Board split over new hire in Ogle: Administrator wins second vote, 13-10

OREGON – A do-over vote to hire a Polo woman as Ogle County administrator Tuesday had different results this time.

The county board voted 13-10 to hire Megan McKinley, 40, as county administrator.
A motion to hire McKinley on March 17 was defeated 12-12.

McKinley did not attend Tuesday’s meeting and could not be reached for comment.

McKinley will replace former county administrator Jim Mielke, who resigned in September to take a similar post in Dodge County, Wis.

The salary for the position is approximately $80,000.

The loss of two no votes brought about the reversal. Lynne Kilker, of Oregon, who voted no in March did not attend Tuesday’s meeting, and Dorothy Bowers, of Byron, changed her vote from no to yes on the issue.

Several board members voiced strong objections to voting again on the measure and questioned the legality of the vote, mostly because of how it was listed on the agenda.

Kim Gouker, Byron, said the wording was too vague and did not include a resolution number, as many agenda items to be voted on do.

The agenda item was listed under Unfinished Business as “County Administrator Possible Action.”

“How would the public, or board members, know that this was going to be voted on?” he said.

Gouker said he did not believe the March resolution could be brought up again after being defeated.

Board chairman Ed Rice, Rochelle, said he had consulted an expert on parliamentary procedure who told him the resolution to hire McKinley could be reintroduced even though it was defeated last month.

However, Marcia Heuer, Oregon, said she received an opinion over the phone from a staff member at the Illinois Attorney General’s office that indicated the agenda listing must be more precise.

Larry Boes, Byron, questioned why Rice had not informed all county board members that the matter would be brought up again.

“It’s becoming clear to me that there’s something less than transparency here,” he said.

After the vote, Jim Barnes, Oregon, expressed his displeasure about Rice’s handling of the issue.

“I’d like to congratulate you on your lobbying and your phone calls and on getting what you want tonight,” Barnes said. “I think it’s driven a bigger wedge between members of this board. If I were the person being voted on, I would think long and hard before taking the job.”