Many people seem to be confused about the issue on the November 6 ballot about the County Executive. Read the materials carefully. Understand exactly on what you are voting. (You're not voting on whether you get to select the chairman of the County Board.)
Currently, Peter Austin is the appointed County Administrator. He is appointed by the County Board. If he does a good job (and keeps 13 of the 24 County Board members happy), he keeps his job.
There is certainly the possibility that he could be doing a good, even great, job but rub 13 of the 24 the wrong way, and then he'd be out of a job.
So, what's the big deal on November 6? If I understand the question on the ballot (and don't take my word for it), voters will have a crack at changing the County Administrator position from appointed to elected. And then?
If you don't like the person in office or he's doing a lousy job or maybe not even showing up for work, he gets to keep his job until the end of his elected term; i.e., barring conviction on a very short list of criminal charges for which he could be thrown out of office. Remember, in Illinois, Land of Unquestioned Honesty and Ethics, elected officials cannot be recalled.
For example, one major elected office in McHenry County is currently filled by a lame-duck official; or should I say official, lame duck? The office holder collects his $12,000+ every month just like clockwork, no matter where he is or how few days he shows up at the office. Or if he even shows up at all. He can't be removed from office, even if he gets a speeding ticket in his County-supported vehicle 300 miles from home while vacationing. (That trip might have put 1,200 miles on his County-supported vehicle!)
Think he paid income tax on the value of his personal use of that County vehicle for 2011? If so, how much? For all personal use? How about over the past 12 years? How much personal use of County vehicles did he rack up? Is the County Auditor sniffing around? Is the IRS sniffing around?
Do we need a McHenry County Czar? (Cal Skinner reports on McHenry County Blog that Mike Walkup, contender for a County Board (District 3) seat in November, claims he was the first to coin the phrase "County Czar" for the elected County Executive position.
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2 comments:
Vote YES. Right now we have a situation where the County Board members are all beholden to the Chairman. He is elected (appointed) by them and if you vote yes for him then he pays you back but you must do HIS bidding. To keep in his good graces they vote HIS way. He is then the Czar. He commands a huge salary and doles out favorites back their way. If the Chair is ELECTED in a general election or is an Executive, then the PEOPLE have control not just the 26 stooges that occupy the palace at 666 Ware Road.
Will County went to the County Executive saved greatly on taxes and reduced politics. Having an ELECTED executive takes away much of the good old boy politics.
They are fighting hard to keep the status quo. They want the power, not relinquish it to the electorate.
Aren't there two separate issues?
1. Should McHenry County change to an Elected Administrator (County Executive) form of government?
2. Should voters elect the County Board Chairman?
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