2015 PERSON OF THE YEAR: MELODY SEATON

REV MELODY SEATON

SAUK VILLAGE |  Going through candidates for Person of the year 2015, one person rose head and shoulders above the rest.  When she came to the Village in 2014, she didn't just come quietly, she came with a fierce desire and a lot of spirit, some even say the Holy Spirit, to make Sauk Village just a little bit better. 

The Reverend Melody Seaton of Grace United Church of Christ not only is carrying on the 50 plus year tradition of the shuttered church, but began new traditions which the community as a whole can be proud of.  Seaton was runner up last year for Person of the Year, but this year she was a clear standout!

Seaton's outstanding contributions to Sauk Village include the Share the Warmth campaign of providing over 300 brand new coats, mittens and hats to Sauk Village school children over the last two years, Jammin for Jesus Community Fest and taking the leadership role of holding a Community Prayer Meeting right outside her Church welcoming everyone!  Additionally, she has taken her message to every corner of the Community, literally, by holding prayer on the streets of Sauk Village.

Now I'm not saying that other churches and organizations do not make great contributions, as we see

SEATON'S COMMUNIT PRAYER MEETING

Emmanuel Christian Reform church, who celebrated their 40th year in their church this year with feeding families with their ongoing food pantry.  Other churches should be glad to partner with the successes of Grace United Church of Christ and Melody Seaton!  Seaton's outreach from her church community has truly been a great thing for Sauk Village and she has been an outstanding pastor to her church and to the community.

If you've never heard Seaton sing the National Anthem, as she did for Veterans Day in 2014, you truly missed out!  I hope she plans to stay greatly involved in making Sauk Village just a bit better in 2016 and beyond.

Congratulations Reverend Melody Seaton, you are truly deserving of such an honor!

Former Honorees
SAUK VILLAGE PERSONS OF THE YEAR
2014:  Dr. Donna Leak
2013:  Derrick Burgess
2012:  Al Stoffregen
2011:  Robert Chavez

HANKS WANTS TO WHITE WASH CRIME REPORTING

DAVID A. HANKS

by Sauk Village Voice
SAUK VILLAGE |So now the Administration of David Hanks appears to be trying to “white wash” the truth about crime in Sauk Village!  A woman was shot in her home and her baby died this week, and Hanks has his so called “Public Safety Director” JW Fairman, who was hired as an “employee” but yet paid as an “independent contractor”, makes one wonder why but that’s another story and another investigation later, I digress.

Fairman reported to the Village Board on December 8^th that crime has gone down a “projected 64.6% in 2015”, his words not mine.  There is a very simple explanation to why this is likely the case.  Sauk Village Police Department’s old reporting software, New World implemented in 2007, was completely down and not online for many months in 2015.  Police officers were forced to do police reports manually in some cases.  Now several officers report many communication problems with the Village’s dispatch center CalCom who is based out of Calumet Park Illinois.  Additionally many have complained that the CAPERS (computer aided dispatch) software the village will invest thousands of dollars in order to communicate with CalCom has not been working.

Fairman apparently questions the Uniform Criminal Reports made by the Sauk Village Police Department to the Federal Bureau of Investigations UCR.  Fairman stated in his report posted by David Hanks on December 14^th “The question is; are Sauk Village’s reported UCR crime real or contrive”?

Former Chief of Police Timothy Holevis had his say about the matter in a brief interview.  “Uniform Crime Reporting is taken directly from the daily computer records.  It takes hours to report manually since requests were sent to the mayor (David Hanks) who failed to update the important computer programs making it more simplistic to report UCR” Holevis said.

Fairman also goes on to say “We did a precursory assessment of reported major UCR crime in 2014.  It was determined that reporting numbers were erroneous.  We did not determine why”.  Holevis responded to this categorically denying that the numbers from 2014 were wrong.  “Compare the official police reports to UCR, it will all match.  I refused to do anything illegal.  How do you not report a murder” Holevis said.  “If they aren’t entering UCR manually, then they’re not doing it correctly.  Sauk Village does not have a computer program that reports it automatically.  It should take him several hours to report UCR and domestic violence reporting” Holevis said.  Holevis said that for a two year period during the time Former Chiefs Frank Martin (2010) and Robert Fox (2011 to 2012) UCR reporting was not done at all. “The Village was threatened several times with revocation of the use of UCR because of all that” Holevis said.

“For the first 8 months, prior to Chief Kowalski’s arrival major UCR crime averaged 22.9 crimes a (sic) month, after Chief Kowalski’s arrival major UCR crime averaged 6.5 crimes a month a difference (or reduction of 69.9%” according to Fairman.  Hanks has his Chief of Police chasing Senior Citizens away from the microphone, like his predecessor did, during Village Board meetings instead of applying for grants and doing his job, fighting crime!  What Fairman and Chief Robert Kowaski did not report to the Village Board is that for the last 3 weeks there have been on average 1 to 2 cars stolen per day in Sauk Village.  But they would want you to believe crime is down in Sauk Village!  This is nothing but a white wash job Sauk Village.  Give me a break!

UCR Crime Statistics can be found here :  CLICK LINK

HANKS SHOULD RESIGN... NOW!

OPINION EDITORIAL
by Sauk Village Voice

Never before in the history of the Village has a mayor openly criticized his own Police Chief that he himself appointed and other village employees.  David Hanks took the opportunity to criticize former Chief of Police Tim Holevis and current Police Sergeant Rebecca Sailsbery at his meet the mayor event this month claiming they were "destroying the village".

First, David Hanks seems to forget that he appointed Holevis Chief of Police and sang his praises at that time.  In a post on (September 17, 2013) David Hanks’ Facebook page, you know the one he said he never goes on, Hanks said:

Mayor David Hanks considers the appointment a much needed boost for the morale of the department as well as a feeling of stability for the community. Restoring Pride and Progress is a daily battle. Chief Holevis and the entire Police Department have the support of the Mayor and the Board of Trustees to do whatever is needed to provide safety to our residentsMayor David Hanks considers the appointment a much needed boost for the morale of the department as well as a feeling of stability for the community. Restoring Pride and Progress is a daily battle. Chief Holevis and the entire Police Department have the support of the Mayor and the Board of Trustees to do whatever is needed to provide safety to our residentsMayor David Hanks considers the appointment a much needed boost for the morale of the department as well as a feeling of stability for the community. Restoring Pride and Progress is a daily battle. Chief Holevis and the entire Police Department have the support of the Mayor and the Board of Trustees to do whatever is needed to provide safety to our residentsMayor David Hanks considers the appointment a much needed boost for the morale of the department as well as a feeling of stability for the community. Restoring Pride and Progress is a daily battle. Chief Holevis and the entire Police Department have the support of the Mayor and the Board of Trustees to do whatever is needed to provide safety to our residents

“M””Mayor David Hanks considers the appointment (of Tim Holevis) a much needed boost for the morale of the department as well as feeling of stability for the community.  Restoring Pride and Progress is a daily battle.

Chief Holevis and the entire Police Department have the support of the Mayor and Board of Trustees to do whatever is needed to provide safety to our residents”

How does one go from pouring praise upon your own appointee to destroying the police department’s morale and telling the residents of Sauk Village that Holevis and Sailsbery were “destroying the village”.  Oh and now there is no crime in Sauk Village since Holevis left and crime is dramatically down?  Really?  I hope he can smell what he's shoveling!

Second, Hanks has attacked Trustees who do not agree with his political dogma or ask him questions calling them "lazy" and wanting to be "spoon fed".  Hanks stated at a village meeting he wants residents to be arrested and removed from meetings if they go over an arbitrary 3 minute time limit.  Hanks continues to disrespect residents, village employees and Village Trustees whenever the mood strikes him.  He is more concerned about people who talk about him than about moving the village forward.

Third, Hanks is a coward and uses his three Bobble Head trustees Rosie Williams, Lynda Washington and Ed Myers to do his bidding.  Hank’s actions cost him two of his Bobble Heads in April, 2015 and many residents who once supported Hanks and his coalition have abandoned him and realized that he is not what he portrayed himself to be in 2013.  He is a proven LIAR and a hypocrite! 

Now the Village faces a multi-million dollar lawsuit as a result of Hanks’ reckless actions and the residents of Sauk Village will be left to pick up the tab long after Hanks is gone in 2017.  David Hanks you should do the taxpayers of Sauk Village a big favor and give them an early Christmas gift... RESIGN NOW!  But you are too  arrogant and self centered to do that, but the time is now to begin the calls for Hanks’ resignation!  The time is now for residents to begin the process of telling the remaining three Bobble Heads your time is up!  2017 cannot come soon enough, but the time is now for the Bobble Heads to say David Hanks you’re a proven LIAR, we can no longer follow an arrogant liar, self serving hypocrite and misogynistic megalomaniac who is costing taxpayers money by his words and actoins!  But that would take one thing that those three bobble heads clearly do not have!  Integrity!

SENIOR GROUP CLAIMS RACE IS KEEPING THEM OUT

By Sauk Village Voice
SAUK VILLAGE|  A group of senior citizens known as the Seniors for Relaxation Organization (or S.R.O.) is claiming that they are being discriminated against by the Mayor David Hanks and the Village because they are not permitted to have the exclusive use of the Senior Citizen Center.

Members of the S.R.O. have been coming to the Village meetings for months asking for the Mayor and Village Board to intervene on their behalf.  Tuesday night, Cleve Lawrence the organization’s  President, Nathan Griffin and Frank Harvey, all African-American came forward and implied that they are not being permitted exclusive use of the Senior Center because their group is African-American.

At previous village meetings the Chairperson of the Senior Citizen Committee, Rose Langston said the group was welcome on days that there would be “overseers” present on the 2nd and 4th Friday of the month.  There are 3 other Senior Citizen groups, comprised mostly of Caucasian members, who have exclusive use of the Senior Citizen Center.  The committee gave a copy of what the committee adopted as “policy” for the use of the Center to Hanks Tuesday night.  The Village Board of Trustees has not seen the so-called policy nor did they vote to adopt any such policies.  Some took exception to the term “overseer” as racist terminology going to back to the days of slavery.  “Why is it that only the black group needs an overseer and not the other groups?  How openly racist can you be” one long-time Caucasian resident said.

According to Lawrence the group was told that they had to pay to use the Senior Citizen Center.  “Why should one organization have to pay while the others do not?”  The group suggests that it is because they are African-American and the others comprised of Caucasians pay nothing.

Trustee Derrick Burgess, suggested that Hanks and the S.R.O. group meet to resolve this and that Hanks should attempt to broker a deal so that the Organization could have their day to use the Senior Citizen Center.  “You remember Mr. Mayor when she (Langston) was having some issues a few years ago and you and I went and brokered a peace?  Well it’s time that this is done” Burgess said Tuesday night.

Hanks said he stands behind the Senior Citizen Committee and all committee chairpersons decisions and was not inclined to overrule what some call an openly racist decision.  Hanks did not say he opposes what some call the racist move by the senior committee.

“All we are wanting to do is provide seniors an opportunity to use a building which sits empty most of the time.  The building was intended to be used by the seniors, but only if you belong to the exclusive clubs.  But there are clearly some who do not feel that seniors should be permitted to do so.  We have come to the mayor on many occasions and he refuses to do anything” Lawrence said.

Longtime resident Larry Stewart, who had recently resigned the Senior Citizen Committee clearly calls the matter racist.  “Look they are doing everything they can to keep a certain group of people out of the Senior Citizen building because they are black and politically disagree with this administration” Stewart said Tuesday night.  “Until members of Senior Committee, which is very racist group, is told by the mayor to stop this open racism and black seniors are permitted to use the center I will not step foot in that Senior Center" Stewart said.

HANKS AND SOME VILLAGE OFFICIALS ACCUSED OF RETALIATION - EEOC CHARGES FILED

DAVID HANKS (left) and Village Attorney Mike McGrath

by Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE |  Deputy Chief of Police Rebecca Sailsbery a 23 year veteran of the Sauk Village Police Force has filed an action with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, required before a Federal lawsuit can be filed, claiming she is being retaliated and discriminated against by Mayor David Hanks, Administrator JW Fairman and other Village officials.

Following the abrupt retirement and resignation of former Chief Timothy Holevis, Sailsbery has been blocked from being sworn-in as "acting/interim chief" which should have happened automatically according to the department's general orders until a new Chief was appointed.  Instead Hanks ordered Sailsbery to assume the duties but not the position or title.  Sailbury argues that it is because she had previously won an EEOC complaint and the Village settled with her, Holevis and former employee Lisa Gibbons.  Gibbons was "layed off" and not recalled despite the Village having several opportunities and hires since her so called layoff.  In 2010, during the administration of Lewis Tower when former Chief of Police Frank Martin was terminated, Holevis was sworn-in as "acting/interim" Chief of Police.  Holevis at that time was not the deputy chief but the senior Sergeant on the day shift.

Apparently the discrimination and retaliation did not end there according to the complaint.  Gibbons has already filed another EEOC complaint against the Village.

Hanks, according to the supplement to the EEOC complaint, violated the Police Department Chain of Command, posted a notice that Sailsbury would remain Deputy Chief "until further notice" while all other police officers would retain their positions, violated the Police Officers Bill of Rights as an investigation was conducted without notification.  Finally the supplement to the EEOC complaint states that Hanks "traditional" views of women in the workforce are frowned upon and are expected to wear skirts instead of pants.

Sailsbury has stated she did apply to become chief of police.  According to Hanks 24 people have applied for the position.  Hanks appointed Fairman along with Trustees Rosie Williams and Cecial Tates to serve as a committee to search for a Chief of Police.  "We have yet to have a formal meeting with all of us present" Tates said.  According to Tates they were given each candidates resumes and asked to rank each candidate.  None of the results were shared with other committee members according to Tates.  "Not like any committee I had ever been on when you never meet to discuss anything" Tates said.

"According to the Mayor he gets to make the appointment the Village Board vote doesn't matter" Tates said.  "He has made that quite clear when it came to appointing committees and the courts already ruled on this same matter with former Village employees which the village is still in litigation over.  So let's just cut out the nonsense and move forward" Tates said.

Hanks has made no public comment regarding the EEOC complaint which was filed in earlier of this year.

RAUNER TELLS LEGISLATURE "NO" PREPARES FOR BUDGET SHOWDOWN

SPRINGFIELD
by Joseph Wiszowaty

Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner has told Illinois Democrats something they haven't heard in a long time... "No".

As Rauner and the Democratic leadership in Springfield dig in for what is shaping up as a budget Showdown for July 1st.  Rauner has announced massive sweeping spending cuts if a budget compromise is not approved in time.

Longtime Speaker of the House Michael Madigan and the Democratic dominated Illinois Legislature approved an unbalanced budget with a nearly $3 billion budget hole.  Rauner said that is not acceptable and wants the legislature to cut the budget before he will move on any tax increases.

Rauner issued the following statement:

House Speaker Mike Madigan, Senate President John Cullerton and their caucuses two weeks ago finished passing a budget with a $4 billion hole.

Since that time, Speaker Madigan and President Cullerton have refused to pass real, compromise reforms that will grow the economy, pay down the debt and end the era of wasteful spending and broken budgets while implementing parliamentary maneuvers to keep the governor from acting on the budget bills.

In preparation for the possibility of having no budget on July 1, or a budget with a $4 billion hole, the Administration is initiating its second round of steps to responsibly manage the state’s finances. However, the options available to the Administration remain limited because the Madigan-Cullerton budget includes no reforms.

“Governor Rauner has compromised repeatedly, but Speaker Madigan and the politicians he controls continue to block any real reform,” Rauner spokesman Lance Trover said. “It’s deeply troubling to see that Speaker Madigan remains committed to sacrificing the middle class in order to protect the political class.”

More steps will be announced as they are finalized.

Statewide

Action Initiated

Notify all State of Illinois vendors to prepare for the potential of a longer delay in receiving payments for goods and services provided to the State.

Effective July 1, 2015

Suspend capital projects, including construction at state facilities, schools and colleges.Suspend all capital grants for legislators’ earmarks and non-bonded or “pay as you go” capital projects.This freeze does not include road and other Department of Transportation projects.Significantly reduce use of outside legal counsel by eliminating and/or reducing legal contracts.

Department of Healthcare and Family Services

Action Initiated

Reinstate timely re-determinations of Medicaid eligibility.Roll back rates for ambulance services and renal care services to SMART-Act levels.Reduce managed care capitation rates.Discontinue special Medicaid payments to some hospitals.Increase eligibility threshold (Determination of Need Score) to a level more consistent with national eligibility levels.Achieve cost savings using new procurement strategy for purchasing durable medical equipment.

Department of Natural Resources

Effective September 1, 2015

Suspend operations at the World Shooting Recreational Complex (WSRC) near Sparta. The site will become closed to the public and not available for events.All events scheduled through August 2015, including the Grand American, will not be impacted by this action.

Department of Agriculture

Effective July 1, 2015

Suspend funding to county fairs for premiums and fairground rehabilitation projects.Suspend funding for agricultural extension and 4-H clubs for premiums at agricultural shows.Suspend funding for premiums for Agricultural Education Fairs.Suspend funding for the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service.Suspend funding to the Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority

Effective July 1, 2015

Suspend funding to Choose Chicago for tourism promotion.

Department of State Police

Effective July 1, 2015

Suspend FY16 initiative to purchase new forensic equipment.

Office of State Fire Marshal

Effective July 1, 2015

Suspend funding for the Chicago Fire Department training program.Suspend reimbursements for fire department training to other local governments.Suspend funding for small fire-fighting and ambulance equipment grants.

Criminal Justice Information Authority

Effective July 1, 2015

Suspend the following legislative earmarks:YouthBuild grants;Bullying Prevention grants;Franklin County Methamphetamine Pilot Program; andSouth Suburban Major Crimes Taskforce.Suspend statewide funding for Operation CeaseFire.Suspend funding for Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention grants.

Department of Human Services

Effective July 1, 2015

Suspend funding for Community Services for juvenile delinquency program serving youth and young adults administered by the Chicago Area Project.Suspend funding for Immigrant Integration Services. Access to the Department’s programs will continue through local offices.Suspend funding for Welcoming Centers. Access to the Department’s programs will continue through local offices.Suspend funding for the Youth Employment legislative earmark.

Department of Public Health

Effective July 1, 2015

Suspend funding for Brothers and Sisters United Against HIV.Suspend funding to the Tobacco Quitline.

Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity

Effective July 1, 2015

Reduce funding for state-funded job training programs and suspend funding to legislative earmarks for job training. This does not impact the Department’s federal job training funds.Suspend funding for all coal programs at the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, including discontinuing subsidies to coal companies.Suspend funding for the Renewable Energy Program. This does not impact the Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standards program.Suspend funding for the Energy Efficiency Program.

Department of Transportation

Effective July 1, 2015

Reduce funding for Amtrak.Suspend state add-on payment to PACE.Suspend state subsidy for Regional Transportation Authority Reduced Fares grant.

Department of Revenue

Effective July 1, 2015

Reduce funding for the following housing programs administered by the Illinois Housing Development Authority:Multifamily Finance Program;Reduce Homebuyer Acquisition Rehabilitation Program; andReduce Homeowner Emergency Repair Program.

Department of Veteran’s Affairs

Effective July 1, 2015

Delay opening of Chicago Veterans’ Home.

THE HANKS HOUSING CRISIS CONTINUES

Mayer David Hanks and his Photo Op!

Opinion Editorial
By Joseph Wiszowaty

Driving through Sauk Village these days would bring tears to many who once grew up or raised their families in this small community in the Southeast Suburb of Chicago.   The first question they may wonder is what went wrong?  Today, according to Cook County statistics for 2015 there are 480 vacant homes in Sauk Village and what’s worse is that Cook County projects vacant homes to grow to 532 in the next five years.

Well, yes the economic downturn of 2008 really took its toll on the home values.  As many folks mortgaged their homes to the rafters with the cheap cost of money, as values fell investors found opportunity for rental properties.  Many simply walked away from their homes or sold out in short sales to investors who in turn rented those homes out to tenants fleeing the City of Chicago when former Mayor Richard Daley closed the housing projects.

They say hindsight is 20/20, well we can see what went wrong.  As values dropped drastically in 2009, the Federal Government through the Department of Housing and Urban Development began offering communities millions of dollars in Neighborhood Stabilization Programs.  Many communities took advantage of these NSP dollars to help shore up their housing markets from 2009 to 2012.  Now most of the NSP monies are dried up and Sauk Village has been left out in the cold.

Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) grant is to support the redevelopment of foreclosed, vacant, or abandoned property or land through demolition, new construction, acquisition, and/or rehabilitation activities. The primary goals of the program are to stabilize communities disproportionately affected by the foreclosure crisis and to create or preserve affordable rental or ownership housing for low- and moderate-income households.  Cook County has distributed millions of dollars in NSP money to municipalities.

Now Mayor David Hanks, served as Chairman of the Housing Authority from 2009 to 2012 when he became acting mayor.   During his time in charge of the Village’s housing crisis, Hanks and most of the Village Board were too self absorbed with playing politics with then Mayor Lewis Towers instead of addressing the housing crisis and obtaining NSP dollars to shore up the Village’s housing crisis.  Many communities used NSP money to encourage homeownership opportunities, Sauk Village received $0 in NSP money to help.

Shortly after becoming Acting-Mayor, Hanks began to campaign for election, after stating publicly he would not seek election, that they were so busy fighting Lewis Towers that they were “blinded” by the housing crisis and didn’t see the eyesores of the vacant and abandoned houses.  ***CLICK HERE TO VIEW*** fast forward to 2:58 and listed till 3:33

2014



2009

What is Hanks’ plan for Housing you may wonder as we continue down the path of further deterioration?  Well we wonder too and to date there has been no plan put out publicly.  While Housing Commissioners, exceeding their mandate, have been working on housing issues by identifying vacant properties, there has been no long range plan.  The Village received a grant through the Illinois Housing Development Authority to secure and maintain vacant and abandoned houses, the housing commission identified only 100 out of the 480 vacant homes in which grass mowing would be done in 2014.  Unfortunately, the grant money was for reimbursement of monies spent by the Village and controversy ensued when there was no money budgeted for the grass mowing initiative in 2014.  As a result of Hanks’ misstep on the budgetary oversight last year, the Village Trustees had to borrow money from the water fund in order to make payments.  Because of poor planning the IHDA was not prepared and many delays and changes happened with the grant program as a result of the change in administrations to Governor Bruce Rauner, the money has now been frozen.

What made matters worse, was the 2015-16 Budget that Hanks and his Bobble Heads ramrodded through, did not include a single penny toward any housing initiatives nor any grass mowing for that matter.  But he found $200,000 to hire just 2 new people, and yes they would be "outsiders" of course, how ironic!

Some housing commissioners have said on social media that resident’s should take up the slack and mow vacant properties and volunteers are needed to pitch in to maintain these properties, I beg to differ!  While it’s a “neighborly” thing to do, it exposes those individuals to danger and liability.   A stronger emphasis on Code Enforcement and a more aggressive and proactive approach is sadly missing from this Administration.  This administration is so focused on politics and less on policy that it continues to be “blinded” by the blight which has taken hold of Sauk Village, and according to Cook County will remain at least until the next administration.

In fact, this administration is all about “propaganda” as illustrated in the propaganda video Mayor David Hanks has on the Village’s official website ***CLICK HERE TO VIEW***  Can you believe this? 

Residents need to start asking David Hanks the “tough questions” and stop telling him, like one of his Bobble Heads, Trustee Lynda Washington, “you’re doing a fine job”.  Really Lynda?  I beg to differ!  Maybe now they will not be "blinded" by this housing crisis any longer!

 

Housing Opportunities:

 

***$14,000 Sauk Village House***

***$13,000 Less than a Used Car***

This one Won a HANKY Award! ------***22517 Yates Avenue****