McHenry County Blog

Despite the urging of three community members for the Algonquin Village Board to find a way around their ethics ordinance and endorse School District 300’s referendums, the Board stood firm in its neutrality.

While expressing his personal support for the referendums and for “every referendum since 1992" (when he moved to Algonquin), Village President John Schmitt told the petitioners the village was prohibiting from spending any money to promote a referendum

It’s not just our ethics laws. It’s state law.You can’t mimeograph a piece of paper. You can’t hire an attorney to draft a resolution.

He added,

We don’t show up every three years when there is a referendum. We’re there every year.

Schmitt related how the village board requires residential developers “to have certain characteristics that offset the cost of the kids they bring in,” referring to an accompanying commercial development or, if that is not possible, making the subdivision age restricted or townhouses, which produce few children.

“We have said, ‘No,’ to developers that don’t give enough to the schools,” he concluded prior to stating,

I’m sorry, but we take our ethics laws seriously.

Algonquin resident Mark Lischka was the first referendum proponent to address the board. He intimated that only with a board endorsement would its members be showing the leadership he expected of them.

“We expect our elected village officials to have the courage and strength of character to stand up,” Lischka said before trying to read the ethics ordinance in a way that would allow a supportive statement. He observed that other villages with the same legal counsel as Algonquin had found a way to pass an endorsement resolution.

“I will support candidates who are not afraid to take a stand on this issue,” he concluded.

After Schmitt finished his statement, Village Trustee Barb Read interjected,

I agree with you. I’ve already signed up to send letters and walk door-to-door.

In the middle of her statement, Wayne Battiaans, a resident of Carpentersville, interrupted, saying, “Point of order,” rather loudly.

He was the next to speak to the board.

Battiaans objected to the board members publicly endorsing the referendum, even as individuals.

When we read it in the newspaper, we’re going to read it’s John Schmitt, Algonquin Village President, and Barb Read, Algonquin Village Trustee, supporting it. It carries a tremendous amount of influence.

What the village president is saying is absolutely correct. They can be prosecuted. I don’t know how. The answer I get from Springfield is, ‘We don’t know.’

This is a personal issue between the taxpayers and the district. They have an advantage over every taxpayer and citizen in this district. They can ask every general election.

They’re always looking for it. They’re always looking for it. They’re always looking for it.

You cut its tail off and it grows back.

Next it was proponent Kathleen Burley’s turn. She noted that District 300 was “in trouble because of the building in Algonquin.” (Previously, fellow supporter Lischka had pointed out that one-third of District 300’s students came from Algonquin.)

Burley continued,

With the referendum at stake and, yes, I am for the referendum, of course, by not backing the referendum when others have, is there another way without passing the resolution? Maybe they’re thinking the rest of the Board doesn’t support it.

I’ve seen a lot of you canvassing for other referendums.

Schmitt then explained,

We personally have every right to say what we want the same way you do.

Playing clean up was Republican Precinct Committeeman John Ryan, who had written a publicized letter concerning the District 300 referendums to a constituent who asked his opinion:

Perhaps no one has drawn the ire of the pro-referendum folks as much as I have.

I would caution you to tread very lightly,

Ryan said, as he expressed his personal gratitude for the board’s not passing a resolution of support.

When the first proponent finished speaking, I counted six adults clapping. Three applauded with opponent Ryan concluded. There were children accompanying their parents, some wearing tee shirts supporting the referendum, which I shall use for a future “Message of the Day.”

Whether reporters who stuck around for the entire meeting found other village board members supportive of the referendum, you will have to find elsewhere.