Mental Board Hits Tax Cap, Looks For New Member

The McHenry County Mental Health Board Monday formally forebore increasing its property tax levy for 2013 since its already as high as it can go. The Board also accepted a member's resignation, another casualty of the collapse of a major MHB service provider earlier this year.

Under Illinois' Property Tax Extension Law Limit many taxing bodies can ask for up to a three percent increase in property taxes next year.  They can get that, even though property tax values are falling, with an increase in property tax rates.  But McHenry County's MHB is already at its maximum allowable rate, .15 percent, so it can't get more next year than the roughly $12 million it received this year. Treasurer Sam Tenuto called Monday's vote "mostly procedural."

The Board also accepted the resignation of Director Rev. Jim Swarthout. The former rector at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, McHenry, notified the MHB and County Board last week that he was going to become overall Community and Clergy Coordinator for Rosecrance Mental Health Care Network.  Rosecrance took over the majority of clients of MHB provider Family Service when it closed earlier this year.  Swarthout said his new position "would cause a conflict of interest."  He'd been the Rockford-based group's Chicago area coordinator since 2006.

Board President Lee Ellis reported only one recruiting firm put in a bid to find a replacement for MHB Executive Director Sandy Lewis who'll be leaving for a new position next month.  The Board doesn't plan to pick someone for the now-empty Deputy Director slot until Lewis's position is filled.  The number three spot at MHB was eliminated after another resignation two months ago.

In the pic:  Crystal Lake County Board Member Mary Donner (far right) told the McHenry County Mental Health Board she'd like to fill the spot vacated by Director Jim Swarthout.  She's MHB's ex-officio member from the County Board now but can't be next year since she lost in the March Primary.