When Dylan Thomas waxed poetic about not going gently into that good night, I’m convinced he had Ken Shepro in mind.
For the uninitiated, Shepro is the former County Board attorney slash McConnaughay minion who’s had his hand in more pots than Winnie the Pooh. When he became a State Senate liability, Chairman McConnaughay removed him from the limelight, but trust me, she’s still paying him something somehow somewhere.
Despite the fact he lacks an imposing presence – in fact, it’s quite the opposite – in his mob enforcer fantasy world, Ken fancies himself to be quite the intimidator. He’s previously tried to cow me as well as various and sundry recalcitrant board members. His history of taking pictures of rebel citizenry factions is legendary.
So in an attempt to replay one of their greatest duet hits, Ms. McConnaughay had Shepro show up at today’s COW meeting to photograph those folks who came out to oppose the proposed Settler’s Hill project.
Of course, outgoing board member Bonnie Kunkel took the bait and called Shepro out in the middle of the meeting which is exactly what they wanted. Up to that point, those citizens probably thought he was some crazy little Japanese guy who was taking way too many pictures. No one would believe Ken Shepro was trying to terrorize them unless they were expressly told that’s exactly what he was doing.
Of course, immediately after Kunkel accused a “county employee” of intimidation the Chairman went carpe diem on her ass, started flapping her arms around like that Lost In Space robot, and shouting she was aghast that anyone would think Shepro was still a county employee.
Then she asked board attorney Joe Cullen if it was illegal to take pictures during a board meeting. Of course, had Bonnie thought about it for a few seconds, she would’ve realized that BATV was already doing it.
This was nothing more than more theater by the not-so-dynamic duo. It’s too bad that neither one of them has enough class to leave Kane County on a high note.
