Q&A with Bachmann
1. Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what? What will be your main priority? Yes! I was deeply troubled, then motivated by the facts surrounding the Woodstock Residence death cases and lack of investigative leadership shown by our current coroner. I will immediately implement Elder Care Protection Task Force aimed specifically toward nursing home residents; a "RX Narcotic Drug Retrieval Program" post death; and implement a "Risky Youth Prevention Task Team."
For the Coroner's Elder Care Protection Task Team, I will dedicate one deputy specifically to this duty. A daily log will be kept. This log will follow each on call deputy home each and every night. This way, we can keep a close check on numbers of deaths for each individual nursing home. We will check the daily obituaries and compare its content to the names of the nursing homes who have reported deaths in this time frame. This will serve as a checks and balances protection plan. Additionally, in the past month, my Prescription Drug Plan that I had proposed last September has now gotten statewide attention. State Rep. Jack Franks has actually drafted a bill on my platform. I will implement this plan within days of taking office. The coroner has the law enforcement powers to do this without it yet being state law. I will dedicate a deputy to this "Narcotic Prescription Drug Retrieval" task force. This deputy will work alongside law enforcement officers to assist them with this project. Safe disposal of medication has been number one on my platform from the beginning of the campaign. A systematic program would legally protect care givers, hospice nurses and others from liability should the drugs fall into the wrong hands. It would also preserve the water supply by preventing drugs from being flushed for disposal. I am proposing the coroner's office advise police departments at the time of death, so that they can visit the home and retrieve narcotics. The police would also have a document in which the final care giver can sign off on medications. Often at the time of death there are medications such as Vicodin, OxyContin, morphine and Fentanyl left on the bedroom dresser or nightstand with no oversight. I promise to enact this prescription drug retrieval and disposal program on day one of my administration of the coroner's office. The cost factor to implement these programs will be negligible at best. We already have officers in place and on taxpayers' time and dollars. This fact makes these programs even more attractive. They are cost effective and just make excellent practice sense.
2. For incumbents and non-incumbents. If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of important initiatives you've led. If you are not an incumbent, tell us what contributions you would make.
In addition to implementing the above mentioned programs as protective measures as any responsible coroner should do, it is my promise that I shall operate the office of McHenry County coroner in a fiscally judicious manner. I will follow the mandates as set forth for the office, by the State of Illinois. I will NOT use this office, to build a self-promoting resume. I will take the mandated number of initial educational courses, upon taking office, of 40 hours. Then, again as provided by law, take the 24 hours of annual continuing education hours as mandated. The coroner's office is NOT meant to be a medical examiners office by statute. The coroner has numerous experts to call upon, on an as-needed-basis. I will not spend taxpayer dollars on building a resume that would make me an expert on insect studies or entomology. McHenry County, most years, has ZERO murders. I have the professional experience to recognize when I would need to pick up the "red phone" to call upon experts as needed. We also have, at taxpayers' expense, many trained state, county and local law enforcement officers to investigate crime scenes. Instead of leaving the county to give outside speeches, and to take over-the-top courses on subjects, we already have trained experts to assist the coroner's office as needed. I will remain in the county, keeping a close watch on death numbers, and making certain my platforms as outlined above, are running smoothly and properly. I would be elected to also serve grieving families. My many years experience as a licensed funeral director will serve this function well. I will be in my office regularly, earning the wages the hard working families of McHenry County would be providing.
3. The central issue in this race seems to be whether the incumbent fulfilled her duties as coroner during the investigation into the deaths at the Woodstock Residence. If so, please describe how. If not, please offer details as to why not.
Respectfully, the first part of this question should reflect: Why, did incumbent coroner Marlene Lantz, not initiate the investigation herself? It was abundantly clear, months before September 2006, that the average total death rate for the previous five years, had already been reached, then exceeded. (Death rates track on a five year basis. Three years are usually exact, one year there will be a dip, one year a slight increase in death totals.) To be exact and clear, in Ms. Lantz own words on her campaign blog, she states: "I immediately pulled the records of the patients in question. I had been notified by the nursing home at the times the deaths occurred." She was called, yet she not one time, bothered to take investigative command of this horrible situation. We now have the entire picture of what had occurred. Yet, as provided on my blog page, a Channel 2 video interview of Ms. Lantz, has her showing total surprise, when she was questioned by the news reporter. This interview took place on Nov. 17, 2006. Now, on her campaign blog, Ms. Lantz admits she knew all along? She should have gone to the nursing home around late April or early May. At minimum, the bodies should have been brought back to the McHenry County morgue to preserve toxicology. Once Ms. Lantz released on the bodies over the telephone, the bodies were picked up by the funeral homes, embalmed and or cremated. And she wonders why there was nothing found in the new autopsy reports? Given the numbers and time lines as provided, I am estimating as many as 20 residents deaths should have been investigated. As painful as this is to witness, it has happened. After 26 years of holding office? In Lantz's writing, she is now trying to hide under the cover of the fact that the death certificates were signed out by the doctor. This signing does not physically happen for two or three days after death. How were the doctors to know what happened at the time of death to all their patients? It would be highly unusual for a doctor to be bedside when any death occurs in a nursing home. Doctors do not make daily rounds to nursing homes as they do hospital patients. This is exactly why the coroner is supposed to be keeping proper counts of death to pick up on these very type cases.
4. Does the coroner's office provide enough outreach in the community? Are there educational efforts the coroner's office should be undertaking that it is not currently? If so, what? Please be specific and offer funding sources.
No. Our current coroner's Web site states that she participates in "Pre-Prom, Homecoming, and Special Events" outreach programs. I plan on working within our schools, church youth groups and the like, on a regular and continuous year-round basis. Talking to our youth about the drugs on our streets, talking to our kids about risky youth behaviors that lead to death. These behaviors are not only at play just prior to certain school events. These behaviors, are serious issues that must be addressed and spoken about all year long. I will plan on splitting our schools into educational districts for each of my deputies to take on and be responsible for each and every month.
5. Not including those issues already identified above, is there another issue you believe will affect the coroner's office over the next four years? If so, define it and explain how you would like to see it addressed.
Immigration Death Notification Program: As coroner, I plan on spending time educating those within our county that may be new to our culture, teaching them about what to do in case of death. My wife is from Mexico. We plan to personally help our growing Hispanic community to do things in a legal fashion with full translation. This program will ensure our laws are fully protected. An immigration death notification program will help these new residents, protect themselves by knowing our laws and abiding by them should they experience a death or tragedy in their family. My wife, Trini, will serve our county as an unpaid ambassador for this specific purpose. Upon each notification of death to my office by the law enforcement dispatcher, I want to be notified if the death involves a non-English speaking individual. With full translation immediately available, this will also serve to help the law enforcement officers. We have few in this growing county that are Spanish speakers. This program will serve as an extremely valuable tool to not only law enforcement, but also to grieving family members who are in a language transition.
6. Please list the names of all relatives employed by or involved in contracts with McHenry County, their relationship to you and their position or area of business.
None given.