Weekly Beacon Questionnaire

Candidate Biography:

John Hammerand

Republican Candidate for McHenry County Board - District #4

Address: 4601 W Wonder Lake Dr, Wonder Lake, IL 60097

Contact: Cheryl Hammerand

Born April 23, 1952

Occupation:

Previous Political Experience: see website : www.hammerand.com
Treasurer of the Wonder Lake Fire Protection District
Co-chairman of the McHenry County Bush for President Committee

College Degree in Business and Science

Current Interests:

Too many to mention

1.) Does the county need to put any controls on the amount of commercial development occurring in or around the City of McHenry? Are issues of urban sprawl a concern in this segment of the county?

By law, we have no authority to control development in the City of McHenry. But the fact of the matter is, we have the ability to encourage development by providing low cost loans, allowing a Special Service Area (SSA), or withholding dense residential and commercial zoning in areas where it is demanded outside the municipality, encouraging developers to ask for annexation to a municipality.

Our only hope of controlling sprawl is to arbitrate boundary agreements between municipalities. This requires the confidence and trust of the mayors and the boards of the municipalities. Our recent decision to oppose the legal right of Algonquin’s to eliminate a corridor in their comprehensive plan; to arbitrarily withdraw from the Randall Road agreement; our decision to sell the Highway Department and Fairground property (open space park), and sue the City of Woodstock does not strengthen the county’s ties or encourage their trust. I am on record on opposing these actions. We must work rapidly to regain their trust and rebuild the lines of communication. Trust and common sense are the most valuable assets of the County Board.

2.) Traffic congestion in and around the City of McHenry has worsened. What, if anything, should the county be doing to improve traffic flow?

McHenry County municipal areas are experiencing explosive growth. Many people are commuting outside the county. The traffic could be lessened appreciably if we had a good public transportation system. It has been proven by the Environmental Law and Policy Center that a more effective approach to alleviating traffic congestion is to improve local roads and public transportation. The McHenry Taxpayers are presently paying for this transportation, by tax. We are not getting our fair share of taxes returned, and are subsidizing the RTA for their operations in other counties. PACE is currently suing the RTA to recover our fair share of revenues. Bus routes that connect to the train could significantly decrease drive times and pollution. But this would happen only if operated on a usable scheduled service, which at this point does not occur. McHenry County needs to be proactive in implementing a public transportation system all citizens of McHenry County can rely on. The County can also help in siting Bypasses in areas outside of municipal boundaries. These should be high-speed, limited access corridors, in as straight an alignment as possible. The municipalities that are annexing land and encouraging commercial development are not always able to foresee the problems that are inherent with this growth. This is where the trust between the county and the municipality can work to our mutual advantage. Any new development should be designed to accommodate the high flow of traffic for a mile in each direction.

3.) Open space preservation is a hot topic these days. What does the county need to do to maintain a sound balance between preserving open space and allowing development?

In some townships, such as Richmond Township, I believe the balance towards open space has been achieved. But in the county as a whole, I believe we still have work to do. I helped protect land from development in accordance with the County‘s 2010 plan. If we do not uphold the plan, why go through the time and expense of producing it? Preserving open space must continue in an orderly manner by the McHenry County Conservation District and by developer donations of open space.

4.)District 15 in the City of McHenry still uses some mobile units. Though District 15 and District 36 are still holding their own in these times of teacher shortages, I am sure it is only a matter of time before they are affected. As a county board member, do you have any influence on addressing school issues such as these?

See questions 1, 2 & 5 The County has issued less than 30 building permits this year. This is another situation where it would be mutually beneficial for the county and municipality to have discussion before siting residential development.

5.) What would you like, if elected, to accomplish during your tenure?

I am the candidate willing to work for the people, while seeking to preserve the treasured values they maintain. I will continue to be a watchdog for taxes. I voted against the county board pay raises, but it could be said my public service has cost the public nothing. The yearly interest on the money I saved the taxpayers could pay my salary, even with the new raise. The same is true of my years on the Wonder Lake Fire Protection District. I have earned a reputation for carefully evaluating and questioning expenditures, to make sure the taxpayer gets full value of every tax dollar spent.

During my first term I was able to identify and save hundreds of thousands of dollars of budget excesses in the Highway Department Administration Building Project alone.

I will continue protecting the homeowner from footing the bill for the developer. Good developers are happy to pay their own way. We must help them do it… proper roads, schools and infrastructure must be in place when the residents occupy the development.

I demonstrated I can be strong and decisive making tough, but equitable decisions.

I will continue cutting bureaucracy so that the people can get the services without the intrusion. As a member of the Management Services Committee, I worked to streamline the departments, I strongly believe in the rights of the individual. I worked to defeat a concept that would have charged people a tax for the water from their own well. I will continue to move the county in a positive direction towards less intrusive, more efficient government.

We cannot address all the issues facing the County in this short format, but I feel my positive attitude and methodology has and will prove equal to the task when confronted with the problems the county will face. Check our website: www.hammerand.com

6.) In these times of budget cuts, what does the McHenry County Mental Health Board need to do to insure adequate care for people who need its services?

In answer to your question, County budget cuts will not affect the Mental Health Board. By State Statute, the County Board cannot cut the budget of the Mental Health Board. We can insure that good people are appointed to the County Mental Health Board. And I supported the Mental Health Board in their plans for their new building, because they brought in a workable budget plan that made it financially feasible and made it beneficial to the taxpayer by replacing rent, which is a liability, with a building - a capital asset. And most importantly, it will help them serve those in need of their services.