Can’t be a surprise all three candidates for McHenry County Coroner believe the Coroner post should remain an elected position. At the recent Coroner’s Forum at McHenry County College, Mark Justen, Angela Byrnes, and Michael Rein confirmed they are opposed to appointment of a full-time medical examiner. A referendum on November 3 asks voters to decide whether the coroner should be elected or appointed.
As part of the forum, The League of Women Voters asked McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks of Marengo to argue in favor of an appointed medical examiner while Kendall County Coroner Jacqui Purcell of Yorkville was asked to show the benefits of an elected coroner.
Now it’s time the coroner candidates explain not only why they favor an elected coroner, but answer questions about their background that may convince voters on March 17.
Mark Justen is a licensed funeral director and embalmer at the Justen Funeral Home and Crematory in McHenry. Justen said he will step aside, “leaving the funeral home to my wife.” He responded to coroner candidate Angela Byrnes who said during the forum that Justen would be spending time at the funeral home and less on his duties as coroner. Justen called what Byrnes said “a low blow.” He reminded her he’d step down from day-to-day operation of the funeral home. Justen, a funeral director for 44 years, said he had worked for a number of McHenry County Coroners over the years and gained a lot of on-the-job experience. “The coroner’s office works 24/7. There is no time off. A call comes in and you may have one call after another…and it goes on and on,” Justen said. As for whether the public is better off with an appointed coroner over an elected position, Justin said, “I would rather be elected as a coroner. If you don’t do your job, then sure, you are out of a job, therefore, I’d rather be elected and do a darn decent job.”
Angela Byrnes of Crystal Lake is a registered nurse with medical forensic training and managerial experience with a nonprofit hospice organization. Byrnes believes it’s important to understand the costs for a medical examiner are much higher than a coroner and that it would be difficult if not impossible to attract a medical examiner. “There is a huge deficiency of medical examiners in this country,” Byrnes said. Concluding her comments, “The Coroner’s Office needs to remain an elected position so that the coroner’s office remains accountable to the people and not to politicians that claim they want to politicize the office by having other politicians appoint the coroner. The coroner’s office needs to be fair and impartial for the sake of victims, their families, and the integrity of justice,” Byrnes said.
Dr. Michael Rein of Woodstock is a Doctor of Chiropractic and a former member of the McHenry County Board. He’s served as a Republican Precinct Committeeman and board member of the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce. Rein said he’s used to working 60 hours a week, “so being in this full-time job (Coroner), I would step down from my practice.” Rein is strongly opposed to an appointed position because he believes it exposes the person selected to outside influences. “You need an independent thinker without being influenced by the State’s Attorney, Sheriff, County Board, County Administrator, or County Board Chairman. Any one of these people can hang their hat over you and if you don’t do what they say, they will fire you even if you are right,” Rein said. In his four years on the McHenry County Board, Rein said he’s worked with various boards including the Mental Health Board, Valley Hi, and the Drug Coordinator. “As Coroner, we must work together as a team within the coroner’s office and share local law enforcement and the State’s Attorney’s Office to reach the best ultimate outcomes,” Rein said.
Once again, the election is March 17, 2020. The office of Coroner is just one of the contested races but it’s a significant race. This could potentially be the last elected coroner for McHenry County.
