RODRICK GRANT - PERSON OF THE YEAR 2020

Trustee Rodrick Grant

Sauk Village, like the entire global community, has been impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic.  We must look hard at those who really made a difference within the community.  Nobody stood more steadfast in wanting to help move Sauk Village in a new direction than Village Trustee Rodrick Grant.  For that reason, he is selected as the Person of the Year for 2020.

 

Rodrick Grant, a single 27 year old African-American with a Bachelors in Business from Western Illinois University and a Masters in Business Administration from Roosevelt University was elected Village Trustee in 2017.  Since the retirement of former and the late Trustee Cecial Tates in 2019, Rodrick Grant has taken on the position of the Village’s Senior most Trustee, even though he is only 31 years old. 

 

Rodrick Grant came into office with Mayor Derrick Burgess and is an ardent supporter of his vision to put Sauk Village on a long-awaited and needed Pathway to Progress.  From 2017 to 2019 the Village began to make significant strides toward this goal as Rodrick Grant was appointed as Chairman of the Village’s Budget and Finance Committee.  The Village’s finances for the first time in years were on the road to a full recovery.   With the sale of the 32.9 acres of village owned land that no one even knew the Village owned and the construction of a $13 million development on the northwest corner of Sauk Trail and the Calumet Expressway, the Village was able to profit $1.3 million and was able to pay off the majority of its long standing debt, enabling the Village’s finances to be in the black for the first time in over a decade!

 

Even though the 2019 Trustee election negatively shifted the political power and any subsequent positive gains for the Village, Rodrick Grant has continued to portray professionalism and remain focused on what was best for the Village and all of its residents.  Trustee Rodrick carefully examined all departmental expenditures against budgeted expenses to ensure the Village was operating within its means, a process that had not been done in the past 10 years.  Being a first time homeowner himself and educated in finances, Trustee Grant has a vested interest in watching how everyone’s property taxes are being spent.

 

 

Trustee Rodrick Grant has consistently displayed his ability to reject politics for the benefit of all Village residents, regardless of whether he agreed with the majority of newly elected Board members or not. When the majority Board of Trustees wanted to fire the very Village Administrator they spent significant tax dollars to hire, he voted NO to their inappropriate and unprofessional process even though he had previously warned his fellow Trustees that their pick was not qualified for the Village’s needs. When the Trustees voted for a “do over” to rehire another Village Administrator, Trustee Grant explained to the Trustees AGAIN why their new selection was equally unqualified for the Village’s needs.  He voted NO against their recommendation.  When it came to passing an unbalanced and irresponsible 2019 and 2020 budgets, Rodrick Grant voted NO AGAIN!   He truly has been an advocate for the residents in the face of havoc his fellow Trustees have wreaked against the majority of village residents.  Trustee Grant and Mayor Derrick Burgess solidly stand against the practices that have stalemated Sauk Village for decades.  The opposition Trustees know it; their staunch supporters know it and as equally embarrassing, the surrounding Southland communities know it. 

 

If Village residents think this is not as simple as Black or White and which residents should control residents’ hard-earned tax dollars, then they are in strict denial!   

Mayor Burgess & Trustee Grant

It is because of Trustee Rodrick Grant’s ability to maintain his professionalism and determination to be a good steward for all the residents of Sauk Village that we award him the Person of the Year 2020 for Sauk Village!  We look forward to the success of Rodrick Grant as he seeks re-election to the Village Board of Trustees he certainly has earned a vote of confidence from the residents.  He is running as an Independent candidate but has teamed up with Larry Sapp and Arnold Coleman both honorable and professional men in their own right.  They truly support moving the Village forward along with Mayor Derrick Burgess.  We wish them all well.   

 

Rodrick Grant you are a Class Act!    

 

 

 

Past Honorees:

 

2019- Mayor Derrick Burgess’ Entire Administration 2017-2019

2017- Mayor Derrick Burgess

2016- Former Mayor David Hanks

2015- Reverend Melody Seaton, Senior Pastor Grace UCC

2014- Dr. Donna Leak, Superintendent of School District 168

2013- Derrick Burgess, Village Trustee

2012- Alan Stoffregen, Fire Chief

2011- Robert Chavez, Sr., Village Trustee 

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

SAUK VILLAGE MAKING PROGRESS AND CHANGE UNDER BURGESS

BURGESS TAKES OATH IN 2017

By Steve LaRock

SAUK VILLAGE |  He retired from his job as an engineer from the University of Illinois, Chicago and works full-time as Mayor of Sauk Village at a salary of $20,000 per year.  He opted to forego a full-time Village administrator to save the residents more than $175,000 per year.  He is Derrick Burgess, a soft-spoken, 37-year resident and homeowner.  Derrick Burgess was elected mayor of Sauk Village in May, 2017.

How did he become mayor of 10,500 residents?  Burgess came armed with a charismatic style and aura that exudes sincerity and genuine concern.  Burgess crafted a positive campaign in 2017 focused on growth and getting Sauk Village on a Pathway to Progress.  He promised to get the Village’s finances back in order, focus attention on economic development and make Village government more efficient and better organized.  Burgess mounted a forward-looking campaign that also promised an end to negative rhetoric about past administrations and to put a stop to stagnation, status-quo and business as usual practice. He presented the residents with his Strategic Plan for Progress, a multi-point plan outlining how he planned to restore Sauk Village to a cleaner, viable community.  Burgess’ competitors, however, offered no real tangible plan but instead focused on backward thinking which would have continued the status quo which residents clearly did not want. Residents expressed they were tired of the negative politics and were ready for a leader that could save the value of their largest investment; their homes.  They wanted a leader that would deliver on what they promised, without lame excuses. Many residents told him of their frustration with the lack of community development, the deterioration of homes and the lack of property maintenance.  Burgess convinced the residents of his sincerity and determination to tackle  these challenges. After the 2017 election, Burgess hit the ground running and has delivered on these promises in just 21 short months!  

Burgess’ first initiative was to get the Village Board to adopt his Strategic Plan for Progress; the very first plan ever adopted by a Village Board in Sauk Village’s history.  The Plan called for much attention toward economic development and addressing the negative impact of vacant homes.  

A huge Standing Room only crowd came out to

 support Mayor Burgess for his Inauguration in 2017.

Burgess with the help of the progressive Village Trustees Beth Zupon, Ronald Carter, Rodrick Grant, Cecial Tates and his staff have forged ahead and have realized successes in:

• ·         obtaining a grant to mow the grass of 178 vacant homes.  Some of the vacant homes had not been mowed in 10 years.  Burgess plans on working collaboratively with the South Suburban and Cook County Land Banks as well as private investors to get the 360 homes back on the tax rolls and filled with families.

·         Eliminating and consolidating staff positions position from the prior administration, netted out a savings of over $275,000 in salary and benefits.  

·         Making great strides with the Village’s finances: 

o    replaced the hold over Director of Finance,

o    virtually eliminated the Village’s aging report, 

o    balanced the Village’s budget, 

o    meeting current budget projections by living within the Village’s means, 

o    refinanced existing bonds and obtaining a new $2 million dollar bond which saved money on interest at no cost to homeowners, 

o    Received the GFAO Budget Award for the first time since 2008.  

Burgess and the Trustees who support getting Sauk Village on the Pathway to Progress have applied, received or worked on over $1.7 million in grants and assistance in less than two years!  Grants for road repair, engineering, maintaining vacant homes, demolition of abandoned homes, police equipment and other critical matters.  

Burgess and the Trustees who support moving the Village in a new direction have supported increasing our housing standards by proper enforcement of the Village’s codes.  They have taken on many projects aimed at updating and bringing Sauk Village into the 21^st century.  The Village is finalizing a new Comprehensive Plan which will help the Village with growth and planning for the next 10 to 20 years.  The most recent plan was completed in 1985 and updated in 1999.  The new plan was funded by at $135,000 grant and recently the draft was discussed at an Advisory Committee meeting which calls for a New Town Center on the site of Surreybrook Plaza and a new concept for a Central Park, Community Center and Fire Station.

The progress the Village has made under Mayor Burgess’ leadership was so impressive that the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning has provided the Village with a fully funded staff Planner for the Village for the next two years.   The goal of the planner is to assist the village with the objectives in the new Comprehensive Plan and to assist with grant opportunities among many other tasks.  

Mayor Burgess spoke about all the “progress” the Village has made during his recent State of the Village address and a $350,000 grant the Village received for a Phase 1 Engineering Study for expansion of rail spur access and roadways in the LogistiCenter Industrial Park.  Burgess also spoke about the $10 million investment that Gas-N-Wash is making in Sauk Village bringing a 12,000 square foot convenience store, a new Dunkin Donuts, gasoline station, Pops Roast Beef, Browns Chicken and a Truck Stop on the Northwest Corner of Sauk Trail and Illinois 394.  The Village sold the 32 acres of land to the developer Leonard McEnery for $1.35 million.  The Village owned the property for 14 years and did nothing to market the property until Burgess took office. Burgess and the Trustees who support the Strategic Plan for Progress did not wish to squander the profit the Village made on the land but instead put some $800,000 in reserve for a rainy day.  Recently the Village Board approved a budget amendment to allow the Police, Fire and Public Works departments the opportunity for some long overdue capital purchases and improvements.

Recently a local paper recently printed a retraction to a story in which a lone and rogue village trustee politically and personally opposing everything that Mayor Burgess and the group of progressive Trustees have been trying to achieve made untruthful, unverifiable and inaccurate information.  This last week that same publication ran their retraction in which they said “it was acknowledged that many things were said that ha been off base and inaccurate.  Allegations made against Mayor Burgess did not reflect that of verifiable truths…”  We applaud the South Suburban News for the retraction, clarification and printing the truth. 

Another local publication, with an apparent vendetta against Mayor Burgess and the progressive Trustees who support his Strategic Plan for Progress continuously puts wild inaccurate headlines and quotes only what politically motivated audience members ramble on about at the Village meetings but nothing of the content of the meetings and sends no reporter to the meeting. 

So, despite the personal attacks and wild allegations made during official Board meetings by a Trustee who has voiced her aspirations of challenging Burgess for mayor in 2021.  So this rogue trustee along with one lone publication that apparently enjoys printing negativity and misinformation created by those who politically do not support this administration, the Burgess administration will continue to focus on the progress for moving Sauk Village ahead and the objectives in the Strategic Plan for Progress. Burgess does not comment on the negativity because there is no truth to give it credence.

All in all Mayor Burgess has been doing the job and apparently well enough that he has landed a commercial development not done since 1998.  So apparently no matter how good of a job this Mayor does, there will always be politically motivated people who want to stop progress or they are simply C.A.V.E people (Completely Against Virtually Everything).

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

RODRICK GRANT FOR VILLAGE TRUSTEE

RODRICK GRANT

RODRICK GRANT FOR VILLAGE TRUSTEE

SAUK VILLAGE | Meet RODRICK GRANT... here  to serve the People!  Rodrick Grant is a candidate for Village Trustee in April.  Rodrick Grant is 27 years old and a homeowner.  Grant is the youngest candidate running for Village Trustee and  if elected would be the sixth youngest in the Village's history. 

Grant is recently engaged, graduated from Western Illinois University with a Bachelors Degree in Business and continued his education earning a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Roosevelt University.  Grant works as a retail analyst for a company in Oak Brook, Illinois.   

"I am running for Trustee in order to bring hope back to a village that appears to have lost its direction. Sauk Village has been deprived of the chance to flourish economically and financially due to inadequate leadership, financial mismanagement and failed policies" Grant said.  "My hope is that I can bring fresh and new ideas to the Village Board" he said.

"I will always be an advocate of the residents.  The Village has been having a hard time getting past the status quo and it's time we began to move ahead" Grant said.

Grant believes that the lack of transparency with the taxpayers money is frustrating to residents and to the Trustees as well.   

Grant is running as an independent candidate for Village Trustee and not on a slate.  "I am

GRANT SPEAKING TO VOTERS

willing to have an open mind and work with whomever is elected" Grant said.  "Sauk Village is too small for political games" he said.

Grant did have a bumpy start as he was one of four candidates who had filed on the first day of filing his nomination petitions.  Originally Grant was picked first by the Village Clerk to have his name first on the ballot, then she wanted to hold an unusual "do-over".  Grant immediately filed a formal objection with the Village Clerk and Cook County Clerk's Office demanding he be reinstated first on the ballot.  Grant did prevail, and remains first on the ballot April 4th. 

"We cannot be so narrow sighted that we cannot see beyond today.  I offer a vision beyond tomorrow and that is what I will bring to the Village Board" Grant said.

Grant will be first on the April 4th ballot followed by Bernice Brewer-Houston and Beth Zupon.  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.

Grant said he will do his best when he is elected and not making wild promises just telling residents where he stands.  

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. 

 

GRANT REINSTATED FIRST ON BALLOT FOR TRUSTEE

RODRICK R. GRANT

Independent Candidate

Village Trustee

SAUK VILLAGE |  Village Trustee candidate Rodrick Grant has been restored to his first position on the April, 2017 ballot following an unprecedented election blunder by Village Clerk Debra Williams.

Grant's name was originally drawn from among the candidates who filed at 8am on the first day to file nomination petitions by Williams.  Williams failed to pull the remaining three candidates names to determine the ballot position instead held an unprecedented "do over" later that day re-pulling for first ballot position.

Grant filed a formal objection and complaint with the office of the Village Clerk and Cook County Clerk David Orr's office demanding that he be put back in first ballot position again and then the remaining three positions.

Earlier Tuesday Williams, for reasons unknown but certainly after consulting with the Village's attorney, reinstated Grant to his original first ballot position according to another candidate. 

Marva Campbell-Pruitt, who is opposing Williams for Village Clerk said she will "get it right the first year" she is in office.  "It will not take two terms" Pruitt said.  Pruitt blasted Williams for costing taxpayers money in attorney fees for not knowing her job.  "We must find a way to conduct our own investigations without paying attorneys to tell us how to do our jobs" Pruitt said.

Grant's name will appear first for the office of Village Trustee as an independent candidate.  Bernice Brewer-Houston, Independent Candidate will appear next followed by the former Village Clerk and now Independent Candidate Beth Zupon third.  The remaining candidates will follow.  The seats of Rosie Williams and Lynda Washington will be open as they are not running for Village Trustee in April.

Williams confirmed she will certify the ballot with Grant's name being first on the ballot for Village Trustee according to Grant Tuesday night.

"I'm very pleased that we were able to resolve this without having to seek other relief.  We only wanted what was fair and what was originally done according to the law" Grant said.

Grant is 27 years old and is youngest candidate seeking election and should he be elected as Trustee in April, 2017, Grant would be only the 7th youngest in Village history.

VILLAGE CLERK DEBBIE WILLIAMS DOES ILLEGAL "DO OVER"

SAUK VILLAGE |  Anytime there is a simultaneous filing of nomination papers for the offices of Mayor, Village Clerk and Village Trustee there is a lottery to determine ballot position.  This lottery was called in accordance with the law for 1pm Wednesday, December 28th following proper notice to the candidates and to the public of the event.

At I pm on Wednesday, December 28th, the lottery to determine candidates' positions on the ballot was held.  The offices of Mayor, Village Clerk and the first position of Trustee were duly executed according to election guidelines.  

What happened next, defied past precedence and what is established as a guideline in the Candidate’s Guide published by the State of Illinois. Village Clerk Debra Williams, after drawing Rodrick Grant’s name for the first ballot position for Village Trustee, decided to "assign" numbers for ballot positions 2 through 4.  Williams claimed that each of the candidates who filed at 8am was given a piece of paper with a number on it and that will be how they will appear on the ballot.  Trustee candidate and former Village Clerk Beth Zupon openly objected.  I don’t believe that’s right, Debbie.  You're supposed to continue drawing for as many positions as had candidates at 8 am that first filing morning,” Zupon said. .  Williams said that was the way that she understood it to be done and said she would "check" with the Village’s Attorney and if there was a problem she would “let us know”.

Williams contacted Zupon later that afternoon via telephone that she was admitted to Zupon that she had “incorrectly conducted the Trustee lottery and she wanted to "redo” the Trustee lottery at 5pm at Village Hall.  Please note that Village Hall is closed at 5pm and no public notices were posted or given.  According to Zupon she conveyed to Williams that she felt that Grant should retain the first position since his name was drawn at the earlier lottery, during her phone conversation with Williams said she agreed with Zupon.

When the candidates arrived at Village Hall at 5pm for the “do-over” lottery, for which no public notice was given nor any official notice to all candidates that were present at the 1pm lottery, Clerk Williams apparently "changed" her mind and conducted an entirely new lottery for the ballot position claiming that it was in accordance with approved Illinois State Board of Elections process.   Williams re-pulled for the first ballot position for Trustee displacing Rodrick Grant from the first ballot spot.  Grant and Zupon objected to no avail.  A candidate who filed Williams’s nomination papers was pulled for first ballot position.  

Grant indicated late Wednesday that he will file a formal objection with election authorities as he was the candidate who drew first ballot position at the legally constituted lottery drawing.

We will provide updates as they are received.