Former state Rep. Ruth Munson takes ownership in BocaJump

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Updated: March 8, 2012 8:08AM

ELGIN — With the death of her husband last year, former state representative and City Council member Ruth Munson has taken an ownership role with the hyper local website BocaJump.com.

BocaJump, which is devoted to all things Elgin, was founded in June 2010 by Steve Munson, a software developer who also was co-founder of Everyware Inc. and was an advocate for downtown Elgin. He died in late September at the age of 56 after being diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer in June.

Ruth Munson served on the City Council from 1999 to 2003 and was a Republican state representative for the 43rd district from December 2002 through January 2009. Munson lost the seat to current incumbent Democrat Keith Farnham in the 2008 general election and again in 2010.

The Munsons formed Everyware, a software development firm, in 1987, and Ruth Munson ran its daily operations until 2003, after taking office downstate.

Since last fall, Ruth Munson has been working a 35-hour-a-week job as a social media analyst on the state’s payroll.

Munson said she took the job shortly before her husband died.

Munson said she is being paid by the state, and her job is in the communications office of the House Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego, who represents the 84th District. Her job involves training people and giving advice on the use of social media, which includes Facebook and Twitter.

Munson also said she had been doing some consulting work recently for the city of Elgin, talking to City Council members for a project. The discussions focused on what they saw as needs for customer service, Munson said.

The information being collected was part of the broader work the city is doing in creating a 311 system by which residents can expedite getting their questions answered and their city-related matters resolved.

However, Munson said there is a question as to if she will be doing any further consulting work for the city because of a potential conflict of interest related to her assuming ownership of BocaJump Elgin, which includes reporting on city matters among its offerings and which has been receiving $2,500 per month in advertising fees from the city since its inception.

“The death of my husband changes that situation (ownership of the online publication). That’s the issue to be considered,” Munson said.

Munson noted she will be meeting with Elgin City Manager Sean Stegall sometime soon to discuss the matter.