A NOTE TO SAUK VILLAGE RESIDENTS

DEAR SAUK VILLAGE RESIDENTS | Nearly 200 Sauk Villagers have already voted for Mayor in early voting.  If you have not yet early voted, this coming Tuesday, April 4th Sauk Villagers will head to the polls to elect your new Mayor, new Village Clerk and new Village Trustees. David Hanks sent out a missive to his minions asking them to rally behind his chosen candidates, which are no less than a bunch of Bobble Heads!

Hanks says "much has been accomplished without placing future generations further in debt over the last four years..." Well first of all, let's tell the residents the facts!  $10.2 million is owed to the Pension Funds, $32 million is owed in General Obligation Bonds which Hanks himself voted for during his tenure in office, Hanks's administration took over $2 million from the water fund which must be repaid!  The Village has not had a bond rating since 2011 due to the financial mismanagement which he has continued over the last four years!  If he could have, he would have plunged the Village deeper into debt!  Thank goodness he was not able to do so!  So as Hanks leaves and according to the Village's 2015-16 Audit Report the Village is some $50 million in debt!  Let's not even talk about the property tax increases Hanks himself voted for during his 18 year tenure in office!  THANKS HANKS and THANK GOD you're leaving!   

Personally, we cannot wait until he fades off "into non-political retirement" on May 9th, it will truly be a moment to celebrate!  We do agree that Sauk Village residents have a choice either to continue his legacy of failure - taking a giant leap backwards or the Village can actually vote for a New Direction and a Pathway to Progress!

Hanks points out there are three candidates running for Mayor and only one has the vision which is clearly DERRICK BURGESS and yet two other that will continue Hanks's brand of "progress", the lack of transparency and the overall failed past practices that Sauk Village has experienced the last few years. The other two candidates based on their propaganda and comments at the recent board meetings and forum want to pick up where the current administration left off and plunge the village futher into failure!

Based on Hanks's two preferred candidates' campaign promises, if either is elected they will take Sauk Village further in debt placing the additional costs on you and future generations through stealing money from the water fund, taking out high interest loans and raising resident’s fees to record highs………Everything this current administration has done to the residents over the course of the last four years!

There is no way these candidates can keep their promises without selling out the residents of Sauk Village.

Many residents have been asking us who is best to do the job!  Let me make this perfectly clear!

Next Tuesday, you, your family, your friends and neighbors should vote for the following independent candidates, who truly do care, who own homes, who all have had successful jobs, who do not need to steal your money because they have earned their own, who do not have to shake down village vendors for personal trips- they can pay their own way!  Here are the only candidates you can trust with your money:

FOR MAYOR:   DERRICK BURGESS                  Punch #1

FOR CLERK:   MARVA CAMPBELL-PRUITT   Punch #5

FOR TRUSTEE (VOTE FOR 3):

• RODRICK GRANT                              Punch #6
• BERNICE BREWER-HOUSTON      Punch #7
• BETH ZUPON                                      Punch #8

Sauk Village, if you do not want to continue the failure and continue down the Highway to Hell that the current administration has been heading with years of: disrespecting residents, excessive legal expenses caused by David Hanks and Debbie Williams, fear, bullying, shake downs, extortion, FAKE CRIME STATISTICS, unanswered Audit Findings, Criminal Indictments of Village Officials (ie Village Treasurer)!   Then join the majority of Village residents and cast your vote for CHANGE, a NEW DIRECTION and a PATHWAY TO PROGRESS and real Independent Candidates and not a bunch of BOBBLE HEADS! 

VILLAGE OFFICIALS FILE FALSE TREASURER'S REPORT

SAUK VILLAGE |  Village officials may have falsified the Village's Treasurer's Report according to official Village records.  Village Clerk Debbie Williams certified the Village's Treasurer's Report which apparently was void of two individuals who have been on the Village's payroll since 2015.

JW Fairman and his assistant former Northlake Mayor Reid Paxson are nowhere on the most current year's Treasurer's Reports.  Fairman and his consultant company JW Fairman LLC or perhaps JW Fairman LTD were hired by Mayor David Hanks in the wake of the Village election in 2015 during the lame-duck session.  Fairman or his consultant company are reported earning $100,000 per year while his part-time "assistant" is paid $25,000 per year.  Fairman, his company and Paxson are not found on the most recent Treasurer's Report.  "All employees and vendors" earning over $25,000 are required to be listed on the report according to Illinois law.

 

Fairman receives a state and Cook County pension, and it is unclear if his "full-time" employment with Sauk Village would impact those pensions and if the omission was intentional.  Fairman was a prison administrator for Cook County jail and retired.  What is clear is that village officials did not list Fairman and Paxson on the Treasurer's report, yet all other Village employees, contractors and vendors are listed out on the report (***CLICK HERE TO VIEW REPORT***)

Both Hanks and Williams have been criticized by residents and three of the six Village Trustees for the lack of transparency and in 2016 both were admonished with a petition of No Confidence signed by 652 residents.  Williams most recently had her petitions challenged for Village Clerk among many other reasons, because she accepted a check from a village vendor for her so-called "personal trip" to Washington DC in 2013.  Williams said on July 23, 2013 at a Village Board meeting that she paid for the trip with her own money, however, a Freedom of Information Act request clearly showed she did not.  The Electoral Board in January of this year, which included Hanks and her daughter Rosie Williams, voted 2 to 1 to keep Williams on the ballot. 

Williams may still face charges from the Cook County States Attorney for failing to report money she received on her Statement of Economic Interest which is required under Illinois law.

"I do not understand how they keep getting things so wrong" a long-time resident said.  "The Village Treasurer gets indicted and pled guilty to Federal charges and these guys keep getting away with crap like this" they said.

The Village Treasurer, James Griegel appointed by Hanks in May, 2013 was arrested in January, 2016 and later Federal charges were filed against Griegel for embezzlement of Police Pension Funds.  The Village has not had a Treasurer in place doing the job since January, 2016 when Hanks put Griegel on "paid" administrative leave.

***UPDATE*** March 28, 2017:  At Tuesday's meeting JW Fairman's advised the public that we were correct that there was an omission was corrected and the Village has filed an amended Treasurer's Report!  We applaud their effort at Financial transparency in government!  

MEET RaDONNA BROWN- Candidate for District 168 School Board

RaDonna Brown is running for School Board in Sauk Village's School District 168.   This information was provided by the candidate for this profile. This is not an endorsement for RaDonna, but we want to take this opportunity to showcase a series of candidates running in School District 168 to help educate residents of Sauk Village.  School Board members serve without compensation and are supposed to be the watchdogs for your tax dollars and for the success of Sauk Village's Schools!  We hope you familiarize yourself with these candidates showcased in this 4 part series.  GOOD LUCK RaDONNA:

RaDonna Brown, MS an 11 year resident of Sauk Village, Illinois and mother of 2 children of District 168. For the past 10 years, RaDonna has owned and operated a state licensed home daycare.  She provides a fun, safe, reliable, and nurturing environment for children of working families of the community.  By night RaDonna provides home care services through Ingalls Private Duty for children with disabilities. If anyone knows RaDonna, they will undeniably know that she has a passion for children.

RaDonna recognizes the importance of education and often encourages others.  She received her undergraduate degree in 2006 (BOG/Early Childhood Education) from Chicago State University and her graduate degree in 2014 (Human Behavior) from Capella University.  Throughout the years RaDonna has earned many credentials and certifications from the Illinois Department of Human Services which includes Infant and Toddler Specialist LV2 and Early Childhood Educator LV2.  She actively pursue new trainings, and learning opportunities, as a result, RaDonna, serves as a great resource for others.

As a candidate, RaDonna has a personal interest in preserving and improving the quality of Community Consolidated School District 168. Her efforts as a board member would center on serving all of the children in the community; one child is no more important than another. We are a diverse community and have to celebrate that diversity. Our schools are here to serve the educational needs of all the children of the community. With that being said RaDonna seek to engage the community and allocate resources according to the needs. She kindly request your support in her efforts to become the new voice on the Community Consolidated School District 168 School Board.  RaDONNA BROWN Punch #179.

MEET BRANDIE JACKSON- School Board Candidate April 4th

BRANDIE JACKSON is running for School Board in Sauk Village's School District 168.   This information was provided by the candidate for this profile. This is not an endorsement for Brandie, but we want to take this opportunity to showcase a series of candidates running in School District 168 to help educate residents of Sauk Village.  School Board members serve without compensation and are supposed to be the watchdogs for your tax dollars and for the success of Sauk Village's Schools!  We hope you familiarize yourself with these candidates showcased in this 4 part series.  GOOD LUCK BRANDIE:

The fabric of every community is created from the stories of its struggles and coming together during hardships that lead to triumph.

My name is Brandie Jackson-Williams and I am running for School Board to help change those stories of destruction and pain into Sauk Village return to prominence and progress through public education.

Being a mom with children in the district, I want to be an advocate that fights to make sure every student at every school has access to the best education possible.

My work as a health consultant and in the transportation industry gives me valuable experience working with public and private sector organizations that allows me to align priorities with strategic outcomes. I have demonstrated the ability to be an effective communicator allowing me to bring people and ideas together in a collaborative manner that reaches the best results for everyone. I believe this experience makes me an excellent candidate for the CCSD 168 School Board.

I will be accountable for the education of our students by making financial decisions that are deliberate, measured and with district goals in mind. Strong communication skills will allow me to work successfully with the Administration, staff and parents so that educational priorities are met, technology advancements are made and the progress of every student at every school is realized.

I have volunteered for many school district events as well as events throughout the community. I am a dedicated sports mom and will bring that same energy and excitement to the School District. I am here to serve students and schools not politicians and politics. Students and educators become empowered when you lead with integrity and have the will to place education first. This is my goal.

I am happily married and the mother of three students at Bloom Trail High School and two children in School District 168. I am currently employed with the Chicago Transit Authority, a team mom for my son basketball AAU team and a soon to be member of the School Board with your support.

On April 4^th, vote for Brandie Jackson-Williams for School Board Member on the Community Consolidated School District 168 School Board. Because Integrity and Honesty should matter

SAUK VILLAGE ENDORSED CANDIDATES

Here are the Sauk Villager News' endorsed candidates for Sauk Village.  Early voting begins tomorrow (March 20th) and we will have more information out to voters to help get you to the polls early! 

FOR MAYOR:

DERRICK BURGESS FOR MAYOR- SAUK VILLAGE

When Derrick Burgess is elected on April 4th he will face a Village that is financially worse off than when his predecessor took over in 2012.  Derrick Burgess is a TRUE INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR!  Derrick Burgess led the field of candidates in 2015 earning over 60% of all votes cast in his re-election bid.  Burgess has earned the respect of the entire community and will make an outstanding Mayor.  He is passionate about Sauk Village he has a plan and vision for how he will move the Village in a New Direction as he says.  His opponents are not worthy of serious consideration as they are not serious candidates for Mayor of Sauk Village.

If you feel it's time for a New Direction, the Derrick Burgess is the only candidate who is willing to provide that leadership!  Burgess will get Sauk Village on the Pathway to Progress he has spoken about!  He is the ONLY CANDIDATE who will be able to clean up the mess at Village Hall in the wake of the Hanks Administration.

FOR VILLAGE CLERK:

MARVA CAMPBELL-PRUITT FOR VILLAGE CLERK- SAUK VILLAGE
Marva Campbell-Pruitt deserves your consideration and vote for Village Clerk.  Marva Campbell-Pruitt is the only logical choice for Village Clerk as the current incumbent has been an abject failure in doing her job.  When it comes to taking "personal trips" Marva Campbell-Pruitt said she will pay for them herself.  Campbell-Pruitt also said that having a "mother daughter" team running the Village is dangerous, we agree!

Marva Campbell-Pruitt is a professional who completed her career in education and possesses what it takes to bring the office of Village Clerk to the next level.  Marva understands that DETAILS DO MATTER!  The incumbent village clerk seems to get it wrong more times than not.  Getting dates wrong, getting her minutes wrong the current clerk is just, well, wrong for the job!  After 8 long years she still has not gotten it right?  MARVA will not need 8 years to do the job!  She will eliminate politics from the Clerks office once again and deserves a vote!

If you're tired of the Travelgate scandal and wasting taxpayer money on answering routine Freedom of Information Act requests, Marva Campbell-Pruitt should be your choice for Village Clerk.  She is definitely our choice and earned this Endorsement!  Keep on working Marva!  You're MARVAlous!

FOR VILLAGE TRUSTEE- SAUK VILLAGE

RODRICK GRANT has a combination of youth, clear focus, knowledge and understanding of the problems facing Sauk Village today.  Grant has earned a Bachelors Degree in Finance and a Masters Degree in Business Administration and comes equipped with the tools necessary to serve as  Village Trustee.   Grant brings to the Village Board a youthful perspective that has been lacking in recent years. 

We strongly suggest that you consider RODRICK GRANT for Village Trustee on April 4th

BETH ZUPON is probably the best prepared candidate for Village Trustee!  Zupon is banking executive for a major international bank and understands how finance works.  Zupon served as Village Clerk from 2008 to 2009 and knows her way around Village Hall, the village's codes and the decisions that will need to be made.  Beth will be the "watchdog" over the Village's budget and spending and will provide a balance of pro-business and pro-growth stance that the Village Board has been lacking for the last four years. 

We strongly suggest that you consider BETH ZUPON for Village Trustee on April 4th.

BERNICE BREWER HOUSTON- As for the third Village Board seat we suggest BERNICE BREWER-HOUSTON.  We feel that Bernice will be an advocate for the residents.  She will ask the questions necessary and will not settle for  nonsense.  While we were on polar opposite sides with her positions four years ago, Bernice has tempered and toned down her message but still has been tenacious about getting information from Village Hall.  A "facts and figures" person that we like in her.  While you may disagree with how the message is delivered, you probably agree with Bernice on more things than you'd disagree with her on.

You should consider a vote for Bernice Brewer-Houston for Village Trustee on April 4th.

While we found that only one other candidate for Trustee has stood out in this election, we feel that once again, it is not her time.  Sene Garrett, failed in her bid for re-election to the School Board in 2015.  Since that time she has been virtually invisible from most Village Board meetings.  If you're going to run for public office you should at least attend Village Board meetings regularly an essential part of the job.  While the youth are critically important you cannot run an one issue campaign and use clever acronyms ala Debbie Williams to win. 

We cannot recommend a vote for Garrett at this time because she has aligned herself politically with the Williams family and we feel that would be to the detriment to the Village.  While they tout themselves as "independent" they are "One Big Happy Family".  Perhaps in two years, like Brewer-Houston had done, she will be ready for the task and make herself over!  Maybe this will be a valuable, if not a costly lesson for Garrett.


SCHOOL DISTRICT 168
School District 168 taxes Sauk Village residents the most on their tax bills and residents should familiarize themselves with these candidates.  There are no less 9 candidates running for 4 seats and three political factions running for School Board which are likely to cause confusion when voting.  The School Board is clearly divided, but they are united on many more important issues. 

We are not recommending or endorsing any candidates for School Board

ENDORESMENT: BURGESS FOR MAYOR

EDITORIAL SAUK VILLAGER ENDORSEMENT:  The Sauk Village election kicks off and voters go to the polls beginning THIS MONDAY!  At this time, Sauk Villagers must make the crucial decision about what they want in a Mayor; one who has no vision nor plan and will shoot from the hip to get through day to day operations or one that will throw out the same failed past practices to move this town in a substantially new direction.  Sauk Villagers, a blind man can see there is only one person for the challenge and that is Trustee Derrick Burgess!  HE IS SAUK VILLAGERS CANDIDATE OF CHOICE! 

We remind our loyal readers that he has always reported the facts based on retrievable and substantive documentation.  We have researched each candidates’ record which includes their public and not so public information and remind the public on the best choice based on those facts, temperament, experience and preparedness to lead.

In our findings, Derrick Burgess' public and not so public record stands head and shoulders above any other mayoral candidate for the energy and leadership qualities Sauk Village should demand in their next mayor.

What most impresses us is Burgess’s clarity of vision and ability to articulate exactly how he would use the mayor’s office to make much-needed improvements, particularly in terms of his Strategic Plan for Progress and how he will work diligently in getting Sauk Village on a Pathway to Progress he has been speaking about.  The Village has lacked true leadership and many important things like the youth and cleaning up the Village have been neglected for far too long.  If you like the status quo, you should consider one of Burgess’s opponents who have both voted in lock-step with the current administration.

To be a successful mayor, Burgess has the right tone and is the only candidate that has the ability to unite a greatly divided community.  The mayor doesn’t represent just one segment of the village but all residents. Burgess is the only candidate running for mayor that has taken on the status quo fighting against unbalanced budgets and regularly questioning and challenging the administration on its reckless course of financial decisions.  Burgess’s plan also focuses on truly fighting crime not just making up fake numbers about the crime in Sauk Village to help improve enforcement some of the most troubled neighborhoods.

Burgess says that under the past two administrations, development tended to focus on “politics” and “The administrations have really dropped the ball” on tending to the village’s needs.

Burgess has been out in the community and has been inviting residents to his campaign office to discuss his plans to get Sauk Village on that Pathway to Progress he has been talking about.  The handful of supporters of the current administration, including the mayor himself, have tried to vilify those who have supported Burgess.  Their efforts have included personal attacks and other diversionary tactics like printing cards helping residents identify which social media pages did not support the current administrations misguided policies for which we openly have admitted we are one of those pages.  The most recent effort was to resurrect the 2016 vote of no confidence letter against the administration of David Hanks, and they tried to include Burgess in this current administration, which clearly he has stated he is not a part of!  All their efforts to divide the community clearly failed in 2015, when every single candidate supported by the administration failed to get re-elected to a seat on the Village Board!  That was the tidal wave!  2017, will be the tsunami and hopefully purge the poison politics and status quo from Sauk Village once and for all.

Unlike his opponents, Burgess will dedicate his time and energies seeking out new business and economic development opportunities.  Burgess is well known throughout the South Suburban region by community leaders, State Officials and it will not take him an entire term learning to do the job of Mayor. 

The other candidates who are running for mayor currently sit on the Village Board of Trustees.  Current three-term Trustee Rosie Biag and one-termer Lynda Washington-House, have expressed their intentions to continue the status quo of the current administration with some fuzzy ideas and half-baked solutions to the problems the Village faces.  One candidate even has some real pie in the sky story boards with multi-million dollar plans, but for the last 4 years have voted in total lockstep with Mayor which has resulted in the Village being over $5 million dollars in debt.  Audits with substantial negative "findings" have not been addressed even though a number of them are repeated from prior years.  Because of this, the Village has not had a bond rating by the 3 major Rating agencies since 2009.  And These candidates offer no plan on how they would pay for these “pipe-dreams”.  Their voting records are riddled with consensus votes allowing the withdrawal of over $2 million without public votes.

We have, however, thoroughly read the Burgess Plan a Strategic Plan for Progress which is authored by Burgess and approved by a consortium of professionals.  Burgess plans to release his plan publicly.  This plan, is his vision for the future, his ideas, his goals, and his objectives for Sauk Village's future.  The plan is so well laid out, that subsequent mayors will still have a blueprint to guide them.

A vote for Burgess is a vote for a New Direction, a true step on a Pathway to Progress!  We are proud to give him our Endorsement! 

Why Derrick Burgess for Mayor? To preserve, protect and defend...HISTORY!

ORIGINAL BOUNDARY MAP

OF SAUK VILLAGE

THROWBACK THURSDAY!
I have not written an OP ED piece in a while, so I will take this opportunity to do so.  I couldn't help but take notice as I attended a Village Board meeting Tuesday night, March 7, 2017 with all of the political dribble.  One Trustee asked about "who voted or gave authorization to move" $2 million dollars out of the water fund, which honestly I want to know as well!  He has been asking since January to no avail, can't wait to find out who did authorize this, I digress...  Another Trustee was defending her mama for once again not doing her job as Village Clerk.  Yet another was talking about getting her campaign signs taken down by some imaginary "thems" and her two supporters in the audience gave her the clap.

You see Tuesday was the 60th Anniversary of a historic election for Sauk Village.  On March 7, 1957, a small group of 55 homeowners went to the polls and voted on a referendum.  The question they voted on was "Shall the Village of Sauk Village be incorporated", well needless to say that if people truly cared about the community they serve someone would have made mention of this historic day at last night's meeting.  Sauk Village was officially incorporated on March 12, 1957, by the Secretary of State, after voters approved that referendum! 

As I sat at this meeting watching the few same sorry people who support the administration blindly, who attend these meetings week after week as if they were going to a weekly "controversial church" service, serving as the "AMEN" corner!  You would have thought that this opportunity would have been used to honor the Village's historic milestone, but alas not so much.  Celebrate the moment of a historic achievement!  But no, not this administration! Instead, they are too busy focusing on keeping their job that they did not do their job!   Was glad to see a couple of new faces and some of others who hadn't attended in a while.

I sat shaking my head wondering what the founders of Sauk Village would think of this administration and the poison politics that it allows.  The evil that is in Village Hall today should be disturbing to all residents.  It's time for an exorcism of sorts on April 4th!

While some say they want to celebrate Sauk Village's 60th Anniversary raise money and blow up fire works in a 15 minute "hooray for me" moment, they do not fully appreciate Sauk Village's history.  You heard of "fake news", these would be "fake people"!  They do not appreciate the sacrifices that so many men and women made for Sauk Village, nor the historical significance and contributions that they made to Sauk Village.  They are too self absorbed to care about anything other than themselves.

I have made it no secret that I support Derrick Burgess and let me explain why.  You see I had the opportunity to sit and talk to Derrick yesterday before the Village Board meeting.  You can see the passion Derrick has for Sauk Village when he talks about the community.  You can see that he honors the past but looks toward the future.  When I speak to him about the history of the community, he truly appreciates it!  Derrick Burgess is the "real deal" and you see that in so few "politicians", that is why Derrick Burgess appeals to a large cross-section of people in Sauk Village and throughout the area.

I was proud to have witnessed a historic moment last week, when Derrick Burgess met the grand-daughter of the late and former Mayor Roger Theisen.  In fact, Derrick Burgess lived on the very road named in Theisen's honor for two decades!  It was Derrick Burgess who honored the history and service of the former First Lady Patsy Nichols when she passed away.  No other honors were given by the current mayor or any other Trustees!  How sad for Sauk Village!  

So while this administration and their supporters say they care about Sauk Village, they truly are too self absorbed to care about the history, the sacrifices and the many people who paved the way to the offices they find themselves today.

Derrick Burgess, Cecial Tates and Kelvin Jones stand on the shoulders of those who came before them!  People like Matt Murphy, Charlie Collins, Bob Werner, Dick Derosier, Richard Startz, Ray Gavin, Herb VonBorstel, Frank Wagner, Roger Theisen, Thomas Nichols, Agnes Theodore and many others!  While the others there today merely sit in the chairs once occupied by these good people on Tuesday evening and acknowledge nothing of the men and women who made Sauk Village the community it once was, nor have they done so in the last 8 years!

Derrick Burgess will pave the way to a Pathway to Progress for Sauk Village's future!   Derrick Burgess will make the founders of Sauk Village proud!

WHERE IS THE AUDIT...AGAIN?

SAUK VILLAGE |  In the footsteps of the criminal charges and a plea agreement for embezzlement by the Village Treasurer James Griegel, the Village has yet to complete and publish its audit reports.  Per Illinois law, the Village's Audit Reports were due October 31, 2016; however, the Village filed for an extension with the Illinois Comptroller's Office until December 26, 2016.  The date has come and gone and now the Village faces fines from the Illinois Comptroller due to delinquent audit reports.

Sauk Village has had a history of delinquent audit reports and Mayor David Hanks blamed it on the Police Pension Board for causing the delay at a meeting November 1, 2016.  The Police Pension Board denied at that time they were the cause for the audit delay. "We require information from the Village regarding payment to the fund for withholding of contributions from the members and pensionable wages for the members.  It took multiple requests, dating back to July (2016), to receive the proper information from the Village.  The final piece we needed to complete the IDOI (Illinois Department of Insurance) report was received on 10/21/16 where it was determined a withholding payments was incorrectly sent to the Fire Pension Fund instead of to the Police Pension Fund."  according to the Pension Board.

The Village Board approved a payment to the Audit firm last week from September, 2016 in the amount of $21,000 which could have been the delay in receiving the current audit report.  It was also learned that some of the Village Trustees, not all, authorized taking over $2 million from the water fund without a public vote, which in previous audit reports it was reported by auditors as being inappropriate to do.  Trustees Derrick Burgess, Kelvin Jones and Cecial Tates stated they did not authorize moving money.  Burgess said according to Illinois law a public vote should occur even if consensus was given to do so.

The Village's Finance Committee, chaired by Trustee Rosie Williams-Biag, has not addressed the Village's audit report nor given the Village Board any updates as to when the Village Board and the public will receive last year's audit as the Village is due to begin a new Audit as the fiscal year comes to a close in April. 

The Village had been denied a grant from the Illinois Housing Development Authority for $75,000 and the Housing Commission Chair said it was due to social media post, particularly "YouTube"; however, the prior Audit Report indicated that Village officials mismanaged the grant and one village official used an ATM card to make a cash withdrawal for the grant which is a violation.

Hanks was so excited that auditors finally completed audit reports form 2009 to 2014, which in many successful communities these are done annually without much fanfare.  

BURGESS STILL WANTS ANSWERS ON $2 MILLION TAKEN FROM WATER FUND

Trustee Derrick Burgess

SAUK VILLAGE |  Village Trustee Derrick Burgess, who is a candidate for Mayor in April, again called on his fellow Trustees to be identified to see who authorized taking money from the water fund.  It appears that the amount that Mayor David Hanks and Trustees he controls have authorized taking from the water fund has grown to well over $2 million based on Freedom of Information Act requests.  Hanks refused to answer the question publicly despite Burgess pressing the matter public again.  Hanks said that the information was supposedly emailed to him, however, Burgess wanted the names of the individuals publicly stated which Hanks refused.  Both Burgess and Trustee Kelvin Jones said they never received such an email from Hanks.   

Burgess said that anytime money is borrowed by the Corporate Authorities, a public vote is required and that the administration is not following the law.

Trustees Rosie Biag, Lynda House, both mayoral candidates in the upcoming election and Trustee Ed Myers, who is running for re-election sat again silent with heads down as Burgess pressed the issue demanding an answer.  "Who gave their consent to do this" Burgess asked multiple times.  Still Hanks wanted to move on with the meeting as his allied Trustees played mute and dumb.

Hanks has called his budgets "balanced", however, has routinely raided the village's water fund with the support of Trustees Biag, House and Myers.  Water funds are intended to fund the water department operations, however, the water funds have been depleted to a dangerously low level according to Freedom of Information Act requests. Trustees Burgess, Cecial Tates and Kelvin Jones each voted "NO" to the Village's Budget in 2015 and in 2016 declaring them "unbalanced and irresponsible". 

The prior Village Board, which Hanks was a Trustee at the time, took action in November of 2010, and passed an ordinance to block the mayor at the time from arbitrarily taking money.  The ordinance, at that time required the Village's General Fund to repay the money borrowed from the Water Fund.  Rosie Biag said at that time "that the Board is informed when funds are borrowed in order to keep a record of what amounts need to be paid back" according to the official village record. 

Hanks himself stated in November, 2010 “that it should be made clear that these funds were borrowed temporarily to meet payroll and it is the intent of the Board to pay those funds back” according to the official record.