Minutemen leader unseats McHenry board incumbent

The leader of a local Minutemen chapter earned a nomination over an incumbent McHenry County Board member in Tuesday's Republican primary in District 6.

Incumbent Mary McCann and Diane Evertsen, president of the Minutemen Midwest, topped the five-person field for two spots on the November ballot.

According to unofficial totals, McCann had 2,192 votes, Evertsen received 1,817, Victor Narusis got 1,381, incumbent Dan Ryan had 1,318 and Richard Draper garnered 912.

In the run-up to the primary, the five candidates focused on open space and water conservation - major issues in the largely rural western half of McHenry County.

Ryan, a board member since 2006, said new subdivisions should be incorporated into existing towns, where conservation rules can be enforced more easily.

McCann said the county should work with municipalities to implement a groundwater protection management plan. She also advocated protection of farmland and promotion of agritourism.

Draper, a sales agent and former Wonder Lake treasurer, supported more education on conservation measures and monitoring of new developments.

Evertsen, a real estate agent, also said the county should monitor new growth and preserve open space.

Narusis, owner of a financial services firm, said the county should balance preservation of groundwater and open space with the need for jobs and a diversified tax base.