BREWER ILLEGAL TAX BREAK FOLLOWING MONEY INTO HER POCKET

Bernice Brewer

SAUK VILLAGE OFFICIAL ILLEGAL TAX BREAK

by Joachim Mahomes

Here we go again Sauk Village!  As Sauk Village residents struggle with a pandemic and staggering property taxes, another politically connected official is caught with an illegal tax break.  Remember back in September, 2012 when a certain ex-mayor fraudulently claimed a homeowner’s property tax exemption for his homes here in Sauk Village and his other home in Chicago? He was suspended from his job at the time with the Cook County Assessor and ultimately resigned as Mayor.   At that time the now ex-mayor returned the $4,100 in property taxes he owed.  Now we find another Village official ran for mayor herself in 2013 now wants you to vote her back in as a Trustee.  Could this person suffer the same fate or at least the resident of Sauk Village can turn her away at the polls in April?  How can residents "trust" her?

 

Controversial Trustee Bernice Brewer, seems to habitually take on several bad traits of former disgraced elected officials.  Brewer lied about her sworn support of a fellow candidate after they were successfully elected and sworn in in 2019.  This Trustee joined their alliance with the deposed ex-mayor’s “friends” and are now known collectively called the Fanatical Five Trustees.  Our investigative efforts have sadly hit the jackpot once again, and we will see if the supporters of this Trustee who railed on the disgraced ex-Mayor are going to rail on Brewer this time for the same exact thing.  The shame is now on Brewer for violating the law and her fate is up to the people of Sauk Village.   

 

In 2015, Bernice Brewer, then referring to herself as Bernice Brewer-Houston, was facing apparent “financial” hardship and allowed her mortgage to become $55,361.76 delinquent on her home at 910 Laura Lane in Sauk Village according to public records.  The lender generously modified the terms of the agreement to a modest 40 year mortgage totaling $129,177.44!  This elected official then apparently leased out or rented her property and relocated to a double-wide trailer at 187 Blue Jay in Weatherstone’s Mobile Home Park according to a March 27, 2017 Sauk Talk article and according to nomination papers filed with the Village Clerk.  However further investigation revealed that the trailer home sold on June 16, 2015 for $28,500 MLS ID: #08599986.  Public records also show that Brewer has been claiming her homeowner’s exemption on their non-owner occupied property for the past 4 years while owning and living at another location resulting in reduced property taxes in the amount of $6,100 and about $1500 owed to Sauk Village directly based on calculations.  Sound familiar yet?  

 

Sauk Village’s Attorney Burt Odelson was quoted in a recent news article about another crooked politician “You see that from time to time with politicians,” Odelson said. “They vote out of one, and they have a fake home, and they get caught taking a homestead exemption, which is a crime.”  Brewer is registered to vote at her address on Blue Jay and not a property she rents out in Sauk Village.  

 

The Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s office has a whistleblowing online program.  “When someone gets an undeserved break on taxes, you pay more than fair share.  If you know that a property is improperly receiving an exemption, tell us”. Their website is:  http://whistleblowing.cookcountyassessor.com/

 

How ironic it is that Bernice Brewer repeatedly proclaims at every board meeting, “a Trustee’s job is to follow the money”.  Well that was not a hard job for her, as we can see her watching the money fall right into her own pockets for the past 4 years four years now, the entire time they have been in elected office.  A violation of the Public Trust worthy of demands for her resignation as many did against the ex-Mayor from 2010 to 2012.    

 

This is the same elected official who advocated that a forensic audit be performed on the Village finances in hopes of embarrassing the current Mayor of Sauk Village the results of which showed no wrong doing but cost the taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars; the very same elected official that continuously requests legal advice from the taxpayer paid law firm that made the quote above; the same elected official who has formally announced their bid to re-run for office and is now circulating her political pack of lies.  Many long-time residents do not support this person’s bid for re-election.  “If they are always falsely accusing another elected official of fraud while cheating the residents out of our money, why would anyone vote for them?”

TRUSTEES FAIL TO PASS BUDGET BY DEADLINE... DUE TO POLITICAL PARALYSIS

SAUK VILLAGE | For the second year in a row, the Fanatical Five Trustees led by Trustee Debbie Williams have once again failed to approve a budget and appropriations ordinance by the state deadline date of July 31st due to their obsessed focus on demeaning Mayor Derrick Burgess and the Village Hall office workers; putting politics before the people’s needs.  

The Village’s fiscal year ended April 30th with 60 additional days to pass a budget under Illinois law.  Even though Trustee Debbie Williams along with 4 of her closest trustees enjoy a solid 5 to 1 majority, somehow they can’t seem to get a budget completed and passed.  The Village's Treasurer cannot legally make payroll or issue any checks for accounts payable, until the Village Board takes the necessary action to authorize him to do so. The Village Board will need to institute an emergency stop gap measure to circumvent the budgeting requirement.  It appears these Trustees did not learn from their mistake last year when the identical event occurred; the first time in Village history.  

Bernice Brewer

But week after week, self-appointed finance overseer Trustee Bernice Brewer consistently cries "our finances are in a shambles, we need a forensic audit, but the bills are paid and our water fund is healthy” asks “what have we done for the residents"?  Better than that, Bernice, people are now asking her: "What are you doing TO the residents"?  Beginning in 2017, Mayor Derrick Burgess assigned Trustee Brewer to chair the Village Board's Public Services Committee.  Since that time, however, Brewer has never held a single meeting.  In 2019 she joined alliances with Trustee Linda Todd and newly elected Trustees Debbie Williams, Sherry Jasinski and Gary Bell to support their opposition to Mayor Burgess.  

All that the Fanatical Five Trustees have managed to do for the past 15 months is to move the Village from making consistent and steady forward progress to the Village erasing all positive gains and reverting to pre-2017 past practices; a divided and argumentative board, employees not being held accountable and higher unexplained legal bills. Only Trustee Rodrick Grant has routinely and intellectually opposed the actions of the coalition of Trustees against Mayor Burgess; calling their actions politically motivated and not in the best interest of Village operations.  

Many residents have stated, that for the past 15 months, these Trustees have been fighting our Mayor (Burgess) on everything.  They have refused to work with him for the good of our Village and we residents of Sauk Village are paying dearly for the arrogance of these five”.  “Mayor Burgess has accomplished more in his first 100 days after becoming Mayor than these five trustees have done over the last 14 months”, a long-time resident pointed out.  "These Trustees are a damn joke and need to go" she said.

ANOTHER CONTROVERSIAL HIRE BY TRUSTEES

Jerry Hurkes- Fanatical Five Trustees' second political
 pick for Village Administrator

Trustees being led by the ring-leader Debbie Williams are set once more to make yet another controversial hire according to this Tuesday's agenda.  Without so much as posting the position of Village Administrator, the five rogue Trustees are set to hire Jerry Hurckes.  Since sometime in early 2018, Hurckes has worked as the Village of Summit’s Executive Director.  So what do the Village of Summit and Sauk Village have in common?  Their lawyers and law firm Odelson and Sterk.

Hurckes reportedly attended a closed session of the Village Board and was the only candidate for Village Administrator presented for interview.  The Trustees did not have a search committee, the position was not posted through South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association, nor was it published so it would appear that this hire is once again a politically motivated.

Hurckes held a political position with the failed Illinois Congressman Daniel Lipinski, who recently was defeated.  In fact, Hurckes, according to published reports had been seeking to become the Village Manager in Oak Lawn since sometime in 2019, his hometown.  Hurckes also ran unsuccessfully for Mayor in Oak Lawn. 

The Village Board is already poised to change the job description apparently to make accommodations for Hurckes.  Debbie Williams is no stranger to changing job descriptions to help friends and family get jobs, she was on the Village’s Library Board before taking office as Village Trustee when that board effectively "dumbed down" the qualifications so they could hire her daughter as Head Librarian.  Head Librarian’s and Director typically require a Master’s Degree; Williams’ daughter did not possess the required degree but she got the job.  The Library Board also voted to require any candidate be a resident of Sauk Village, the prior librarian lived in Indiana for years.  For the first time in the Library’s history they have an unqualified Library Director thanks to Debbie Williams. 

Hurckes, who is white, currently works part-time in the Village of Summit and earns about $35,000 according to

Resignation Letter Printed with Permission

public records.  Sauk Village has been without a full-time Village Administrator since the five Trustees fired their hand-picked guy, Christopher Williams.  Christopher Williams, who is black, was only on the job for 9 months after the Trustees fought Mayor Derrick Burgess on bringing him on.  Mayor Burgess at the time stated that he objected to the process by which the Trustees created the position of Village Administrator taking away the Mayor's ability to make the appointment like virtually every mayor has had in Sauk Village's history.  Christopher Williams offered his "involuntary" resignation claiming "There have been significant breaches of the terms of my contract, false allegations about my performance, and a steady resistance to my decision-making authority...."  Rumor has it that Debbie Williams would routinely put undue pressure upon Christopher Williams barking orders at him about firing or taking unwarranted action against certain employees of color as if she were herself alone his boss.  All of the abusive, intimidating and hostile work environmental actions by Debbie Williams went unchecked by the four Trustees which include Bernice Brewer, Linda Todd, Sherry Jasinski and Gary Bell.

 

It was reported that Debbie Williams held a pow-wow with her friend this past weekend and that she intends to run for Mayor in April, 2021.  She has been supported in her quest to shut down the progress Mayor Derrick Burgess has made from 2017 to 2019 by fellow Trustees Bernice Brewer, Linda Todd, Sherry Jasinski and Gary Bell.  Debbie Williams and her team have made some very bad decisions and it took them 6 months to put a budget together last year.  The Budget was due before the start of the fiscal year May 1^st and once again, Debbie Williams and her group of Trustees have been focused on politics over policy.

 

Only Trustee Rodrick Grant has been the voice of reason throughout this political mess that Debbie Williams has brought to the Village Board.  Williams has once again brought a circus atmosphere back to Village Hall as she did during her tenure as Village Clerk before losing in 2017. 

“Everything that Debbie and her bobble heads have done has completely lacked transparency which is what these five dunderhead Trustees complained about and lied to residents to get elected.  Funny how what they complain about their doing the exact same thing” a long-time resident said after reading the agenda. 

BURGESS NAMES ZUPON TRUSTEE

SAUK VILLAGE |  Elizabeth "Beth" Zupon was appointed Tuesday night to the Trustee's seat left vacant by Mayor Derrick Burgess becoming mayor.  Burgess had two years remaining on his term as Trustee and Zupon will now serve the remainder of that term.

Zupon came up only about 18 votes short of winning a seat in the April, 2017 election.  Zupon served as Village Clerk from 2007 until 2009.

Zupon is a Vice President at Northern Trust and has extensive banking experience among her many other attributes.  She has volunteered on many committees including the Beautification Committee, Zoning Board among many other things she has done.

With the appointment of Zupon, the Village Board is now up to its full compliment of six members.

Burgess also named the chairman of the Village Board's committees Tuesday night.  Trustee Linda Todd will chair the Ordinance Review Committee and the Beautification Committee;  Trustee Bernice Brewer will serve as chair of the Public Services Committee and Senior Citizen Committee; Trustee Cecial Tates will chair the Housing and Intergovernmental Relations Committee;  Trustee Kelvin Jones will retain his chairmanship of the Parks, Recreation and Youth Services Committee; Trustee Zupon will serve as chair of the Public Safety Committee and Trustee Rodrick Grant will serve as chair of the Budget and Finance Committee.

A NOTE TO SAUK VILLAGE RESIDENTS

DEAR SAUK VILLAGE RESIDENTS | Nearly 200 Sauk Villagers have already voted for Mayor in early voting.  If you have not yet early voted, this coming Tuesday, April 4th Sauk Villagers will head to the polls to elect your new Mayor, new Village Clerk and new Village Trustees. David Hanks sent out a missive to his minions asking them to rally behind his chosen candidates, which are no less than a bunch of Bobble Heads!

Hanks says "much has been accomplished without placing future generations further in debt over the last four years..." Well first of all, let's tell the residents the facts!  $10.2 million is owed to the Pension Funds, $32 million is owed in General Obligation Bonds which Hanks himself voted for during his tenure in office, Hanks's administration took over $2 million from the water fund which must be repaid!  The Village has not had a bond rating since 2011 due to the financial mismanagement which he has continued over the last four years!  If he could have, he would have plunged the Village deeper into debt!  Thank goodness he was not able to do so!  So as Hanks leaves and according to the Village's 2015-16 Audit Report the Village is some $50 million in debt!  Let's not even talk about the property tax increases Hanks himself voted for during his 18 year tenure in office!  THANKS HANKS and THANK GOD you're leaving!   

Personally, we cannot wait until he fades off "into non-political retirement" on May 9th, it will truly be a moment to celebrate!  We do agree that Sauk Village residents have a choice either to continue his legacy of failure - taking a giant leap backwards or the Village can actually vote for a New Direction and a Pathway to Progress!

Hanks points out there are three candidates running for Mayor and only one has the vision which is clearly DERRICK BURGESS and yet two other that will continue Hanks's brand of "progress", the lack of transparency and the overall failed past practices that Sauk Village has experienced the last few years. The other two candidates based on their propaganda and comments at the recent board meetings and forum want to pick up where the current administration left off and plunge the village futher into failure!

Based on Hanks's two preferred candidates' campaign promises, if either is elected they will take Sauk Village further in debt placing the additional costs on you and future generations through stealing money from the water fund, taking out high interest loans and raising resident’s fees to record highs………Everything this current administration has done to the residents over the course of the last four years!

There is no way these candidates can keep their promises without selling out the residents of Sauk Village.

Many residents have been asking us who is best to do the job!  Let me make this perfectly clear!

Next Tuesday, you, your family, your friends and neighbors should vote for the following independent candidates, who truly do care, who own homes, who all have had successful jobs, who do not need to steal your money because they have earned their own, who do not have to shake down village vendors for personal trips- they can pay their own way!  Here are the only candidates you can trust with your money:

FOR MAYOR:   DERRICK BURGESS                  Punch #1

FOR CLERK:   MARVA CAMPBELL-PRUITT   Punch #5

FOR TRUSTEE (VOTE FOR 3):

• RODRICK GRANT                              Punch #6
• BERNICE BREWER-HOUSTON      Punch #7
• BETH ZUPON                                      Punch #8

Sauk Village, if you do not want to continue the failure and continue down the Highway to Hell that the current administration has been heading with years of: disrespecting residents, excessive legal expenses caused by David Hanks and Debbie Williams, fear, bullying, shake downs, extortion, FAKE CRIME STATISTICS, unanswered Audit Findings, Criminal Indictments of Village Officials (ie Village Treasurer)!   Then join the majority of Village residents and cast your vote for CHANGE, a NEW DIRECTION and a PATHWAY TO PROGRESS and real Independent Candidates and not a bunch of BOBBLE HEADS! 

SAUK VILLAGE ENDORSED CANDIDATES

Here are the Sauk Villager News' endorsed candidates for Sauk Village.  Early voting begins tomorrow (March 20th) and we will have more information out to voters to help get you to the polls early! 

FOR MAYOR:

DERRICK BURGESS FOR MAYOR- SAUK VILLAGE

When Derrick Burgess is elected on April 4th he will face a Village that is financially worse off than when his predecessor took over in 2012.  Derrick Burgess is a TRUE INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR!  Derrick Burgess led the field of candidates in 2015 earning over 60% of all votes cast in his re-election bid.  Burgess has earned the respect of the entire community and will make an outstanding Mayor.  He is passionate about Sauk Village he has a plan and vision for how he will move the Village in a New Direction as he says.  His opponents are not worthy of serious consideration as they are not serious candidates for Mayor of Sauk Village.

If you feel it's time for a New Direction, the Derrick Burgess is the only candidate who is willing to provide that leadership!  Burgess will get Sauk Village on the Pathway to Progress he has spoken about!  He is the ONLY CANDIDATE who will be able to clean up the mess at Village Hall in the wake of the Hanks Administration.

FOR VILLAGE CLERK:

MARVA CAMPBELL-PRUITT FOR VILLAGE CLERK- SAUK VILLAGE
Marva Campbell-Pruitt deserves your consideration and vote for Village Clerk.  Marva Campbell-Pruitt is the only logical choice for Village Clerk as the current incumbent has been an abject failure in doing her job.  When it comes to taking "personal trips" Marva Campbell-Pruitt said she will pay for them herself.  Campbell-Pruitt also said that having a "mother daughter" team running the Village is dangerous, we agree!

Marva Campbell-Pruitt is a professional who completed her career in education and possesses what it takes to bring the office of Village Clerk to the next level.  Marva understands that DETAILS DO MATTER!  The incumbent village clerk seems to get it wrong more times than not.  Getting dates wrong, getting her minutes wrong the current clerk is just, well, wrong for the job!  After 8 long years she still has not gotten it right?  MARVA will not need 8 years to do the job!  She will eliminate politics from the Clerks office once again and deserves a vote!

If you're tired of the Travelgate scandal and wasting taxpayer money on answering routine Freedom of Information Act requests, Marva Campbell-Pruitt should be your choice for Village Clerk.  She is definitely our choice and earned this Endorsement!  Keep on working Marva!  You're MARVAlous!

FOR VILLAGE TRUSTEE- SAUK VILLAGE

RODRICK GRANT has a combination of youth, clear focus, knowledge and understanding of the problems facing Sauk Village today.  Grant has earned a Bachelors Degree in Finance and a Masters Degree in Business Administration and comes equipped with the tools necessary to serve as  Village Trustee.   Grant brings to the Village Board a youthful perspective that has been lacking in recent years. 

We strongly suggest that you consider RODRICK GRANT for Village Trustee on April 4th

BETH ZUPON is probably the best prepared candidate for Village Trustee!  Zupon is banking executive for a major international bank and understands how finance works.  Zupon served as Village Clerk from 2008 to 2009 and knows her way around Village Hall, the village's codes and the decisions that will need to be made.  Beth will be the "watchdog" over the Village's budget and spending and will provide a balance of pro-business and pro-growth stance that the Village Board has been lacking for the last four years. 

We strongly suggest that you consider BETH ZUPON for Village Trustee on April 4th.

BERNICE BREWER HOUSTON- As for the third Village Board seat we suggest BERNICE BREWER-HOUSTON.  We feel that Bernice will be an advocate for the residents.  She will ask the questions necessary and will not settle for  nonsense.  While we were on polar opposite sides with her positions four years ago, Bernice has tempered and toned down her message but still has been tenacious about getting information from Village Hall.  A "facts and figures" person that we like in her.  While you may disagree with how the message is delivered, you probably agree with Bernice on more things than you'd disagree with her on.

You should consider a vote for Bernice Brewer-Houston for Village Trustee on April 4th.

While we found that only one other candidate for Trustee has stood out in this election, we feel that once again, it is not her time.  Sene Garrett, failed in her bid for re-election to the School Board in 2015.  Since that time she has been virtually invisible from most Village Board meetings.  If you're going to run for public office you should at least attend Village Board meetings regularly an essential part of the job.  While the youth are critically important you cannot run an one issue campaign and use clever acronyms ala Debbie Williams to win. 

We cannot recommend a vote for Garrett at this time because she has aligned herself politically with the Williams family and we feel that would be to the detriment to the Village.  While they tout themselves as "independent" they are "One Big Happy Family".  Perhaps in two years, like Brewer-Houston had done, she will be ready for the task and make herself over!  Maybe this will be a valuable, if not a costly lesson for Garrett.


SCHOOL DISTRICT 168
School District 168 taxes Sauk Village residents the most on their tax bills and residents should familiarize themselves with these candidates.  There are no less 9 candidates running for 4 seats and three political factions running for School Board which are likely to cause confusion when voting.  The School Board is clearly divided, but they are united on many more important issues. 

We are not recommending or endorsing any candidates for School Board

BETH ZUPON FOR VILLAGE TRUSTEE

BETH ZUPON

Independent Candidate

Village Trustee

SAUK VILLAGE | Meet BETH ZUPON... here again to serve the People!  Beth Zupon is a candidate for Village Trustee in April.   Beth Zupon served as Village Clerk from 2007 to 2009 following the resignation of Liz Selvey.  

Beth Zupon, is 52 and the third youngest candidate for Village Trustee, has lived in Sauk Village for nearly 18 years now.  She is married, is a proud homeowner and currently works as a Vice President of a major bank in Chicago.  Beth Zupon has been in the banking industry for over 30 years and is very familiar with how to balance budgets and how to exercise fiscal discipline.  

Beth Zupon has volunteered for many things throughout the years including Parks and Recreations, Beautification, Ordinance Review Committee, Housing Commission and many other events.  Currently Beth serves as Commissioner on the Zoning Board. 

Zupon believes that the Village needs to be more transparent and fiscally responsible with the taxpayers' money.  Zupon is running as an independent candidate for Village Trustee.

"We've got to do a better job with the taxpayers' money.  That means balanced and realistic budgets.  That means being transparent with what we do.  Don't you think we as a community deserve better" Zupon said.

Beth Zupon will be third on the April 4th ballot behind Rodrick Grant and Bernice Brewer-Houston.  There are three seats up for grabs in April, two of which will be new faces around the table since two others are not seeking re-election.

Beth thinks that the best birthday present she could get is getting elected on April 4th. 

Zupon is ready to do the job and hit the ground running. 

 

VILLAGE JOINS SUIT OVER CONTAMINATED WATER

By Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE |  Sauk Village appears to have joined a lawsuit filed by a group of residents who filed a class-action suit against Roadway Express, Inc, YRC Worldwide Inc, Ardadis US, Inc; Arcadis NV, and Lincoln Limited.  The Village does not appear to have joined the class action suit but is joining in with the residents’ action seeking their own “compensatory, punitive, and statutory damages” including legal fees and costs from all defendants.  Bernice Brewer-Houston, former mayoral candidate, is one of the residents in the class action against the defendants.

The Village claims in their action that the ground water contamination of chlorinated volatile organic compounds was first identified in the Village’s water supply, that services the 2874 residential customers, 61 business and 8 schools, was detected in February, 2008. 

The village, despite the fact that the known carcinogen was being detected in February, 2008 continued to pump water from the contaminated well #3 on adjacent to the Roadway property until May, 2009 took the well offline.  The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency stepped in and issued a Notice of Violation to the village on June 23, 2009 and the Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed suit against the village for the violation. 

In November, 2009, concentrations of vinyl choloride continue to increase and now tests confirmed that wells #1 and #2 on Sauk Trail were now contaminated as well according to the suit.  The Village continued to pump the contaminated water to the residents and businesses until the Attorney General along with the IEPA stepped in in July, 2012 and ordered the Village to provide bottled drinking water to residents since testing confirmed the concentrations of vinyl chloride had risen to 2.50 ug/l in well #1. 

The Village indicates in their suit that they incurred costs for the emergency temporary air strippers in 2012, and the residents will get socked with a $5.3 million price tag over a 20 year period in order to bring the groundwater standards up to safe drinking levels according to the suit.

The suit filed by the village claims that “beginning in 1989, Roadway Express reported a leaking underground storage tank(UST)”.  The village also claims that “between 1989 and 2005, Roadway Express reported six leaking UST incidents to the Illinois EPA.  Roadway Express on its site reported a spill/release of approximately 55-gallons of Tricholorethene (chlorinated solvent) in 2001.  Roadway Express documented the presence of non-petroleum contamination (including chlorinated solvents) on the property dating back to as early as 1993”.

The village contends that “Roadway Express Property has a history of non-petroleum soil contamination”.  “Between 1997 and 2002, Roadway Express reported seven ERNS (emergency response notification system) spills to the United States EPA.  The source of the spills include 15-gallons of hydrazine (1997), 5-gallons of hydrazine (1998), 5-gallons of hydrazine (1998), 30-gallons of fuel oil (1999), 90-gallons of diesel fuel (2000), 55-gallons of trichloroethylene (2001), and 37-gallons of xylene (2002).  No further information on these spills was supplied by the United States EPA or the Illinois EPA, which suggests these spills are open, uninvestigated, and considered environmental violations for the property”.

The village also states in the suit that “Roadyway Express reportedly maintained a waste pit on this property where leaking and damaged containers are placed to drain into the soil and eventually the ground water beneath the site”. 

“In June, 2008, the IEPA advised YRC and Roadway Express that it would only issue no further remediation letters regarding their leaking underground storage tank if no water under the Roadway Express property would be used as potable water.  Sauk Village’s Well 3 is located on the Roadway Express Property” according to the suit filed.

In addition to Roadway and YRC, the Village names Lincoln Landfill located in nearby Ford Heights, less than a ½ mile from the Village’s Well 3 as a defendant in their suit claiming the dump was operated without a valid permit from the Illinois EPA and “has disposed of hazardous materials in its landfill”.  Also that the landfill operators have “done nothing to prevent hazardous materials to enter the soil and migrate into the water…. And…contributed to the contamination of the Sauk Village water source.”

The Village claims negligence, trespass and nuisance against YRS, Roadway , Arcadis, Lincoln Landfill and demands “trial by jury for all causes herein so triable(sic)”.

Residents of Sauk Village passed a referendum in March, 2012 to abandon the wells and transition to Lake Michigan water, however, the costs to make the necessary infrastructure improvements have proven almost unattainable in the short term.  The Village never-the-less increase water rates from $3.50 per 1000 gallons of water to $7.50 per $1000 gallons of water to cover the increased costs the village will have with the loan the IEPA gave the village for the permanent air strippers.  Many residents, including Houston contend that the administration of Mayor David Hanks have used the water funds to balance the budget and not made the necessary improvements that the water rate increase was intended.

Village Receives Bids for Air Strippers, but still No Money

by Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE |  Bids were open on Tuesday night for the permanent Air Strippers at all three wells.  Well #3 has been shut down since 2009 since the levels of vinyl chloride continued to rise higher than what the IEPA thought was safe.

The air strippers will remove the vinyl chloride from the water by an aeration process of blowing air into the water and the vinyl chloride is released from the water into a gas form and released.  The process thus far has been successful since the Village was forced to install the temporary air strippers on Wells #1 and #2 on Sauk Trail last summer.

Alan Mack and Sons, Inc. of Orland Park, Illinois was the lowest overall bidder at $4.1 million, Boller Construction out of Waukegan, Illinois was the next highest bidder at $4.40 million and Theineman Construction, an environmental contractor out of Westfield, Indiana was the highest of the three at $4.44 million.

The Village will award the bids following review by the Village's Engineer Jim Czarnik of Robinson Engineering and his recommendation.  The bids will be awarded "subject to the village obtaining the funds from the low interest loan from the IEPA" Czarnik said.

The village has not received the funds for the $5.5 million low interst loan from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency according to Czarnik.  The project was expected to be underway according to the village's plan submitted to the IEPA earlier this year.  Czarnik did not elaborate why the village had not received the funds.

The Village is under a Consent Decree with the Illinois Attorney General to get Well #3 back online as soon as possible and install "permanent air strippers" to provide safe drinking water.  If either Wells #1 or #2 go down the village could be facing a very serious water crisis since there is no emergency water connection planned.

"I would like to know how the village went from nearly 50% water loss in March, 2013 to about 20% water loss today and the village has not spent a dime on infrastructure improvements" former mayoral candidate Bernice Brewer-Houston said following the meeting.  Czarnik informed the Village Board two weeks ago that the Village's water loss is about 20% today.

Brewer-Houston has been a vocal advocate for clean drinking water for a number of years now.  "The water is contaminated and we're going to spend $5.5 million dollars on treating contaminated water from 56 year old wells when we could spend that money on obtaining contaminant free water from another source" Brewer-Houston said.

The Village still does not have a Lake Michigan water allocation nor does it meet the Illinois Department of Natural Resources requirement of less than 8% water loss to qualify for an allocation according to Czarnik.

Typical Air Stripper Tower