2019 Sauk Villager Person of the Year

2019 SAUK VILLAGER PERSON OF THE YEAR. 

This year it is an honoree deserving of distinction!   We are pleased to announce this year’s recipient is the entire Administration of Mayor Derrick Burgess from January 1, 2019 to May 14, 2019.  Mayor Burgess and his Administration worked hard to bring about his plan for the Pathway to Progress to fruition since his election in 2017.

Mayor Burgess made changes in his administration including the Community Development Department, Police Department and the Finance Department.  The Village had suffered long and hard for the prior 10 years (2007-2017) as property standards and code enforcement declined as property investors and slumlords began running ramshod through the village unchecked and unchallenged, the Village’s finances went improperly managed resulting in repeated audit findings year after year running up massive inter-fund deficits, and a police administration that lacked leadership, direction and community engagement.  Mayor Burgess made known his plan for change in his Strategic Plan for Progress when he entered office in 2017.  He committed to those changes in 2017 and continued in 2019.

Mayor Burgess’s Administration accomplished many things up until May of 2019 here are just a few: 

1. Completing a Comprehensive Plan, the very first since 1999 saving the Village $135,000 as this was funded through a local technical assistance grant;

2. Initiated the LogistiCenter Phase 1 Transportation Engineering Study to extend roadway and rail into the Village’s industrial Park saving the Village $350,000 receiving an Invest in Cook Grant;

3. Added a $13 million commercial development Gas-N-Wash to Sauk Village the village’s first Commercial Development since 1998 and the one of the only fuel station built South of I-80 in Cook County in decades! 

4. Since Mayor Burgess’ Administration took over in 2017 and until May of 2019 they have collectively received and managed $1.7 million in grants.

5. When residents opened their property tax bills all saw a decrease in their bills as a result of the decrease in the property tax levy by the Village Board of Trustees in 2018.

6. Refinanced old Bonds to save taxpayers money despite the fact that the Village had no bond rating!  Also issued $2.5 million in new Tax Increment Financing Bonds to finance long over-due improvements to retain businesses in the LogistiCenter and Sauk Pointe Industrial Park, as well as completing over-due infrastructure.

7. Sauk Village received the Government Finance Officers Association's Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the Fiscal year 2018-19 budget.   Sauk Village had received 16 of these awards the last one being in 2008.  The budget was balanced and met all of the requirements for the award according to the GFOA.

We congratulate Mayor Derrick Burgess and all of those involved in his Administration from January 1, 2019 to May 14, 2019 which did included:

Derrick Burgess, Mayor

Rodrick Grant, Trustee

Cecial Tates, Former Trustee and Liaison for Veteran's Affairs

Elizabeth "Beth" Zupon, Former Trustee

Ronald P. Carter, III Former Trustee

Joseph Wiszowaty, former Director of Community & Economic Development

Mary Klopp, former Assistant to the Mayor 

Malcolm White, Police Chief

Alan Stoffregen, Former Fire Chief

Allen Vavrik, EMA Coordinator

Anthony Finch, Village Treasurer (Interim Finance Director)
Judith Sutfin, Former Director of Finance
Tonya McCoy, Assistant to Community & Economic Development
Kevin Weller, Public Works Director
Maggie Jarr, Village Planner
Dr. Alicia Straughter, Former Human Resource Consultant
Timothy Lapp, Former Special Counsel to the Village
Judge Michael Stuttley, Attorney and Hearing Officer
James Czarnik, Robinson Engineering
Charles Durham, Kane McKenna & Associates
Mary Thompson, Kane McKenna & Associates

Thank you to each and everyone for your contributions from January 1st to May 14, 2019!  Your hard work and dedication to Progress were clearly being seen by the Residents of Sauk Village.  Since May 14, 2019, the Progress clearly has come to a halt.

Congratulations to all those named above for these achievement!

By: S. LaRock, Editor in Chief