NO STUDENT GOVERNMENT DAY... NO MORE WILLIAMS DUO

Trustee Rosie Williams reading during a Village Board
Meeting on Tuesday, January 26 th night as a fellow
Trustee is speaking

OPINION EDITORIAL
SAUK VILLAGER STAFF

Let’s recap this last couple weeks shall we.  Let’s look at the pattern of arrogance and entitlement and you can be the judge.

Tuesday, January 19, 2016:          CONFUSION & ACCUSATIONS… Village Trustees Ed Myers and Rosie Williams engage in a debate on students of District 168 and how atrocious their reading skills are during Student Government Day in the past.  Rosie Williams even goes as far as to say that she believes teachers of District 168 might be helping students write their essays.

Monday, January 25, 2016:          ACCUSATION & DISRESPECT… School District 168 holds their regular school board meeting, Village Clerk Debbie Williams attends and has a meltdown.  Williams accuses students and teachers of academic plagiarism to get selected for Student Government Day.  Williams disrespected the entire School Board by storming out of the meeting but not before saying “I don’t have to sit here and listen to this shit…”.  Village Trustee Ed Myers apologizes for Williams disrespectful actions and for his comments made Tuesday.

Tuesday, January 26, 2016:          DISRESPECT… School Board President Philip Bazile is disrespected by Mayor David Hanks as he attends a Village Board meeting and Hanks does not allow Bazile to address the Village Board.

Wednesday, Januay 27, 2016:    DISRESPECT… School Board President Bazile calls a special Meeting for Friday to discuss the relationship between the Village and School District.

Friday, January 29, 2016:               APPROPRIATE ACTION! Village Clerk Debbie Williams, Trustee Rosie Williams and a handful of their supporters attend the School Board’s Special Meeting.  School Board members Bazile, Marva Campbell-Pruitt, Sharon Davenport, Tammy Jones, Jimo Kasali and Deloris Green agree that School District 168 will not participate in Student Government Day.  The sister to the Mayor David Hanks, Mary (Hanks) Howard is the only one to disagree and wanted the district to participate.

The time for change is now!  Trustee Rosie Williams, and by extension her mama Village Clerk Debbie Williams have ruled Student Government Day for 10 long years now.  The Mayor and Trustees are often scolded before Student Government Day to behave themselves.  Why do grown adults need to be disrespected and told that they need to behave?  Seems like the child telling her parents what they need to do!

It’s time for change now!  Rosie Williams and her mama Debbie Williams need to be replaced so that new ideas, new concepts a new direction for Student Government Day can evolve!  As the School Board said Friday night new guidelines need to be established and work between the two body’s Intergovernmental Relation Committees needs to happen!   I believe one nonstarter is to have the Williams duo heading up any future Student Government Day events!

HANKS DOESN'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT SAUK VILLAGE YOUTH

PEEK A BOO- I'LL SCREW YOU!

OPINION EDITORIAL
by EDITORIAL STAFF
What is wrong with David Hanks and his main supporter and mayor wannabe Trustee Lynda "Harvey" Washington along with his gaggle of supporters these days?  These people are so self absorbed, arrogant and full of a sense of entitlement that the business of the Village gets pushed aside for their own aggrandizement.  Hanks disrespected and would not let the School Board President of District 168, Philip Bazile, address the Village Board of Trustees because something was not on the agenda, (NOTE: The Illinois Attorney General's Office is investigating three separate complaints filed against Mayor David Hanks and the Village of Sauk Village for violations of the Open Meetings Act for failing to let residents speak during meetings).  Your Village Clerk, Debbie Williams had a meltdown at Monday's School Board meeting, demanding more time and spoke over the 3 minutes and now your attempt to remove Trustee Kelvin Jones from the Parks and Recreation Committee?  Where is your mind these days!  I think you have a wax ball lodged in between your ears because you are THICK and I don't mean portly!

At Tuesday night's meeting or "Political Theater Play", David Hanks was directing his actors and calls for the removal of Trustee Kelvin Jones as Chairman of the Parks and Recreation Committee.  This was done after Hanks himself, interfered with the Committee's longstanding rules that the Chairman and the Committee were the only ones who granted access to the Community Center.  Hanks didn't care about all that he did what he did.  Hey Lynda Washington, you should write a play and you could have David Hanks and Debbie Williams be your lead actors and you could join right in there!  I digress.

Let me step back a minute, Trustee Kelvin Jones was not permitted any input into Hanks' budget and in Hanks' Parks and Recreation Budget zero dollars was budgeted for any programs!  But Hanks found $6,000 to blow up fireworks in 15 minutes for the Independence Day holiday.  The only money that was allocated to Parks and Recreation was for a part-time Center Supervisor so kids can play basketball.  But as what has been past practice, the Center Supervisor use to report to the Committee Chairperson.  Well not so much!  Hanks changed that directive and now the Center Supervisor answer to someone at Village Hall!

David Hanks has not attended a single event hosted by the Parks and Recreation Department since the April election!  Last night Hanks said he wasn't invited.  Really?  So all those reports that Jones gave announcing events last year and inviting people to attend wasn't good enough King David, you want an engraved invitation too!  This shows your complete contempt for anyone who disagrees with you or has the audacity to question you as a leader.  You're pathetic!

I submit to you, David Hanks, that you intentionally set Trustee Jones up for failure and despite your efforts you have failed.  Here are the FACTS:

1. You David Hanks and your treacherous-trio of Bobble Head Trustees pushed through with YOUR VOTE an unbalanced budget in 2015-16 which called for revenues of $34,854 from property taxes levied on homeowners (that would exclude you David Hanks and Lynda Washington)

2. You David Hanks and your treacherous-trio of Bobble Head Trustees approved a budget for Parks and Recreation calling for a $335,000 grant which you knew would not be funded in 2015-16, but it sure made you feel good as if you were doing something for the community!

3. You David Hanks and your treacherous-trio of Bobble Head Trustees approved a budget for Parks and Recreation total expense of $24,154 ($10,635.82 for a Center Supervisor position, $6,000 for your Fireworks, $500 for a phone and $7,000 for Operating Supplies).  This means you took $10,700 and used it to balance your chicken wire budget on the backs of the kids of Sauk Village!

4. You David Hanks and your 5 Bobble Heads, after the April, 2015 election and prior to Jones and Tates being sworn in as Trustees were intentionally left out of budget hearings and talks and were not permitted to give their input into your joke of a budget for 2015-16.  Yet your two lame-duck Trustees sat on the Village Board mute, dumb and ignorant.

5. With 6 months into the budget, only $13,550 was spent for Parks and Recreations out of the $24,154 that Hanks Budgeted!  ($6,745 for the Center Supervisor, $6090 for Hanks' Fireworks, leaving $706 which was spent for telephone and operating supplies!

6. Zero dollars was spent on programs, because zero dollars was include in the budget for programs!

Do you really think that people should be out begging for even more money on the corners of Sauk Village to fund Parks and Recreations programs when you tax homeowners $34,854 but have only spent $13,550 as of December 1st?

Instead of calling for the Treasurer James Griegel's removal from office, an admitted criminal, you take the political low ground and use your last opportunity to speak during the meeting in a weak attempt to remove Trustee Jones from Parks and Recreation?   My question King David, when did your sorry ass ever attempt to run the Parks and Recreation Committee?  You sat your lazy ass on the Village Board for 13 plus years and never once did you volunteer to help Mary Seery, nor offer to take over and give her a break!  The only kids in Sauk Village you give a damn about are your own, as you should, but YOU also should give a damn about the youth in the Village.  You clearly have demonstrated you do not!  You are one sorry excuse for a Mayor! You're a liar, an opportunist, arrogant and so self absorbed with your own power, you make the Emperor from Star Wars look like a Saint!  As the residents of Sauk Village, you should resign but you are too arrogant and ignorant to figure that out.

NOTE:  Ed Myers chastised David Hanks for his behavior and actions and left the meeting!  Good job Ed, maybe you're seeing the light, we'll see.

FORENSIC AUDIT ORDERED BY PENSION FUND FOLLOWING ARREST OF TREASURER

SAUK VILLAGE |  The Sauk Village Police Pension Board met in an emergency meeting yesterday at Village Hall.  Village Treasurer James Griegel, who also sits on the Pension Board was not present for yesterday's meeting.  Griegel was arrested last week for purchasing heroin for sex and later admitted to writing checks from the Pension Fund according to Sauk Village Police Chief Robert Kowalski's statement to the media.  Griegel has been placed on "unpaid administrative leave" according to media reports and no calls for his resignation have come from the Mayor David Hanks.

The Pension Board consists of retired Sauk Village Police Sergeant Ted Sanders, current police members Sergeants Rebecca Sailsbery and Scott Langan and also resident William Bishop along with Griegel.  The Board is separate and autonomous from the Mayor and Village government, however under Illinois law the Village's Treasurer serves on the pension boards. 

Pension Board Members went into a closed session and came back out voting to approve a forensic audit of the entire Pension Fund according to Pension Board Attorney Cary Collins.  The vote was unanimous.  Sanders, who serves as Board President, will be contacting the auditors for the pension fund, Mulcahy, Pauritsch, Salvador and Co to obtain the costs for the audit.  Sanders will report back to the Pension Board at their regular meeting January 21st.  The Pension Board also voted on a Resolution to remove Griegel from the Pension Board's bank accounts and added Bishop as a signer to the account.

The Village has not been making regular contribution to the pension fund, required under Illinois law.  The Village owes the pension fund over $2 million according to audit reports.  The State of Illinois will begin allowing, this year, Pension Boards to appropriate state monies intended for villages General Funds to make up the shortages owed by villages to their pension funds statewide.  Village's have been balancing their budgets with funds intended for pension funds.

ST. JAMES FATE ALL BUT CERTAIN - "CLOSE AND DEMOLISH"

ST JAMES HOSPITAL- Most of what you see in the

photo would be demolished if the Franciscan Alliance

cannot find a developer to repurpose the old hospital.

MATTESON |  Get ready everyone, St. James Hospital in Chicago Heights will be closing for good in 2018 according to CEO Arnie Kimmel.  Kimmel was addressing a crowd of about 150 people who turned out at Victory Apostolic Church in Matteson on Saturday morning.  Mayors from Chicago Heights, South Chicago Heights, Steger, Crete, Olympia Fields, Lynwood along with Trustees Derrick Burgess and Cecial Tates from Sauk Village were also in attendance.

Kimmel said there are plans to “reinvest” in the Chicago Heights campus with possibly expanding primary care and other community services, provided that the Franciscan Alliance can find a developer.  Kimmel said that the Franciscan Alliance will be making an investment of $137 million into the Olympia Fields campus expanding it's emergency room and adding a new obstetrics unit.  Kimmel said that the old hospital building is showing its age.  “$1 million this year (will be spent) to keep the bricks from falling off the building” Kimmel said.  Over $500 million has been spent by the Franciscan Alliance to subsidize the Chicago Heights and Olympia Fields campuses, most of the money coming from their more profitable ventures in Indiana according to Kimmel.

As part of the Franciscan Alliance $137 million investment, Kimmel said that they will expand their Urgent Care facility at 211 Dixie Highway to include 24/7 urgent care.  Kimmel assured everyone that they will close their St. James Hospital and Emergency room by 2018.  Kimmel said that they have over 470 beds between Chicago Heights and Olympia Fields campuses and their average daily census between both facilities is 160. 

 

Kimmel also said that the south portion of the old hospital will remain and will house a pharmacy and other services but no inpatient services will be at the Chicago Heights location.

State Representative Anthony DeLuca (D-Chicago Heights) urged Kimmel to consider a stand alone Emergency Room or adamantly demanded that they explore ways in which to improve the Emergency Room at Olympia Fields so they can turn EMS crews faster so they can get back to their communities like Crete and Sauk Village which are much further away.  Kimmel responded that it would violate Illinois law to have a stand alone emergency room "and even if the law were changed it would not be a good idea".

DeLuca also chastised Kimmel for his previous presentation in Steger.  “You see two words ‘close and demolish’.  You’ll have a very difficult time turning that around.  It should have been three words, ‘improve, expand and development’” DeLuca said.

If Kimmel and the Franciscan Alliance cannot find a developer that can repurpose the existing building about two-thirds of the Chicago Heights hospital will be demolished.  Kimmel suggested public housing as a possible repurpose. 

Chicago Heights Mayor David Gonzalez, blasted Kimmel’s suggestion about public housing.  “We already are saturated with enough vacant housing in our community” Gonzalez said.  Gonzalez also said that he was concerned that any discussions should be done between the Franciscan Alliance and the City of Chicago when it comes to talks of redevelopment o f the St. James building.  

“Where are the sister, if they are so concerned about what we think” Keith Lott, a resident of Chicago Heights, said referring to the fact that none of the sisters from the Order of St. Francis were in attendance at any of the public hearings. 

Chicago Heights Mayor David Gonzalez

A large group of picketers were outside the venue greeting those who came to attend, among them was the Mayor of Chicago Heights who was fighting hard to keep St. James and their long standing relationship in his city. 

Discussions are ongoing with EMS and Fire Chiefs and Franciscan Alliance about improving the turn around time from the Olympia Fields Emergency Room according to Kimmel.

HEROIN, WHORES, EMBEZZLEMENT AND CORRUPTION, BUT NO RESIGNATIONS... YET

JAMES GRIEGEL (left) takes oath
as Treasurer in May, 2013

OPINION EDITORIAL
SAUK VILLAGER NEWS

I have already called for the resignation of David Hanks, and now it’s time for residents to do likewise!  Where is the resignation of James Griegel!  Why hasn't Hanks publicly demanded his resignation, or fired him!  It's time for the outrage!

Why anyone is surprised at the most recent corruption within the David Hanks administration is really beyond me!    David Hanks’ administration has adopted a pattern of behavior which mimics that of his predecessor, former Mayor Lewis Towers, including demoralizing and alienating village board members, village employees while creating an environment that encourages lawsuits by both residents and employees of Sauk Village.  Let’s face it David Hanks began his administration on a lie, saying that he was not going to run for mayor and then “changed his mind” after endorsing another candidate.  His supporters said at the time, he had the right to change his mind and I said he didn’t change his mind he LIED to the people he was elected to serve.  He began his administration on a lie!

The pattern of corruption in the Hanks administration has been the worst in Sauk Village’s history, rivaling the Thomas Ryan scandal some 11 years ago.  Let’s review shall we!  During the last 3 years we have seen a pattern of corruption in Sauk Village including:

 

·         David Hanks lied to the people stating he would not run for Mayor and endorsed another candidate, then “changed his mind” having no intention of keeping his word.  Hanks lost integrity because he showed you cannot trust him or his word.

·         The Travelgate scandal where Village Clerk Debbie Williams and Trustee Rosie Williams fleeced and shook down vendors to pay their way to attend the Building One America Summit claiming this was a personal trip.  The scandal resulted in a binding opinion issued by the Illinois Attorney General declaring the trip was “official business” and all information was subject to the Freedom of Information Act.  The Village sued the Attorney General and later settled the matter after the Village spent some $11,000 to try and block it.

·         Then there was illegal use of Water Funds to pay for the Housing Commission’s lawn mowing program.   Hanks used the Water fund without the knowledge or consent of the Village Board of Trustees to pay for the mowing of grass.

·         David Hanks cancels meetings to avoid answering the public’s questions about his and the actions of the Trustees he controls.  Hanks continues to block the flow of information concerning the Village’s finances including not publishing audits on time, including transferring money like a shell game without the knowledge or approval of the Village Board, issuing immediate checks to pay village vendors without the approval of the Village Board in accordance with Illinois law.  Also, now Hanks wants to block the Village Trustees from even communicating with department heads!

·         Hanks’ own handpicked Treasurer, Jim Griegel, never attended a single Village Board Meeting has not provided any financial reports to the Village Trustees in accordance with Village law, and there still has been no Treasurer’s Report posted in accordance with the State law for the last fiscal year.

·         Hanks’ Village Treasurer Jim Griegel admitted to police that he wrote himself checks illegally out of the Police Pension Fund

·         The Village’s audit report was due to be posted to the Illinois Comptroller’s office in accordance with state law by December 26^th, and today it has yet to be posted.  The Village, because of the negligence of this administration, is accruing fines each day.

·         Hanks spearheaded an ordinance that created a Village Administrator and Public Safety Director and then filled it with J.W. Fairman, a candidate which was provided to him by Odelson and Sterk (the Village’s law firm).  His contract, among other things provides him with a “part-time” administrative assistant, former Northlake Mayor Reid Paxon (Paxon, in 1995 was found guilty of violating a Police Officers civil rights by a Federal Court CLICK LINK TO READ MORE), to the tune of $27,600 annual, a “cash” car allowance of $26,666.67 and a severance package (or “Golden Parachute”).   Fairman  is currently receiving State and County pensions while Reid receives a pension from the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund.

·         Hanks is paying JW Fairman and Reid Paxon as “independent contractors”, however, IRS Code does not permit an “employee” to be paid as an “independent contractor”.  Also, it appears that the Village, because of these questionable practices, is intentionally circumventing paying into Social Security, Medicare and also the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund

·         Employees, who have filed complaints, lawsuits or are union representatives, have been targeted for termination or retaliation by David Hanks. 

·         David Hanks refused to bring back Lisa Gibbons who he summarily placed on “layoff” status, instead hired two less qualified “part-time” employees for Police Records Clerks, which shows his continuation of retaliation.

·         Sauk Village has been awarded several grants for equipment and supplies, many dating back over three years.  The Village has failed to inform the appropriate personnel of the receipt of such grant funds and little or none of these grants were actually spent on equipment or supplies.  The Feds must ask, WHERE DID THIS MONEY GO?

 

Today the pattern of corruption continues!  Village vendors are still shaken down and fleeced; there is no accountability to the Village Board or the residents of Sauk Village.  Hanks claims that the village’s finances get a “GREEN LIGHT” while all evidence points to the contrary! Property taxes continue to rise while values fall. 

 

It's time for the residents to stand up and say NO MORE!  NO tHANKS!