Sparks fly on county board when expenses questioned

Kane County Board members clashed Wednesday when a discussion about the budget erupted into a war of subtle insults among board members from Aurora.

Board Member Bonnie Kunkel began discussion of next year's budget appropriations by questioning line items in the budget directly related to the board itself.

The board does not typically discuss the budget as a group in public, especially by individual line items.

"I think it behooves us as a county board to lead the way in terms of being financially responsible," Kunkel said. She then directed an attack on the amount of money in the board's budget for consultants and emergency expenses.

For instance, she pointed out that the county board has about $300,000 budgeted for contractual consultants to help with media relations and special projects for the next fiscal year. That's up from about $60,000 in the 2004 fiscal year. There's also about $150,000 in the county board budget for emergency expenses. Kunkel suggested most of that money could be better used in other departments.

That's when the discussion started to turn ugly.

Board Member Paul Greviskes, also from Aurora, attempted to cut Kunkel short.

"Those are the type of questions I think should have been brought at that juncture during the budget process rather than wait for a board meeting," Greviskes said.

But Kunkel would not be silenced.

"If someone expects me to vote in favor of a bloated budget, it's appropriate for me, and it is incumbent upon all of us to be responsible and inquire about this," she said. "My questions are appropriate, and I will ask them."

Greviskes then gave her four more minutes to wrap it up.

"Be quick about it," he told her. "We do not have to sit and listen to it ad infinitum."

Kunkel continued, but was cut off by another board member from Aurora, Gerald Jones.

"You're implying by this that these monies are squandered, and that's not necessarily the case," Jones said. He told Kunkel to research how much money comes back to the county as the result of using consultants before questioning the expense.

"For you to bring these up on the county board floor and squander all the rest of the members' value time simply because you wish to grandstand and show folks how smart you are with regards to the budget is inappropriate and unprofessional."

Kunkel then broke in to tell Jones his comments were an inappropriate personal attack.

"It is about as appropriate as your diatribe," Jones responded, before taking a short walk.

Kunkel finished. Then County Board Member Arlene Shoemaker, also from Aurora, closed the discussion by telling the rest of the board to stop trying to stifle Kunkel.

"This discussion about how much Bonnie says ... I find it very offensive," Shoemaker said. "It's damn rude the way this was done. I hope it won't be repeated."

Kunkel proved to be the lone "No" vote on the budget appropriation ordinance.