Who runs Winnebago County? At least one board member wants the issue raised again

Some people may think the Winnebago County Board Chairman runs the county. Others may think it's the Winnebago County Board. Still others might say it's a combination of the two.

Winnebago County Board Member Jean Crosby, R-16, is demanding the county revisit the issue and get busy restoring powers to the chairman's office.

Winnebago County Board members curtailed the chairman office's ability to hire, fire and manage county administration with a series of ordinance amendments following the 2016 election of Frank Haney, who clashed with board members.

Then, years passed and those powers were never given back, according to Crosby.

Today, the new ordinances are written to give the county administrator the ability to bypass the chairman's office and appeal directly to the county board in case of disagreements.

"The chairman should be the point person for the staff," Crosby said. "If something comes up, the administrator should go to the chair. If something comes up, the CFO should go to the chair. They shouldn't be going to a caucus chair. The caucus chair was elected by a district. Let's give it to the guy that ran countywide and got the support."

No true power

County Board Member and Republican caucus chairman Paul Arena will tell you that the Winnebago County Chairman's office never really had any true powers anyway.

Arena argues that the authority over all county matters ultimately rests with the County Board. Arena said requiring at least 11 people — a majority — on any matter "is the safest way to slowly steer the ship."

"No matter what we do or if you call it power or call it duty or authority or whatever — if tomorrow a chairman who is given authority or power to fire the administrator and on a Tuesday says 'You're fired,' on a Wednesday, the board can say 'No, he's not.' Because the County Board is the only one that has actual power," Arena said. "That's why it's frustrating to me, and I think it's confusing to the public, when they are led to believe that the chairman can act against the wishes of the board."

In 2020, voters rejected a measure that would have given Winnebago County an executive form of government under which the chairman’s powers would have been determined by state law.

Arena said the county's chairman mostly serves as the county's liaison to the public, its public face and its representative on economic development matters

Eliminating 'chaos'

Chairman Joe Chiarelli said he was not aware that Crosby was going to raise the issue, but he's eager to hear what board members have to say.

Part of his goal when he was elected was to "get rid of the chaos," constant lawsuits and conflict, Chiarelli said.

Without explicit authority, Chiarelli said he has done the job by working collaboratively. Administrative decisions regarding hiring, firing, discipline and other matters are made with his advice and consent.

"I only utilize what I have at my disposal, and I think we've been very successful to date," Chiarelli said. "We're always in constant communication about every issue going on in the county. They keep me up to date. They ask for my advice."

'Giveth and taketh'

Winnebago County State's Attorney J. Hanley said his office is researching the history on the chairman's powers and how they have changed since 2017.

Because the County Board altered the responsibilities and authority of the office over time with a series of ordinance amendments, exactly how they have changed and when, is foggy.

Winnebago County has chosen to have a chairman elected by a countywide vote instead of a vote by board members, Hanley said, but state law has very little to say about this kind of chairman's job and authority.

"What happens is the County Board really can giveth and taketh away as far as what the powers and responsibilities of the chairman are," Hanley said.

Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached at (815) 987-1374, via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on Twitter @jeffkolkey.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Winnebago County could restore chairman's authority