Whether Public officials should be held to a higher standard than average citizens is debatable but I think we can all agree that public officials should be held to the same standard as the average Joe or Jane. This is apparently not the case for a certain member of the Winnebago County Board.

   In June of 2004...Carolyn Gardner was ticketed in Roscoe for driving without insurance. The Rockford Register Star reports Gardner pleaded guilty to the offense and was fined $377 dollars. Five-and-a-half years later, Gardner's fine has still not been paid. County officials say Gardner was cited in 2006 for a property code violation. A motion for default judgement was issued after Gardner failed to appear in court. A $100 fine was assessed against Gardner. I'm told Gardner wrote a check for that fine. The check bounced.

    Last month, Gardner was sworn in as a County Board member representing District 9. The swearing-in followed a protracted legal battle that ultimately removed Republican Ted Biondo from that same District 9 seat. Thursday night, The County Board will likely amend its 2010 budget to pay new Board Member Carolyn Gardner $6,870 dollars. The payment would cover Gardner's base salary, meeting per diem, and legal fees for all of last year for time...the courts said...Gardner should have been on the County Board.

    What this amounts to is Carolyn Gardner will be paid for work not performed and meetings she didn't attend. The taxpayers will foot the bill.

     Two weeks ago, County Board Republican Frank Gambino suggested that Gardner not be paid by the County until she makes good on her outstanding fines. As an alternative, Gambino suggested that the County Board subtract Gardner's fines from what she is owed. Not only were both of Gambino's suggestions rejected...County Board Democrat George Anne Duckett chided Gambino for "digging up dirt".

     Today, I'm told by two sources that Carolyn Gardner has agreed through her attorney to allow the County to deduct her outstanding fines from the $6,870 she is owed stemming from her legal battle.  Hmmm....that solution sounds similar to what County Board Member Frank Gambino proposed two weeks ago. You know...the same County Board Member who was criticized for digging up dirt.

      This unfortunate episode does not reflect well on County government and begs a number of questions: What is Carolyn Gardner's side of the story? Why wasn't her traffic fine paid until now? She's a public official. Why hasn't she gone public with an explanation? Does she have a valid driver's license? If that's the case, how is she able to legally drive when she hasn't paid a 2004 traffic ticket for driving without insurance? Why didn't the County place this traffic fine in collections? Where is the local Democratic Party leadership on this issue?

      We called Carolyn Gardner this morning and got a recorded message that stated the following," The party you are calling has temporarily disconnected their service". Carolyn Gardner is apparently disconnected from her constituents. County Government...in this case...is disconnected from reality.