not appointing a deputy clerk at this time.”

I wonder what happened between November 22nd, 2017, when she said she is not appointing a deputy clerk at this time and November 25th, 2017, where she changed positions on the subject as part of her excuse for FOIA compliance?

I plan on appointing a deputy clerk and hiring someone ASAP to be able to get caught up.”

Reading the email below it appears she said she would do one thing then turned around and created excuses for not doing it.

“Further, you stated on November 20 you stated that you would have the notice published.

“It is now too late to have the notice of public hearing timely published for the budget hearing.

“The failure to timely schedule this public hearing will effectively impede the ability of the Township and Road District to meet its obligations and impede its operations.”  -James P. Kelly, Algonquin Township Attorney

The Clerk took the position that it is not her job to publish the budget hearing notice.

“I have not posted this to the paper it is not my responsibility”

Oh really?

The Township attorney informed her it is her inherent duty to publish the budget hearing notice.

We contend it is not an inherent duty but a mandated duty based on language found in both the Township code and the Illinois Municipal Budget Act.

From the Township Code

“It is the duty of the township clerk to arrange for the public hearing.”

When you read that duty in the law, you have to be smart enough to determine what it takes to have a public hearing because you have to arrange it.  It would appear either the Clerk has not read the law on her duties or simply is not capable of comprehending what arrange for the public hearing means.

From the Illinois Municipal Budget Act:

It shall be the duty of the clerk, secretary, or other similar officer, of such municipality to make such tentative budget and appropriation ordinance available to public inspection, and to arrange for such public hearing or hearings.” 50 ILCS  330/3 

The Illinois Municipal Budget Act points to the Clerk, Secretary, or other similar officer, which indicates under that law it is her duty as well as the duty of the secretary or other similar officer.

Based on the email chain, she has taken the position it’s not her job.  We believe she is absolutely wrong on that assertion, much like her assertion no meeting could be held without her present.

Additionally, the email communications appear to point to a little kingdom feud going on.

Karen Lukasik: “I do not have anyone overseeing me”

Although it was clear in the email she was expressing her opinion as it relates to the staff, as in she is over them and they don’t tell her what to do.  She even points out specifically one person, “especially not Ryan Provenzano”.

Although we agree employees of the Township do not oversee her, she would do well to understand the people do in fact oversee her as she answers to them.  Considering her online statements of; “Let me do the job the public elected me to do and stop these silly immature political games all at the expense of the taxpayers.”, we contend she must first learn what her job is. 

If she is unable to read the law and apply it to her obligations it may be high time for her to accept the fact she took a position before realizing all that was involved and she is in over her head.

Our work is funded entirely thru donations and we ask that you consider donating at the below link.

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The next Algonquin Township Board Meeting is on the calendar for Wednesday, December 13th.


Comments

Illinois Leaks Questions Whether Algonquin Township Clerk Karen Lukasik Is Doing Her Job — 17 Comments

  1. Short version:

    When you read that duty in the law, you have to be smart enough to determine what it takes to have a public hearing because you have to arrange it.

    It would appear either the Clerk has not read the law on her duties or simply is not capable of comprehending what arrange for the public hearing means.

    Karen Lukasik: “I do not have anyone overseeing me”

    Although it was clear in the email she was expressing her opinion as it relates to the staff, as in she is over them and they don’t tell her what to do.

    She even points out specifically one person, “especially not Ryan Provenzano”.

    The Township employees do not oversee her, but she would do well to understand the people do in fact oversee her as she answers to them.

    Considering her online statements of; “Let me do the job the public elected me to do and stop these silly immature political games all at the expense of the taxpayers.”, we contend she must first learn what her job is.

    If she is unable to read the law and apply it to her obligations it may be high time for her to accept the fact she took a position before realizing all that was involved and she is in over her head!

  2. Lots of questions Kirk Allen:

    “As it relates to the position claiming she has to be present in order for a meeting to be held, four days prior to my article she was advised by legal counsel on that matter and we were correct in our assertion.”

    Your article was dated Nov 26, and she received the legal opinion Nov 22, which according to the township lawyer was to late already.

    Do you think since it was discussed earlier Nov 20, the township lawyer was lacking in being timely, or just incompetent, or had to look it up because of ignorance?

    ““Further, you stated on November 20 you stated that you would have the notice published.”

    Is this taken out of context since she needed the meeting info from the Supervisor and also must of asked for a legal opinion at the same time and didn’t get either till Nov 22. To late wasn’t it?

    ““I am not appointing a deputy clerk at this time.”

    I wonder what happened between November 22nd, 2017, when she said she is not appointing a deputy clerk at this time and November 25th, 2017, where she changed positions on the subject as part of her excuse for FOIA compliance?”

    So since we know the records have been rifled through by various people or you probably wouldn’t have the records you do, and you yourself complained in a post on Nov 24 of not getting a FOIA request completed, and she also is dealing with other requests for records, since she is a rookie, maybe she now realizes she can’t save any $$$$ and needs help, don’t ya think cutting her some slack since the past Clerk, now Supervisor isn’t helping her?

    “Additionally, the email communications appear to point to a little kingdom feud going on.”

    Sure, the past Clerk now Supervisor let the New Road Commissioner, a new Board member, and who knows else rifle through the records.

    The new Clerk claims records are missing, we have a new patronage worker Ryan, who started less than a year ago at $13 per hour, now making $33 per hour giving her smit.

    So if you were in her position, and didn’t even get access to all the records for almost a month, would you be happy?

    Do you think the Township lawyer is obstructing since he needs the good will of the Supervisor to keep his position?

    Since you’ve already printed copies of records while not getting your FOIA info, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure where you and the McHenry County Blog are getting leaks from.

    “It is becoming clear the Algonquin Township Clerk, Karen Lukasik, is either obstructing the operations of the Township or at a minimum completely ignorant of what her obligations are.”

    Completely ignorant is a false opinion of course, all the new people elected at Alg Twh except the

    Supervisor are rookies, some ignorance of all the different laws should be expected. You don’t thinks so?

    Why has there been no Watch dogging on the Supervisor who just took the 5th in relationship to new camera’s placement?

    Kirk you said you don’t play games, yet you frame your posts in a way that is nothing more than political waltzing, which sir is playing games!

    I see from some of the comments on your site a few people agree with me.

    Very telling.

  3. Great article by Illinois Leaks and the Watchdogs.

    Thank you for posting.

    The NorthWorst Herald is useless. (much like the ‘subject’ of this article)

    Makes one wonder why she wanted this job if she had no idea what it entailed and no interest in learning? Did ‘someone’ scheme to have her run to ensure damning records would be destroyed in order to keep their secrets?

    Name is Karen MILLER Lukasik, after all.

    Related?

    Speaking of relation, I also understand she’s the spouse of Fox Rvr Grove’s newly retired Police Chief.

    That’s troubling.

  4. Nob – go get polished!

    Then get a grip on what has been going on at Algonquin Township!

  5. All that Ryan guy said in the mail was here’s the notices and have a great Thanksgiving.

    That clerk gave about the most darn crazy response I ever did see.

  6. The person that retired use to place the notices in the paper, Ryan is apparently not doing that.

    There are political games being played not obvious to most.

    Those games are making lawyers richer at tax payers expense.

    Bring in a third party to examine the records, it maybe the only way to get the truth.

    Patronge Ryan started at $13 and now less than a year makes $33 per hour means nothing?

    Chuck taking the 5th means nothing?

    Take off the blinders, it takes more than one to play a game.

  7. Kelley needs to go back to fifth grade and study grammar, and what homonyms are all about.
    then he should go back to 3rd grade and learn to spell.

    Then he should take a glorified high school class (at MCC) on basic logic.

    Karen, as loony as she is, DOES make some good points about the supervisor’s role and taking orders from Ryan, the ‘Lion.’

    Is Lutzow so incapacitated he needs a go-fer?

  8. Rickey Ricardo, did you know John Wayne Gacy was a Republican Precinct Committeeman?

  9. Gacy was a Democrat, but nice try.

    There is a picture of him shaking hands with Rosalynn Carter that can easily be found with a simple Google search.

  10. Billy Bob, this was during the Big Jim Thompson days.

    I am sure he shook hands with many people.

    Big Jim wound up as AG for the Northern District, before he ran for Gov.

  11. All biographies and such on Big John (the pedophile) begin and end with he was a lifelong DEMOCRAT!

    I wouldn’t even give anotherwatcher a ‘nice try’ for that stupendous lie.

    Pick one anotherwatcher.

    You are an idiot OR you are a liar!

  12. One might argue that Jim Thompson was really a Democrat; he certainly spent money like a Dem and had the ethics of one, but that’s beside the point.

    I have read numerous articles on Gacy that identified him as a Democratic precinct captain, and exactly zero that identified him as a Republican.

    What is your source for this knowledge that no one else in the world seems to have?

  13. Billy Bob, check with Cal, maybe he will remember.

    If you go back to that time in Illinois History, we had many switch hitters.

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