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| Fired after $170,000 of TAXPAYER'S MONEY spent, Fired Ex-Village Administrator Christopher Williams |
*** Sauk Village sued in Court for willfully blocking FOIA request for information of fired Village Administrator timekeeping records ***
In a recently submitted Freedom of Information Act request, the Village of Sauk Village and its now FIRED Ex-Village Administrator, Mr. Christopher Williams were asked to supply "Any and all timekeeping, and time and attendance records for the Village Administrator Christopher Williams back in mid February. The Village through its $165.00 an hour counsel stated "Your request was denied, there are no records responsive to your request."
This FOIA request was submitted amidst allegations of Ghost Payrolling and taking unearned time off from his position as hired by the Fanatical 5 Trustees during an inquiry into these allegations.
Given that Williams uses the Identicard card / fob access systems throughout Village Hall, at entrance doors and back office access areas, there MUST be some sort of timekeeping and accrued record of earned paid time off for vacation time as well as any compensatory time off , in addition to bio-metric clock stations in Village Hall and other departments where most every other Village employee must clock in and out for payment and timekeeping purposes. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul's office seemed to agree with that, as the Public Access Counselor has requested the Village to produce those same records that were asked for in the original FOIA request.
Once this FOIA request was denied by the Village of Sauk Village through its legal counsel of record Odelson & Sterk, a lawsuit was filed against the Village for improper denial of FOIA records. Then on May 19, 2020 during a specially called meeting, the Fanatical 5 Trustees FIRED WILLIAMS. On the official record of minutes was Trustee Gary Bell stating "I apologize to the residents for wasting the Village's Money" and Trustee Bernice Brewer stating "The shameful cost to residents throughout the process".
Christopher Williams's firing came 3 months after the investigation was sought into the timekeeping and paid time off compensation records, while many were alleging Ghost Payrolling and that Williams was absent from Village Hall more than he was in Village Hall charged with taking care of day to day operations as he was hired by the Fanatical 5 Trustees to do. Trustee Gary Bell voiced his displeasure and voted YES to Williams's termination citing Williams's lack of availability to talk with him, that Williams failed to provide job descriptions, and that he failed to lay off staff, namely all of the African American front office staff that was brought in at the beginning of the Burgess Administration. While Trustee Linda Todd, who also voted to terminate Williams stated he specifically failed to produce the requested records knowing they existed.
Christopher Williams was given a contract by the Fanatical 5 Trustees to serve as Village Administrator to the tune of $112,000 with benefits, yet Williams was alleged as not working a single 5 day week since he began in July, 2019. The same Trustees who gave us Williams are the ones saying they want to “watch the money”. Mayor Derrick Burgess was forced by Court action brought by the Fanatical 5 Trustees using the Village Attorneys to allow Christopher Williams to serve as Village Administrator. Burgess had not had a Village Administrator for the first two years of his term saving residents some $224,000 in pay and benefits. Burgess did not appoint Christopher Williams and has stated that Williams lacks the requisite experience to do the job. Burgess was working full-time for the Village residents at a part-time salary of $20,000 per year.
Once this FOIA request was denied by the Village of Sauk Village through its legal counsel of record Odelson & Sterk, a lawsuit was filed against the Village for improper denial of FOIA records. Then on May 19, 2020 during a specially called meeting, the Fanatical 5 Trustees FIRED WILLIAMS. On the official record of minutes was Trustee Gary Bell stating "I apologize to the residents for wasting the Village's Money" and Trustee Bernice Brewer stating "The shameful cost to residents throughout the process".
Christopher Williams's firing came 3 months after the investigation was sought into the timekeeping and paid time off compensation records, while many were alleging Ghost Payrolling and that Williams was absent from Village Hall more than he was in Village Hall charged with taking care of day to day operations as he was hired by the Fanatical 5 Trustees to do. Trustee Gary Bell voiced his displeasure and voted YES to Williams's termination citing Williams's lack of availability to talk with him, that Williams failed to provide job descriptions, and that he failed to lay off staff, namely all of the African American front office staff that was brought in at the beginning of the Burgess Administration. While Trustee Linda Todd, who also voted to terminate Williams stated he specifically failed to produce the requested records knowing they existed.
Christopher Williams was given a contract by the Fanatical 5 Trustees to serve as Village Administrator to the tune of $112,000 with benefits, yet Williams was alleged as not working a single 5 day week since he began in July, 2019. The same Trustees who gave us Williams are the ones saying they want to “watch the money”. Mayor Derrick Burgess was forced by Court action brought by the Fanatical 5 Trustees using the Village Attorneys to allow Christopher Williams to serve as Village Administrator. Burgess had not had a Village Administrator for the first two years of his term saving residents some $224,000 in pay and benefits. Burgess did not appoint Christopher Williams and has stated that Williams lacks the requisite experience to do the job. Burgess was working full-time for the Village residents at a part-time salary of $20,000 per year.
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