HANKS CLOSES DOWN TRANSPARENCY AS GRAND JURY INVESTIGATES

 SAUK VILLAGE|  Residents will need to get use to less transparency at Village Hall because of Mayor David Hanks' order to the Village Finance Director, Public Works Director, Village Engineer, Village Attorney and Community Development Director not to attend any further Village Board Meetings.

Hanks' move comes despite a Federal Grand Jury apparently hearing matters regarding embezzlement from the Police Pension Fund by current Village Treasurer James Griegel and fraud involving Federal Grants.

"Never before has a Mayor ordered department heads to not attend public meetings and address questions from the Village Board.  What is this mayor trying to hide" Trustee Cecial Tates said.

"So much for Transparency in government " Trustee Derrick Burgess said following the meeting.

Trustees Edward Myers, Lynda Washington and Rosie Williams said nothing about Hanks' action.

"So the Bobble Heads don't speak up for the residents?  Well rest assured the residents will speak up at election time in April" Community Activist Larry Stewart said Tuesday.  "They are out telling people crime is down in Sauk Village, what they aren't telling us is that it is up in Village Hall" Stewart said.

AG REVIEWING VIOLATION OF OPEN MEETINGS ACT

LtoR: Housing Commissioners Heidi Parker,
Chairperson Gary Holcomb and
Commissioner Sharon Nowak

By Joseph Wiszowaty

SAUK VILLAGE- Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office is out to make sure that local governmental bodies are not hiding behind closed doors when they should be discussing matters before the public in open sessions.   Sauk Village has been on the Attorney General’s radar screen lately, most recently for the so called Travelgate Scandal involving a Freedom of Information Act request with Village Clerk Debbie Williams and her daughter Trustee Rosie Williams.

In addition, Gary Holcomb, who is chairman of the Sauk Village Housing Commission and also a member of the McConathy Public Library Board, is under intense scrutiny by the Illinois Attorney General’s office for possibly violating the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

 The Sauk Villager News filed a request for review to the Illinois Attorney General’s office claiming that the Housing Commission violated the Open Meetings Act by holding a closed session meeting on September 28th during a special meeting held on a Sunday when Village Hall is typically closed called to discuss matters that are not covered under said Act.  Once again, the Village of Sauk Village has not complied with the Attorney General’s request for information that would either refute the allegations made or support the purpose of the closed session meeting. 

The Attorney General’s office has extended their time to make a determination by an additional 21 days so they can issue a Binding Opinion regarding the matter.  Subsequently, a final determination by the Attorney General’s office will be made on or before December 30^th according to correspondence sent to the Village and to the Sauk Villager News by the Attorney General.

Holcomb has been the source of criticism by residents multiple times this year.  During the summer, while executing a Housing Commission initiative to clean up vacant properties in Sauk Village, Holcomb publicly displayed on Facebook copies of a family’s State identification and Social Security cards that he found in the rubble of a vacant property.  Instead of properly disposing the information, Holcomb chose to openly share the family’s identity on a Facebook page he is known to control.  Some believe that Holcomb has also overstepped his authority as a Housing Commissioner by entering into contractor agreements with residents for grass mowing even though the Commission had neither the available funds for payment nor the approval of the Village Board of Trustees to promise such payment.  This action put the Village of Sauk Village in a precarious position and the Village was forced to withdraw $26,000 of unbudgeted money from various funds in order to honor Holcomb’s contractor agreements.

Holcomb previously served as a Commissioner on the Village's Housing Authority, which was disbanded, but resigned in 1996 during a scandal and involving the Authorities handling of a Community Development Block Grant.  The Village was suspended from the CDGB program as a penalty for several years.

Former Housing Commissioner Larry Stewart, was removed from the Commission said that the commission is headed down a wrong path.  “There was a reason that I was removed because I ask too many questions and I don’t follow blindly.  They can say it was because I didn’t live in Sauk Village but we know that’s just bull.  I live here I vote here and I’m not going anywhere” Stewart said.  Holcomb said in a published report last year "I hand-picked my commission...I don't do anything by myself" Holcomb said. "We're all longtime residents and want to see Sauk Village return to what it used to be." Holcomb also said.  "The problem is we can't bring it back to what it was, we've got to move forward" Stewart said.  Stewart said he was singled out because of politics.

According to Illinois State Statute (775 ILCS 5/1-101 et seq; 65 ILCS 5/11-11/1-1; and 720 ILCS 590/0.01 et seq), Housing Commissions are only permitted under Illinois law to enforce the Fair Housing Act and settle matters of discrimination in housing.  Some residents, and former Commissioner Stewart, contend that the Sauk Village Housing Commission is acting outside of these guidelines and is illegally operating as a Housing Authority.  In fact many residents point out that Mayor David Hanks has referred to the “Housing Commission” repeatedly as the “Housing Authority”.  These residents also believe that a formal investigation is warranted.

Violations of the Open Meetings Act can result in a monetary penalty for each of the Commissioners who may have violated the Act and also can carry a prison term as well. 

Holcomb is now said to be circulating nomination petitions to run for Village Trustee in the Village’s next April election.    

WATERGATE SCANDAL GROWS, WATER FUNDS TAKEN, COMMISSIONER REMOVED AND RESIDENTS WONDER

LtoR Housing Commissioners Heidi Parker, Gary Holcomb

and Sharon Nowak

by Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE |  Controversy has fallen on the Sauk Village Housing Commission and calls for investigations have quietly begun.  The new scandal involves the Village's water fund which has been under intense public scrutiny given the Village's past practice of balancing the budget with water funds.  Residents were paying $3.50 per 1000 gallons of water are now paying $7.50 per 1000 gallons and bills have skyrocketed.

At this Tuesday's meeting it was discovered that money was taken from the Village's Water Fund without approval from the Village Board to pay 14 individuals who participated in a lawn mowing program that Housing Commission Chairman Gary Holcomb initiated. 

Village Trustee Derrick Burgess was the one who asked how these contractors got paid.  Finance Director Mohan Rao advised he had moved money from the water fund to pay them.  The Village Board had not taken any action to borrow the money from the water fund and until Burgess questioned the matter nobody appeared to know.  Mayor David Hanks began glowing red after the exchange between Burgess and Rao.

Holcomb was at the center of controversy recently for publishing a resident's State Identification card and her son's Social Security card on his social media pages he controls.  Now Holcomb and his Housing Commissioners are facing criticism over the handling of a $75,000 grant from the South Suburban Land Bank as contractors were rushed to be paid.  The only problem was that the Housing Commission had no money to pay them. 

It was discovered today through a person knowledgeable about the Lawn Mowing Grant that the Village is required to "put up the money first and the get reimbursed through the grant.  The payment does not come from the grant directly but should be paid through the Village" the person said.

HOLCOMB'S ANNOUNCEMENT

Holcomb advertised on his social media page that the contractors "payment is provided through a grant...".  Additionally, Holcomb was the individual who signed the contracts on behalf of the Village according to a contractor who spoke on a condition of anonymity for fear of not getting paid further. None of the 14 contracts were approved by the Village Board of Trustees.  The contractor confirmed that they received their checks from the Village of Sauk Village and at least one Village Trustee was present when checks were distributed according to the informant.  They identified Lynda Washington as the Trustee who was present.



Housing Commission Chairman Gary Holcomb and

Commissioner Larry Stewart

It was also learned last night that at least one Housing Commissioner was removed from their
position.  Larry Stewart was hand delivered a letter signed by Holcomb summarily dismissing him from the Commission stating "with the advice and consent" of the mayor and board of Trustees.  Village officials have taken no formal action to remove Stewart as required by law.

Stewart did not deny he was removed because he may have known too much.  "I can't say if that was the real reason I was removed or not.  They say I failed to provide proof of residency" Stewart said.  Stewart who has suffered some serious medical conditions recently has been in and out of hospitals amassing medical bills and has fallen on tough financial times.  "I guess they just want to humiliate me and rub my nose in my problems" Stewart said.

Governor Pat Quinn signed a law into effect in August, 2013 for a Homeless Person's Bill of Rights in order to protect individuals from discriminatory acts simply because they may be homeless or in transition.  The ironic part is that the only legal authority that any Housing Commission has is to enforce fair housing laws, it turns out that maybe Stewart may need the Commissions help because he may be the one who is being discriminated against under the very act the Commission is suppose to enforce.  Some question that Holcomb and his Commissioners have over stepped their authority and are acting as a Housing Authority.

Stewart said he would ask questions about the money but would never get a real clear answer from Village officials.  Stewart didn't say what action he would take but believes his removal was unlawful as Holcomb has no legal authority to remove him or any commissioner as he did not appoint him nor confirm his appointment.

EDITORIAL NOTE:
Was the law broken?  Did any of the Trustees know about how these individuals were paid?  Did Housing Commissioners know about the Village footing the bill for this?  Checks issued from the water fund to cover the "anticipated income" from a Lawn Mowing Grant without the knowledge or consent of the Corporate Authorities....
  
65 ILCS 5/11-129-11.   "All revenue derived from the operation of a water-supply system, improvement or extension constructed or acquired under Section 11-129-9 shall be set aside as collected and deposited in a special fund designated as a municipal water fund for the particular locality. The fund shall be used only for the purpose of paying the cost of operating and maintaining the water-supply system, improvement or extension, providing an adequate depreciation fund, and paying the principal and interest on the bonds issued by the municipality under Section 11-129-9 for the purpose of constructing or acquiring the system, improvement or extension."
Did it say Lawn Mowing anywhere...?  I didn't see it!