Members of the public get a chance to weigh in on the options for shrinking the number of townships in McHenry County at an open house Tuesday, August 18, in Woodstock.
The McHenry County Board Chairman convened a task force made up county and township officials earlier this year to look at consolidating the county’s 17 townships. That came after a group called McHenry County Citizens for Township Consolidation called for a referendum. They want to reduce the number to eight.
The Northwest Herald reports the referendum has support among high-ranking Republican county officials, but has met strong opposition from the townships.
Supporters of the referendum say townships are an inefficient way to use tax dollars, and are havens for patronage and nepotism. Opponents say merging townships won’t save much, if any, money, and could lead to a reduction in services.
The task force is asking the public for comments on three scenarios for consolidation. They will be on display at an open house Tuesday evening, August 18, from 5-7 P.M. at the County Administration Building in Woodstock.
The task force will vote on a formal recommendation August 25 and present it to the county board. If the board approves holding a referendum, it would appear on the March primary ballot.
