The question of the process by which McHenry County Administrator’s four-year contract was brought up by Board member Terri Greeno at the Committee of the Whole meeting on Thursday.
She brought up the subject during member comments at the beginning of the meeting.
Since I could tell she was reading her statement, I asked for a copy, which appears below:
What do you call a back room deal that is railroaded through to be rubber stamped by elected officials?
It’s called a bureaucracy not a democracy.
No offense, but we had three guys of a certain age and of fair skin direct the public servant to write his own employment contract, then the 3 approved it and it was presented to elected officials with the instruction that no amendments were to be made.
No discussion.
No changes.
Directives given, sSometimes in executive session, sometimes in open session.
And when an elected official asked for information to be presented to other board members, she was denied.
Yet when another board member asked for information. It was instantly given Him.
To him with no problem…him.
This is why there are feminists and I’m not a feminist.
I don’t need to be.
I know my intrinsic value and my worth and that of everyone in this room, whether an employee or an elected official, every Constituent, and every Taxpayer.
I am here to say that this is why Illinois is a blue state.
Because all politics are local and this is how we are conducting our local Politics, I cannot call it governance.
It is politics at its worst.
We are the last red collar county in the Chicago metro area.
We had a conservative sweep in November in McHenry County and this is how elected officials are treated when it comes to the one position that we hire evaluate and negotiate a four-year contract.
There is no Democratic process in place to direct the process of our role in hiring evaluating and negotiating a contract for the administrator of this County.
This board, as a whole, has no idea of the total dollar amount or the budgetary impact of this contract, not even a range.
This has to be wiped away as a bad memory as a misstep, as a mistake, as an opportunity to change going forward…starting today.
I look forward to the engagement of a new process and how we can actually negotiate on behalf of the constituents of McHenry County, a contract with the county administrator.
We were elected to represent the constituents, the taxpayers of McHenry County not three guys in a back room.
No one rebutted Greeno during member comments, but that was not the case when Austin’s contract came up on the agenda.
At that point, Greeno, who runs a quite successful employee staffing firm, reported asking in the Finance Committee if the contract was negotiable or whether it was an up or down vote.
The answer was the latter.
Austin entered the discussion saying that he was not present to negotiate
“This is the agreement I would like to see,” he said.
“I’m not interested in reducing my benefits.”
Greeno pointed out that there was nothing presented concerning employee evaluation.”
“We have no idea what the dollar amount is” and that there was nothing in the resolution on the impact on the budget.”
She estimated it was $1.5 million.
“We are in the time of the DOGE.”
Austin explained there was no impact on the budget and that his compensation was posted on the county website.
“That’s after the fact,” she replied.
“I can’t vote on something without a price tag.”
Administrative Services Committee Chairman Joe Gottemoeller took the floor explaining that in the 1990’s it was decided that a County Administrator should be hired, rather than having the head of the Board handle the work.
He said Austin had done “an excellent job and that (in the proposed contact) the Golden Parachute was no longer there.
Continuing, Gottemoeller pointed out the salary increase was $13,000.
“In the past, this has been the County Board Chairman’s job,” but this year the Administrative Services and Finance and Audit Committees were included in the process.
He added that other governmental administrators were being similarly paid.
“I don’t believe this is an enormous increase in pay,” he concluded.
Brian Sager was the next to join the discussion.
“I truly believe this is an appropriate contract,” the Finance Committee member and former Woodstock Mayor and Acting President of McHenry County College.
He said that criticism at the Committee of the Whole meeting was “unwarranted,” that such points should have been brought up in Committee (Greeno Serves on both committees that considered the contract).
Speaking to Austin, he said, “I apologize that you were put through this.”
Referring to Greeno, he said she “lacks class.”
Board member Jim Kearns wondered if “the tail is wagging the dog.”
He spoke for a fairly long time.
One comment that stood out was from Mat Kunkle: “The Board is a feckless bunch of sheep.
At this point, Chairman Mike Buehler asked that members “stick to the issue.”
“I personally support Peter,” Kearns continued, adding that the Board had always Austin to write his own contract.
Austin agreed, explaining that the International Association of City Managers had a proto-type contract which he had used.
“I’m satisfied with this contract.
“Your time to ask is in committee”
Democrat Carolyn Campbell, a member of the Finance Committee, remarked, “We need to work together.
Finance Committee Chairman Mike Skala pointed out that Austin had suggested his contract be considered by committee.
= = = = =
Two comments from me.
The contract proposes that Austin receive the same percentage increase in future years as the other non-union employees.
With Austin scheduled to receive a 5.3% salary hike starting in May, does that mean the other non-union employees will receive the same percentage increased?
No one mentioned the figure 5.3% or asked what percentage increase the $13,000 salary hike represented.
Secondly, I reached out to former McHenry County College Board Chairman Scott Summer to ask how the MCC President’s contract was determined.
He emailed me that the entire Board was involved in the details.
