WATERGATE SCANDAL: Water Cash for Grass

Housing Commssioners: Heidi Parker,
Chairman Gary Holcom and Sharon Nowak

By Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE |  August 15^th has come and gone, and the village still has not received its anticipated reimbursement to cover the funds the Hanks Administration had taken from the water fund to pay those who mowed grass.   It was discovered that Mayor David Hanks instructed Finance Director Mohan Rao to take money from the water fund to pay people for mowing grass in vacant homes.

Many residents have been screaming mad at outrageously high water bills which appear to be going to pay for things unrelated to the village's water system many have been claiming.  Long-time resident Frank Harvey had complained recently that he needed to find work in order to pay increasing water bills.  Harvey turned to the Village's grass cutting program but soon turned out that he was not getting paid for the work he and his son were doing.  Village Trustee Derrick Burgess railed on Hanks during the budget meetings this summer for using $300,000 of the water money to balance the general fund budget.

The grant was actually from the Illinois Housing Development Authority for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund.  Under this grant, the program is intended to assist with the costs incurred by the municipality for “securing, maintenance and demolition of abandoned residential property”



Holcomb and Sharon Nowak
protesting against former
Mayor Lewis Towers now
are under fire themselves

Through a private agreement between Gary Holcomb, Housing Commissioner Chairman and Mayor David Hanks “independent contractors” who Holcomb contracted to mow grass in vacant homes were paid out of the village’s water fund in June of this year.  According to information provided by the Village’s Housing Commission, funds were expected to be in Village coffers by August 15^th.  To date no announcement of any funds have been received by the village.  Village Trustee Derrick Burgess questioned an accounts payable which had 14 checks which were already paid to the contractors out of water funds.  Burgess voted no on the accounts payable while 5 of the other Trustees all voted yes.

It was learned through a Freedom of Information Act request that the Village actually applied for the grass mowing grant and not the Housing Commission of Sauk Village as was previously announced by Hanks.  Hanks informed the Village Board of Trustees at their meeting on May 20, 2014 that the “Housing Commission” received the $75,000 grant for grass cutting.  Hanks also stated at that meeting that the Housing Commission “will employ people in the community” to pay the individuals to cut the grass.    Hanks stated at the meeting in May that the matter would be on the next Committee of the Whole meeting June 3^rd, however, the Housing Commission and grass mowing program were never discussed by the Village Board.  To date the village has not received a penny of this grant.

The Village’s grant application budget, received as part of our Freedom of Information Act request, only allotted for 25 homes and $5,000 for “cutting of neglected weeds or grass” however the village has already spent $7,660 according to checks paid to “independent contractors”.

A former Housing Commissioner questions the Housing Commission’s ability to contract “independent contractors” on behalf of the Village of Sauk Village without the Village Board’s approval.  “We were told we could do it, but I’m not sure how the Housing Commission could contract people on behalf of the  Village legally” former Commissioner Larry Stewart said.

 

"I did not know they were taking money out of the water fund to pay people for mowing grass" Steward said.

A housing commission does not have the legal powers granted to housing authority and only is to enforce fair housing in the Village under Illinois law and the Sauk Village Municipal Code.

The Housing Commission established guidelines for how the grass mowing program would be run including requiring individuals to be “residents” of Sauk Village and submit to background checks and each is to maintain a valid license. Former Housing Commissioner Stewart is crying foul as one person is a contractor, does not have a valid driver license and may have been receiving preferential treatment as he appears to have received a no-bid contact Stewart claims.

PARDUE REMEMBERS HIS HOMETOWN AND GIVES BACK



Kerry Pardue speaks to students
at his old alma mater Strassburg

By Joseph Wiszoway

SAUK VILLAGE |  Kerry “Doc” Pardue, author of “Poems in the Keys of Life” Reflections of a Combat Medic served from 1968-1969 in the U.S. Army’s 9th Infantry came back to his roots in Sauk Village Thursday morning.  Pardue donated two paintings and copies of his book to District 168. 

 

 

Pardue grew up in what was then a new village delivering the “Sauk Village Review” and shoveling snow to make some extra money.  He graduated 8th grade from Strassburg Junior High School in 1962, as there was no Rickover Jr. High School at the time.  Strassburg was completed in 1959.

Following his military service in Vietnam, Pardue came back to Sauk Village where then Police Chief Marion Young asked Pardue to join the Sauk Village Police Department.  Pardue served on the Police Department from December, 1971 to June, 1972 at that time there were 10 police officers.  Pardue continued on in his career in law enforcement and later went to work at the U.S. Postal Service.

Joining Pardue were former District 168 teacher, Dr. Donald Stevenson who spoke to the children at Strassburg about his students during the day.  Stevenson taught at District 168 from 1958 to 1963.

 

 

Pardue spoke and encouraged the children to continue their educations.  “You need more than just a bachelor’s degree now” he said.  But if higher education isn’t your thing, then Pardue suggested going on to learn a trade or special skill.  “Never stop” Pardue told the students you’re never too old to learn.

Superintend of Schools Dr. Donna Leak was very excited about the donations of Pardue’s artwork on

behalf of the Class of 1962.  “We are very pleased for Mr. Pardue’s donation.  We want every child to reach their maximum potential and the artwork depicts the spirit of soaring high” Leak said.

 

 

Also attending Thursday’s morning’s event were classmates of 1962 Patrick Mullen, son of the late and former Village Trustee Robert Mullen who served on the Village Board from 1962 to 1968.  Retired Sauk Village Police Sergeant Theodore “Ted” Sanders whose father Theodore Sanders served on the Village Board of Trustees from 1960-1962 and also as Superintendent of Schools.  Also from the 1962 class were Charles “Walter” Lynch and current resident Barb Stearns.

Pardue and Leak unveiled the paintings in the old gymnasium of Strassburg Thursday morning after Pardue spoke to a group of students at Rickover Jr. High School earlier.

 

 

A reception was held at Strassburg following the unveiling.  “This was a perfect example of someone giving back to their community and remembering where they came from” Village Trustee Derrick Burgess said following the event.

District 168 certainly had its challenges during those first few years too Stevenson remembered.  Stevenson who began teaching students at Katz Corner School in 1958 was moved to Strassburg Jr. High School in 1959 until 1963 remembers the district was so broke their science room had no Bunsen burners, no beakers virtually nothing.  “We had to make do with what we had available.  The school district was so broke at the time and was growing so fast” Stevenson remembers.  “I remember Superintendent (Theodore Sanders) was using a scrap desk from Katz Corner because the district couldn’t afford to buy a descent desk” Stevenson said.

Pardue remembered that his class buried time capsules back then too behind the first of three trees.  The one furthest west was one from the Class of 1962, the middle tree from the Class of 1963 and the third tree to the east was from 1964.  It’s unlikely the glass time capsules survived and unlikely that the trees will be removed according to Leak.  “We like the trees there, but it’s even more important that we know now there was a special purpose for them” Leak said.  The time capsules were suppose to be opened 10 years later but now 52 year on people just forgot about them.

Hats Off to Dr. Leak and Davenport working together for kids

OPINION EDITORIAL
by Joseph Wiszowaty

Dr. Donna Leak came in as Superintendent of District 168 under a shadow of controversy but it seems that sunlight has been shining down on Sauk Village schools and Leak.

Seeing Board President Sharon Davenport working alongside Leak during the recent Back to School Bash this week spoke volumes!  Davenport was cookin it up at the grill along with a host of volunteers from the school district.  As the lines stretched on and on, they kept cooking!  Leak was engaging parents and children the entire time.  Also good to see other board members Sene Garrett, Tammy Jones and Mary Howard there as well.

Leak has been working hard kicking off the school year along with at least some of her board members.  Noticeably absent from the Back to School event were the two board members who actually voted for Leak, Deloris Green and Jimo Kasali.  In fact, where were you both?  Being a school board or any elected official requires you to participate in the community besides attending board meetings. 

 

Also this week, Dr. Leak honored some old school alumi from the 1960s.  Kerry Pardue came to Sauk Village and spoke at his old Junior High School.  No not Rickover, it wasn’t even there when he graduated 8^th grade in 1962, although he did speak to the kids at Rickover too.  Pardue donated 2 oil paintings on behalf of the class of 1962 from Strassburg Junior High School.

Thus far I’m impressed with the actions of Dr. Donna Leak, honoring our past and working hard toward engaging the children and the parents of the future.  Good job Dr. Leak and to Board President Sharon Davenport who clearly are focused on the children of the district.  Keep up the good work! 

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the hard work and contributions of so many behind the scenes who contributed to the success of the Back to School Bash including Jeremiah Johnson and the host of teachers and volunteers who came out to help.  This was about our School District giving back to the community and it was a great success!  Can't wait to see what they cook up next year!  PS.... the RIBS were awesome!

DO BLACK PEOPLE IN SAUK VILLAGE MATTER?

Is the Black Community in Sauk Village really relevant?

Larry Stewart

GUEST EDITORIAL
By Larry Stewart
-a black man in Sauk Village
-Former Sauk Village Housing Commissioner
-Community Activist, Senior Citizen and resident
Sauk Village began to “change” from 2000 to 2010 as many of my people came from Chicago to stay in the Village.  Now let me give you the difference between “staying” and “living”.  When you stay somewhere you don’t care about your neighborhood,  your kids are probably walking the streets and you barely know who they hang out with.  When you live somewhere you care you care about the neighbors, your neighborhood and take notice of your children, what they are doing and who they hang out with.  Now that we have that clear let’s move on.

Sauk Village has 77% non-white minority and 23% white who live or stay here (source: 2010 U.S. Census Data) and yet we have but 2 out of 8 village officials who are black as Trustees on our Village Board.  Our Library Board only has 1 black woman out of 7 members.  Our School Board, in contrast, is comprised of 4 black women and 2 black men out of 7 members, a bit more representative of the demographics of the Village.  All 3 of our State Representatives, both State Senators and our Congresswoman are all black. 

I’m not a racist person, some of my best friends are white, but what I don’t understand and I have to ask where is the black community?  When it comes to running our Village the black community has been irrelevant and remained silent!  There are no black village department heads, only 2 out of 24 police officers are black, 1 black public works employees out of 9, and a few blacks on our “volunteer” fire department.

Here is what I endured trying to make a difference in Sauk Village.  I served on the Sauk Village Housing Commission until I was removed.  I was told that they had the police following me, taking pictures of me trying to find out where I lived.  They were supposedly doing this the entire time I was in and out of hospitals for medical reasons and essentially homeless.  So when they removed the “black” housing commissioner, that’s me by the way, because they wanted me to prove I was homeless, who did Chairman Gary Holcomb and Mayor David Hanks find but a white man to replace me!  Out of the 7,700 black men and black women they couldn’t find one black person?  Do they think this is going to stop me from trying to make a difference… HELL NO!  I’m going to fight harder!

Now the police, public works and our fire fighters do an outstanding job.  My intention here is to get the black people of Sauk Village to wake up!  Stop complaining that there are no jobs in Sauk Village when you haven’t done anything to make a difference.  This is your Village!  Stop standing in line for a free hot dog in the park with the Mayor!  Stop standing in line for a free book bag!  Stop standing in line for all the BS!  Stop standing in line expecting the people to give you something because you feel entitled!  Do something to make change!  Don’t go in your house, close the curtains and hide and expect someone else to do something.  Go on to Sauk Village, Illinois Facebook, go to the Village meetings, the Library meetings and the School Board meetings find out what is going on in your community and how you have been pushed aside by this administration.  Go out and make a difference in Sauk Village!  Oh and more important get yourself registered and get out and VOTE!

Why are we, as a black community, depending on others to give us something when it is our responsibility to do something about it?  How about step up and lead!

For those black elected officials and employees I applaud you.  Remember to help empower the black community, the ones who appear to be irrelevant but still matter! 

It’s not the other peoples’ fault that the black community in Sauk Village is not relevant.  Our children are being shot dead in the streets!  What are you going to do?  This is our Village too!  Do something, make a difference!


DISCLAIMER:  The opinions expressed by those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Sauk Villager News. Sauk Villager News is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied by bloggers or forum participants. Sauk Villager News is not responsible for any offense caused inadvertently through interpretation of grammar, punctuation or language.

2 CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER OF NATE BURNS

Nate Burns killed August 14th

MARKHAM | On August 14, 2014 at approximately 1:45pm, the Sauk Village Police 911 Center received a report of several people shot, in the 1700 Block of Sauk Trail Rd., Sauk Village, Illinois.  Upon arrival, officers learned 4 people had been wounded by gunfire.  All the victims were transported to area hospitals for treatment.  One male victim, Nathaniel Burns, 16, of Sauk Village later died from his injuries. 

During the course of the investigation, Detectives learned the identity of three suspects.  Two suspects have been apprehended and were both charged late Monday night by the Cook County State's Attorney's Office.  Charged with First Degree Murder are Lamika Overall, 19, of Steger and Shaquille Wilson, 20 of Sauk Village.  The third suspect has been identified as, Devon Stidwell, 19, of Ford Heights and a warrant for First Degree Murder has been issued.

Wilson and Overall appeared in bond court in Markham.  Wilson's bond was set at $2 million and Overall's was set at $750,000.  A hearing is scheduled for September according to court officials.

Stidwell is described as 6'01/181lbs., Black Hair, Brown Eyes and is known to frequent the Sauk Village, Ford Heights, Chicago Heights areas.  The Sauk Village Police Department Detective Division, along with the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force is asking anyone who may know the whereabouts of Mr. Stidwell are asked to contact the Sauk Village Police department at 708-758-1331.

Friends and family held a candle light vigil for Burns where he was gunned down on Friday night.  Burns' funeral is planned for this Thursday and is a private family affair. 

IT'S THE WATER STUPID... HOW DO YOU LIKE PAYING FOR IT?

"The Village Clerk" Debbie Williams

OPINION EDITORIAL
By Joseph Wiszowaty

It took everything in me to not burst in to laughter during the point where Village Clerk Debbie Williams got up to speak during Trustee Derrick Burgess’ Town Hall Meeting Thursday night.  First off I have to say she has some nerve, arrogant and exudes a smell of "entitlement" or whatever that was.  They shut you down after three minutes at Village Hall but she wants to take up the residents time to push their political agenda!

Williams wanted to “correct” Trustee Burgess on what she believed was “not true” about the water rate increase.  Boy if that wasn’t the pot calling the kettle black!!  So I decided to get her OH-SO-HOLY minutes out of moth balls shake them off and here is truth as this woman has told us in public.  By the way her minutes are atrocious in my opinion:

 

Excerpt from Village Minutes

OCTOBER 16, 2012:

“RCAP representative Bud Mason stated the rate of $7.50 (water rate increase enacted in 2012 from $3.50) was based on affordability and the ability of the residents to repay the $7 million dollar loan. The loan includes approximately $2 million dollars that will address infrastructure improvements needed to bring Sauk Village closer to the goal of less than the 8% water loss required by the IDNR but does not address the infrastructure required to bring Lake Michigan water to the Village.”  NOTE: Village only received a loan of $4.8 million not $7million!

Oh and here’s a good one:

                September 18, 2012:

"The February 2013 increase to $7.50 per 1,000 gallons should be sufficient to repay the IEPA loan and cover the current and future operation and maintenance needs of air strippers at wells 1, 2 and 3 and new iron removal facilities and system upgrades to the two water treatment plants at wells 1 and 2 and to get well 3 open.

Approximately $2.2 million dollars will remain to be used for distribution system improvements, such as, replacing mains, valves and meters and flushing the system. Additional repairs to the distribution system may be needed to get Lake Michigan water ready. The Lake Michigan water project will take several years.”  NOTE: The Village only received a loan of $4.8 million not $7 million!

And this CLASSIC….

August 7, 2012:

Bud Mason’s “Recommendation: Raise water rates $2.00 now to take care of the deficit and $2.00 in six months to start making upgrades to the system. Reevaluate project costs every six months in order to determine additional rate increases.”

Upgrades include updating hydrants, meters and mains. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will not give Sauk Village a water allocation until 20% of the infrastructure is replaced.”

Ok so the Village didn’t borrow $7 million only $4.8 million.  So quiz me this public, who is paying these outrageous water rates, why is the rate at $7.50 per 1000 gallons to cover debt service on $7 million when you’re only paying $4.8 million in a loan?  Where is all the money going?  More important… why aren’t you mad as hell about paying outrageous bills?

In June, David Hanks stole $7,660 out of the water fund to pay for grass cutting without even so much as telling his board of trustees!  Let’s go back to just last month’s budget review where Mayor David Hanks budgeted $300,000 from the water fund to balance the Village’s budget.  Not for the water department but for other village functions! 

So they shove a huge water rate increase down your throat, you swallow it, pay the bills, go home close your curtains, turn on your outside lights (because your street light has been out) stick your head in the sand and let them squander your money away on things it was never intended?  Where is the outrage?   How do you like paying a huge water bill so that David Hanks can balance his budget?  Talk about a TAX INCREASE that you didn't see coming!

I know there’s a silent majority and a “sleeping giant” out there which has been communicating with me.  Here is but a few of the MANY I have received:

·         “I’m afraid to post anything on this page because some of my friends will see it and get mad.  I want to thank you for everything you do.  Thank you for helping bring the truth to light.  I read your page all the time as it is the only place we can get news about what is going on”- A Senior Citizen

·          “Keep up the good job.  Thank you for fighting for us”- A 15 year resident

·         “I can’t post on your page because I will probably get fired.  Keep up the good work!  A lot of us appreciate what you’re doing!  We have got to stop this, it’s just like having Lewis Towers and Henrietta Turner still in office” – A Village employee

·         “I know how they play and I can’t post anything because I know David and his followers will attack me”- 45 year resident

By the way Madam Clerk…. Since you have time to play politics, how about doing your job! Where is my information I’d requested on your “personal trip” to Washington D.C.?  The People of the Village of Sauk Village and the Attorney General wants to know too!

BURGESS RELEASES NEWSLETTER

Village Trustee Derrick Burgess releases his first monthly newsletter.

***Click HERE on LINK here to view***

Village Trustee Derrick Burgess released his first monthly newsletter on Thursday at his Town Hall Meeting.

According to the newsletter, the Village's water fund account balance has been steadily decreasing.  The Village administration appears to be balancing the budget with water fund revenues to make up budgetary shortfalls, although Burgess' newsletter stops short of stating that.

HOUSE FIRE SHOULD BE A WAKE UP CALL- WATERGATE SCANDAL GROWS

Opinion Editorial
Joseph Wiszowaty

The Watergate Scandal just got a little worse for the administration of David Hanks.  A few weeks ago it was discovered that Hanks has been siphoning money out of the Village’s water fund to pay for grass mowing in violation of 65 ILCS 5/11-129-11 which states “The fund shall be used only for the purpose of paying the cost of operating and maintaining the water-supply system”.  Village Trustee Rosie Williams tried to justify this action by stating it was “past practice”.  Just because it was past practice doesn’t make it right.... OR LEGAL!

Housing Commission Gary Holcomb, who has published a private residents state identification card and her son’s Social Security card has been running this grass mowing operation and was trying to save face with his contractors apparently went to David Hanks begging for help with getting these folks paid before the Independence Day parade.  We have requested all of the information about this Grant through the Freedom of Information Act and will publish this as soon as we get it.

Yesterday, a garage fire in the Carlisle Estates subdivision  near US 30 and Torrence Avenue found the Fire Departments scrabbling to find a working fire hydrant.   Only one out of four fire hydrants worked on Poplar Avenue according to an eye witness. Fire Fighters were linking hose together to reach far enough to the next fire hydrant which also did not work!  Residents in the area are now worried and are furious that Mayor Hanks has already budgeted $360,000 from the water fund to balance his controversial 2014-15 budget which was passed nearly 2 months late and at the 11^th hour.

Trustee Derrick Burgess questioned if it were legal to take $360,000 out of the water fund and put it into the general fund when state law, specifically, 65 ILCS 5/11-129-11 states the Village cannot.  “The fund shall be used only for the purpose of paying the cost of operating and maintaining the water-supply system”.  Finance Director Mohan Rao said “we can do it...”.  Sure he wouldn’t be the one going to jail for the action, it would be the 5 Bobbleheads going to jail for violating the law!

One further thing that was discovered was that two administrative employees are paid exclusively from the Village’s water and sewer fund.  6 public works employees are paid exclusively from the water fund and 4 exclusively from the sewer fund, while the director of Public Works is paid 50/50 from the water and sewer funds.   Employees who are paid “exclusively” must work exclusively for those specific entities according to 65 ILCS 5/11-129-11.  Apparently the Boobleheads and his disHonor the Mayor didn’t read that law.

Also, let’s take a history lesson which goes back to 1986 during the controversy of Nancy McConathy.  McConathy filed a lawsuit which was settled where the Village of Sauk Village pledged NEVER to pay employees out of the water fund who were not working for the water department.  I believe that what is going on violates the terms of the settlement agreement and 65 ILCS 5/11-129-11 as all of these employees are not working “exclusively” for the water or sewer departments.  They are performing snow plowing, which is a Street Department expense, mowing grass which is not appropriate to be paid from the water or sewer funds, picking up trash, moving picnic tables, and doing other non water or sewer related functions.

It’s time for folks to start asking this Administration the “tough questions” and holding his hands to the fire!  He’s spending your money like a fool refusing to make those “tough decisions” he said he was going to back in November, 2012.

WHO IS BEST AT SELLING A LIE? "Forward Motions" or "The Choice is Clear"?

actual campaign piece from 2009

Opinion Editorial
By Joseph Wiszowaty
Remember when Lewis Towers was running around with Debbie Williams (I know such a cute couple of something) saying “the Choice is Clear”?  Boy that sure sounded good!  Sauk Village was going to get some Lake Michigan Water!  Now I'm not here to critique Lewis Towers, after all he's gone. 

The Towers Team actually won! Now they had no plan and no idea what to do with it, how to pay for it or how to go about getting it!  But this was your leaders in 2009 pulling a big con-job on the residents of Sauk Village!  Catchy campaign slogans sure sound good during elections but similar to the last administration, David Hanks had no clue what to do once he got what he wanted and sat in the big boy seat!  Keep in mind he'd been sitting as a Village Trustee for 14 years!

Now I have been critical of this administration because clearly it is disengaged and not leading using  broad generalizations such as “Forward Motions” and you’ll hear David Hanks at ever meeting  say “things like that….”.  Here are some instances of  “things like that” which Hanks believes are  “forward motions”:


 

·         If home burglaries are down because criminals have already picked through a neighborhood and moved on to another, never mind they're still going on…That’s a “forward motion”!

·         If one of the thousand dead trees falls over during a bad storm and takes itself down… that’s a “forward motion”!

·         If Hanks can get 5 bobble heads to approve a budget which denies transparency and will likely cause an even bigger problem later… That’s a “forward motion”!

·         If you can give a huge tax break to a absentee landlord who doesn’t take care of their property and has refused to do so…. That’s a “forward motion”!

·         If you can con people into thinking the village is better off now when property tax rates are nearly double…  That’s a “forward motion”!

·         If you can send Village Clerk Debbie Williams, her daughter Rosie Williams and a friend a Village Vendor to Washington D.C.... (***CLICK HERE*** TO LINK FOR TRAVELGATE) and not allow for transparency and let the public know how this was paid for and more important who paid for it and then pay for the Village's legal team to fight to keep it private in spite of the fact the Illinois Attorney General determined you MUST provide it… That’s a “forward motion”!

·         If you pay independent contractors, that a Housing Commission (which is only suppose to enforce Fair Housing) contracted without the approval of the Village Board of Trustees, for mowing grass on vacant homes and pay them out of the water fund and nobody seems to really care that it’s illegal to do so the way they did it… That’s a “forward motion”!

·         If you can raise water rates and tell people you’re going to fix the old infrastructure with the money, then take the money and balance the Village’s budget… That’s a “forward motion”!

·         If Hanks can’t get black folks to come out and support his political agenda… he'll USE one of HIS bobble head trustees to drum up some support for him so he can give them some free hot dogs and water in a raggedy park…. That’s a “forward motion”!

·         If you can charge a punitive an capricious fine of $500 without due process to the victim because another state did not update their records.... That's a "forward motion"!

·         When you support one of your trustees who allows the community center to become a flop house destroying the place and smearing fecal matter on the walls… That’s a “forward motion”

·         If Hanks promotes another trustee’s Neighborhood Watch program that merely watches the increase in crimes in the neighborhood… That’s a “forward motion”

·         When you can support another trustee openly displaying the lack of reading abilities by residents’ children and promote it as a success… That’s a “forward motion”

When Hanks took over in November, 2012 he could have walked backward and things would have been an improvement from what was in there.  But one must ask, why were things so bad during Towers administration to begin with?  Well let’s take a look at the “political dynamic”.  Hanks sat on the village board and was, according to some media sources, Towers’ “main critic” and critical he was!  If Lewis Towers said the sky was blue, David Hanks would argue and call him a liar or stand over him and threaten to stick the gavel in Towers “butt”.  Sure Towers was a megalomaniac for whom I was equally as critical but no more than Hanks is an opportunistic, misogynistic, hedonistic liar!

Now I was informed that Hanks put out on his personal social media page that he’s actually going to run for re-election and wants people to support him helping him raise money!  Really?  This man is crazy!  He hasn’t done squat and wants people to rally behind him and his gaggle of idiots again?  Don’t be fooled twice!  These are anything but “forward motions”!  This is just political theater, orchestrated by David Hanks himself!  Don’t buy into the nonsense any more.

“Forward Motions” is about as muddy as “the choice is clear….” As Roger Peckham said in 2005, when David Hanks ran for Mayor and lost… “Don’t Drink the Koolaid” a throwback to the Jamestown mass religious suicide.   In 2009 the "choice was clear" and it wasn't...  Today we know Koolaid is not clear... and neither is the direction that Hanks has been taking the village! Well, I couldn’t agree more Roger... don't drink the Koolaid!