ROCKFORD — "A warning shot across the bow."
That's what Winnebago County Auditor Bill Crowley is calling a memo he distributed Monday to all county elected and appointed officials and department heads regarding what he calls "potentially prohibited political activity in Winnebago County offices."
Attached to the memo were several several documents: the State Officials and Employee Ethics Act, Illinois Election Code, Winnebago County's ordinance regarding political activity, and Winnebago County's Ethics and Business Conduct Policy.
Questioned in his office Tuesday, Crowley declined to say what was being done in violation of state or county law or who specifically was expressing concerns about potential violations.
"Several individuals, both inside and outside the county, have questioned some activities that certain individuals within the county have engaged in and sort of alluded to maybe they were misusing county assets and county time," he said.
Crowley's memo lists seven examples of potentially prohibited political activity, such as:
• "Inappropriate preparation and distribution of political materials supporting a referendum.
• "Display of political campaign logos on Winnebago County property such as the county's webpages, emails, stationery, etc.
• "Soliciting votes on behalf of a candidate for elective office or a political organization or for or against any referendum question or helping in an effort to get voters to the polls.
• "Campaigning for any elective office or for or against any referendum question."
Four of the seven examples referred to a referendum.
In December, the Winnebago County Board voted 14-4 to place before voters in the March election a binding referendum asking whether or not to consolidate the offices of Winnebago County Clerk and Recorder of Deeds.
If approved, the recorder’s position would be eliminated and the operations of the office would fall under the clerk’s control. County Board Chairman Frank Haney has touted the move as a chance to streamline county government.
On the county's website is link to a consolidation feasibility study exploring the merits of combining the two offices.
County Clerk Margie Mullins announced last year that she would not seek re-election and later announced plans to resign from her post effective Jan. 31. Meanwhile, Recorder Nancy McPherson has voiced her opposition to the consolidation and did so again on Tuesday.
"I believe the consolidation is a political move and a political move only," she said.
As for the display of a campaign logo on the county's web pages, emails and stationery, Crowley did say, "The ACT Initiative is one of those thing that came up repeatedly."
Just as former Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey touted a "vision" of "Excellence Everywhere for Everyone," Haney campaigned on a pledge to make Winnebago County the state's most "Accountable, Collaborative and Transparent" government.
Haney said the slogan — plastered on coffee mugs filled with snack-size candy and sent out to individuals in the community as a Christmas present — defines him and his platform. Haney said he paid for the mugs and candy, not county taxpayers.
"Espousing the core values of accountability, collaboration, and transparency is a good thing, not a bad thing, especially in government. ... It is my mantra — my standard — people even kid me about it because they get tired of hearing me discuss it. But at least I stand for something," Haney said.
Haney also said the ACT slogan did not originate with him.
"DuPage County has an ACT Initiative that I adopted from Chairman Dan Cronin," Haney said. "The DuPage auditor isn’t monkeying around with this type of nonsense. We have real issues at the county. Let’s focus on that.
"This confuses from the real issues of abuse and unethical behavior that seemed to carry on without so much as a mention in the past. ...
"Perhaps Bill had his feelings hurt that he didn’t get an ACT coffee mug for Christmas from me."
Crowley said no complaints had been forwarded to the Winnebago County State's Attorney or Illinois Attorney General.
Chris Green: 815-987-1241; cgreen@rrstar.com; @chrisfgreen