Prim/Zinke debate scheduled in sheriff's race

Thursday, February 25

7:00PM

McHenry County College

The debate between Bill Prim and Andy Zinke before the March 18th Republican Primary for McHenry County Sheriff will be held on Tuesday, February 25, at 7:00PM at McHenry County College.

Set your recording devices and plan to skip TV that night. Not a problem for me, since I haven't had a TV signal to my set for four years! Does anyone else live without TV?

The Northwest Herald will sponsor the debate in conjunction with the McHenry County League of Women Voters. The announcement in today's Northwest Herald did not include mention of any details about how questions from the audience will be answered.

I know some of questions that I'll want to ask:

If elected, will you reduce the number of days of suspension required to go before the Merit Commission? Currently, the sheriff can suspend a deputy for up to 30 days without the public's learning about it - even more than once.

Have you ever violated the LEADS system (used it to obtain personal information) or asked a subordinate to search LEADS for you?

Will you enforce, and personally observe, the County's take-home car policy and require any out-of-county-residence employee with a take-home car to turn in the car?

Will you enforce, and personally observe, the County's take-home car policy and not drive the take-home car on vacations and other personal-use trips?

Will you take away the take-home cars of employees (ex., jail personnel and MCSD office employees) who use them mainly to commute to/from work?

How many days of vacation will you take each year, and will you be at work on all the other work days? Andy, if you are elected, you will be a first-term sheriff. Will you count your prior years-of-service as an non-elected employee toward vacation time for which you consider yourself eligible?

Will you eliminate the positions of Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, Legal Affairs Officer, Undersheriff, Deputy Chief of Corrections, Deputy Chief of Courthouse Security and Business Manager?

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