McHenry County Board could limit votes to ‘germane’ topics, update rules for speed limit changes

The McHenry County Board could soon be operating under some new rules, including one that would limit board discussions on issues over which they have no control.

The county board rules were up for a periodic review, and board member Pamela Althoff, R-McHenry, said the changes were to give guidance to new members.

One new proposed rule relates to how speed limits could be changed on county roads. Going forward, if approved, any proposed speed limit change would get a vote by the full county board, even if the county’s transportation committee said no. Speed limit changes that didn’t get the thumbs-up would be voted on separately before the county board, with a yes or no recommendation from the transportation committee. Currently, a speed limit change that doesn’t get the transportation committee thumbs-up ends there.

Board member Joe Gottemoller, R-Crystal Lake, said the proposed shift is to “let the whole board weigh in” on speed limit changes.

Another rule change under consideration would say that the county board should only take up and vote on issues that are “germane to its authority,” according to county records. Gottemoller said that for example, the rule would prohibit discussion about the Israel-Hamas War, since that isn’t something the board would deal with.

“We don’t do a lot of foreign policy analysis” in the county, Gottemoller said.

He added more locally, for instance, the county board can object to a municipal annexation, but “it’s not a county board decision.”

Proclamations are set to have new rules requiring they be brought up before an event is to take place wherever possible and have a one page-limit under the changes.

Diversity-related proclamations have been a hot topic at the board lately. Board member Terri Greeno, R-Crystal Lake, has taken issue with language in proclamations like ones relating to Women’s History Month in March and LGBTQ Pride Month in June. In both cases, the wording of those proclamations were altered before they received board approval. Greeno has expressed that such proclamations aren’t in the scope of the board.

Gottemoller said proclamations have become something people use for their political gain, and that the idea with the page limit was to “try to streamline” the process.

County Board member Lou Ness, D-Woodstock, opposes the new proposed proclamation rule.

“They’re really trying to manage these divisive proclamations,” Ness said.

She added she felt some on the board “don’t want to talk about activist issues” and wasn’t concerned about any potential fallout of not obeying the new rule, saying, “they can’t do anything to you.”

County board members also would be prohibited from reading letters from constituents aloud during meetings or making comments on behalf of other people, according to the proposed rule changes.

Ness said she couldn’t recall an instance of a board member reading a letter, but noted people should know any constituent letter they send her is a public record. Ness had referenced letters she received during last month’s Pride proclamation discussions.

She also urged her colleagues, “Don’t make a rule you can’t enforce.”

Another proposed change says county board members shouldn’t pass notes, text, instant message, email, use cellphones or participate in “out of order conversation” during meetings, and that the Freedom of Information Act might apply to some of these activities.

Gottemoller said the rule was meant to be a warning to people that if you’re on your phone during a public meeting, those records are open to the public.

“The public has the right to know what you’re deliberating,” Gottemoller said.

The County Board is scheduled to take a vote on the changes July 16.