PARDUE REMEMBERS HIS HOMETOWN AND GIVES BACK



Kerry Pardue speaks to students
at his old alma mater Strassburg

By Joseph Wiszoway

SAUK VILLAGE |  Kerry “Doc” Pardue, author of “Poems in the Keys of Life” Reflections of a Combat Medic served from 1968-1969 in the U.S. Army’s 9th Infantry came back to his roots in Sauk Village Thursday morning.  Pardue donated two paintings and copies of his book to District 168. 

 

 

Pardue grew up in what was then a new village delivering the “Sauk Village Review” and shoveling snow to make some extra money.  He graduated 8th grade from Strassburg Junior High School in 1962, as there was no Rickover Jr. High School at the time.  Strassburg was completed in 1959.

Following his military service in Vietnam, Pardue came back to Sauk Village where then Police Chief Marion Young asked Pardue to join the Sauk Village Police Department.  Pardue served on the Police Department from December, 1971 to June, 1972 at that time there were 10 police officers.  Pardue continued on in his career in law enforcement and later went to work at the U.S. Postal Service.

Joining Pardue were former District 168 teacher, Dr. Donald Stevenson who spoke to the children at Strassburg about his students during the day.  Stevenson taught at District 168 from 1958 to 1963.

 

 

Pardue spoke and encouraged the children to continue their educations.  “You need more than just a bachelor’s degree now” he said.  But if higher education isn’t your thing, then Pardue suggested going on to learn a trade or special skill.  “Never stop” Pardue told the students you’re never too old to learn.

Superintend of Schools Dr. Donna Leak was very excited about the donations of Pardue’s artwork on

behalf of the Class of 1962.  “We are very pleased for Mr. Pardue’s donation.  We want every child to reach their maximum potential and the artwork depicts the spirit of soaring high” Leak said.

 

 

Also attending Thursday’s morning’s event were classmates of 1962 Patrick Mullen, son of the late and former Village Trustee Robert Mullen who served on the Village Board from 1962 to 1968.  Retired Sauk Village Police Sergeant Theodore “Ted” Sanders whose father Theodore Sanders served on the Village Board of Trustees from 1960-1962 and also as Superintendent of Schools.  Also from the 1962 class were Charles “Walter” Lynch and current resident Barb Stearns.

Pardue and Leak unveiled the paintings in the old gymnasium of Strassburg Thursday morning after Pardue spoke to a group of students at Rickover Jr. High School earlier.

 

 

A reception was held at Strassburg following the unveiling.  “This was a perfect example of someone giving back to their community and remembering where they came from” Village Trustee Derrick Burgess said following the event.

District 168 certainly had its challenges during those first few years too Stevenson remembered.  Stevenson who began teaching students at Katz Corner School in 1958 was moved to Strassburg Jr. High School in 1959 until 1963 remembers the district was so broke their science room had no Bunsen burners, no beakers virtually nothing.  “We had to make do with what we had available.  The school district was so broke at the time and was growing so fast” Stevenson remembers.  “I remember Superintendent (Theodore Sanders) was using a scrap desk from Katz Corner because the district couldn’t afford to buy a descent desk” Stevenson said.

Pardue remembered that his class buried time capsules back then too behind the first of three trees.  The one furthest west was one from the Class of 1962, the middle tree from the Class of 1963 and the third tree to the east was from 1964.  It’s unlikely the glass time capsules survived and unlikely that the trees will be removed according to Leak.  “We like the trees there, but it’s even more important that we know now there was a special purpose for them” Leak said.  The time capsules were suppose to be opened 10 years later but now 52 year on people just forgot about them.

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.