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Noland gets heat over timing of wife's hire, legislation passage

State Sen. Michael Noland is getting heat from his opponent over legislation he sponsored helping community mental health boards and the Hanover Township Mental Health Board's subsequent hiring of his wife.

Steve Rauschenberger, an Elgin Republican vying for the 22nd state Senate seat, which he held from 1992 to 2006, calls it a questionable move that, at the very least, indicates poor judgment on Noland's part. Since the subject arose at an Elgin debate late last week, Rauschenberger has released an attack ad calling for Fox Valley constituents to “vote against Noland's illegal schemes.

Noland says there is “absolutely no connection between the legislation's passage and the near-immediate employment of his wife, Veronica. He said he didn't even know she was applying for the part-time job, which paid $20,000 annually.

Along with redefining several definitions of mental illness, the legislation, which passed the General Assembly in May 2007, amends the Community Mental Health Act, providing township mental health boards with more financial independence with their budgets.

“It provided more autonomy for the mental health board and less oversight with finances, Hanover Township Administrator James Barr said Monday.

Just a week after that legislation passed, Noland's wife was hired by the Hanover Township Mental Health Board as a part-time community resource specialist, Barr confirmed.

Barr said that long before the legislation passed, the mental health board had determined it needed to create this new position.

Applicants, he said, went through a competitive hiring process, where many candidates were interviewed. Mrs. Noland was selected from among several finalists. She left the position within six months, being paid a total of $10,000, Barr said.

The position continues to exist today.

The caveat is that the entire township had instituted a hiring feeze that year, Barr said. The position offered to Mrs. Noland was the only one filled.

“The timing probably raises an eyebrow, Barr said. Because he wasn't directly involved with the hiring process, he said he wasn't in a position “to make that kind of assessment.

Barr did note that Hanover Township had asked the mental health board to respect its hiring freeze at the time it added the position, a request the board ultimately disregarded.

Noland pointed out that the legislation does not give the board any added authority to make new hires.

“The authority that the board had to hire her, was the same authority they had before the legislation passing. There's no connection whatsoever. I had no idea they were going to make an offer to her, he said.

The 22nd District race is expected to be one of the closest on the state legislative level this fall.

Steve Rauschenberger, an Elgin Republican