SAILSBERY SWORN-IN AS DEPUTY CHIEF OF POLICE

by Joseph Wiszowaty

SAUK VILLAGE |  Rebecca Sailsbery was sworn-in as Deputy Chief of Police once again last week privately and formally Tuesday night during the Village Board of Trustees meeting.  Sailsbery previously had served as Deputy Chief of Police from 2007 to 2010 and Interim Chief of Police from October 2010 to December, 2010.

Sailsbery has been serving as the Department’s Administrative Sergeant since 2010 through the tumultuous times of former Chief Frank Martin, who had the shortest tenure in Sauk Village history.  Also, during the 18 months of Tim Holevis as “acting” Chief of Police, the temporary Chief of Police Robert Fox from November, 2011 to November 1, 2012 when the Fire Chief Al Stoffregan became the defacto Chief of Police after the Village Board eliminated the Chief of Police position to prevent Lewis Towers from keeping Fox.  Holevis was then appointed Deputy Chief of Police until after the election in 2013 when the reinstated the position of Chief of Police. 

Mayor David Hanks hired an outside firm to find a Chief of Police in 2013, then reversed course suddenly and appointed Tim Holevis, a 28 year veteran of the Department and Sergeant as Chief of Police.  Hanks then used the firm to conduct a search for a Deputy Chief, despite the fact that the Department had qualified internal candidates.  In the end Sailsbery was the one that the firm recommended, however, the appointment has taken over 1 year to become a reality.

Sailsbery was hired by the Sauk Village Police Department in April, 1993 and served as a Patrol Officer until 2000 when she was promoted to Juvenile Investigator where she worked closely with the Sauk Village Schools and assisted in managing the now defunct Police Cadet program.  In 2002, Sailsbery was promoted to Sergeant, elected as union representative and also to the Sauk Village Police Pension Board.  In 2007 she was appointed Deputy Chief of Police by former Chief of Police Tom Lacheta and was served on the Village’s 9-1-1 Board.

Sailsbery has recently completed her Masters Degree in Public Administration from Governors State University and also a Bachelorette Degree in Law Enforcement Management from Calumet College of St. Joseph. 

“I’m very happy to serve the people of Sauk Village for the last 21 years and I’m proud to be a member of the Sauk Village Police Department” Sailsbery said. 

Details of Salisbury’s employment agreement were available Tuesday night.

IS DISTRICT 206 BLOOM TRAIL GETTING READY TO STRIKE?

Superintendent of Schools- D206
Dr. Lenell Navarre

By Joseph Wiszowaty
CHICAGO HEIGHTS | Teachers of Bloom Township School District 206, which serves all of Sauk Village, will be staging what is being called a march at a School Board meeting Monday night according to a source.  The march, apparently a protest against stalled contract negotiations.

A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, indicated this could be a prelude to an actual teacher strike.  Teachers in District 206 have not had a pay raise in over 3 years according to the source.

It was also learned that Dr. Lenell Navarre, Superintendent of District 206 has been removed from the negotiations and a mediator has now been brought in.

Donald Aprati, speaking on behalf of the Board of Education for Bloom Township High School District 206 said in a prepared statement in response to our request: "While it is not the practice of the Board and Administration to comment on the ongoing negotiations for any bargaining unit, the Board believes it is important to provide answers to questions in order to demonstrate that the District is working towards the best interest of the students, staff, community, District stakeholders and taxpayers" Aprati said.

"First, the District team, led by the Superintendent, is committed to negotiating a fair deal for all involved.  The Superintendent has been working during the entire process at the direction of the Board toward achieving its goals in addition to opening schools and implementing the terms of the $6 million School Improvement Grant that was obtained to improve the education of the students in the District" Aprati said.

Aprati was not able to comment on Navarre being removed and mediation being needed except adding "I can tell you that mediation is a process that causes both sides to do the appropriate amount of searching for what is most important to reaching an agreement that is in the best interest of all involved, but most importantly for the students" Aprati said.  "Mediation is a part of the process of negotiations in this day and age; a process the Board welcomes" he said.

"The Board has always had a good relationship with the faculty Association.  We strive to continue that relationship which has always been based on the teachers being treated fairly, providing salary increases when possible and fiscally prudent and to move the District in the best interest of educating it's most important asset, it's students" Aprati said.

Youth Gunned Down in Sauk Village

Duane McCray- Courtesy of
Facebook

by Joseph Wiszowaty

SAUK VILLAGE | Another young man was killed Saturday on the streets of Sauk Village, the third since June of this year. 

 

Duane McCray, 20, was shot in the 21700 block of Peterson Avenue in Sauk Village, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:40 p.m., the medical examiner’s office said.  McCray attended Sauk Village schools and Bloom Trail High School.

 

McCray, died of the wounds, and his death was ruled a homicide, according to an autopsy performed Sunday.

 

Sauk Village police would not comment Sunday afternoon.  South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force is investigating the matter.  It is not certain if this killing was in any way connected with the August shooting and murder of Nate Burns.

 

There has been ongoing banter on social media about youths from neighboring Ford Heights and Sauk Village battling back and forth.  It is not certain what they are battling about.

RESIDENTS APPEAL HIGH PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENTS

Trustee Derrick Burgess talks to residents

by Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE | Trustee Derrick Burgess and his Intergovernmental Relations Committee hosted a Property Tax Appeal Forum Thursday night at Village Hall.  The office of the Cook County Assessor and Bloom Township Assessor Nora Martinez-Gomez were on hand to help those file their appeals.

 

“This is the first step in the process” Teresa Chandler of the Cook County Assessor’s office said during the meeting.  Once the homeowners have completed the form and the new assessment has been made of their home, the homeowner if they do not like the new value, can file an appeal to the Property Tax Assessment Board. 

 

Residents property tax assessments had increased despite the fact that property values in Sauk Village have gone down.  One resident's value was put at $208,000 by the Cook County Assessor despite the fact they had a recent appraisal for $118,000 and they filed their appeal Thursday night.  "I wish I could get $200,000 for my home, I'd sell it today" they said.

 

“We’re here to assist residents in the process” Martinez-Gomez said.  Residents can meet with staff at Bloom Township’s office at 425 Halsted, Chicago Heights and complete the process.  The Bloom Township Assessor will assist residents with finding comparable sales in order to establish the value.  If you have an appraisal or other comparable home sales the Assessor will consider that data as well.

 

“We have got to take care of each other.  Check with your neighbors, check with them to make sure that they have their exemptions filed” Chandler said to residents.  You can spend hundreds or well over a thousand dollars for an attorney to do the job you can do yourself Chandler told residents.

 

Trustee Burgess speaking to long-time resident
Joanne Lynch

A senior citizen, who lives in Sauk Village was paying $2,600 for a number of years.  “I wasn’t

aware that the exemptions were not filed, I just pay my bills when they come due.  I brought my tax bill to Trustee Burgess and he noticed that I didn’t have the correct exemptions filed.  He helped me with Bloom Township and now my tax bill is about $800 per year” the senior citizen said.

 

Chandler said residents can get up to 3 years of refunds for over payments if exemptions that should have been received had not been received.

 

“We had 23 homeowners file for immediate appeals and about 71 people attended tonight” Burgess said.

 

“I don’t mind helping people through the red tape of government, that’s what the Intergovernmental Relations Committee is all about” Burgess said.

 

Burgess said he will have a link to the tax appeal form on the Intergovernmental Relations webpage and will also have it on his Facebook Page (YOU CAN CLICK THE LINK HERE: Derrick Burgess- Sauk Village) so residents can file these.  For those who do not have internet access these will also be available at the Village Hall and Library Tuesday, September 16th.

 

There is only a 30 day window in which to file your appeal is October 6^th and the deadline to provide documentation for your appeal is October 16^th according to Burgess.

 

 

ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL RULES SAUK VILLAGE VIOLATED FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

DEBBIE WILLIAMS

VILLAGE CLERK DEBBIE WILLIAMS MUST DISCLOSE DETAILS ON TRAVELGATE

SAUK VILLAGE| The Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office issued a rare 10 page binding opinion against the Village of Sauk Village concerning a request for information about Village Clerk Debbie Williams’, her daughter Village Trustee Rosie Williams and a Village vendor Patricia Couch’s trip to Washington D.C. in July, 2013 to attend the Building One America conference.  Madigan’s office declared in their opinion that the Village had “violated the (Freedom of Information) Act” by not providing full and complete disclosure about the trip, which they determined was subject to public disclosure.

 

***CLICK HERE*** TO VIEW THE 10 PAGE I.A.G. OPINION

 

Debbie Williams solicited “donations and sponsorships” on the Village’s webpage, solicited input for her report she was to give from the Village’s Attorney, Public Works Director, Village Engineer, Mayor David Hanks and some residents as well.   Ironically, Debbie Williams defiantly declared during a Village Board meeting July 23, 2013 that this was a “personal trip” and that she “refused” to disclose any information without the Village Attorney telling her to do so.

 

Former Village Trustee Joseph Wiszowaty, who also reports on village matters for this blog the Sauk Villager News,  filed the request in August, 2013 and then filed a request for Madigan’s office to review the entire matter once the Village did not comply.  Madigan’s office determined in March, 2013 in a “non-binding” opinion that the Village must disclose the information about the trip, including who paid for it and how much all aspects of the trip cost.   The Village refused to comply with Madigan’s office opinion to disclose.  Wiszowaty filed another request to the Village in April of this year and once again the Village refused prompting Wiszowaty to file a request for review with Madigan’s office again.

 

“This has been the least transparent Village administration in Sauk Village’s history” Wiszowaty said.  “This begs the question, what are they hiding?  What are they afraid of?  Actions like this smell of impropriety and cause scandals” Wiszowaty said.  “Arrogance and entitlement have already cost the taxpayers of Sauk Village additional legal fees defending something which is indefensible.  It seems that some people have forgotten who elected them, the people, and they are entitled to transparency and accountability in their government” Wiszowaty said.  The Village already has budgeted over $500,000 for legal fees in the 2014-15 budget despite claims that litigation have decreased according to Mayor David Hanks.

 

Wiszowaty is awaiting the response from the Village.  

 

Madigan’s office, in a 2013 press release stated: “In 2013, the Public Access Bureau again increased the number of binding opinions issued. The authority to issue binding administrative decisions was an important component of the 2010 overhaul of the state’s transparency laws and has allowed the Bureau to issue opinions that clarify the law and increase disclosure. The Public Access Bureau has also helped thousands of members of the public, media organizations and advocacy groups resolve disputes over records and open meetings through informal mediation with public bodies that has led to increased disclosure of government information.”

WATERGATE SCANDAL: Water Cash for Grass

Housing Commssioners: Heidi Parker,
Chairman Gary Holcom and Sharon Nowak

By Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE |  August 15^th has come and gone, and the village still has not received its anticipated reimbursement to cover the funds the Hanks Administration had taken from the water fund to pay those who mowed grass.   It was discovered that Mayor David Hanks instructed Finance Director Mohan Rao to take money from the water fund to pay people for mowing grass in vacant homes.

Many residents have been screaming mad at outrageously high water bills which appear to be going to pay for things unrelated to the village's water system many have been claiming.  Long-time resident Frank Harvey had complained recently that he needed to find work in order to pay increasing water bills.  Harvey turned to the Village's grass cutting program but soon turned out that he was not getting paid for the work he and his son were doing.  Village Trustee Derrick Burgess railed on Hanks during the budget meetings this summer for using $300,000 of the water money to balance the general fund budget.

The grant was actually from the Illinois Housing Development Authority for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund.  Under this grant, the program is intended to assist with the costs incurred by the municipality for “securing, maintenance and demolition of abandoned residential property”



Holcomb and Sharon Nowak
protesting against former
Mayor Lewis Towers now
are under fire themselves

Through a private agreement between Gary Holcomb, Housing Commissioner Chairman and Mayor David Hanks “independent contractors” who Holcomb contracted to mow grass in vacant homes were paid out of the village’s water fund in June of this year.  According to information provided by the Village’s Housing Commission, funds were expected to be in Village coffers by August 15^th.  To date no announcement of any funds have been received by the village.  Village Trustee Derrick Burgess questioned an accounts payable which had 14 checks which were already paid to the contractors out of water funds.  Burgess voted no on the accounts payable while 5 of the other Trustees all voted yes.

It was learned through a Freedom of Information Act request that the Village actually applied for the grass mowing grant and not the Housing Commission of Sauk Village as was previously announced by Hanks.  Hanks informed the Village Board of Trustees at their meeting on May 20, 2014 that the “Housing Commission” received the $75,000 grant for grass cutting.  Hanks also stated at that meeting that the Housing Commission “will employ people in the community” to pay the individuals to cut the grass.    Hanks stated at the meeting in May that the matter would be on the next Committee of the Whole meeting June 3^rd, however, the Housing Commission and grass mowing program were never discussed by the Village Board.  To date the village has not received a penny of this grant.

The Village’s grant application budget, received as part of our Freedom of Information Act request, only allotted for 25 homes and $5,000 for “cutting of neglected weeds or grass” however the village has already spent $7,660 according to checks paid to “independent contractors”.

A former Housing Commissioner questions the Housing Commission’s ability to contract “independent contractors” on behalf of the Village of Sauk Village without the Village Board’s approval.  “We were told we could do it, but I’m not sure how the Housing Commission could contract people on behalf of the  Village legally” former Commissioner Larry Stewart said.

 

"I did not know they were taking money out of the water fund to pay people for mowing grass" Steward said.

A housing commission does not have the legal powers granted to housing authority and only is to enforce fair housing in the Village under Illinois law and the Sauk Village Municipal Code.

The Housing Commission established guidelines for how the grass mowing program would be run including requiring individuals to be “residents” of Sauk Village and submit to background checks and each is to maintain a valid license. Former Housing Commissioner Stewart is crying foul as one person is a contractor, does not have a valid driver license and may have been receiving preferential treatment as he appears to have received a no-bid contact Stewart claims.

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.