Words Of Wisdom

"[H]e who permits himself to tell a lie once, finds it much easier to do it a second and a third time, till at length it becomes habitual; he tells lies without attending to it, and truths without the world's believing him."

 --Thomas Jefferson (1785)

Words Of Wisdom

"No people will tamely surrender their Liberties, nor can any be easily subdued, when knowledge is diffused and Virtue is preserved. On the Contrary, when People are universally ignorant, and debauched in their Manners, they will sink under their own weight without the Aid of foreign Invaders."

 --Samuel Adams, Letter to James Warren, November 4, 1775

Time For Making Election Decisions

Yes, that means there is an Election Day on the horizon—this one--March 18--is a General Primary Election. McHenry County Clerk, Katherine C. Schultz, announced that voters may make application for an absentee ballot for the March 18 General Primary Election. 

 The first day to apply was Thursday, February 6 and the last day for the County Clerk’s Office to receive applications by mail is Thursday, March 13.

Absentee ballots mailed to individuals must be voted, post marked prior to Election Day and received no later than the 14th day after the election.

Persons may apply for an absentee ballot by mail--McHenry County Clerk, 2200 N. Seminary Avenue, Woodstock, IL 60098.

Applications for absentee voting may be obtained by calling 815-334-4242 or downloaded from the County Clerk’s website:

http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/county-government/departments-a-i/county-clerk

A candidate whose name is on the ballot is prohibited from assisting a physically disabled absentee voter unless the candidate is the spouse, parent, brother or sister of the voter,” Schultz explains.

“Also, no one other than the absentee voter shall deposit the absentee ballot in the mail,” she added.

An absentee ballot may be delivered “in person” to the County ‘Clerk’s Office, by either the voter or by a spouse, parent, child, brother or sister of the voter. If the ballot is delivered by any of the aforesaid persons, written authorization from the voter must also be provided. A ballot may also be delivered to the Clerk’s office by an authorized delivery service.

A voter who was issued an absentee ballot, by mail, may surrender his unvoted absentee ballot on Election Day, at the polling site and vote in person .

Schultz noted that individuals, who register to vote by mail, must provide sufficient proof of identity. Any person, who registered by mail, who has never voted in McHenry County before, and is requesting an absentee ballot through the mail, must provide sufficient proof of identity, to allow the election authority to verify the voter’s identity, prior to the mailing of an absentee ballot, or the absentee voter may vote “in person” at the McHenry County Administration Building, Room 107, with one exception: any voter who is voting under the provisions of the uniformed and overseas citizen absentee voting act, who registered by mail, may vote absentee by mail.

Further information may be obtained by calling 815-334-4242 or the Illinois Board of Election at 217-782-4141 in Springfield or 312-814-6440 in Chicago. 
“In person” absentee voting will be conducted 
McHenry County Administration Building 
667 Ware Road Room 107 
Woodstock, IL. 
Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Words Of Wisdom

"No people will tamely surrender their Liberties, nor can any be easily subdued, when knowledge is diffused and Virtue is preserved. On the Contrary, when People are universally ignorant, and debauched in their Manners, they will sink under their own weight without the Aid of foreign Invaders." --Samuel Adams, Letter to James Warren, November 4, 1775

Government At Work

Thursday February 13—

8:30 AM – McHenry County Legislative Committee-

Meeting in the County Conference Room, County Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock.

State Legislative updates are to be provided committee members by Katy Lawrence, of Metro Counties.

Trent Lehman, of the Ferguson Group is to provide Federal Legislative updates.

12:00 AM – McHenry County Zoning Hearing Officer-

Two matters are being presented for consideration by the hearing officer.

The first is a request for a variation in McHenry Township to allow a pool in the side yard and a pole barn in the front yard. The property is located

This request is for a variation to allow a pool in the side yard and a pole barn in the front yard. The property is located in Oak Ridge Subdivision, in McHenry Township. A request is being made to allow a pool in a side yard and a pole barn in a front yard. 

PLEASE NOTE

Since we were persuaded to install U-verse, we no longer have Outlook Express e-mail. Although we are working on an attempt to change that.

In the meantime, we have to change our e-mail affiliations.

We are using Yahoo mail. That means the e-mail address is changed to

irisbryan315@yahoo.com

It may take some time to return to “the way things were”. It is also taking time to get to like U-verse. At the present time, I’d really like to be back with the DSL.I did not include the TV as I’m not interested in it. I’m more a radio person having worked for a local station and a professional NPR station at Penn State.

Words Of Wisdom

"The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself has ordained."

 --George Washington, First Inaugural Address, 1789

Government At Work

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 12-

8:15 a.m. – McHenry County Public Health and Human Services Committee—

Meeting in the County Board Conference Room, County Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock.

The committee is to interview four interested individuals to be named for a four-year term on the McHenry County Mental Health Board, including: Robin Perry, Samuel Melei, Carlos Acosta and Phillip Bartman. One person is to be recommended for the County Board to make the final appointment for a four-year term to expire January 2018

Six resolutions are to be considered by the committee including acceptance of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Grant for the McHenry County Workforce Network including:

• Authorizing a contract with Visions of Video for the Purchase of Televisions for Valley Hi Nursing Home
• Authorizing a contract with Bowden Family Dairy for Supplying Valley I Nursing Home with eggs and dairy products
• Authorizing a contract for food and other related items with Gordon Food Services of Grand Rapids, Michigan for Valley Hi Nursing Home
• Authorizing the continued appointment of Gilbert Egekeze, M.D. as Medical Director for Valley Hi Nursing Home.

Words Of Wisdom

"The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself has ordained."

 --George Washington, First Inaugural Address, 1789

Government At Work

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 11—

8:15a.m. – McHenry County Human Resources Committee

Meeting in the County Board Conference Room, County Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock.

In addition to considering the authorization of the reclassification of an administrative position, the committee is to discuss proposed wellness and health insurance changes.

9; 30 a.m.—McHenry County Finance and Audit Committee—

Meeting in the County Board Conference Room, County Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock.

The committee is to consider resolutions:

• Providing for software for Sheriff’s office, extending a lease contract for the Sheriff’s Starcom Radio System, appropriating funds for emergency purchase of road salt;
• Authorizing applications for and execution of a Grant Agreement for the McRide Transit Service under the RTA
• Authorizing an emergency appropriation in the Planning and Development Fiscal Year 2014 Budget

Several resolutions for Valley Hi Nursing Home to provide:

• For purchase of cleaning materials and housekeeping supplies
• Contract with Bowden Family Dairy for supply of eggs and dairy products
• Contract with Gordon Food Services of Grand Raids, Michigan for food and related items for Valley Hi;
• Authorizing the continued appointment of Gilbert Egekeze, M.D. as medical director for Valley Hi Nursing Home.
• Authorizing acceptance of an emergency appropriation to the Workforce Network FY 2014 budget.
• Authorize a contract with American Legal Publishing Corporation to provide codification services for the County
• Authorize the reclassification of a position of Office Assistant I to Administrative Specialist I in the County Administration Personnel Roster.

Words Of Wisdom

"A universal peace, it is to be feared, is in the catalogue of events, which will never exist but in the imaginations of visionary philosophers, or in the breasts of benevolent enthusiasts."

--James Madison

Sheriff's Warning -- Tax Scam In McHenry County

The McHenry County Sheriff's Office recently received a report of a tax scam. We are sharing this information in an effort to help protect the citizens of our county.

The victim was contacted by someone posing to be "James Anderson" from the tax audit revenue services.  The caller advised the victim that she owed back taxes from 2008 in the amount of $2698.00.  He directed the victim to go to the nearest CVS Pharmacy and purchase a Green Dot Money Pak pre-paid card in the amount of $500 USC. After purchasing the card "James Anderson" called back and advised the victim to scratch the back of the card and give him the numbers over the phone.  The victim received several more phone calls from James advising she needed to pay him more to settle her debt.  The victim purchased more cards totaling an amount of $1500.00 USC.

For more information on this specific scam follow the IRS's link: http://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/IRS-Warns-of-Pervasive-Telephone-Scam .  Additional information on Tax scams can be found at: www.irs.gov/uac/Identity-Protection-Tips .

The McHenry County Sheriff's Office will be hosting an Identity Theft forum on Monday, March 10, 2014 from 11:30 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. at Senior Services at 110 Woodstock Street, Crystal Lake.  Meet with representatives from the Sheriff's Office to learn about current scams happening right here in McHenry County and what you can do to protect yourself.

"Those who have become a victim of a scam or identity theft are encouraged to make a report with the McHenry County Sheriff's Office or their local police jurisdiction," stated Undersheriff Andrew Zinke.

Words Of Wisdom

"The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself has ordained."

 --George Washington, First Inaugural Address, 1789