VILLAGE SETTLES LAWSUIT

by Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE |  Village officials voted unanimously Tuesday night to settle a lawsuit with Susan Dobrzeniecki and her late husband Thomas for $290,000.  Dobrzeniecki, a Village employee since 2003, brought the suit against several village police officers as well as St. James Hospital and two of its emergency room doctors, alleging that she was unlawfully committed and her home was unlawfully searched in retaliation for conflicts between her family and the Sauk Village Police.

In Dobrzeniecki’s 8 count lawsuit filed in Federal Court she alleges that her Fourth Amendment rights were violated, that she was falsely imprisoned by the hospital and she also sought to recover against doctors and the hospital for intentional misrepresentation, medical malpractice, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

The entire incident unfolded on November 9, 2009, after members of the Sauk Village Police Department informed Dobrzeniecki, while she was at work at Village Hall, that her son was shot and was in the hospital.  While at the hospital visiting her son a member of the Sauk Village Police Department along with Hospital Security escorted Dobrzeniecki from the room into a secure room in the Hospital’s emergency room where they informed her, wrongfully, that they had a court order to hold her since she had allegedly made the statement earlier “I’m a good person.  Why does this keep happening to me?  If something happens to my son, I’ll just die” according to Federal Court documents and court transcripts.

A Police officer asked her to turn her purse and jacket over to them and they would give them to a friend who had driven her to the hospital.  According to court documents, police officers allegedly removed her keys to her home and without any court order went to Dobrzeniecki’s home and “illegally” searched it while her wheelchair bound husband repeatedly told officers to leave.  Officers used as a pretext a search the home, that they were searching for the gun which shot her son, but according to Federal Court records there was no reason to reasonably believe a gun was at the home nor was there a search warrant.

During the time that followed hospital personnel kept Dobrzeniecki under video and audio surveillance.  According to Federal Court documents, Hospital defendants “failed to observe the procedural protections against wrongful involuntary commitments, and their treatment of Susan fell below the standard of care”.  Dobrzeniecki was transferred to a psychiatric hospital on orders from a doctor at St. James Hospital and later released.

Without any discussion from the board of Trustees Tuesday night, the vote to approve the settlement was unanimous.  Taxpayers will only be responsible for the first $50,000 while the Village’s insurance carrier will pick up the other $240,000 according to Village officials. 

NATE BURNS MURDER FACES ADDITIONAL CHARGES

DEVON STIDWELL (Source Cook County Sheriff)

CHICAGO |  A Cook County jail inmate already behind bars on a murder charge tried to hire someone inside the jail to kill three witnesses against him, according to police.

 

Devon Stidwell, 19, has been in jail since Sept. 19, 2014, on murder charges in connection with a Sauk Village case involving Nate Burns, according to the Cook County sheriff’s office.

Sheriff’s police learned in November that Stidwell was trying to hire a hitman, a statement from the sheriff’s office said.

 

He twice met with an undercover sheriff’s officer whom he thought was a hitman, and offered to pay $5,000 each to have three witnesses killed, police claim.

 

Stidwell, of Ford Heights, is now charged with solicitation of murder and solicitation of murder for hire, the sheriff’s office said.

 

Already being held without bond on the murder charge, he will appear in bond court Saturday on the new charges.

Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Police-Man-in-Jail-for-Murder-Tried-to-Have-3-Witnesses-Killed-288891581.html#ixzz3P5YfQX38

ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL: HOLCOMB AND HOUSING COMMISSION VIOLATE LAW

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

By Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE |  The Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office has issued a determination that the Sauk Village Housing Commission “violated the OMA (Open Meetings Act) by failing to record its closed meeting held on September 28, 2014, and by having improper discussions and taking final action during the closed session”. 

In a three-page determination the Attorney General’s office stated that Chairman Gary Holcomb and his Housing Commissioners violated the Open Meetings Act because they did not record their closed session meeting as required by law, they discussed “contract matters and housing reports” and Holcomb’s response to the Attorney General did not assert any specific exemptions claimed.  The violation of the law also is cited by the Attorney General’s office because it was noted in the Commission’s minutes that “final action by voting on several matters during the closed meeting” took place.  “These votes violated (the act)… which expressly provides that ‘no final action may be taken at a closed meeting’” the determination states.

Holcomb is a candidate for Village Trustee in the April election also came under intense criticism as he published a photo of a resident’s state identification and her son’s Social Security Card and number on social media pages he controls following the cleanup of an abandoned house in 2014.

It has not yet been determined if any fines will be assessed to the Commissioners for the Violation, the Act does provide for individual fines.  The Sauk Villager News will ask that fines be assessed as required under the Act.

ELECTION UPDATE: SCHOOL BOARD CHALLENGES FAIL & NEW BOARD MEMBER EXPECTED

By Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE |  The School Board election for District 168 has taken a twist of events the last few weeks.  One Candidate has withdrawn 3 others successfully fought off challenges which would have removed them from the ballot.

Incumbents Board members Sharon Davenport, Tammy Jones and Sene Garrett along with newcomer Latonya West filed petitions to have their names on the April 7th ballot on the first day December 15^th.  West is seeking a 2 year unexpired term following the resignation of Melvin Stevenson in November.   Davenport, Jones, Garrett and West's petitions were not challenged but all other candidates faced unsucessful challenges.

Board members failed to make an appointment to replace Stevenson by December 30th.  West’s name was the only name put forth for appointment following the unexpected resignation of Stevenson.  Actions to block West’s appointment were successfully carried out by Board Members Jimo Kasali, Deloris Green and Mary Howard, who is the sister to Mayor David Hanks.   The Executive Director of South Cook Intermediate Service Center Dr. Vanessa Kinder has the legal authority to appoint a “temporary” replacement to the seat vacated by Stevenson since the School Board failed to appoint a replacement.  The only issue is that the vacancy is only until the election outcome is determined so the person may only be there on a temporary basis.

"I am preparing to interview candidates for the vacant seat and I intend on making the appointment by the end of this month" Kinder said.  Kinder admitted that she is not mandated to appoint but it is her legal duty to do so.  "It would not be fair to the people of the district to have the seat vacant and decisions by the board not getting made" Kinder said.

Kinder did not identify who she would be interviewing for the vacancy but said "it is disappointing that the local board could not make a decision and that I am forced to appoint.  Decisions such as these should be made at the local level, but there is a provision when it can't be that it falls upon the person in this position" Kinder said.

Resident Larry Stewart filed objections to candidates which included Rachel Eastman, Phillip Bazile, husband of former School Board President and current McConathy Library Trustee Arleta Bazile and Sandra Isom who are seeking the 4 year terms.  Former Village Clerk Candidate Marva Campbell-Pruitt who is seeking the 2 year unexpired term was also considered to replace Aisa El-Amin who resigned last year.  Campbell-Pruitt put her name into consideration for the appointment to El-Amin’s vacant seat, however, was passed over for Garrett.

Stewart said he filed objections to ensure that those candidates who filed did so correctly.  “Look, when you run for office you’ve got to make sure you start out right.  It begins by making sure your papers work is in order” Stewart said.  “This is not politically motivated.  I know each of the people who are running.  It’s about following the rules” Stewart said.

Since the objections were filed, Eastman withdrew her name as a candidate and will not be on the ballot in April.  Eastman had obtained well over 100 signatures of registered voters to get her name on the ballot, only 50 are required.  “I just wanted to make a difference for the kids of the Village” Eastman said following her withdrawal.  “It seems that no matter what you do someone is going to be mad at you for doing something.  I had no idea that people would get so personal” Eastman said.  Eastman serves on the Neighborhood Watch Committee.

The electoral board, which use to rest with the local school boards has been moved to the jurisdiction of Cook County to expedite the handling of hearings and save the financially struggling school districts tens  of thousands of taxpayer dollars.  The Cook County Hearing Officer tossed out all challenges made by Stewart ensuring that all candidates, except Eastman who withdrew, will be on the ballot.

In the Village Trustees race, for the first time in many years no objections were filed.  The seats of Trustees Derrick Burgess, Jeff Morden and John Poskin are up for grabs in April.  Burgess, Morden and Poskin all filed nomination petitions seeking their old seats.  Poskin has never faced election for his seat but was appointed  twice by Hanks in 2012 and is currently the longest serving unelected Village Trustee.  Hoping to unseat them are controversial Housing Commission Chairman Gary Holcomb, and former School Board President and Retired Lieutenant Colonel Cecil Tates, Kelvin Jones and Danny Hammond, Jr.

"People of Sauk Village want change.  They are tired of this administration and the lack of direction" Hammond said. 

The two seats up for the Nancy L. McConathy Public Library are uncontested.

DICTATOR DAVID AND THE DAVIDIAN TRUSTEE PROTEST

WHERE WERE YOU JOHN POSKIN?

By Joseph Wiszowaty

OPINION EDITORIAL |  Well, if you were at  this past Tuesday night’s Special Meeting of the Village Board, it was almost surreal.  After 2 years and 52 days, it appears that at least 2 of the Bobbleheads have had enough of the closed door, back room meetings which have been commonplace in Mayor David Hanks’ administration.

The Village’s fiscal year historically begins on May 1st; however, Hanks and his administration couldn’t get their act together in order to get a budget put together and passed by May 1^st because he said at the time they were focusing on the delinquent audits.  It is glaringly apparent that Hanks cannot multi-task in such a demanding position----but I digress!  During Hanks’ whirlwind budget meeting with his Board of Trustees, Hanks bragged about being able to hold hearings on the budget in a record 4 hours! The budget consisted of 23 pages and was void of any real descriptions of what was going on and the public was left in the dark.  However, with virtually no questions of any substance or input from the 5 Bobblehead Board of Trustees, they agreed in lockstep with the Mayor's proposed budget.   

Trustee Derrick Burgess was the only Trustee who took the time to forensically go through the 23 pages to dissect what was being presented and prepared a 21 page analysis of Hanks’ budget  proposal to point out numerous issues and concerns that he found.  Burgess called Hanks' budget “not balanced” with over estimations of revenues and under estimations of expenses.  Burgess suggested that the Board of Trustees “work collaboratively” to come up with long-term solutions.  But no; what did Hanks do?  He called a special meeting so he and he alone could spend 3 hours criticizing Burgess’s analysis of his budget which turned out to be a waste of taxpayer money, time and nothing but a lot of hot air.  The vote to pass the budget was then presented to the Trustees for approval resulting in a 5 to 1 approval with Burgess casting the lone NO vote! 

Now fast forward to this last Tuesday.  Trustee Rosie Williams, Lynda Washington and Derrick Burgess called for a special meeting to discuss what Williams called a “budget crisis”. Williams admitted that she still had not read Burgess's analysis but did remember that it lacked "suggestions" as to what could be done.  Burgess countered that decisions should be collaboratively made by the entire board and not by him dictating what needs to be done.  So what did Hanks do Tuesday night instead of discussing with the Board of Trustees these most crucial matters?  He skips out on the meeting to avoid the criticism of his Village Board members and the anticipated “I told you so…”.  Hanks in a cowardice post on social media said, “since there is no clear urgency for tonight’s meeting, Linda and I will be spending time with our family…”.  

He went on to criticize his Village Board members for “not reaching out to me in person to discuss any issues prior to calling for a meeting…”.  Williams criticized Hanks’ back room “meetings before the meetings” and rightly so!  She also said that discussions such as these should be appropriately done during public meetings.  You know what??  I AGREE!  Meetings to discuss the finances of the Village are best conducted in an open and transparent process; not in the privacy of the Mayor's office as suggested by Hanks.  If you recall, when David Hanks was Trustee during the Towers administration, he condemned Towers for circumventing the authority and legal rights of the Village Board of Trustees.

Hanks laughingly went on to say that while he served as Trustee he had the “common courtesy to talk with the mayor in person (face-to-face) in hopes of resolving any issues prior to scheduling  such a meeting….”  REALLY DAVID?  Was that the same day you infamously stood up over Lewis Towers and threatened to shove the gavel up his “butt” at that oh-so special meeting? 

Dictator David, you’re a liar!  What you failed to tell the people in your social media post was how much the Village has in unpaid bills sitting in Finance Director Mohan’s magical drawer!  What you did not mention in your diatribe of dribble was that the over-time budgeted for the Police Department will be doubled the amount proposed.  But you countered Derrick's analysis during your “special meeting” that this would not be the case!  

Let’s face it Dictator David, your budget sucks!  You cannot fathom the fact that you’re wrong, cannot take criticism and are a dictator!  Trustee Jeff Morden was in attendance and defended your honor by not uttering a single word other than "Here" to open the meeting and "Yes" to adjourn.

Even though the office of mayor is a “part-time” job, it requires full-time dedication!  Elected officials are in their positions to represent the People of Sauk Village and you, David Hanks and John Poskins did not do your jobs.  You have failed the people of Sauk Village and have failed in your duty.