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!