KNOW YOUR CANDIDATES- Meet Sharon Archie-Davenport

(This is the third in a series of profiles for candidates for School District 168.  All candidates were asked to submit their own profile and a photo.  Some did, some did not.  We will provide you a look at each candidate during this week.)

SHARON ARCHIE-DAVENPORT

Candidate for:  4 Year Board Member


EDITOR'S NOTE:
Sharon Archie-Davenport has been an active member of the community previously having been elected to School District 168 School Board in 2011 where she served as Board Secretary and following the 2013 election and reorganization of the Board, Archie-Davenport was elected President.

THE FOLLOWING IS THE CANDIDATE'S PROFILE. (Note:  This information was provided by the candidate.  We do not endorse or necessarily agree with the views of the candidate which are their own):

Sharon Archie-Davenport was named President of the Community Consolidated School District 168 in May 2013.  Previously, Mrs. Davenport served as District 168 School Board Secretary from 2011-2013.

She is an Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) Master Board Member. She has received several awards and certificates of appreciation, member on the 2014 Illinois Joint Annual Conference Proposal Review Committee, and serves on the IASB Governing and Executive Board as Director At Large for the South Cook County Region and she is a former member of School District 168 Parent Advisory Committee. School District 168 received its first ever State of Illinois Good Governance Recognition Award during her tenure as President.

Sharon also serves on several civic and charitable committees including: SV Trustee Derrick Burgess Intergovernmental Committee and Trustee Lynda Washington Citizens for Informative Dialogue. She is a former Chair of CEDA Head-Start Parent Committee at the Yates location.

Sharon has led major efforts resulting in increased student achievement and significant improvements in teaching, learning, staff professional development, and school status. Her central work focused on equity and rigor by establishing Data Coordinators to help assess students and curriculum delivery, increase students test scores by implementing Stride Academy, a reformed school dress code to place more emphasis on education and connecting with local, state, and federal officials to bring additional computers and laptops into the school district.

She has worked to upgrade the sound system to increase participation in performing arts, supported growth of school choirs, safe access to amenities and standard procedures for special need students, new uniforms for sports teams, replaced single district nurse with a nurse at each school, and installing the Raptor security system helping to provide every student, staff, and stakeholder safety when attending school or activities.

Sharon was instrumental in the transition to newly appointed Superintendent Dr. Donna S. Leak with former Superintendent Al Travaglini; as they, administration, and staff shared their experiences on sensitive topics relevant to the school and community, while keeping in mind their representation of Every Child, Every Day.

Sharon is looking forward to being re-elected to continue working with the Board, Superintendent, Local and State Officials to move the District forward in a well-rounded academic, social, and healthy future.  She supports education being driven using technology and state common core standards, enhancing performing arts and sports divisions, work hard to ensure students are getting a foundational educational experience that will increase test scores, healthy but edible food choices, the health safety of our buildings and providing the necessary tools needed by students and staff to promote all around success for all, while remaining financially sound. 

Sharon has been actively involved in the community since her family's arrival more than ten years ago. Sharon, a licensed minister and caterer regularly connecting with various community, state organizations and leaders to support growth and expansion for District 168 and Sauk Village. Sharon and Law Davenport have three children, one at each school Lawton, Laela, and Logan.

KNOW YOUR CANDIDATES Meet Marva Campbell-Pruitt

(This is the second in a series of profiles for candidates for School District 168.  All candidates were asked to submit their own profile and a photo.  Some did, some did not.  We will provide you a look at each candidate during this week.)

MARVA CAMPBELL-PRUITT
Candidate for:  2 Year Board Member

EDITOR'S NOTE:
Marva Campbell-Pruitt has been an active member of the community previously serving as chairman of the Sauk Village Human Relations Commission, Chairman of the Sauk Village Beautification Committee and Chairman of the Lincoln Highway Mural Project and other local projects.  Campbell-Pruitt ran in 2013 for Village Clerk.

THE FOLLOWING IS THE CANDIDATE'S PROFILE. (Note:  This information was provided by the candidate.  We do not endorse or necessarily agree with the views of the candidate which are their own):

 

Leadership, Not Politics!  I am honored to be a candidate to fill a two-year vacancy on the School Board for District 168, the elementary school district in Sauk Village, the Village in which I reside.  I have been approached to fill two vacancies in 2014.  The first was to have been an appointed position, and now this one, to actually run as a candidate to fill a two-year vacancy resulting from the untimely resignation of previous Board Member.

Most who know me, can attest that NO is not in my vocabulary when called upon to assist in any avenue where there is a need.  Fortunately, in this sphere, I have been called upon to utilize my expansive knowledge as a former educator; principal; Illinois State Board of Education approved facility/school superintendent and former Board Member for the Illinois Department of Corrections School Board.  By “Caring for the Community,” I am answering the call!

Marva Campbell-Pruitt has demonstrated leadership within the Village, as residents joined in creating a successful Community Garden program, and conducted weekly gardening sessions with a youth summer program.  She volunteered with Parks and Recreation activities where she dedicated herself to insuring that the 2013 Summer Work Program was a roaring success as she led a team of youth in cleanup activities throughout the Village.  She served on the Fire Departments Pancake Breakfast committee and cooked up delectable eggs, hosted the Village’s first and subsequent Movies in the Park activities.  Marva served as chairperson of the Illinois Lincoln Highway Mural Project that brought an historical landmark mural to the Village that was later used for the 2012-2013 vehicle stickers ( the mural is located on the side of Fairway Foods on Sauk Trail at Torrence.  Along with the Beautification Committee, under her leadership, the committee brought back the Hootsie Awards, hosted Annual Clean Green and Preen Weeks, and instituted Community Yard Sales.  The Human Relations Commission, under the leadership of one of the Commissioners, started a Youth Leadership Program for students, in partnership with the staff of Rickover Elementary School. 

Most recently, Marva serves on the School District’s Education Advisory Council and the Intergovernmental Committee.  She led her Sorority in its second year celebration of an International World Water Day at Our Daily Bread Food Pantry as we distributed 90 cases of water and information on water and energy conservation.  Her church, Grace United Church of Christ, orchestrated the original, “Sharing the Warmth” program whereby we adopted a classroom in each of the three schools in CCSD 168 to donate brand new coats.  One school asked that we provide uniforms as well.  We met that need.  Marva Campbell-Pruitt’s public service history is rich with professionalism, acts of volunteerism and proven community service.

With heartfelt dedication, Marva promises to utilize her educational expertise, previous experience as a school board member and involvement on the Illinois State Advisory Council to:

• Set the vision and goals of the school district;
• Adopt policies that provide the school district direction to establish priorities and meet its goals;
• Assure fiscal integrity;
• Encourage and increase the number of educational personnel who seek national teaching certification;
• Improve student achievement;
• Develop a definitive policy on anti-bullying by developing focused programs on character education;
• Collaborate with committees within the Sauk Village Board to increase student involvement in community events;
• Encourage student participation in varying educational and developmental programs (i.e. Junior Achievement, 4-H Clubs, ACTSO, Special Olympics, etc.); and
• Create pathways to increase the number of students with special needs who are currently placed out of district so that they will be served and taught in their home schools.

I truly believe that residents’ vote for me to the two-year seat will produce great dividends for the school district and set it upon a path of greater progress as I humbly believe that Our Children, Taxpayers and School Staff Deserves The Best!

KNOW YOUR CANDIDATES- Meet Latonya West

(This is the was the first in a series of profiles for candidates for School District 168.  All candidates were asked to submit their own profile and a photo.  We will provide you a look at each candidate during this week.  Ms West submitted hers after we ran her original profile and as a courtesy we have included her profile for the voters)

LATONYA WEST
Candidate for 2 year Board Member

EDITOR'S NOTE:
Ms West was the only candidate who submitted her resume and letter of interest for appointment to replace former Board Secretary Melvin Stevenson who resigned in November, 2014.  Board members Jimo Kasali, Deloris Green and Mary Howard blocked her for consideration, and in violation of established Board policy refused her a proper interview.  Since the Board did not appoint a replacement candidate in the time allowed by law, the appointment went to Vanessa Kinder the Executive Director of South Cook Regional Education.  As a result Ms West was passed over in favor of former Board Member Maxine Towers, wife of the former Mayor Lewis Towers.  Towers was officially appointed in January.

Latonya West and her husband Vernon moved the family to Sauk Village in 2006. They have six children with two former graduates and two currently attending Rickover Jr. High School. Latonya has been an advocate for Sauk Village advancement since 2006. She has actively participated throughout the community on initiatives directly affecting education, growth and the well-being of Sauk Village residents.

Latonya graduated from Governors State University with a Bachelor Degree in Social Work and a Master’s Degree in Health Science with emphases in Addiction Studies, Behavioral Health, Child Welfare and Community Program Design.  While employed at Kennedy King College she assisted with the advisement of students, providing financial aid counseling and support to students experiencing family, personal and economic crises. Latonya has over ten years of experience in financial planning, management, implementing learning and social skill development.

Latonya has been involved in numerous educational and community driven projects including Sauk Village Business Revenue initiative and the petition drive to place the Lake Michigan Water initiative on the ballot. She has also worked on Mayoral, State Representative and federal electoral campaigns. Latonya continues to collaborate with teachers regarding the educational needs of our children and to stay updated on things that can improve the educational experiences of students attending district 168.

Latonya is focused on enhancing student’s academic achievement and increasing district 168 yearly student progress specifications for testing to receive full federal educational opportunities.  Working towards raising the academic levels of all students, obtaining more funding for after school programs, endorsing a stronger curriculum implementation plan and increasing parental involvement in educational affairs in order to get our students on the academic level needed to exceed new state standards. 

“It is so important that our students exceed state assessment expectation levels during Jr. High especially coming out of 8^th grade.  Students need to be better prepared to take the SAT/ACT exams.  High SAT/ACT scores is the key to getting into good colleges. If elected I will work hard and diligently to do all that I can within board policy, state and federal laws to assist board members in achieving academic goals and success for all students. Building on the diversity of our children the soon to be leaders with additional programs that will enhance both the competitive and creativity levels of our students.  I will also dedicate my term to bridging the gap between the community and education. It is so important that our voices be heard and our children’s achievements receive recognition. A Good Education is Priceless! Be a part of the decision making and support the best interest of the children.”

 Latonya is currently seeking election to the position of School Board Member (2 year Term) for Community Consolidated School District 168 at the Election on April 7 2015.  “Vote for Latonya West” Punch # 101

FORMER CANDIDATE ENDORSES: BURGESS, TATES AND JONES FOR TRUSTEE

Danny Hammond- Photo Provided

by Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE |  Danny Hammond, Jr., who was not certified by Village Clerk Debbie Williams for the April 7th ballot said he can't continue a costly legal battle.  Hammond has suspended his campaign for Village Trustee and now endorses 3 of his former opponents for the job. 

Hammond has issued the following statement:

To the Residents of Sauk Village:

A very heartfelt thank you to the voters of Sauk Village who signed my nomination petitions to get my name on the ballot.  Unfortunately, because of dirty politics we were not able to achieve our goal of victory!  We hoped to bring the important issues to the table and make some important changes in the direction of Sauk Village.  Because of a tactical political decision by Village Clerk Debbie Williams and her supporters to not certify my name for the April 7^th ballot, it is not to be this time.  I cannot continue a fight in Cook County Circuit Court, which is financially draining when I have a family which is my priority.  I do not have unlimited resources like many who run our Village feel the Village has.

The way to continue our fight now and to accomplish the goals which we stand is to take our energy, our passion, our strength to the polls and do all we can to re-elect Derrick Burgess as Village Trustee and support him as he fights for the people of Sauk Village in hopes that we can Change Direction.  There is nothing “forward” about the “motions” that the village has experienced. 

Today, I suspend my campaign for Village Trustee, I support Derrick Burgess as a true Independent candidate for Village Trustee and wish him victory in this election.  I endorse him and throw my full support behind him and ask you, the residents and voters of Sauk Village to do likewise.  Derrick Burgess is a good, honest and decent representative for Sauk Village and he is worthy of our votes.

Knowing that Trustee Burgess is just one vote, it’s going to take more than just him to fight for the residents of Sauk Village and therefore I strongly encourage a vote for decorated and Retired Lieutenant-Colonel Cecial Tates and Kelvin Jones for Village Trustees as well.  All three of these men have strong convictions about what is needed to move Sauk Village in the right direction.  They do not believe in the business as usual attitude like the other Trustee candidates who have proven time and again that they will not act on behalf of the residents.  

Tates and Jones, along with Burgess can be counted on to bring fresh ideas and sound decisions to the Trustee Board.  All three will give you the voice in government you have not had in years. 

Village Clerk Debbie Williams may have won the battle, but I will win the war against this administration's sense of arrogance and entitlement.

Sincerely,

Danny Hammond, Jr.

Former Candidate for
Village Trustee

Residents of Sauk Village will go to the polls on April 7th and will pick 3 Trustees.  There are only three other candidates challenging Burgess, Tates and Jones and they are Jeff Morden, John Poskin and Gary Holcomb.

TRAVELGATE: WILLIAMS SAGA CONTINUES

Village Clerk Debbie Williams

By Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE |  By now hopes where that the people of Sauk Village would know just who paid for a trip that Village Clerk Debbie Williams and her daughter Trustee Rosie Williams had taken to Washington D.C.

The Williams mother and daughter duo took a trip to a Building One America Summit in Washington D.C. in July, 2013 along with a Village vendor.  Williams solicited donations on the Village’s website and from among Village vendors, but called the matter a “personal trip”.  Williams later shared video of her presentation at the summit on the Village’s website, which is taxpayer funded.

A Freedom of Information Act request was filed following a July 23, 2013 meeting in which Village Clerk Debbie Williams had a virtual melt down.  The Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office issued a non-binding opinion in the matter in March, 2014 stating that Village should provide all information requested.  The Village ignored the Attorney General’s opinion.  So we made a follow up request to the Village requesting the same information, since the Village had failed to deny or honor the request in the first place.  The Village again refused to provide the information.  We then asked the Attorney General to issue a Binding Opinion in the matter.  The response came finally after months as the Attorney General’s office issued a rare Binding Opinion stating that the Village violated the Freedom of Information Act by failing to provide all information about the trip which was requested.

The Village, through the taxpayer funded attorney, in November, 2014 has sued the Illinois Attorney General stating that the Attorney General and I had essentially colluded against the Village in what is known as ex parte communications.  In December, 2014, the Attorney General filed a lengthy multi-page legal motion to dismiss the Village’s frivolous action.  The Attorney General, in their motion to dismiss the Village's action the Attorney General reminded the Village that the State of Illinois has Supremacy over the Village and that its power is derived from the State. 

A hearing was scheduled for Monday, February 9^th; however, the Village was unprepared and requested a continuance.  The Continuance was not objected to by the Village or I and the hearing will go forward in March.

Taxpayers are likely paying for the legal services to protect the actions of Debbie Williams and Rosie Williams as they are not in compliance with the Illinois Attorney General’s Binding Opinion.  The Illinois Attorney General’s office has vehemently defended their Binding Opinions as a matter of law and for the most part has always been upheld and maintained.

AUDIT REVEALS MULTI-MILLION DEFICIT

By Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE |The Village Board received a copy of the audit from April, 2014 which was due in October but as they say better late than never.  Susan Jones of Miller Cooper and Company of Deerfield, Illinois presented a 7 page management report to the Village Board.  The 12 month audit report, which has been available on the Illinois Comptroller’s website since mid-January was only presented to the Trustees on Tuesday.  The audit paints a bleak picture of the village’s finances the Village’s net position is showing a multi-million dollar deficit and deficits in various funds. 

Chart provided by SAUK VILLAGER NEWS:  History of the General
Fund  Balance since 1999 (Source: Village Audits)

Despite the fact that Hanks’s 2013-14 Budget called for $5.2 million in revenue the Village actually brought in $5.6 million but still outspent the revenues brought it by some $493,610.  For the 12-month period ending April 30, 2014, the audit reveals that the Hanks Administration spent $6,149,110 well more than was taken in adding to the General Fund deficit.  The General Fund began the fiscal year with a deficit of $1.38 million and ballooned to $2.02 million by April 30, 2014.  The General Fund funds police and general administration functions for the Village.

Trustee Derrick Burgess, who voted no on the most recent budget, projected in his budget analysis that the General Fund will be $962,677 in deficit going into this budget cycle in July, 2014 and the actual amount according to the audit report is $632,706.  Burgess said that this figure would have been even greater had the Village booked the additional $758,080 which was owing at the beginning of the fiscal year.  The actual amount is probably worse than even Burgess projected which would balloon the General Fund Deficit to closer to $2.7 million according to the Audit Report.

Above Chart was created by Trustee Burgess.  Hanks disagreed with Burgess's
Analysis and the circle and arrow indicates where Hanks thought the numbers
were going to be.   Hanks's comments are in the box above
The TRUTH is that BURGESS WAS RIGHT!

Mayor David Hanks called Burgess’s General Fund projections “skewed and incorrect” and Hanks actually was calling for a more modest deficit of $700,000 in July during Hanks’s 2 ½ hour review of Burgess’s Budget analysis.  The actual numbers are about what Burgess had projected at about $2 million in deficit.  Burgess said that if there are no changes in the policy of this administration that the General Fund Deficit will continue to sink near $3 million. 

“This is proof positive that the current budget that this Board passed was anything but balanced” Burgess said.  “I tried to warn the Village Board then that this budget was not right, provided a 23 page analysis pointing out some points we were going to have a difficult time with and asked to work together on solutions and was slapped down in a political game.  I’m not playing a game. I was elected to represent the residents and nobody should run their business or a government the way that this village has been running” Burgess said.

Burgess warned his fellow board members Tuesday night that they are responsible for the finances of the Village and they will be held to account for the votes that they take on the finances of the Village.

Also revealed in the Audit report is a mess that the Hanks Administration appears to be kicking the can to another administration to address the unfunded pension obligations.  The Village’s Police Pension Fund is owed some $2.2 million and other post-employment benefits totaling some $784,000 nearly $3 million.  Hanks has not directed a penny into the Police Pension Fund since taking office.  The Police Pension Fund has not had an independent Audit conducted or filed since 2008.

The Hanks Administration also blew past the amounts appropriated by the Village Board of Trustees to the tune of $1,620,545 without a supplemental appropriations ordinance the Audit Report revealed.

 

To view the entire 2013-14 Audit Report:  CLICK HERE

VILLAGE SETTLES LAWSUIT

by Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE |  Village officials voted unanimously Tuesday night to settle a lawsuit with Susan Dobrzeniecki and her late husband Thomas for $290,000.  Dobrzeniecki, a Village employee since 2003, brought the suit against several village police officers as well as St. James Hospital and two of its emergency room doctors, alleging that she was unlawfully committed and her home was unlawfully searched in retaliation for conflicts between her family and the Sauk Village Police.

In Dobrzeniecki’s 8 count lawsuit filed in Federal Court she alleges that her Fourth Amendment rights were violated, that she was falsely imprisoned by the hospital and she also sought to recover against doctors and the hospital for intentional misrepresentation, medical malpractice, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

The entire incident unfolded on November 9, 2009, after members of the Sauk Village Police Department informed Dobrzeniecki, while she was at work at Village Hall, that her son was shot and was in the hospital.  While at the hospital visiting her son a member of the Sauk Village Police Department along with Hospital Security escorted Dobrzeniecki from the room into a secure room in the Hospital’s emergency room where they informed her, wrongfully, that they had a court order to hold her since she had allegedly made the statement earlier “I’m a good person.  Why does this keep happening to me?  If something happens to my son, I’ll just die” according to Federal Court documents and court transcripts.

A Police officer asked her to turn her purse and jacket over to them and they would give them to a friend who had driven her to the hospital.  According to court documents, police officers allegedly removed her keys to her home and without any court order went to Dobrzeniecki’s home and “illegally” searched it while her wheelchair bound husband repeatedly told officers to leave.  Officers used as a pretext a search the home, that they were searching for the gun which shot her son, but according to Federal Court records there was no reason to reasonably believe a gun was at the home nor was there a search warrant.

During the time that followed hospital personnel kept Dobrzeniecki under video and audio surveillance.  According to Federal Court documents, Hospital defendants “failed to observe the procedural protections against wrongful involuntary commitments, and their treatment of Susan fell below the standard of care”.  Dobrzeniecki was transferred to a psychiatric hospital on orders from a doctor at St. James Hospital and later released.

Without any discussion from the board of Trustees Tuesday night, the vote to approve the settlement was unanimous.  Taxpayers will only be responsible for the first $50,000 while the Village’s insurance carrier will pick up the other $240,000 according to Village officials.