Misleading article on Lauzen sign up

Misleading article on Lauzen sign up

Jim Fuller’s Feb. 7 article regarding Kane County Board members participation in executive committee meetings misleads readers of the Daily Herald. I have never “blocked” anyone from speaking at any meeting or “limited” any board member in any forum. The article used language that creates controversy that is merely a distraction from what matters.

With one out of 20 homes in Kane County in foreclosure, one in three children in my hometown of Aurora living below poverty standards, and American median household income adjusted for inflation not increasing since 1989, I firmly believe that every board member and even every reporter and editor have more important concerns regarding our government at all levels.

Here is the exact note I sent to board members, inviting them to speak and merely asking them to sign up:

“Our collective intention in County Board meetings is to provide an organized ‘people’s forum’ where we gather accurate information, exchange various perspectives, and come to the best decisions on behalf of our mutual constituents.

Every County Board member has been invited to speak at Standing Committee and General County Board meetings. I would be happy to gather thoughts from any current or former Board members who are not current members of the Executive Committee but would like to participate and speak at those meetings, too.

I merely ask that you signup ahead of time like Mark Davoust and Tom VanCleave did in January. We will go to you first at the beginning of discussing each month’s County Board agenda, after the Pledge, Call to Order, Approval of Minutes, and Monthly Financial Reports. Chris”

If any board member feels that my request to let me know that they’d like to speak is too much of a burden, I’ll be happy to accommodate them in every case.

Christopher J. Lauzen

Kane County Board Chairman