NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH BECOMING LYNDA WASHINGON'S POLITICAL PAWN?

LYNDA WASHINGTON-HOUSE

SAUK VILLAGER | Village Trustee Lynda Washington, who announced last year she is running for Mayor, is having many problems with the members of her Neighborhood Watch Committee who do not agree with her.  Some members of her committee are calling the Neighborhood Watch Committee a "political pawn" of Washington to further her campaign for Mayor in 2017. 

One member of Washington’s committee helped volunteer for the recent Easter Egg Hunt, which was sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Committee, a committee that Washington herself co-chairs with Trustee Kelvin Jones.  Washington, who showed up late for the event last Saturday didn’t even bother to help out during the event yet one of her Neighborhood Watch members did and now is off the Neighborhood Watch Committee as a result.

In a phone interview with Rachel Eastman, who has served as the Secretary for the Neighborhood Watch Committee finds herself at odds with Washington.  “The Neighborhood Watch Committee has become way too political, and not at all what it was originally about” Eastman said.  The catalyst for this drama was the recent Easter Egg Hunt according to Eastman.  “All this because I helped Parks and Recs.  I should still be able to do what I want no matter who’s running for mayor.  I don’t have to waste my time with Neighborhood Watch, I can start helping Parks and Rec and the Beautification Committees, maybe they will value me” Eastman said.

“She (Washington) takes zero responsibility for what she does.  Mayoral material I think not” Eastman said.  “I was kicked off the committee because I actually helped the Parks and Rec Committee with the Easter Egg Hunt, a committee that she (Washington) is suppose to be co-chair, and yet she did nothing for” Eastman said.

Eastman also said that tickets for the "live play" being put on by Washington and the Neighborhood Watch Committee are suppose to be selling for $10 each and she was not having any luck selling them, while Washington has been giving them away according to Eastman.  “I have put a lot of time and energy into the Neighborhood Watch program for Sauk Village, the back to school book bag giveaways and to be treated so badly because I was helping out Parks and Rec.  Lynda is suppose to be co-chair for Parks and Rec and yet she didn’t do a thing to help with the Easter Egg Hunt” Eastman said.

“I’m not going to be a part of her (Washington’s) campaign and not used like that” Eastman said.  “There are other members who feel the same way”.

Eastman still plans to stay involved and will continue to volunteer despite Washington’s actions to remove her.  “How do you fire a volunteer” Eastman wondered.  "So if someone wants to be a part of Neighborhood Watch but happens to volunteer for things Lynda (Washington) doesn't like then too bad, it's her way or you're out" Eastman said.

Attempts were made to reach Washington for response went unanswered.