If you haven't been reading Zane Seipler's blog, maybe it's about time to start.
Several people have asked when I am going to begin slinging the mud, and I'm not. But it looks like I won't have to, if Zane keeps his blog up and running.
The supervisor of the police vehicle maintenance garage, located just east of the Government Center (and sheriff's department headquarters) gets about seven hours of over-time approved for, apparently, chauffeuring the sheriff during parades. Zane has a photocopy of one of the payroll authorizations on his blog, and that is not the only year when that happened.
Cal Skinner wrote on www.mchenrycountyblog.com that "But Nygren’s former primary election opponent Zane Seipler has discovered overtime pay going to five employees from 2006 to present that amounts to something between “$18,920-$23,650.”
“473hrs of overtime at $40-$50/hr during the summer months.”
A question being asked now is whether parades are political events or departmental P.R. events. The fine line isn't that thin. If the sheriff is decked out in shorts and a non-uniform shirt and riding in a Gary Lang-sponsored convertible, it's a political event. That's a no-brainer.
If he's in uniform in a patrol car, he's on duty and strutting his stuff as the County's top dog in law enforcement. As long as there is no electioneering and no candy being tossed.
Thanks for all your efforts to bring out all the dirt, Zane. I don't mind your doing it. I'm just not going to do it myself.
Once I'm in office, all that nonsense will come to a screeching halt.
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Second try at logging in. Hope this works. I saw your site when trying to post a comment at McHenryCO Blog. I have a question for Mahon
Why hasn't he or the paper questioned Jose Rivera on how he can hand out offical McHenry Co Sheriff Business cards saying he is an Advisor to the Sheriff and flash a shiny deputy badge when deputies are not allowed to have liquor licenses? Didn't his place just get charged with selling to minors? If he is a Sheriff Advisor then what does the Undersheriff do? How about the other command officers?
Mahon needs to get on the stick and ask some questions becasue obviously the NWH is like the NY POST. They only support their guy.
Did you see today’s NWH? Now Nygren is trying to cover his tracks using the "best defense is a strong offense" line. Who is he now talking about? None other than Jose Rivera. They are going to team up to start the Mexican exchange program again.
According to the paper Jose was a HUNTLEY COP????? Now that info I don't believe. Where is the Illinois Police Training Certificate for him? Talk is cheap. Jose can hardly speak English let alone be a cop. I can't remember Jose ever being a Huntley cop....does anyone else?
The NWH is Nygren's PR firm, GRATIS.
Are we really saying that if Nygren is not in uniform he is not on duty or representing the Sheriff's Department? And are we also saying that a business in the county can't support their Sheriff's Department as an entity/organization separate from political support of a specific candidate? Both just seem like odd claims to me.
Nygren standing up in a privately-owned convertible, dresssed in shorts and a summer shirt, and his wife sitting on the trunk of the car, is clearly in a political parade. If MCSD is paying an employee (regular or overtime) to drive him, that is clearly wrong.
A business can support the work of the sheriff's dept., as long as it doesn't expect, or receive, any favors in return. To what kind of support are you referring?
So you are really clearly stating that a Sheriff/Police Chief etc... can not represent his/her department unless in uniform? And your also stating that a private business can not offer product/services to a law enforcement agency as a sign of support of that law enforcement agency?
For instance doesn't the Cook County Sheriff's office have an assigned internal department that actually is responsible to coordinate it's representation in local parades? Do you think the employees of the Cook County Sheriff's dept. that work in that department donate all their time to coordinate, participate, prepare/drive/clean vehicles and trailers etc...? I may be off base here but I think this odd attack on how local safety departments are allowed to participate in such community events could really have a negative impact on such great events with no real benefit.
But Seriously, I am NOT saying what you are saying that I am saying.
I said, and I repeat, if Nygren is in shorts and a casual shirt and standing up in a private vehicle in a parade with his wife sitting on the lowered convertible top, he is a political figure in a parade, not "representing" the Sheriff's Department.
If he has a suit on in court or at a County Board meeting, then he could be representing the Sheriff's Department. There; is that clearer?
And what I said was, if a business wants to "support" a law enforcement agency, it can do that, and it should not expect anything in return.
If a restaurant, say a hot dog stand, gives free hot dogs and cokes to all the cops who come in, and, in exchange, the cops never ticket the delivery drivers of that hot dog stand, that should be illegal.
It's probably a good idea for businesses NOT to donate to law enforcement, because they WILL expect a pass, whether or not it is stated.
Now, is there some part of this that you still don't understand?
But Seriously, I don't know whether the Cook County Sheriff's office has a division or office that works with parade requests. I have no knowledge of any employees or payroll of any such division or office.
There has been no attack by me on participation by law enforcement in community events. For example, the motorcycles of the sheriff's department and the conservation district are clearly there as representatives of their organizations.
Sorry Gus, a bit of a misunderstanding I was not accusing you of politically attacking anyone in your post. My intent was to refer to the political attacks made in one of the sites you referred us to in your post. My apologies if it read as an accusation at you.
But I do respectfully disagree with you that local business's can not support local Law enforcement (or other dept's as in a Fire dept) without it being implicitly implied that they are looking for a quid pro quo. I think that's really a jaded view that assumes the worse out of our community and it's residents.
But Seriously, thanks for your additional comments. I get it now. Yes, it is getting nasty. As far as my own race, I know I've got to do it my way. Others are digging out a lot of controversial information.
I can agree about support with no strings attached, but it must be overseen carefully.
Thanks again for your comments.
Nygren uses the official taxpayer owned vehicles of the Sheriff department for personal political publicity. How many Department vans, busses, boats and trailers say KEITH NYGREN SHERIFF? All of them do except the squad cars and I see that coming. Having the Motorcycles right with Nygren and his wife sitting on a convertible is plain old politicking.
Having HIS name on taxpayer provided vehicles is WRONG. Why don't the people seeing it complain.When or where will it end. Will he put his name on the COURTHOUSE next?
Also can someone FOIA and see if Rivera was ever a real police officer via the Training Board. I think Nygren's claim is 100% BS.
You are 100% right about politicizing MCSD vehicles by plastering Nygren's name all over them. I said a long time ago that the sheriff's name does not belong on vehicles, because the vehicles belong to the People!
Several FOIA requests have been submitted to Huntley PD for details of Rivera's past employment there.
Several FOIA requests will probably end up at the Training & Standards Board.
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