By: Diane Benjamin
It looks like the County Board Democrats were merely playing theatrics to promote their McLean County Clerk candidate. If you appreciate lies, then we all know who you are going to vote for.
PDF page 238 https://mcleancountyil.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_04162026-1174
This was passed last Thursday:
This is what the Board actually approved – from Kathy Michael:
The Board voted to amend our 2025 budget by increasing the originally budgeted revenue generated by our office to the actual revenue we took in during last year. The specific amount was a little over $100,000. The Board made no changes to any of the expense lines in our office’s 2025 budget. With the additional revenue, Actual expenses exceeded the budgeted amounts by a total of approximately $400,000. Vendors were all paid promptly.
I have publicly committed to the Board that during 2026 with our new processes in place, our office will keep them constantly informed of any budget variances we expect to occur.
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The media should be asking why, since they knew where the overages were, Kathy Michael was accused of not being transparent.
Of course, they won’t.
Weaponization against opponents to win elections needs to stop. Of course that won’t happen either. Progressives never stop.
One of the leaders of this clown show:
Well I believe that was an amendment to just cover the increased revenue portion and part of her $500k overage (100k). I believe they are still pending approval of the approximate $400k in additional overages that have already been paid ( additional OT, Election software, and non-contractual invoices).
These are apparently what all the huff and puff are about, and Michaels has alleged that the board always has their own direct full access to all paid invoices, so she isn’t sure why they are asking for them again, and has asked for clarification on which ones they actually want additional copies of, which they apparently haven’t replied with yet.
It’s all very dumb, especially if the board actually already has access to the invoices. The Clerk should just print out all the invoices and give them to the board and let them sort through them.
Val Laymon , chair of the finance committee is a trainer at a fast food franchise with a “degree” in womyns studies. Got appointed because she is a progressive sista of Liz Johnson. As if she knows anything about finance. lol
Reality is democrats on the county board just want Kathy Michael gone. Departments go over budget all the time but no complaints until it is a republican.
Corey needs to “put a sock in it.” It never ceases to amaze me what comments are spewed from the ignorant, uninformed elected officials–the same ones making the decisions.
Does the Board remember the error made by the assessor which resulted in unplanned expenses? Will the community remember the sales tax referendum debacle of Lizzy Johnson? The community needs to be reminded that it is the responsibility of the seated Board members (Corey, Lizzy, Val…) to monitor revenue and expenses on a monthly basis. Is the Finance Committee and Executive Committee doing their job?
Buck Farley claims he didn’t get answers. Funny how he said nothing until right before the new candidate was announced