AG REVIEWING VIOLATION OF OPEN MEETINGS ACT

LtoR: Housing Commissioners Heidi Parker,
Chairperson Gary Holcomb and
Commissioner Sharon Nowak

By Joseph Wiszowaty

SAUK VILLAGE- Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office is out to make sure that local governmental bodies are not hiding behind closed doors when they should be discussing matters before the public in open sessions.   Sauk Village has been on the Attorney General’s radar screen lately, most recently for the so called Travelgate Scandal involving a Freedom of Information Act request with Village Clerk Debbie Williams and her daughter Trustee Rosie Williams.

In addition, Gary Holcomb, who is chairman of the Sauk Village Housing Commission and also a member of the McConathy Public Library Board, is under intense scrutiny by the Illinois Attorney General’s office for possibly violating the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

 The Sauk Villager News filed a request for review to the Illinois Attorney General’s office claiming that the Housing Commission violated the Open Meetings Act by holding a closed session meeting on September 28th during a special meeting held on a Sunday when Village Hall is typically closed called to discuss matters that are not covered under said Act.  Once again, the Village of Sauk Village has not complied with the Attorney General’s request for information that would either refute the allegations made or support the purpose of the closed session meeting. 

The Attorney General’s office has extended their time to make a determination by an additional 21 days so they can issue a Binding Opinion regarding the matter.  Subsequently, a final determination by the Attorney General’s office will be made on or before December 30^th according to correspondence sent to the Village and to the Sauk Villager News by the Attorney General.

Holcomb has been the source of criticism by residents multiple times this year.  During the summer, while executing a Housing Commission initiative to clean up vacant properties in Sauk Village, Holcomb publicly displayed on Facebook copies of a family’s State identification and Social Security cards that he found in the rubble of a vacant property.  Instead of properly disposing the information, Holcomb chose to openly share the family’s identity on a Facebook page he is known to control.  Some believe that Holcomb has also overstepped his authority as a Housing Commissioner by entering into contractor agreements with residents for grass mowing even though the Commission had neither the available funds for payment nor the approval of the Village Board of Trustees to promise such payment.  This action put the Village of Sauk Village in a precarious position and the Village was forced to withdraw $26,000 of unbudgeted money from various funds in order to honor Holcomb’s contractor agreements.

Holcomb previously served as a Commissioner on the Village's Housing Authority, which was disbanded, but resigned in 1996 during a scandal and involving the Authorities handling of a Community Development Block Grant.  The Village was suspended from the CDGB program as a penalty for several years.

Former Housing Commissioner Larry Stewart, was removed from the Commission said that the commission is headed down a wrong path.  “There was a reason that I was removed because I ask too many questions and I don’t follow blindly.  They can say it was because I didn’t live in Sauk Village but we know that’s just bull.  I live here I vote here and I’m not going anywhere” Stewart said.  Holcomb said in a published report last year "I hand-picked my commission...I don't do anything by myself" Holcomb said. "We're all longtime residents and want to see Sauk Village return to what it used to be." Holcomb also said.  "The problem is we can't bring it back to what it was, we've got to move forward" Stewart said.  Stewart said he was singled out because of politics.

According to Illinois State Statute (775 ILCS 5/1-101 et seq; 65 ILCS 5/11-11/1-1; and 720 ILCS 590/0.01 et seq), Housing Commissions are only permitted under Illinois law to enforce the Fair Housing Act and settle matters of discrimination in housing.  Some residents, and former Commissioner Stewart, contend that the Sauk Village Housing Commission is acting outside of these guidelines and is illegally operating as a Housing Authority.  In fact many residents point out that Mayor David Hanks has referred to the “Housing Commission” repeatedly as the “Housing Authority”.  These residents also believe that a formal investigation is warranted.

Violations of the Open Meetings Act can result in a monetary penalty for each of the Commissioners who may have violated the Act and also can carry a prison term as well. 

Holcomb is now said to be circulating nomination petitions to run for Village Trustee in the Village’s next April election.