Salaries of current McHenry Township officials are as follows:
- Supervisor – $68,677
- Highway Commissioner – $76,179
- Assessor – $67,677
- Clerk – $13,009
- Trustees – $100 per meeting
Over the four years they are in office each office, but the Trustees, will see a six percent raise, according to Democratic Party Assessor Mary Mahady.
Republican Trustee Bob Anderson proposed the following salary schedule for those elected in 2012:
- Supervisor – $45,000
- Road Commissioner – $45,000
- Assessor – $35,000
- Clerk – $10,000
During the Public Comment period before the guts of the meeting, Mahady made an impassioned pitch that $35,000 was too low to attract a qualified candidate.
She was particularly disturbed that the proposed salary for the Assessor was “22% lower than the other officials.'”
“This clearly shows you have little knowledge of the duties and qualifications,” she said.
“We all deserve to have a qualified person in this position.
“There aren’t a lot of people beating down the door to get that position,” she continued.
Mahady had no opposition in her re-election bid last year.
She predicted that at $35,000 there would be “a part-time Assessor or one who acts like a part-time Assessor.”
Others spoke during Public Comment.
Jammie Brubach reflected on the negative situation Illinois finds itself in.
“We must do what we can do locally.
“We’ve been far too generous [with township salaries].”
Steve Verr, who lost the Supervisor’s race to Craig Adams, reminded people in attendance that the GOP ran a “Tax Revolt” campaign.
He pointed out that the salaries being discussed were for the next term, so there was nothing person in the proposal.
Verr told of the time before 1972 when each Township Supervisor served on the McHenry County Board.
While the County Board members now earn about $22,000 a year, township supervisor’s salaries have soared.
“Township officials are making four and sometimes five times what county board members are paid.
“I ask the Board to vote to cut the salaries drastically.
“Something has to give and it’s going to happen tonight.”
“I totally disagree,” Anthony Buiski (Sp?), the next speaker said.
Referencing the tax bill in his pocket, he said “the township and road district are the lowest on my bill.
“Fifty-six bucks a year.
“The County does a crap job on roads.
“No matter what, somebody’s going to get paid to do the job.
“This guy [Bob Anderson] has a vendetta against this township.”
Darius Draper from Wonder Lake referred to the salary cut as “the first step.”
An employee of the Assessor’s Office, Eric Floden (Sp?) told of Mahady’s goal to visit each of the homes in the township. He related how thirty-six subdivisions have been re-valued in the last six years.
He explained that if a subdivision has a Coefficient of Dispersion [margin of error in human talk], of over 14%, Mahady reassesses it. [Mahady’s most recent margin of error was 19.21%.]
Judith Gottlieb also spoke against the salary `cut.
She said she would save $26 if on “salaries if all gotten rid ot.”
“I don’t think the salaries are out of line.
“I know the Highway Commissioner is a Professional Engineer [and] has saved us money not having to contract out for certain highway assessments.” [Road Commissioner James Condon paid former Algonquin Township Road Commissioner Bob Miller $480 to develop bid specifications for a new salt dome.]
During the debate on the issue later in the meeting, Adams defended the salary he is now receiving.
“I do have a full-time job.
“I’m here more than forty hours a week.
“It’s not about me [because it will not affect currently serving officials].
He offered salary comparisons which appear below for the Harrison (Wonder Lake) Grade School District and several not-for-profit organizations:
- Harrison School Superintendent – $130,104
- Family Alliance Exec – $88,800
- Adult & Child Therapy Services Exec – $84,871
- Braveheart Therapeutic Riding & Education Center Exed – $88,000
“You have to pay according to the market.
“If [you don’t you’ll]get a part-timer and he’ll come along and ask for an administrator.”
He referred to Algonquin Township as having “a very part-time” Supervisor. “There’s no doubt about that.”
Anderson then made his motion.
Besides the salaries listed above, it included Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund participation and health benefits the same as other full-time employees.
Mahady interjected, “Surprise, surprise.”
After the motion, Adams said there were two choices:
- either the very elite and wealth or
- someone who will take is as a part-time job
Anderson reiterated that Republicans ran on a “Tax Revolt” platform.
“For many years I’ve believed salaries [have been] more than ought to be.”
Mahady spoke again, pointing out that if she had to get another job, “I wouldn’t be here.”
Trustee Bill Cunningham pointed out the Grafton Township Assessor earned $30,000.
Mahady said the Assessor’s salary was cut to $30,000 because the Township Board did not like the Assessor.
“[But] they didn’t have anyone else to run [and the incumbent]won on a write-in.”
“You’re running for State Senate and you’re going to do both of those jobs,” Anderson pointed out.
“I’m glad you’re so confident I’m going to win,” Mahady retorted.
Attempting to delay the vote, Adams said, “I think this needs more study. We don’t have to do this for three years.
Trustee Mike Rakestraw talked about how some property values had plunged 60%, but township salaries had not decreased.
“You said you would go down to Springfield and still hold this job, Mary.”
The Assessor said she was trying “to fix that [the devalued property problem].
“It’s not [that one can] push a button.
She then pointed out that of the twelve candidates for Township Trustee, the Republicans did not receive a majority of the votes cast.
“It’s not a mandate.
“State Senate and State Representative are part-time positions.
Someone on the Board said, “$67,000 for a part-time position.”
“Your decision cannot be made on what I’m going to be doing.”
Rakestraw said he thought the Assessor should be paid $45,000, the same as the Supervisor and the Road Commissioner.
Anderson accepted his suggestion and the motion passed 4-1 with Supervisor Adams voting against the proposal.
This is a disjointed and poorly written story.
Grafton twnshp cut the asset stirs salary ‘because they didn’t like him?’
Wow, I smell a discrimination lawsuit there.
Why does McHenry Township have half the population of Algonquin Township, YET OVER TWICE AS MANY TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEES!
This crooked patronage army must be eliminated!
The salaries should have been cut more; these fatcat officials don’t work!
Now the Township drones have a new corrupt deal going: Nepotism by Proxy.
Here’s how it works: Thanks to the Miller gang’s exposure in Alonguin, where he hired his sons-in-law at outrageous salaries and gave his wife over $90K a year to be his ‘secretary’, the township hacks won’t hire their kin directly: They just get another hack in another township to hire them, and then they hire that crook’s kin … or like a “multi-team major league baseball trade” have a dirty scheme where Township X’s kin is hired by Township Y w/ Township Y’s kin hired by Township Z w/ Township Z’s kin hired by Township A, etc.
Then they all have plausible deniability going.
King Condon the corrupt bast++d of McHenry County Road Dist. hired the son of my own corrupt Road Dist. in Nunda’s “Iron” Mike Lesperance.
See everybody get the ‘jump’ on the taxpayer and it all looks like there’s no nepotism, YET THERE IS, Nepotism by Proxy ….. kind of a psychological disorder like von Munchausen by proxy syndrome (MBPS).
In this idiotic “thank you for your service” era we’re stuck paying for. The Public Sector thinks their all selfless Audie Murphy’s.
I view them as all Pee Wee Herman’s.
At least this board is representing the people.
The hacks at Algonquin Township don’t even know what they can or can’t do.
Go get em McHenry Township board!
and keep focusing on we the people.
End this system!
Justin, as an ER Nurse, I do regularly come in contact with people suffering from Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome.
It’s really a kind of child abuse, frequently severe child abuse!
What Mr. Condon & Co. is doing is taxpayer abuse!
Why incompetent people think they are amazing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOLmD_WVY-E
A short and poignant video which describes McHenry Township Officials sense of entitlement.
Great post Abe! Mahaday, Conden and Adams need to study that youtube video.
They think they are indispensable and the world will end if they don’t get kudus on an hourly basis for basically doing nothing.
Great job McHenry Township Trustees!
If only we had good trustees in Nunda!
Adams screwed up a huge grant when he occupied space as an administrator at Pioneer Center.
Ask him why he doesn’t work there any more.
People suffered because he couldn’t do his overpaid job then.
And he’s doing the same thing now as supervisor!
This is brilliant.
I remember telling Congressman Smith that he needed to let go of the “only NASA” can launch rockets much like the “only Bob” can plow snow.
Well we have SpaceX now and land rockets on boats.
Algonquin Township survived just fine this winter even with a 113 year snow event.
Change is good – and needed.
Honest LOL ! Your link brought me an odd memory. I grew up ‘next’ to Dunning in Chicago. It was an infamous state insane asylum. Changing buses on Irving Park you would often be exposed to the inmates. (Long since torn down; it is now a memorial Park because of the mass graves found on the property)
Then you have the urban dictionary Dunning.
I just found the incompetence correlation odd. Thanks Honest.
Excellent Job!
Finally elected officials (Board members) who didn’t wimp out to the pathetic tears of the Township Pigs (Supervisor, Road Dist. Honcho and ASS-essor)!
Why is Mahady’s home undervalued????
Poor Mahady, She’s a sad-sack Lady!
Justin, the shell game nepotism of township parasites has been going on in various forms for many, many years.
Nearly all Townships engage in it.
They think we’re dumb.
Thanks to Gasser, Bob Anderson and this blog, people are finally waking up to grifters.
Townships burn through tax money like trhere’s no tomorrow — unlike the tax-money wasting schools, the townships can’t even justify their continued existence!
So how disturbing was it when Adams said if you lower the pay only the elite wealthy will want the job so if you work real hard. long hours away from family. become wealthy building a business.
in America you are an elitis and the taxpayer’s should beware if you want to run for his job at half the pay.
What a pathetic statement
I ran for Mchenry Township Clerk not for the unbelievable high income, but to serve My Country and help the people of this state that are getting taxed out of their homes, by reducing the pay of these positions is a small part of help, 70% of My tax bill goes to the School District, $8,800.00 this is the biggest problem.
Cunningham blindly following bob like a lost little puppy.
When is your house going to be finished so you can move out of the state and off the board?
Machone is obviously one of the overpaid township racketeers whose salary got axed, or one of their minions.
I salute the Township Board of McHenry Township for finally doing something to stop the compensation escalator, complete with gold-plated pension scams, the township monkeys have been enjoying for generations.
Yes, Leo, people are ‘waking up’ and finally reining in the township taxoholics.
Honest – please have Melisa Victor and the rest of the Algonquin Township board watch that link!!!!!
Rickey you are obviously one of the idiotic trustees that voted to slash salaries.
Not one qualified person will do those jobs for that amount of money.
Exactly what Bob and you want to get one of your do nothing buddies into that position to run it into the ground.
Trustees and nepotism!
Honest…here’s hoping the trustees from our Nunda township and Algonquin township will sit up and take notice.
Im curious why nothing was said about the second order of business that evening.
At the Mchenry Townships Annual meeting a proposal was presented and passed by a vote of 76-0 (Which is a mandate), Requiring the Board to perform a study to determine if it will save or cost us taxpayers money if the Road District is consolidated into the Township.
At that point MR. Anderson decides to question the validity of the annual meeting.
Simply a delay tactic surly !
We just want to know if this consolidation will actuall save us money or not, I would just like to make a educated decision before I vote in November, I’m sure many of my constituents feel the same.
Another question is whether the electors at the Town Meeting had the authority to mandate such a study.
Can anyone point to such statutory authority?