BURGESS HONORED FOR DECADE OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICE

DERRICK BURGESS (center) receives honors for 10 years of
Service to Sauk Village.  From Left: Nathan Griffin- SVCPA,
Tammy Jones- SD168, Rita Kueny- Former Trustee, Burgess
Sharon Davenport- SD168, Judy Cast - PLAN and
Philip Bazile- President School District 168

SAUK VILLAGE |  Residents and community leaders turned out Wednesday evening to Trustee Derrick Burgess' monthly Town Hall Meeting, but the tables were soon turned on Burgess.  As people began to arrive Burgess began to increasingly became surprised and soon knew there was a plan underfoot.  As Burgess started his Town Hall Meeting, fellow Trustee Cecial Tates came to the podium and took over as the plot began to unfold.  Burgess soon discovered there would be no Town Hall Meeting, but found out instead that he was being honored for serving 10 years as a Village Trustee.

Community leaders Nathan Griffin, who serves as president of the Sauk Village Citizens for Public Awareness and Judy Cast who serves as president of People Looking for Answers Now (P.L.A.N) both congratulated Burgess and thanked him for his service to the people of Sauk Village during the presentation.

Former Trustee Rita Kueny, whose seat Burgess was appointed, spoke during the event.  "At the time he was appointed, I think Derrick actually attended more Village meetings than most of the elected officials".  Kueny recommended Burgess for her seat on the Village Board before her resignation.  "I don't think I would have resigned if he (former Mayor Roger Peckham) didn't appoint Derrick" Kueny said.  Burgess was appointed to Kueny's seat by Peckham on June 13, 2006, was re-elected in 2007, 2011 and by the biggest majority in 2015.

Former Trustee Joseph Wiszowaty also congratulated Burgess for his service.  "Derrick has the passion and resolve that very few officials have.  Derrick Burgess truly loves Sauk Village" Wiszowaty said.

School District 168 Board President Philip Bazile, Vice President Marva Campbell-Pruitt, along with Board Members Tammy Jones, Sharon Davenport and Jimo Kasali were on hand to present a Resolution to Burgess for his 10 years of "unwavering support for Community Consolidated School District 168".  Campbell-Pruitt read the resolution during the presentation.

State Representatives Elgie Sims, Marcus Evans and Thaddeaus Jones were unable to attend,

Trustee Cecial Tates presents the Resolution of the
Illinois House of Representatives to Trustee Burgess

however, they wrote Resolution 1318 of the Illinois House of Representatives expressing their esteem and appreciation for Burgess' 10 years of service to the people of Sauk Village.  Tates read the resolution followed by a standing ovation as Tates presented it to Burgess.

Former Mayors Roger Peckham and Lewis Towers, sent their regards but sent their written congratulatory cards via Trustee Tates.

"I'm very sorry I was unable to attend due to my schedule, however, I want to congratulate and thank Trustee Derrick Burgess for his ten years of service" Former Trustee Francine Anderson said.

After receiving 2 plaques of "distinguished service" from the people of Sauk Village, Burgess was finally allowed to speak. He thanked his "best friend" and wife, Juanita and acknowledged his 4 children Arleta, Derrick Jr., Steven and Erika and 4 of his 14 grandchildren that were present.  Derrick Jr. called from North Carolina during the presentation to congratulate his father.  It was a very moving moment.

Juanita Burgess (center) wife of
Trustee Derrick Burgess looks on as
her husband Derrick addresses the
audience during the presentation.

"I was completely surprised by all of this, I had no idea" Burgess said.  "I am truly honored and humbled to serve the people of Sauk Village".

A host of family and friends presented Trustee Burgess with a dinner reception held at the Paesel Community Center immediately following the presentation.


POLICE CHIEF ROBERT KOWALSKI CUSSES OUT SENIOR CITIZEN AT VILLAGE HALL

SAUK VILLAGE | After the Village Board and Mayor finished talking about a $1.3 million bike path and the Village’s employee health insurance renewal, longtime resident and former Police & Fire Commissioner Judy Cast, a Senior Citizen again pressed the matter of mold and asbestos in the Police Station. Cast has always advocated for the police officers of Sauk Village since the 1970s raising awareness of many things from police officers qualifying for free cheese because of the low pay to unsafe squad cars to unfair treatment.

After Cast raised the matters again at Tuesday night’s meeting of and unhealthy work environment having mold and asbestos in the Police Station, David Hanks thought back and indicated that the mold in the Police Station has existed since “the 1980s” and instructed his Police Chief Robert Kowalski to include the mold and asbestos remediation in his report next week.

Kowalski apparently took exception to Cast’s questions regarding the unsafe and unhealthy environment following the meeting. Cast and Kowalski were discussing the matter within earshot of many residents, including yours truly, when Kowalski was clearly heard to say “Where the f**k were you during the previous administrations” which caused many turned heads and raised eyebrows.

“I don’t care how they feel about me personally.  We have had a police officer and a police records clerk die very young from cancer, we had a police dispatcher diagnosed with cancer and she still fights it today.  We owe it to village employees to be able to work in a safe work environment” Cast said. “How disrespectful and unprofessional. This man (Kowalski) clearly doesn’t know me and doesn’t know the history of the Sauk Village Police Department” Cast said.  Cast was clearly shaken after the verbal chastising.

A younger resident who was standing nearby overheard the tongue lashing by Kowalski said “that man is the Police Chief?  Is this how he treats women and senior citizens?”

EDITORIAL NOTE: It was recently made public that asbestos was found in the Police Station, built in 1977 in the mastic, or glue, that holds the floor ties down. Asbestos in floor tiles was discontinued in the early 1970s under Federal law, however, it was not banned in the glue itself until the 1980s.

Lack of Transparency, Wrong Direction and the Water Highlight Town Hall Meeting

by Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE |   Trustee Derrick Burgess hosted his monthly Town Hall Meeting, this time back at Village Hall Wednesday evening.

Village Clerk Debbie Williams filed an inquiry for a possible Open Meetings Act violation, ironically with the Illinois Attorney General's office who the Village has sued over the Travelgate Binding Opinion they issued in October.  The alleged Open Meetings Act violation was "unfounded" Village Attorney Matt Burns said at a board meeting earlier.

About 35 people, including Superintendent of Schools Dr. Donna Leak, School Board Vice President Tammy Jones, Parent Teacher Organization President Jovante Hasty came back to Village Hall as the Town Hall Meetings moved to Rickover over the summer.  "We wanted to move the venue to afford more residents the opportunity to attend which was successful as we had about 95 at a couple of them there" Burgess said.  "We will probably change up the venue again but hosting them at Village Hall is good too." Burgess said following the meeting.

Longtime resident Judy Cast was critical of the administration for the lack of transparency, but complimented some progress made.  "Under the last administration you wouldn't be sitting in a meeting like this" Cast said.  Cast also wants to know how much the Village has spent in legal fees for the Travelgate scandal.  The Village is suing the Illinois Attorney General over the Binding Opinion issued in October which declared that the Village and Village Clerk must turn over all documentation concerning the trip to Washington DC by the Village Clerk her daughter Trustee Rosie Williams and resident and now former Police Pension Board member Patricia Couch.

Larry Stewart, who was removed as Housing Commissioner earlier this year, blasted the Hanks Administration for the lack of direction and the lack of planning.

Marva Campbell-Pruitt criticized the Hanks Administration for the lack of a solid plan and timeline for the water infrastructure improvements.  "We're paying the additional $2.00 per 1000 gallons of water for the repairs but there is no plan in place to justify it" Campbell-Pruitt said.

Dr. Leak addressed Kelvin Jones' questions concerning school children needing text books.  "We want our children to have the latest information not a static text book.  Old text books from 2007 still have George Bush as President" Leak said.  Leak has been working on a multi-year plan with the School Board and hopes one day soon to bring I-Pads to the students of District 168.  There are about 1700 students in district 168 and the district is flush with cash with about $16 million in the bank and zero debt.

Community Activist Bernice Brewer-Houston said residents are still paying for contaminated well water but residents are paying Lake Michigan water prices.  "The Mayor and Trustees are using this money to balance their budget and not putting the money toward repairs to the water mains that are  constantly breaking" Brewer Houston said following the meeting.

"People are tired of paying $300 water bills for this nasty water.  You can't drink it, you can't cook with it.  You have to spend money to treat it, replace corroded fixtures and even after treating it you turn on the faucet and the water still comes out orange.  They got $4.8 million grant for what the Mayor said will free up the village from paying $260,000 per year, but the resident's get no relief" a longtime resident said.  "I'm just disgusted with our Village leaders" she said.

"Residents only get to speak for 3 minutes during Village meetings.  There are no time limits here, I want to hear the concerns of the residents" Burgess said.

Burgess has hosted Town Hall Meetings for the last 6 months and will be taking the month of December off and resuming them in January after the holidays.

Mayor David Hanks and Village Trustee Lynda Washington sat silent during the meeting.  Williams spoke briefly when challenged by a resident.  "I'm speaking as a resident" Williams said.  Williams was accompanied by her husband, who also sits as a Human Relations Commissioner.  Trustee Rosie Williams is the daughter of Debbie Williams but was not present.

TAXPAYERS COULD FACE MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR PENSION MESS

By Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE |  The Sauk Village Police Pension Board met Thursday afternoon  and while the Pension Fund is solvent and earning money the Village taxpayers could be on the hook for millions of unfunded liabilities because the Village officials are not contributing.  The Village has not made their contributions to the Police Pension Fund in over 4 years, including this year according to Village Treasurer James Griegel.

Longtime resident Judy Cast, who is a widow of the late Sergeant Alan Cast, attended the Pension Board meeting looking for answers.  “I have FOIA’ed (Freedom of Information Act Request) this information and I do receive my late husband’s pension.  I don’t understand why this group has not had an audit.  This group with all these intelligent people in here, why don’t we have an audit” Cast asked.

Pension Board Attorney Cary Collins, attorney with Collins and Radja, who has served as the Pension Board attorney for about 25 years explained  “Usually the village has someone (doing their audit) and that person will come in and do our (the pension board’s audit) for a fee.  Presently no one has told us that they are doing the village’s audit and would be willing to do our audit” Collins said.  “We’re required to do it (the audit)” Collins said to which Cast responded “but it’s not being done”.

“How much is the village supposed to be putting into the pension fund” Cast inquired during the meeting.  Collins responded stating that the Pension Board files with the state Department of Insurance a financial report who in turn provides an actuarial study, the Pension Board submits the study to the village, the Pension board also provides the village board with an additional actuarial study from another source as a second opinion along with a request for a tax levy.  The Village is suppose to act on the Pension Board’s recommendation and levy (or collect) the property taxes to fund the pension. 

Cast continued to ask questions.  “How much does the village owe the pension fund”?  Cast submitted this in her original Freedom of Information Act request she stated to the Pension Board.  “I just got an estimate from the auditors here for the last four or five years the amount is approximately $1.7 million” Griegel reported to the Pension Board.

Collins indicated to the Board that the Pension Fund must be “fully funded” by 2040.  “So what happens is that shortfall carries over which increases the annual tax levy requirement” Collins said.  “You pay me now or you’re going to pay me later, later is going to be a lot higher” Collins said.  “They have shorted us over the years.  That shortfall rolls over each year into the ‘unfunded liability’” Collin said.  The current “unfunded liability” to the Police Pension Fund is nearly $6 million.  Collins summed it up by saying “When they (the Village) shorts us it’s like kicking the can down the road”.

“At one time this pension fund was 100% funded” Collins said.  Collins suggested that many municipalities plugged up financial holes in their budgets by underfunding their pensions.  The Village’s pension is currently only funded at about 52% according to financial reports.

The Police Pension has not been audited in several years and will be engaging the services of MPS (Mulcahy, Pauriitsh, Salvador & Company LTD) out of Orland Park, Illinois to perform and complete their audit reports.

Pension Board President and former Sauk Village Police Sergeant Theodore “Ted” Sanders said when he came and saw the mess that the pension  was in he wanted to come back and do something to make things right.  “We’re currently exceeding our target of actuarial projections and overall the pension fund is in good shape” Sanders said.  But Sanders and the Pension Board expect the village to do their part and will work hard to ensure that the pension fund remains solvent.

The Pension Board consists of Griegel, Sanders, who is President of the Board, Sergeants Scott Langen and Rebecca Sailsbery and resident Pat Couch.  Both Salisbury and Couch were not in attendance Thursday.

 

Original material, copyright 2014 Sauk Villager News; all rights reserved.

FORWARD MOTIONS NOW WILL INCLUDE LAYOFFS- 23 Year Veteran & Deputy Fire Chief Axed

Lisa Gibbons

By Joseph Wiszowaty

SAUK VILLAGE|  A 23 year veteran employee of the Sauk Village Police Department and the Deputy Fire Chief were axed by the Hanks Administration today.

Police Chief Timothy Holevis was summoned to the office of Mayor David Hanks early Wednesday morning who apparently gave the order to place Lisa Gibbons on layoff status.  It was also learned today that another head would roll.  Deputy Fire Chief Rich Atwood, a longtime veteran fire fighter was also placed on “layoff” status today.

Gibbons worked for the Sauk Village Police Department as a dispatcher and began her career nearly 24 years ago.   Gibbons also underwent a battle with village officials which began in 2010 and resulted in Gibbons, Holevis and Sergeant Rebecca Sailsberry filing an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint and Federal Lawsuit which was settled.  Gibbons claimed then wrongful termination and discrimination as part of her claim and the Village settled the lawsuit. 

Former Deputy Fire Chief Rich Atwood

Gibbons served as the Administrative Assistant to the Chief of Police and performed many tasks in her role including serving as the Police Department’s Freedom of Information Officer. 

Hanks did not announce the “layoffs” at Tuesday night’s meeting.  The action was part of what has become common in this administration with “secret” meetings and “consensus” voting following an executive session in which the village’s labor relations attorney from Odelson and Sterk was present. 

Hanks warned residents Tuesday night that further “hard decisions and tough decisions” will need to be made following a question by long-time resident Judy Cast.  Cast blasted Hanks who admitted he is exploring the idea of get rid of more village employees in the Police Dispatch center.  Cast stated she is not in favor of a Referendum, this March, asking residents pay a surcharge “of up to Two Dollars $2.00 per month” for the purpose of “improving a 9-1-1 Emergency Telephone System”.  “We have a state of the Art center.  Why the hell would you do that”?

Hanks admitted in responding to Cast “if someone came to me with a cost savings…(Hanks stumbled for the words)  It was part of the State of the Village address.  It’s the amount of money we can save” Hanks said.

Former Village Trustee Francine Anderson also blasted Hanks “how is this (contracting out the village’s dispatching) going to help” Anderson questioned.  “You gave $500,000 to the law firm (Odelson and Sterk).  I think they (Odelson and Sterk) are the beneficiary more than the residents.  The explanation you gave does not add up.  How is the increase going to save money?” Anderson said.

Both Gibbons and Atwood were told to pack their things and get out, this was their last day!  It is likely that the two will not be returning as Hanks is likely going to seek to abolish their positions in the upcoming budget cycle.  By noon the axe had swung but their absences will be felt for some time many village employees have anonymously stated.