Financial Successes, Calls For Reform Highlighted In Mchenry County State Of The County Address

McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks highlighted the county’s financial accomplishments in 2019 during his third State of the County address Tuesday, but said reform efforts should start with a bang in 2020. Such reform efforts could include the elimination of mileage and health insurance benefits for McHenry County Board members, another reduction to the size of the County Board and the possibility of nonpartisan elections for County Board members. Finances Franks began his speech with some of the county’s financial triumphs and called the $15 million rebate of surplus funds from the Valley Hi Nursing Home the county’s crowning achievement. “The tax burden that our homeowners and businesses struggle under must always be at the forefront of our minds, because it’s the one thing over which we have the most control – and ladies and gentlemen, we’ve done a great job,” Franks said. More than 50,000 homeowners took advantage of the rebate and received a cut of about $8.5 million in reserve funds.