The Auditor post yesterday evolved in part into a post on the new chairman for the Champaign County Board.
I think that Wysocki can garner four votes for chair (I'm including Melin) from Democrats, but not much more. That means she needs ten out of 12 Republicans to vote for her. I don't see it.
Wysocki alone might be tolerable to Republicans. She's been reasonable as chairman. But right now she has the baggage of Steve Beckett to lug around. His constant criticism of board members of both parties makes him a negative for Wysocki.
So who will the Democrats put forward? I think they'll find a decent candidate who will be able to get the 14 votes necessary to be elected.
There are rumors of deals being offered to Republicans. I don't know what advantage that can hold for us, but maybe Republican board members can speak to that themselves. But any deal that keeps Beckett in charge of facilities is a bad deal in my eyes.
OK everyone. Let us all know who you think should be the next chair, and how do you go about forging the votes to do it?
What about Brendan McGinty? He's certainly a moderate, but is he too new?
He chairs the Finance Committee and has a good resume with a heavy entrepreneurship slant. He also has strong relationships within the Democratic Party, extending to the U.S. Senate. That would be a plus for some board members and a negative for others.
His name has been absent from the recent nursing home melee, but I don't know if that means he wasn't involved. Has his name even been tossed around?
Mark, knowing a little bit of what has transpired (only what I hear at work and what I read here, mind you!) I'd say you have some “history” with both Barb and Steve.
No judgments”â€ÂI'm just saying”¦ :)
Anyhow, you all know I'm not exactly an “insider” with anybody, so I'm not speaking with any kind of backdoor information here. With that clearly understood, I have to say that from my outside perspective, it'd seem to me that maybe Barb is in a stronger position with the party than she was before. Remember, not only did she come out of that Primary, but also she and Steve both did pretty darn well on this most recent election. The voters in that district strongly supported them at the polls, and THAT pretty much negates anything that's been said about how Barb became the Chair or how the “public” feels about Steve.
Something else that I'm wondering about is the novel idea that the voters actually LIKE the idea of the County Board Democrats and County Board Republicans working with each other”â€Âactually doing what they are elected to do rather than pissing away time fighting each other. Seems to me that maybe both parties might want to consider the idea (locally AND nationally!) and proceed accordingly.
I dunno what everybody else is like at home, but trust me when I say my household involves some compromise and some negotiation. When you have two parties that are strong willed there has GOT to be some give and take or else everything melts down and grinds to a halt while you are fighting each other. Seems to me that our government is a similar type of situation.
I have heard positive things about Barb's work from any number of people from both sides of the aisle. Similarly, I've heard an awful lot of employees at Brookens who speak highly of Barb. I'm not snarking at anybody else when I say this, but I do hope everybody manages to calm down and get it right. I sincerely hope everybody will go to the table and act in both good faith and the best interests of the County.
Regards!
Laura
Republicans would be more stupid than ever to vote for Wysocki for chair, no matter what she 'promises' them. If Shelden thinks he's had problems with getting information from Wysocki, does he think it's going to get any easier in her second term?
McGinty's got too much baggage with all his bankruptcies for the businesses he's run. I'm surprised that Wysocki appointed him as finance chair, but that was obviously political payback for his needed vote for her for chair last time around.
Jan Anderson would seem like a reasonable choice. She doesn't always vote for the democratic position, but she is well reasoned, not prone to explode and demean people like a certain county vice-chair, and, being retired, would probably have the time to do it.
Just my $.02.
I agree with and echo Crystal Ball's earlier post:
“Both Dems and Republicans are tired of being lied to and bullied and lectured like school children. I don't know who the next chair will be, but it won't be Barb Wysocki.”ÂÂ
Republicans are not going to support Steve "There's no mold, but buy this insurance policy for when the mold comes back" Beckett in any position of leadership.
Langenheim for chair! Obscure quotes for everyone!
I thought McGinty wanted to be County Auditor? Couldn't you see some scenarior where the "real" Dems support McGinty for Auditor in exchange for Lisa Bell being appointed to McGinty's county board seat?
ragin cajun,
I think that could be the best possibility, it makes sense on all angles. I think the only question is, do dems like McGinty enough to toss him into the Auditor's job. If so, your scenario makes perfect sense.
Word on WDWS just now is that McGinty is not interested in the Auditors position.
As for the board chair, word is the dems are considering Fabri or Gross. Not sure Gross has the experience or aptitude for this position.
I don't see Beckett or Wysocki having enough support among either caucus. But who knows in politics, minds change on any whim.
Republicans need to nominate one person - Greg Knott - and then stick to it. There might even be some D's that wouldn't have a problem with Greg running the show.
Another obscure quotation for Anon Says: "In politics you must always treat an enemy as if he might one day be a friend, and a friend as if he might one day be an enemy." Four time Senator Thomas P. Gore of Oklahoma quoted in 'Point to Point Navigation,' Gore Vidal, 2006, p. 25 Thomas P. Gore, blind from childhood, is the grandfather of Gore Vidal and of the same family as the two Senator Gores from Tennessee. He also was a principal organizer of the State of Oklahoma.
McGinty's got too much baggage with all his bankruptcies for the businesses he's run. WOW, amazing that he would be even considered for any $$$ position?
Amazing he ever got on the County Board.
County Board Chair? Bring back Susan McGrath :)
The choices appear to be limited by the fact that County Board Chair is almost (though not quite) a full time position. One of the Becketcratt's biggest knocks on Avery was that she also had another job. If you limit the candidates to peoplel without full time jobs, your choices are Fabri, Jan Andersen, Langenheim, Lloyd Carter, and McGinty (didn't both of his firms go broke). Of these choices, Fabri is the only serious candidate. McGinty will never get support from the non District 9 Dems, Langenheim and Carter are too old, and Andersen is too nice.
Jan Anderson would seem like a reasonable choice. She doesn't always vote for the democratic position,
Whenever has she not?
Matt Gladney.
He has all the credentials, no baggage from the mold issue, not around when the county auctioned old courthouse antiques to any employee who secretly bid one dollar, not part of the destruction of the old Sheriff's residence, not around when deputies tortured inmates with Tasers, not responsible for jail suicides, not responsible when CB members were told to park in the handicapped spots (and they did!), he has not failed the bar exam 4 times like some CB members.
Yes, he lacks all the experience that disqualifies most CB members.
Don't forget that the Chair of the County Board is also the third member of the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (along with the two township supervisors). Barb Wysocki has been the most active "county board chair serving as the third member of the CUPHD board" that I can remember.
This position is also very time consuming and is important, and once again, Illinois statutes dictate the makeup of this board, so it's not a choice (whether to be a health board member) or not. Those who are being considered for Chair really ought to know what they're getting into.
What about Barb Wysocki for County Auditor? She chaired the Finance Committee for 4 years and would get to avoid the mess of trying to be elected Board Chair again, plus she would get to double her salary.
FYI, the 'It's Matt's World' comment was not from me.
"FYI, the ”ËœIt's Matt's World' comment was not from me."
Yeah, I debated leaving it up, but I figured most people could tell that it wasn't you, so I left it.