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March 29, 2024

Madison County Poised to Violate State Law at Special Meeting / Trying to Circumvent Elected Chairman –

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen

On July 5, 2022

Madison Co., IL. (ECWd) –

This special meeting needs to be canceled before they embarrass themselves any further.

  • Improper Notice of suggested agenda items, according to county ordinance
  • Board lacks statutory powers to prescribe and remove duties of the chairman and vice-chairman

At least 12 members of the Madison County Board called for a Special Meeting to pass an alleged Ordinance prescribing duties of the chairman and chairman “pro tem.” (Agenda and Proposed Ordinance). We urge you to read the proposed ordinance, it reads like children crying over losing their election bid in the primary election.

For starters, Madison County Board Rules 30.02, Board Meetings, Para (G), directs how meetings are called, and it specifically calls for a four working day notice to the county chairman:

(G)   The County Clerk shall prepare an agenda for each regular meeting and special meeting of the Board. The agenda shall be sufficiently itemized to inform Board members and the public of the business to be considered by the Board. Any Board member may place an item on the agenda by notifying the County Board Chairperson and the Clerk of the Board. Such items to be placed on the agenda shall be communicated to the County Board Chairperson and the Clerk of the Board by 12:00 noon on the fourth working day prior to the appropriate meeting, and may be referred to the appropriate committee by the County Board Chairperson.

Second, the proposed Ordinance would violate the Illinois Counties Code, Section 2-1003, Chairman and Vice-Chairman, by attempting to assign duties to a Chairman Pro Tem (whose position/title is not authorized except in counties NOT under township organization), which should be “vice-chairman” who, according to state statute only has power to act “during a meeting when the chairman is absent.

Madison County is not a home rule unit of local government having only those powers expressly granted to them by the state legislature or state constitution, they must ask where they were granted the power to do whatever it is they are attempting to do.

 

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6 Comments
  • jhart145
    Posted at 14:15h, 05 July

    Wow, what you say vs what the news is reporting is two different things. Although yours is a little more misleading. There are currently 12/16 Republicans on the Madco Board that support oversight of Kurt. I think only 3 or 4 of those 12 lost their primary. On top of that, it is not only those 12 board members in support of this. The other 5 County wide elected Republican’s support this as well. Stop spewing fake news.

    • John Kraft & Kirk Allen
      Posted at 18:35h, 05 July

      It doesn’t matter what the other county-wide non-board members think. What matters is current county ordinance requiring a four-working-day notice to the chairman, and what also matters is the board’s lack of authority to bypass the will of the voters when the chairman is elected by those voters, and state law does not grant them the powers to assign duties to a non-existent chairman pro tem. Only counties NOT under township organization can have chairmen pro tem.

  • Publius
    Posted at 22:11h, 05 July

    You are too kind in your article. The county board has been trying to undermine Prenzler since he became chairman. You can’t blame him for a fellow board member making unwanted advances on an employee which lead to her termination. After that you’d think they’d learn their lesson and not meddle in the administration operations, but they must think they are entitled.

  • CTC Emeritus
    Posted at 09:35h, 07 July

    As a Madison County resident and tax payer what is my recourse … they are nullifying the election

  • GW ONE
    Posted at 18:46h, 07 July

    Tom Haine, Chris Slusser and Tom McRae are the leaders of the Madison County Mafia.
    The mafia lost 6 County Board races because none of the mafia politicians support tax reform.
    So the mafia slit Mr. Prenzler’s throat and are now preparing to anoint Eric Foster the new
    Pro tem. Mr. Foster is one the 6 County Board members losing his primary. Foster has always wanted
    Prenzler’s position and now it seems he hit the jackpot – without even running in a general election. And,
    after Foster retires in November there’s no telling who becomes the pro tem. My bet is that Patrick McRae
    succeeds Foster. YAA HOO!

  • Publius
    Posted at 20:44h, 08 July

    The board member are drunk with power. Foster was even beat as a Precinct Commiteeman so he’s a bad choice. Voters know what’s going on and will remember in 2024, which is what this is all about. Can’t be Patrick McRea because he’s not a board member – but I suppose they could claim it doesn’t have to be. They lie so much and think people believe them.

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