McHenry County Blog

DeKalb’s MidWeek reporter Diane Strand provides yet another view of what happened in the DeKalb Courthouse when the Alliance for Land, Agriculture and Water asked for a question to be placed on the April ballot to form a new regulatory unit of local government.

I found the following interchange between A-LAW attorney and former Judge John Countryman and former DeKalb State’s Attorney Mike Coughlan amusing:

Former DeKalb County State's Attorney Mike Coughlan made lengthy comments at the start, arguing against the constitutionality of the proposal because thousands of those affected will not have a voice in it.

Countryman responded that anyone trying to use a “constitutionality” objection should have contacted the Illinois Attorney General's office first.

Klein then asked Countryman if there were other such water authority districts in the state and Countryman respond, “Yes.” In fact, there are 17 such districts, most of them downstate.

Another MidWeek story starts with

“This is the start of a water war, isn't it,” said DeKalb County Board member Julia Fauci.

If you want a list of “horribles,” start here.

There’s a third story by Dennis Hines about Sycamore’s council’s opposition. Sycamore is excluded from the proposed new unit of local government.

Being outmaneuvered by the referendum’s proponents seems to be a main concern:

“Only 20 percent of the registered voters in the three counties would be able to vote on the referendum, which is proposed for this April,” City Manager Bill Nicklas said.

Meanwhile, Northwesst Herald columnist Eric Olson minimizes the issue.