Tina Hill
Robert Martens
With McHenry County Chairwoman Tina Hill labeling Sandra Salgado’s service on the the Public Health and Human Services Committee “The Epitome of Conflict of Interest,” Fox River Grove Republican Precinct Committeeman has written a story entitled,
“The Epitome of Conflict of Interest” – Backroom Politics
Hill bases that characterization on the fact that Salgado works for Pioneer Center and Pioneer Centers gets financial support from the 708 Mental Health Board, whose Board members the Public Health Committee recommends.
[Of course, the last recommendation, Scott Summers was rejected by the Hill followers listed below on the County Board:
[Those opposing the nomination were
Scott Summers while he served as President of the McHenry County College Board.
- Michele Aavang
- Yvonne Barnes
- Sue Drafkorn
- Joe Gottemoller
- Jim Heisler
- Tina Hill
- John Jung
- Ken Koehler
- Bob Martens
- Mary McCann
- Mary McClellan
- Anna May Miller
- Bob Nowak
- Nick Provenzano
- Ersel Schuster
- Carolyn Schofield
- Mike Skala
- Paula Yensen
In favor were
- Nick Chirikos
- Diane Evertsen
- John Hammerand
- Donna Kurtz
- Sandy Salgado
- Mike Walkup
[And the last recommendation of Donna Kurtz’ Committee–after Hill announced that she would bypass the Committee–Jeff Thorsen, was not even placed on tonight’s County Board agenda. She has recommended Cathy Ferguson, a colleague of Thorsen on the Crystal Lake City Council.]
With that as background, Gasser’s conclusion might be of interest. Playing off Hill’s “epitome of conflict of interest” statement, Gasser concludes
“The real conflict of interest is Hill’s nominee of former Family Services & Community Mental Health Center for McHenry County CEO and current board member Bob Martens (Spring Grove).”
Bob Martens Family Services’ compensation reported on IRS 990 forms revealed in Andrew Gasser’s article.
Why?
He points to what he calls about a $140,000 “Golden Parachute” for Martens when he was listed as “Former CEO” of the Family Services and Community Health Center for McHenry County. (He found that information on the agency’s IRS Form 990.)
Gasser continues,
“This same year the McHenry Mental Health Board gave a loan to Family Services & Community Mental Health Center for McHenry County $719,981 when no other lending institution would do so because of the risk.”
Gasser then asks a series of questions that readers might find of interest.
One of them has to do with the August 2012 collapse of Family Services after Martens retired and while he was one of four GOP candidate for County Board in District 4.
Gasser asks,
“Should this person really be the liaison between the county board and the Mental Health Board?”
There is more, but, again, I suggest you go to the source of this story on Andrew Gasser’s blog.
As mentioned previously, replacement of Salgado with Martens will change the balance of power on the Public Health Committee. It will put Hill loyalists in control by a 4-3 margin.
For 708 Board purposes, that means that Hill can name replacements for the two seats whose terms expire January 1, 2014, without bypassing the committee for a second time:
- Vice President Brett Wisnauski
- Secretary Connee Meschini
Ferguson’s term, if approved, would expire at the same time.
The meeting at which Hill’s replacement recommendation will be considered in tonight at 7 PM in the building north of the McHenry County Jail.