McCoy resigns amid political retaliation and racial tension

TONYA McCOY

The political and racial tensions in Sauk Village have prompted yet another departure of a well qualified and professional Community Development Director Tonya McCoy.  McCoy announced she accepted a position with the Village of Matteson as Deputy Director of Community Development. 
 

McCoy announced her resignation during her report to the Village Board of Trustees calling it “bittersweet news” but blasting the Trustees for what she called “racism”.  “When I started here I did not know anyone in the Village, didn’t know the mayor didn’t know the clerk contrary to what some may believe.  I will say that the women in the front office have become my family.  I have come to love them.  They are very much under appreciated”. 

“Now as for the board I wish I could say the same, but I can’t.  It was more than a notion to come in and have people who were incompetent and racist people who would try to tear down what the Mayor built.  I cannot even explain how the atmosphere changed when you came in.  I’m going to quote Michelle Obama ‘When they go low we go high’ and I am going to walk out of here with my head held high” McCoy said.

 

McCoy was appointed to the position of Community Development Director by Mayor Derrick Burgess following the resignation of Joseph Wiszowaty in June of 2019, who served in a dual role of both Community and Economic Development Director.  The Trustees led by Debbie Williams cut McCoy’s pay $20,000 to $48,000 as political retaliation since she was appointed by Burgess.  The previous Community Development Director, now Trustee Sherry Jasinski, was generously over-paid $72,000 per year and had not written a single grant in her more than 12 year tenure as the department head.

McCoy and other appointments made by Mayor Burgess have been clearly targets of political retaliation and racial discrimination by the Trustees following their gain of their majority over Mayor Derrick Burgess in May, 2019. 

·         Joseph Wiszowaty- resigned

·         Alicia Straughter- terminated

·         Mary Klopp- terminated and eliminated from the budget

·         Christopher Williams (although not appointed by Burgess) terminated

·         Tonya McCoy- resigned

The power struggle has the Village Board, and the 5 to 1 majority they have had since May of 2019, obsessed with taking the powers away from the mayor and stopping any and all progress he had made.  The political circus has come back to Village Hall led by Debbie Williams with them focused on political nonsense instead of economic development, fixing streets, cutting dead trees, repairing infrastructure and more important the finances of the Village.

 

Photo: Gary Bell's Facebook Page

 

 

This racist post by GT Bell (Village Trustee Gary Bell) was posted on his personal Facebook account (photo provided).  Bell currently serves on the Sauk Village Fire Department and serves on the Village Board of Trustees.  Bell using a racial slur "TNT" or "Typical ni**er tramma".