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| DAVID HANKS (left) and Village Attorney Mike McGrath |
SAUK VILLAGE | Deputy Chief of Police Rebecca Sailsbery a 23 year veteran of the Sauk Village Police Force has filed an action with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, required before a Federal lawsuit can be filed, claiming she is being retaliated and discriminated against by Mayor David Hanks, Administrator JW Fairman and other Village officials.
Following the abrupt retirement and resignation of former Chief Timothy Holevis, Sailsbery has been blocked from being sworn-in as "acting/interim chief" which should have happened automatically according to the department's general orders until a new Chief was appointed. Instead Hanks ordered Sailsbery to assume the duties but not the position or title. Sailbury argues that it is because she had previously won an EEOC complaint and the Village settled with her, Holevis and former employee Lisa Gibbons. Gibbons was "layed off" and not recalled despite the Village having several opportunities and hires since her so called layoff. In 2010, during the administration of Lewis Tower when former Chief of Police Frank Martin was terminated, Holevis was sworn-in as "acting/interim" Chief of Police. Holevis at that time was not the deputy chief but the senior Sergeant on the day shift.
Apparently the discrimination and retaliation did not end there according to the complaint. Gibbons has already filed another EEOC complaint against the Village.
Hanks, according to the supplement to the EEOC complaint, violated the Police Department Chain of Command, posted a notice that Sailsbury would remain Deputy Chief "until further notice" while all other police officers would retain their positions, violated the Police Officers Bill of Rights as an investigation was conducted without notification. Finally the supplement to the EEOC complaint states that Hanks "traditional" views of women in the workforce are frowned upon and are expected to wear skirts instead of pants.
Sailsbury has stated she did apply to become chief of police. According to Hanks 24 people have applied for the position. Hanks appointed Fairman along with Trustees Rosie Williams and Cecial Tates to serve as a committee to search for a Chief of Police. "We have yet to have a formal meeting with all of us present" Tates said. According to Tates they were given each candidates resumes and asked to rank each candidate. None of the results were shared with other committee members according to Tates. "Not like any committee I had ever been on when you never meet to discuss anything" Tates said.
"According to the Mayor he gets to make the appointment the Village Board vote doesn't matter" Tates said. "He has made that quite clear when it came to appointing committees and the courts already ruled on this same matter with former Village employees which the village is still in litigation over. So let's just cut out the nonsense and move forward" Tates said.
Hanks has made no public comment regarding the EEOC complaint which was filed in earlier of this year.
