by Joseph Wiszowaty
When David Hanks took office as Mayor of Sauk Village he also became the ambassador for the 10,500 people who call Sauk Village home! Hanks promised the leadership when he took office on November 8th as acting mayor and when he ran for election in April he promised "Tested Experience, Proven Leadership and Real Results". What was not told to the public is how much more all his attributes would cost the taxpayers.
First Hanks brought in a paid staff for Economic Development including the village attorney, financial consultants and village engineers all of which cost the village money for their services. Only one major hurdle, the Village has not filed a TIF report with the Comptrollers Office since 2009. Oops did someone miss this along the way?
Now Hanks and the "bobble head" village board of Trustees voted 5 to 1 to approve a controversial lobbyist which was not in the Village Budget so they can get those "results" David promised himself of delivering right before the April election.
Alfred G. Ronan, a Springfield lobbyist will earn between $3,000 to $5,000 per month ($36,000 to $60,000), money which was not included in the Village's budget. I was under the impression by all the rhetoric Hanks was spouting about "reaching out to state and federal officials". If this is Hanks' way of reaching out, to hire a lobbyist, he should have told people this during the election. "I will hire a lobbyist, as I do not have the time to speak with our state and federal officials to seek financial assistance", at least that wouldn't have been misleading!
Now I'm not saying that a lobbyist is fundamentally a "bad" thing, just bad when an administration has "champagne taste on a beer man's wallet". Simply put the Village doesn't have the money to waste on such a luxury! Don't like the alcohol metaphor, well here are some biblical one: Proverbs 17:18 - A man lacking in judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor. - This means don't give out a loan to those who cannot pay - Those who accept that kind of loan will be more likely to go deeper in debt. A high percentage of Americans are in this kind of debt its called credit cards and irresponsible spending!
Additionally, as the Sauk Village Voice pointed out, Hanks hired REM Management Services and pay them $11,000 originally to find a police chief, now to find a deputy chief of police, again this money was not included in the Village's budget. A budget held together with chicken wire and so full of holes it's not really worth the paper it was printed. This administration is crying "poor" but seems to find money to suit their desires, just like Lewis Towers did when he wanted something!
The Sauk Village Police Department have been without a contract for 882 days now, not that I've been counting. Negotiations are rumored to be going to binding arbitration now and any pay increase would be retroactive to May 1, 2011 which could mean tens and tens of thousands that had not been included in the village's chicken wire budget.
Complicating matters the village is delinquent in its audit reports and financial reporting to the Comptroller of the State of Illinois and is facing thousands in penalties for the delinquent handling of the financial affairs. "Giving more time" for failure is no longer becoming an option. This administration needs to move a lot faster than it has to address these problems and stop making "artificial" crisis to appear to be the great white hope on a stallion coming to the rescue. That's played out already.
Oh wait there is more! Remember the bonds used to build the Village Hall, you remember those same "alternate revenue bonds" which were suppose to be paid from "impact fees" from the LogistiCenter. Well since there is no new construction, there is no money to pay those bonds. This goes on the backs of the residents of Sauk Village who pay property taxes.
With all the village's positions filled the general fund will become very skinny and it's likely that Hanks will be grabbing whatever funds he can to meet payroll or use for whatever pet project he feels is important.
Outward appearances seem that the village is moving forward, a few streets have been repaired, public works is out mowing grass and replacing fire hydrants which are not working, the village is for the first time leasing police squad cars. All of which could have been done in the last administration, but they were stuck in a political tug-of-war with the Village Board led by whom? David Hanks himself! According to the NWI Times who called Hanks, Lewis Towers "primary critic", who at a meeting stood over Lewis Towers in defiance and is alleged to have made a threat to Towers during a board meeting. I know what I wanted to do with that gavel that night as did many in the room! Of course Hanks denied the allegation back then.
Don't believe everything you hear coming from this administration! They will only put out what they want you to know, not necessarily all the facts or the truth for that matter. This administration is about to run out of gas money, their credit cards are maxed out, over $800,000 in vendors' bills are going unpaid for months as sitting in the drawer until money comes in to pay them. Tread slowly and lightly as these "forward motions" put the village in a tail spin right into insolvency! Then the fall guy will be Mohan Rao, after all there's always a fall guy right? Let's not blame the man sitting in the center chair.
Governing is important, read what your critics write about you but a real leaders learns from it and doesn't send out their friends to continue a relentless attack campaign endorsed by the Mayor himself!
The firestorm hasn't even begun! The FOIA requests will continue as this administration only wants a few people "in the know" so we will continue to seek answers and post our findings so that this illusive administration is held accountable for their "leadership". Sure we'll give kudos when they are due! I'm still waiting to see "real progress". I want Sauk Village to succeed and want this administration to succeed, however, it needs to be done in an open, honest and transparent manner. This administration is "exclusive" and not "inclusive". Taking the path it is on is not the way to accomplish this.
Hanks said during the election "keep an eye on us", I know I will. I hope the people of Sauk Village have been as well.
"Tested Experience, Proven Leadership and Real Results" thus far "EPIC FAIL" on all three points!
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| photo provided by People's Voice Party 2011- David Hanks |
