From by Jarett Sanchez, originally posted on Facebook January 28, 2026
What Is Going On At Dundee Township???
Another dramatic night for the Dundee Township Board of Trustees last Wednesday [January 21] as residents packed the room at the monthly regular meeting to deliver fiery public comments and to watch as every proposal put forward by Township Supervisor Shefali Shah was rejected by the board.
Open Space
One such proposal was the formation of an Open Space Task Force. Presenter [disgraced D300 School Board Member] Nancy Zettler [of Algonquin], who was flanked by Algonquin resident Dave Reece, described the reason for the task force being because, “we have many questions about how things are run, how things are paid for, where money is coming from, how it’s spent, what projects are considered, etc.”
The Township Open Space program currently has one full-time manager and a part-time staffer, and all records are kept for public viewing and accountability. Township staff also works directly with the non-profit group Friends of Dundee Natural Areas (FDNA) which meets regularly to discuss strategic planning, priority projects, and grant funding opportunities. They have raised funds to help purchase equipment and fund projects throughout the properties.
Many of the evening’s 15 public comments were in regard to the task force, and all were opposed to its creation (comments start at 54:45 in the video). One such comment coming from long-time resident Steve Keibler. He and his wife, June, live near and help manage the Snuffy’s Prairie property owned by the Township.
He discussed the history of restoring lands such as Snuffy’s, and asked, “Thousands of volunteer hours…where exactly were the task force proponents? They certainly weren’t anywhere to be seen during any of the cleanup efforts. They weren’t even on the sidelines. Now all of a sudden…these task force planners show up to do what exactly?”
Apparently the task force was not popular with the Trustees, either, because when the Supervisor asked for a motion to approve none was made, no discussion was had, and so it died for lack of a motion.
Mental Health Board
The other main topic of the evening was the continued vacancies on the Dundee Township Mental Health Board. Currently three seats remain open.
It is the duty of the Township Supervisor to appoint members to the Mental Health Board, but each appointment requires a majority vote by the Board of Trustees.
Many comments expressed anger and frustration that the seats were not filled as they should have been per state statute.
One resident, and sitting County Board Member, Jarett Sanchez, blamed the Supervisor directly for the vacancies.
“There are three seats empty because you, Madame Supervisor, have failed to fill those seats. You’ve had three chances in the past month to do that…three chances you had last month to avoid the mental health board’s business not being conducted.”
The January meeting of the Mental Health Board was not held due to a lack of enough members to make a quorum (4). Because of the three empty seats, meetings require full attendance in order to be held. One member, Joe Connell, was the one that was absent without explanation.
Sanchez further raised the possibility that Supervisor Shah, an elected Democrat, is colluding with the local Republican party in order to attack Mental Health Board President Sue Harney.
Shah attempted to remove Harney from the board, and from the building with police escort, at the December Mental Health Board meeting but she was unsuccessful in her attempts.
Member Connell walked out after Supervisor Shah attempted to coerce members to leave in order to shut the meeting down. And then Connell was absent at the last scheduled meeting despite ensuring the board president that he would be there.
Connell is a precinct committeeman for the local Republican party who has made Sue Harney a known political target.
Similar to the Open Space task force resolution, when Supervisor Shah asked for motions to appoint two people to the Mental Health Board, they died for lack of a second.
Four applicants were recommended by the Mental Health Board to the Board of Trustees and Supervisor for appointment. These applicants had the most qualifications in the field of mental health work and were recognized as being able to add the most value to the board’s work.
Instead of selecting from among those qualified applicants, Supervisor Shah instead attempted to appoint two known and active members of the local Republican party, neither of which have mental health background.
Ken Schaffer, a former Township Trustee, was presented as an option. Schaffer was the most fiscally conservative member of the Township board and was very reluctant to provide funding to the Mental Health Board.
The other person put forward was Chris Kempf, who’s seat on the Mental Health Board expired in December, and who received audible groans and jeers from the audience as he was known as an obstructionist who often stated that the Mental Health Board should not even exist.
Going Forward
After receiving no support for either of the two appointments, Supervisor Shah stated that the seats would remain empty until next month, defying her statutory responsibility. At this the crowd began speaking out in defiance, informing the Supervisor that she could simply appoint more qualified, and more likely to be voted on, candidates.
She refused.
From here residents of Dundee Township can only hope that the Township holds a special meeting to appoint Mental Health Board members before their next regular meeting.
Without those meetings being held, invoices can’t be paid for services delivered to Dundee Township residents, and other business of the board cannot take place, and that is inexcusable. Every month that goes by slows down the level and quality of services we are fortunate enough to have in our community.
Residents who wish to see the Mental Health Board filled with qualified candidates should reach out to the Township Supervisor’s office and request that she appoint members immediately. Email: shahs@dundeetownship.org
