WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES- Lynda Washington

By Joseph Wiszowaty

SAUK VILLAGE |  It has been one year now since Freshmen Village Trustee Lynda Allen-Washington-House was sworn-into office to serve the people of Sauk Village.  Let’s take a look back at what the “candidate” Washington said during the elections and what she has done since taking office.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lynda Allen-Washington-House

·         Age:  56

·         Occupation:  Administrative Assistant West Harvey-Dixmoor Schools

·         Married to:  Terry L. House

·         1731 E. 223^rd Place

·         Homeowner/Renter:    Renter

·         Property Taxes Paid:  $ 0.00 per year

·         “approximately” 21 year resident

·         First Elected: April, 2013

·         Term in office Expires:  2017

 

Let’s look back at Lynda and where she has come from, where she’s been the last year and what may lay ahead.

 

Washington took it upon herself to run for office in 2011 and allied herself with what some felt were dubious allies.  Washington, a virtual unknown in Sauk Village, ran with the New Progress Party slate of candidates supported by former Mayor Lewis Towers and former Village Trustee Enoch Benson.  Washington often stated during Village Board meetings “Mr. Mayor you’re doing a fine job”.  Washington was advocating the passage of a Lake Michigan water referendum along with Towers and Benson. Washington came up way short in her electoral experience garnering 382 votes losing by a 3 to 1 margin in 2011.

 

Following the devastating defeat she suffered at the polls in 2011, Washington announced she was divorcing her long-time husband and went about to “remake” her political image.  In an attempt to dust off her association with Towers and Benson and ingratiating herself with villagers such as Gary Holcomb, who sits on the McConathy Library Board and the late Patricia Hasse’s son Tom Hasse who helped tone her down a tad here and there and give her “credibility”. 

 

Washington credits both Holcomb and Hasse for her victory, but keeps most of the credit for herself, after all she did all the hard work.  In 2013, Washington did a bit better than 2011 by garnering 45 more votes than former Village Clerk Elizabeth Zupon and just 81 more votes than her 2011 loss in a crowded field of candidates.

 

Washington set out immediately after her loss in 2011 trying to gain credibility and continued to campaign hard to get elected.  Washington was appointed by one of her supporters former mayor Lewis Towers in November, 2011 as Chairperson of the Neighborhood Watch program. 

 

Washington being put out of the "Independent" Slate's office in 2013

During the 2013 election Washington stated “I plan to work with the other Trustees and Mayor to bring pride and Progress back to Sauk Village.  There are very serious issues that are of great concern to the residents of Sauk Village.  My main focus is Quality Programs for our youth.  Enhancing programs for our Seniors and bridging the gap with more police presence in our community to provide public safety”.

 

Well, Washington has worked with very well with Mayor David Hanks, not asking questions during village board meetings of any substance thus far.  To many of her now former supporters, she has been a disappointment.  “She goes along with whatever the mayor wants and doesn’t ask questions” one resident said at a recent Village Board meeting.  Another calls her a “bobble head”.  “She sits up there ever meeting and just bobbles her head yes whenever the mayor wants something” they said.  While the criticism is nothing new for politicians, Washington is living up to her commitment of not only working with the Mayor but appears to have gone above and beyond her pledge in support for the administrations initiatives, whatever they may be.

 

When asked to do an interview with me about the 1 year anniversary of her taking office, Washington said “I would like for the Mayor to sit in”.  I informed Washington I did not want to do an interview with the Mayor I wanted a one on one interview and her response:  “Regretfully because of the many responses I have gotten from the article you wrote about what I said regarding deputizing citizens… I am not going to be able to interview with you.  I thought it would be cool but I do see as several people pointed out Joe twists things” Washington responded.  Well there is no twisting what she said, nor what she has done and what she has failed to do over the last year.  Residents are left to draw their own conclusions and see the results of her actions or inactions.

 

Washington stepped on a land mine when she suggested deputizing citizens, Police Chief Timothy Holevis responded the next week to Washington’s statement emphatically say there would be no such deputizing civilians on his department.

 

During the election Washington’s “main focus”, so she said, was for quality programs for the youth.  To date there have been no new programs instituted by the Village in the last year nor any suggested by Washington publicly.

 

Washington biggest achievement since taking office has been getting her Neighborhood Watch signs posted at the entrances to the Village.  She did raise the money to cover the cost of the signs through fundraising, so we have been told.  Washington chairs the Neighborhood Watch which was elevated to a committee of the Village Board in June, 2013 by Mayor David Hanks.  Most communities do not have Village Trustees running Neighborhood Watch Programs, most of the time they are run by the residents and work closely with the police department directly.  The Neighborhood Watch Committee meets at the Fire Station. 

 

Washington’s most recent self appointed project has been to get a video together in hopes to make everyone “happy” and forget about all the problems of Sauk Village.  The video will feature the song “Happy” by the artist Pherell Williams.  I’d asked Washington why she’s doing this video, how is this going to help the village she responded because she was tired of the negativity and I want to be happy.  Some long-time residents ask “Why is she so happy?  Our property taxes keep going up, we dodge potholes and our kids have no programs so we have to go to other communities for them to do things during the summer because my child doesn’t play basketball”.

 

We will continue to keep a close eye on Washington as many residents of Sauk Village will also do.  We wish Washington and Sauk Village the best of luck.