Ex-Kane board chair had over 500 files that included titles ‘Ugly,’ ‘Lessons I’ve learned’ and ‘Difficult constituents’

GENEVA – One had the name of famous celebrity chef, Rick Bayless. Others listed the names of local journalists or newspapers. Another just had the word “UGLY.”

Those were some of the 530 file names — mostly listed in all caps — that ex-Kane County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen took with him when he left office, records show. The list was included in an attachment to a letter Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser wrote to Lauzen last year, seeking the return of files belonging to the county.

The list was released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request for Mosser’s letter. The files are public and would be subject to FOIA because they were created by Lauzen using a county computer and kept at his office while he was County Board Chairman.

Ultimately, the county only wanted about a half dozen of the files listed — which Lauzen subsequently returned, according to documents released in response to a FOIA request. The whereabouts of the rest of the files or what they contained, however, remain unclear.

County officials, writing in response to a Kane County Chronicle FOIA request, said they do not have the files or an index of the records they contained — just the list of the file names.

Lauzen did not respond to two emails asking if he would share the contents of some of his files. When reached by phone, Lauzen said he would not talk about the files and told a reporter she was not allowed to call him.

A review of the voluminous list of file names show they included various topics that likely came before the county board that Lauzen chaired for eight years, through December 2020. Their names included: DRUG COURT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, FARMLAND PROTECTION, PENSIONS, MORGUE and VIDEO GAMING.

Other file names included the names of Illinois politicians, as well as local journalists or newspapers, such as CHRONICLE, CRAINS and DAILY HERALD. While others were: ACCORDION, UGLY, WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING, UNUSUAL LETTERS, LETTERS NOT SENT, LESSONS I’VE LEARNED, COMPLAINTS, DIFFICULT CONSTITUENTS/SITUATIONS-HARDER CONSTITUENTS.

One of the names titled on a file was Geneva resident Steve Andersson, a former state representative.

“This is remarkably similar to Richard Nixon’s enemies list — and I’m honored to be on it,” Andersson said. “I don’t know what is in the file, but it’s probably not favorable.”

Batavia Township resident Ellen Nottke, who often works on political campaigns, also had her name on a Lauzen file.

“I help candidates win, I don’t hold public office,” Nottke said. “I find it funny that he would keep a file on me — a private citizen — and then not share it with me. He can keep whatever he wants on me — he does not hurt me, he doest not affect the work that I do. He’s a non-entity.”

Maureen Obuchowski, of Campton Hills, a former county employee who worked for Lauzen, said she was not surprised that her name was on one of his files.

“I find it odd that he would have a personal file on me,” Obuchowski said. “An employee file — obviously — but a personal file on me? I can’t imagine what could be in it. What would be the point of it?”

Melisa Taylor, a former county board member from Sugar Grove, now of Las Vegas, said the thought of her name being on one of Lauzen’s files made her “furious and upset.”

“What’s in the file, Mr. Lauzen — and Sarah?” Taylor said, referring to Lauzen’s wife, Sarah, who has attended campaign functions and assisted in his various campaigns.

Taylor had been a longtime Lauzen ally, helped him with his failed campaign for Congress, supported him in his state Senate races and his successful run for county board chairman.

But their relationship soured. In 2013, Bill Lenert won a primary election against Taylor, and ultimately the general election. Lenert is still serving on the County Board.

At the time, Taylor had said Lenert’s candidacy was put up by Lauzen — a charge both Lauzen and Lenert denied.

Kane County Coroner Rob Russell’s last name also appeared on one of Lauzen’s files.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” Russell said.

As chairman, Lauzen had long running disputes with Russell, over money and the morgue.

In 2019, Lauzen sent letters to St. Charles residents in the Harvest Hills subdivision, warning them of “A morgue just south of your neighborhood” when initial plans were to build a new morgue and coroner facility on the west side of Peck Road. Board member Drew Frasz, R-Elburn, had accused Lauzen of inciting opposition.

Ultimately, a multipurpose building that includes the new morgue was built on the east side of Peck Road on the Judicial Center campus.

In 2016, Lauzen had criticized Russell’s use of a county-issued credit card and pushed for a stricter policy.

But the state’s attorney at the time, Joe McMahon, cautioned that legally, “It is clear that the County Board cannot exercise direct control over purchases made by … officers who have been granted internal control authority.”

Another file was named AFTER ELECTION WEGMAN — prompting questions both to Kane County Auditor Penny Wegman and her mother, Recorder Sandy Wegman.

Lauzen had recently criticized Penny Wegman for an audit that revealed $58,211 was spent in 17 payments for one employee’s DeVry University education. The payments happened over three years.

Lauzen had said Penny Wegman was a board member who voted all those times to pay DeVry. Penny Wegman had countered that when board members voted, it was to pay the bills, and that Lauzen himself could have spoken up at those same meetings and he didn’t.

“I don’t have a comment,” Penny Wegman said in response to a question about her name landing on one of Lauzen’s files. “It doesn’t mean anything to me.”

Sandy Wegman said she could not imagine Lauzen having a file on her.

“During the eight years he was here, I was in his office one time and and he was here twice,” Sandy Wegman said. “I don’t think he was keeping a file on me.”