Q the Eye/10.18.20

Dear LakeCountyEye,

Help! The voters want to eliminate my Township Highway Dept.

How do I stop them?

The Colossus of Roads

Dear Highwayman,

So those pesky do-gooders want to eliminate your redundant unit of government?

Well don't do like they do in McHenry County (where everyone is lawsuit-happy) and file a nuisance-suit:

McHenry County road districts name Pritzker as defendant in township elimination lawsuit

No, do like they do in Lake County where everyone, instead, is smart. Get a voter referendum on the ballot to eliminate your Township Highway Department:

Ela Township Board votes to put Road District consolidation on the November 2020 ballot

You heard right. Put that Road District Referendum on your ballot, but make sure it is worded correctly. Like they did in Ela Township:

Shall the Road District of the Township of Ela be abolished with all the rights, powers, duties, assets, property, liabilities, obligations, and responsibilities being assumed by the Township of Ela?

Road District Referendum | ELA Township

If you include the legal-mumbo-jumbo about rights and responsibilities, then your voters will think they are voting to dissolve your Highway Dept. But in reality all they will be doing is transferring control over to the Township proper. Where your Highway Dept will be safely immunized against any further voter meddling.

Wicked smart.

Send your questions to Q the Eye c/o ... LakeCountyEye@gMail.com