4 TO 3 VOTE HIRES CONTROVERSIAL SUPERINTENDENT

Dr. Donna Simpson-Leak
Sauk Village's new Superintendent of Schools

By Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE |  School District 168 School Board approved hiring the controversial candidate for Superintendent of Schools Dr. Donna Simpson-Leak to replace retiring Superintendent Al Travaglini.  Travaglini took over as Superintendent in 2011.

The vote to hire Leak was 4 to 3 voting yes were Mary Howard sister to Sauk Village Mayor David Hanks, Aisa El-Amin, Deloris Green and Jimo Kasali and voting no were School Board President Sharon Davenport, Tammy Jones and Melvin Stevenson.

The fact that Leak is a woman didn’t matter to a school board dominated by women.  “It’s not about gender, it’s about what’s best for the children, and it’s about the chemistry of the staff” Davenport said of her NO vote of Leak as Superintendent.  “The most important thing that we (the school board) can do is hire a Superintendent.  As a board, out of all the people we had to choose from, I feel like we should have been able to have more of a consensus on a candidate for the position” Davenport said.  Davenport pledged to work with the incoming Superintendent and respects the decision of the Board.

The $800,000 lawsuit filed by Leak against her former employer, Rich Township School District 227 did not weigh on their decision to vote yes according to Green.  “The lawsuit has not been settled yet.  I read about some of what they accused her of it did not happen” Green said following the board meeting.   “I feel good about my decision” Green said.  As for the board’s split decision Green said “I think it says we’re individuals and we vote our conscience”.

Long-time resident Rose Langston, who attended Monday night’s meeting doesn’t feel that Leak was the right decision.  “I think she is carrying too much baggage” Langston said.  “I wish her well and hope we don’t run into the same problems we had before” Langston said referring to the scandal of former imprisoned Superintendent Thomas Ryan.  Several residents who attended did not speak out but were not happy with the board’s decision, one long-time resident saying as he left the building “this summed up their sorry political career by voting yes for her (Leak)”.

Leak will transition into the position starting May 27^th until June 30^th and receive $693.87 per day and will work 10 days during this period according to her employment agreement.  Her employment agreement is for a two year period.  Leak will be paid $170,000 per year, only $1,000 less than Travaglini.  She will receive retirement contributions into the State’s retirement fund;  $500 per month in “expenses”;  $200,000 in paid life insurance;  100% paid health insurance benefits for herself and her family in addition $1,500 per month in any health related expenses; paid long-term disability;  $15,000 per year paid by the district into a 403(b);  20 paid vacation days commencing on day one;  15 sick days; $400 per month auto allowance; plus a paid cell phone and other expense reimbursements.

“I feel honored and privileged to be working in Sauk Village” Leak said following the meeting.  As for the split decision of the Board “I am going to continue the great things that he (Travaglini) has had going, but we have a lot of changes in education coming down the pike” Leaks said.  As far as staff changes Leak has no immediate plans “we have to look at budgets and really roll my sleeves up and get a look at it.  Al and I have some transition time so we’ll look at it” Leak said.

DISTRICT 168 MAY HIRE CONTROVERSIAL SUPERINTENDENT

Donna Simpson-Leak

By Joseph Wiszowaty

SAUK VILLAGE |  Community Consolidated School District #168 has been searching for a new Superintendent of School since Al Travaglini announced his retirement last year and apparently the search maybe over.  There were numerous applicants and 2 finalists.

 

The Board members are apparently split in their decision over a controversial candidate Dr. Donna Simpson-Leak the former Superintendent of Schools for Rich Township School District 227.  The Rich Township school board fired Simpson-Leak in June, 2013 by a 4-3 vote citing "gross improprieties in the process of student expulsions" and allegedly locking a school board member out of a meeting, according to a published newspaper report.   Leak is suing the Rich Township district for alleged civil conspiracy, breach of contract and infliction of emotional distress, seeking $800,000 in damages.

 

According to Cook County Circuit Court records, Simpson-Leak had hired in her suit against Rich Township the same legal team as the former temporary Chief of Police Robert Fox had that sued Sauk Village,  Ancel Glink Diamond Murphy & Cope, a powerhouse law firm in the State of Illinois.  The firm has, however, since withdrawn from the case as of April 8^th of this year according to court documents.

 

Sauk Village was the center of controversy statewide and in the news media when the former criminal Superintendent of School Thomas Ryan ripped the district off of cash while he ran the district like a dictator with a puppet School Board.  Ryan pled guilty and served time in prison for what prosecutors said was "stealing kids milk money".

 

Simpson-Leak, of Flossmoor, was a finalist for the Superintendent position for Kankakee School District 111 in January of this year, however, she lost out to another candidate for the position.  Simpson-Leak lost out most recently for a position in Crete Monee School District to an out of state candidate.

 

Village residents may remember when the Sauk Village Board took a chance on a “controversial” hiring pick, Henrietta Turner, for Village Manager in 2011.  Turner was suing her former employer, Country Club Hills following her dismissal and ended up suing the Village of Sauk Village as well. 

 

“I do not have and cannot comment at this time” Sharon Davenport, Board President said.  “The board will take formal action on the matter Monday, April 28^th at the meeting at 6pm” Davenport said.

 

Attempts to reach School Board Member Mary Howard for comment were unsuccessful.  School Board Vice President Tammy Jones could not comment beyond saying "please come to the board meeting on Monday night that is when action would be taken" Jones said.  Board Member Deloris Green had no comment on the matter.  Calls to Board Secretary Melvin Stevenson not returned at the time of publication.

Retiring Superintendent of Schools Al Travaglini echoed Davenport.  “At the Board’s request, I was instructed not to comment on any questions regarding the selection of the next Superintendent of Schools.  The Board will announce their selection April 28^th, which is a regular meeting” Travaglini said.

 

HELPFUL LINKS: 

 FORMER SUPERINTENDENT SUES DISTRICT

 

VIDEO:  SD227 DISMISSES SUPERINTENDENT LEAK

 

KANKAKEE SUPT SEARCH

 

SUPERINTENDENT PLANS LEGAL ACTION

 

TAXPAYERS COULD FACE MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR PENSION MESS

By Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE |  The Sauk Village Police Pension Board met Thursday afternoon  and while the Pension Fund is solvent and earning money the Village taxpayers could be on the hook for millions of unfunded liabilities because the Village officials are not contributing.  The Village has not made their contributions to the Police Pension Fund in over 4 years, including this year according to Village Treasurer James Griegel.

Longtime resident Judy Cast, who is a widow of the late Sergeant Alan Cast, attended the Pension Board meeting looking for answers.  “I have FOIA’ed (Freedom of Information Act Request) this information and I do receive my late husband’s pension.  I don’t understand why this group has not had an audit.  This group with all these intelligent people in here, why don’t we have an audit” Cast asked.

Pension Board Attorney Cary Collins, attorney with Collins and Radja, who has served as the Pension Board attorney for about 25 years explained  “Usually the village has someone (doing their audit) and that person will come in and do our (the pension board’s audit) for a fee.  Presently no one has told us that they are doing the village’s audit and would be willing to do our audit” Collins said.  “We’re required to do it (the audit)” Collins said to which Cast responded “but it’s not being done”.

“How much is the village supposed to be putting into the pension fund” Cast inquired during the meeting.  Collins responded stating that the Pension Board files with the state Department of Insurance a financial report who in turn provides an actuarial study, the Pension Board submits the study to the village, the Pension board also provides the village board with an additional actuarial study from another source as a second opinion along with a request for a tax levy.  The Village is suppose to act on the Pension Board’s recommendation and levy (or collect) the property taxes to fund the pension. 

Cast continued to ask questions.  “How much does the village owe the pension fund”?  Cast submitted this in her original Freedom of Information Act request she stated to the Pension Board.  “I just got an estimate from the auditors here for the last four or five years the amount is approximately $1.7 million” Griegel reported to the Pension Board.

Collins indicated to the Board that the Pension Fund must be “fully funded” by 2040.  “So what happens is that shortfall carries over which increases the annual tax levy requirement” Collins said.  “You pay me now or you’re going to pay me later, later is going to be a lot higher” Collins said.  “They have shorted us over the years.  That shortfall rolls over each year into the ‘unfunded liability’” Collin said.  The current “unfunded liability” to the Police Pension Fund is nearly $6 million.  Collins summed it up by saying “When they (the Village) shorts us it’s like kicking the can down the road”.

“At one time this pension fund was 100% funded” Collins said.  Collins suggested that many municipalities plugged up financial holes in their budgets by underfunding their pensions.  The Village’s pension is currently only funded at about 52% according to financial reports.

The Police Pension has not been audited in several years and will be engaging the services of MPS (Mulcahy, Pauriitsh, Salvador & Company LTD) out of Orland Park, Illinois to perform and complete their audit reports.

Pension Board President and former Sauk Village Police Sergeant Theodore “Ted” Sanders said when he came and saw the mess that the pension  was in he wanted to come back and do something to make things right.  “We’re currently exceeding our target of actuarial projections and overall the pension fund is in good shape” Sanders said.  But Sanders and the Pension Board expect the village to do their part and will work hard to ensure that the pension fund remains solvent.

The Pension Board consists of Griegel, Sanders, who is President of the Board, Sergeants Scott Langen and Rebecca Sailsbery and resident Pat Couch.  Both Salisbury and Couch were not in attendance Thursday.

 

Original material, copyright 2014 Sauk Villager News; all rights reserved.

RESIDENT ASKS: WHERE IS THE TRANSPARENCY?

Opinion Editorial
by Sauk Village Resident
Thomas James
TRANSPARENCY???? YOU decide.
Bear with me as I go back in time.  David Hanks was elected as our new Mayor. Good thing? I'm not too sure now but reserve the right to CHANGE MY MIND.

#1. Mayor Hanks with the approval of the bobble heads got rid of all legal groups and made Odleson and Sterk group our only legal group. Now Odleson and Sterk basically own and run our town (in this author's opinion). Mayor Hanks is making questionable decisions, is this based on the advise of this legal group?

#2, Do you remember the REM group?  Yep talk has it they were recommended by our legal group.  Was this because the legal group had someone they wanted in the chief's seat?  Now we have the chief WE wanted but paid the REM group to find us a Deputy Police Chief.  To date we do not have a deputy chief.

#3. A referendum for 911 update was on the April ballot....did YOU see anything in the paper about this? Did you read it on Facebook?  Obviously it wasn't important enough for our clerk to let residents know. She has pushed for her out of town Easter egg hunt than she did for the referendum. The referendum failed.  David Hanks IS VERY SERIOUS about getting rid of the police dispatch service. We have State of the art communications equipment we still owe over a million dollars on. WE should be seeking other towns to bring their dispatch to us and WE could bring in the money....but our legal group again doesn't appear to think so.

#4. Did you know that on 2/12/14 Crete East Com who is being considered to take over our dispatch, dispatched a mutual aid call for our homeland security to assist in blocking off a lane of 394 in Crete. Our Homeland Security responded and blocked off the lane of 394 they were instructed to close. OUR people were on the highway doing their job to the best of their ability.  What did East Com and Crete do?   They completed their task and went home without notifying Sauk Village for over an HOUR.  East Com now has 7 towns they dispatch for.  They have 2 police dispatchers and 2 fire dispatchers to cover 7 towns. 2 of the new towns to sign on used their own radio's and told officers not to dispatch any traffic because East Com couldn't handle the calls. Does our legal group thinks they (East Com) are great?  Just where the hell would we be if they had to handle last nights shooting, stabbing, fire, mobs forming, and domestics all at basically the same time?  NO MAYOR HANKS, this is not acceptable.  Keep our dispatchers where they are.  Tell the legal group to stick to legal stuff and leave Sauk Village alone....WE ARE NOT FOR SALE. 

If indeed this will go on in the not too distant future, it would behoove you MAYOR to have meetings and let the people voice their positions....YOU promised to hear the people when you ran and now you hide things so the people don't know anything until after the bobble heads vote the way you want them to.  You have changed Mayor.  Some of the things you very emphatically put Towers down for, you are doing. Dud the legal group get their way with (the selection of ) a Police chief?  So now the pressure is on the Police Department!  When did you plan on telling residents you are considering getting rid of OUR Police Department and bring in Cook County?  You put down Towers for attempting this for God's sake. And your bobble Heads know This is true and believe me when I say you need to settle down the legal group and start being our Mayor and fulfilling the promises YOU made.

SO, to clarify: Was the REM group was recommended by our legal group? Was the quiet referendum was on the advice of our legal group?  Was getting rid of our dispatch was on the advice of the legal group getting rid of 1 Police and 1 Fire dept. employees was that too on the advice of our legal group?  Now ALL FOIA'S (Freedom of Information Act Requests) go to our legal group and it is costly......well, when our legal group paid for by resident's is representing the Village Clerk (Debbie Williams) for what she still say's was a personal trip, I smell a rat. Let the clerk pay for her (Williams) personal problems.

At a later date I will let residents know about what it will mean to Sauk Village dispatch service as well as having Cook County Police run our town.  Did you know that the FOP person for the Police Dept retired and went to work for our legal group as a consultant?  They have their hands in many issues and it is time Sauk Village demands answers NOW before OUR town is lost.  Where are you P.L.A.N.?  Are you still out there?  I feel the same as when Towers was here...THERE IS NO TRANSPARENCY. 

The board needs to get their heads out of the sand and Quit bobbling. You really can't believe this craziness is for the good of the people. You don't talk to the people...you are where you are because of the promises YOU MADE. Now you ignore the people.

Oh yes one more thing...as you know we had a shooting, stabbing, mobs forming, domestic calls all around the same time, Lynwood PD, Cook County and State Police assisted OUR Sauk Village Police. Crete, Steger and South Heights Fire Departments responded for the fire call. OUR Homeland Security was on the scene. A Trustee showed up in the area. What for? I hope you don't think Sauk Village would pay if one of the mobs got active again and you got hurt. We the People put our TRUST in the men and women who were doing their jobs. Our trust is not with a bobblehead.

Ok people enough thought for now. I am not done by a long shot.....more later.

OFFICIAL DISCLAIMER:  The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by this author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Editor or Publisher of the Sauk Villager News or official policies of the this blog.