Donna Kurtz Sworn In for County Treasurer

Donna Kurtz continued her public service career when she was sworn in as McHenry County Treasurer last week.

Replacing Republican Glenda Miller, she defeated Democrat Amin Karim and Libertarian Jim Young, gaining 56.6% of the vote to Karim’s almost 40% and Young’s 3.6%.

The margin over the Democrat was 29,339 votes.

Kurtz, of Crystal Lake, entered the public arena as a member of the McHenry County College Board in 2005, serving until 2010 when she was elected to the McHenry County Board.

After leaving the Board, she ran unsuccessfully for the Crystal Lake High School Board, but lost with her running mates to candidates endorsed by the teachers union.

Donna Kurtz

In her announcement press release she touted “her record of conservative fiscal responsibility, transparency, and honesty in McHenry County Government” and “over three decades of professional experience…serving as a licensed financial advisor – managing millions in investments, and in corporate management and leadership – managing multi-million-dollar budgets with large teams and staff.”

Kurtz is leaving the private sector where she was a consultant in the banking industry.

“My goal is to maintain the integrity of this office and to support the practices and methodologies established by Glenda Miller,” she said.

Kurtz received her BA from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL and her MBA from the University of Illinois in Springfield, IL. She holds numerous professional certifications in project management and systems/software development management.

Donna Kurtz grew up in Crystal Lake, IL and is a 1977 graduate of Crystal Lake Central High School where her sisters, Jennifer and Tammy also graduated. She is the daughter of the late James C. Kurtz, and former Illinois State Representative Rosemary Kurtz. Donna and her husband, Paul Minkus, and step-daughter, Tavi Minkus, reside in Crystal Lake.

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Here is the article run when Kurtz announced for County Board:

Donna Kurtz Runs for McHenry County Board

Upsetting the District 2 Republican apple-cart is McHenry County College Board member Donna Kurtz’ announcement that she is seeking one of two party nominations for the county board.

She is contesting the re-nomination of McHenry County Board Chairman Ken Koehler and member Lynn Orphal.

Lyn Orphal

So far, no Democrats have surfaced to provide a fall contest.

An opponent to having slot machines in bars and restaurants, the Kurtz candidacy could provide impetus for at least one District 2 county board member, Orphal, to vote to ban the machines in order to neutralize the issue or to at least support allowing citizens to offer input in a February advisory referendum.

The county board’s License and Liquor Committee is holding a public hearing next Wednesday, October 7th, starting at 6 PM to take input from the public.  Kurtz told McHenry County Blog she intends to attend.

Handing Donna Kurtz an American Flag and a flowers is former Crystal Lake Park Board member Leona Nelson.  This was done after she and Scott Summers’ censure by fellow McHenry County College Board members.

The last time Kurtz provided public testimony at a governmental body was when the Crystal Lake City Council was considering whether or not to allow a baseball stadium at McHenry County College.  She and trustee Scott Summers testified against the plan.

For that action, their MCC Board colleagues censured them. Read the linked article and you will see that Kurtz and Summers achieved near folk hero status.

Among other issues that are almost sure to come up are the Metra purchase of 17 acres of land half-owned by County Board Chairman Koehler.

Although Metra board members argued that a Ridgefield train stop was needed near McHenry County College, the board selected the least convenient location possible.  While no one has suggested Koehler did anything wrong in agreeing to sell the land to Metra, it certainly could become an issue, considering Kurtz is on the MCC board and not happy with the location.  And, especially since no one from Metra consulted with community college personnel prior to the inconvenient-to-students site’s selection.

Issues on Kurtz’ handout include

  • Make honesty & integrity the #1 priority in gov’t.
  • Fight corruption, self-interest, and “roads to nowhere,” i.e., Alden Road.
  • Work for real road and transportation solutions.
  • Demand fiscal responsibility.
  • Champion a McHenry County that remains beautify, productive, and economically vibrant.

The map showing which precincts Kurtz won and lost follows:

Red precincts went for Donna Kurtz, blue ones for Amin Karim. Nunda 18 results were a tie.

Comments

Donna Kurtz Sworn In for County Treasurer — 2 Comments

  1. LOL….as though Donna Kurtz is a Republican.

    When is that ruse going to be over?

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