DAVID HANKS- 2016 SAUK VILLAGER PERSON OF THE YEAR

SAUK VILLAGER PERSON OF THE YEAR! This award is established to honor a person who has made a significant impact to or for the Village. Just as Time Magazine had honored Adolf Hitler and Joe Stalin in 1938 and 1939, respectively and most recently named Donald Trump for 2016 as their persons of the year, I choose David Hanks as the Sauk Villager's Person of the Year 2016. David Hanks' announcement in September to retire from politics may be the most significant single impact to the Village’s future!

This announcement was the biggest and most historic announcement of the year in Sauk Village and was cautiously and hopefully expected by many. (CLICK HERE to see Video)  (CLICK HERE- to read the story) It could be the impetus for voters to bring to an end the Village's continued political turmoil which began back in May, 2009. 

Hanks fell into the office of mayor on the heels of Lewis Towers' disgraceful resignation on November 8, 2012.  In Towers' wake, Towers left a trail of financial woe; leaving over $1,000,000 in unpaid bills in addition to a General Fund Deficit totaling over $1.2 million. Credit is to be given to the then sitting Board of Trustees who were diligent in preventing Towers from illegally using the $3 million balance in the water fund.  David Hanks and the Trustees that support him, however, have managed  to erase that $3 million reserve by voting for the same illegal usage of the water fund that they were so diligent in preventing Towers from doing.  As a result, this lame duck Mayor will likely leave office with over $1.7 million owed to the water fund, in addition to over  $1 million in unpaid bills. 

Hanks financial incompetence was further exacerbated when he appointed his staunchest trustee supporter, Rosie Williams to the position of Finance Committee Chair, after two of his Trustees loss their re-election bids in 2015.  Hanks, with the help and guidance of Trustee Rosie Williams, have been using water fund revenues to pay for expenses unrelated to water, causing an even greater fund balance deficit of nearly $1.7 million today!

The Village has been on a steady decline since 2013 because Hanks has had full control of the Board of Trustees and they have historically voted in lock step for every major decision that affects the Village. Even with Hanks' appointments of a Village Administrator, an assistant for the Administrator, his Finance Director and appointing him an assistant, with all this manpower, the village should have expected a vast improvement over its finances.  Instead, the Village's financial staus is on the brink of insolvency!

The Hanks' legacy will be marred by other questionable and scandalous events; too many and too big to mention here.

But today Hanks gets the honor of being 2016 Sauk Villager's Person of the Year for announcing he would retire from politics and more importantly, for keeping his word!

Past Honorees:
Click the links below to read those stories

2015 - Senior Pastor Rev Melody Seaton, Grace UCC

2014 - Dr. Donna Leak Superintendent 168

2013 - Derrick Burgess, Village Trustee

2012 - Alan Stoffregen, Fire Chief

2011 - Robert Chavez, Sr., Village Trustee

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.

FEDERAL INVESTIGATION: HAS THE VILLAGE MISAPPROPRIATED GRANT MONEY? PAY TO PLAY?

ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL ISSUES DETERMINATION- VILLAGE VIOLATED LAW... AGAIN!

SAUK VILLAGE | The Illinois Attorney General has once again issued a determination that the Village has violated the Freedom of Information Act.

A request through the Freedom of Information Act for documents was made to the Village on May 11, 2016 for documents pertaining to a grant the Village received from the Illinois Public Risk Fund to purchase bullet proof vests for members of the Sauk Village Police Department.  We requested “all receipts, invoices, purchase order/requisitions, communication and correspondence showing the use and expenditure of these funds from said grant”.

On June, 2, 2016, the Village finally responded and furnished a one-page accounting which appeared to be an account ledger.  The Illinois Attorney General determined that the Village violated the Act because it did not respond to the request nor did it ask for additional time to complete the request as the law states.

On July 7^th the Village submitted a response to our Request for Review to the Attorney General’s office.  The Village stated that Mohan Rao, the Village’s Finance Director, is the “record keeper for grant materials”.  In the Village’s response they provided additional information that they submitted to the Attorney General in confidence and the Attorney General therefore could not provide us with copies of that confidential “information”.

Our response to the Village at that time was that the Village did not deny they received the grant and therefore it should maintain additional records related to its receipt and expenditure.

The Illinois Attorney General’s office determined that the Village violated the Freedom of Information Act because their response was “untimely” that it did not conduct a “reasonable search” for the documents we had requested. 

The Village’s official response was that the Village Finance Director “cannot locate the records, nor the specific measures the Finance Director took to search for them.”  Additionally the Illinois Attorney General stated that the confidential correspondence with the Village Attorney “does not adequately describe the scope of the search…”.  According to the Attorney General “The records related to a State grant recently received by the Village, and it appears likely that additional records exist regarding the application, award and expenditure.”

It appears that the Village has once again "lost" pertinent records regarding the details of the grant.  Accordingly we have reported this information to higher authorities.

The Illinois Attorney General had issued a rare binding opinion ordering the Village of Sauk Village to turn over “all documents” we requested with respect to Village Clerk Debbie Williams and her daughter Rosie Williams’ “personal trip” to Washington DC, which we have referred to as the Travelgate Scandal. ***CLICK HERE TO VIEW BINDING OPINION*** The Williams duo had used the Village’s website and Village resources to solicit “donations” from Village vendors, yet the Williams duo claimed “this was a personal trip”.  Both Debbie Williams and Rosie Williams spoke at a Building One America Summit in Washington DC in July, 2013.  Village vendor Pat Couch, now a Police and Fire Commissioner was appointed shortly after the trip to the Police and Fire Pension Board which may have been a “quid pro quo” or “this for that” or more commonly referred to as “pay to play”.  After the documents were finally disclosed two years later, it revealed that Couch actually paid for the dynamic duo's, Debbie and Rosie Williams, airfare to fly to Washington DC for this “personal trip”.  Couch actually attended this conference with the Williamses.  No documents were provided showing that Debbie and Rosie Williams reimbursed Couch for her money.

The Village Administration, supported by Rosie Williams and the votes she cast, has established a pattern of blocking the public’s access to documents and overall transparency.  The Village sued the Attorney General in order to block production of the documents concerning the “Travelgate” scandal.  Hanks and the Williamses spent thousands of tax dollars in their failed attempts to block the production of these documents.  

It is only due to the persistence of information can we find the answers we seek from this administration.  The big question for Sauk Village residents is WHY? WHY CAN'T INFORMATION BE FORTHCOMING WITHOUT BEING MADE TO DO SO?

For more information on Travelgate ***CLICK HERE***

HISTORY- FIRE STRIKES AREA DURING GREAT CHICAGO FIRE

By Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE |  Times were tough in the “prairie days” of Sauk Village and the region.  Before George Theobald sold off his 50 acres at the corner of Sauk Trail and what would become the Calumet Expressway.  We’re going back to the days just after the Civil War, when Sauk Village didn’t exist and it was simply a settlement of New Strassburg founded in 1839 along the Great Sauk Indian Trail.  Let’s go back to 1871. 

St. James original church, built in 1847 would have been very
similar to St. John the Evangelist Eucharistic Adoration Chapel in
St. John, Indiana (Photo- John Paul Bender)

The Michigan Central Railway (today the CN Railroad) passed through the area along farmlands of the early settlers.  There were some 50 famer homes scattered about the area.  At the time there stood St. James Catholic Church (referred to by the settlers as St. Jakobs- Germanic for St. James), the building was originally an old log cabin similar to many homes of New Strassburg’s original settlers, who moved to the area in 1839 with his family.

Now comes along the fall time of the year 1871, and a dry fall it was recalls Charles Jabob Sauter, nephew of Vincent Sauter in a 1926 with the Star Newspaper.

On the 8^th day of October, shortly after dinner a freight train going east along the Michigan Central Railroad, dropping fire on the track which very quick started the grass to burning. There was a strong south wind blowing, the fire spread rapidly, Sauter recalled and fire would burn all over the south 80 acres of the farm.  Charles Sauter owned 160 acres north and south of what is now US 30- Lincoln Highway in neighboring Ford Heights, then not even a town.

Sauter remembered that a whirlwind picked up a bunch of blazing corn stalks in James Millars' (April 12, 1826 -  Nov 26, 1877) field which was the southeast corner of present day Cottage Grove east of the present day Ford Stamping Plant.  The tinder was carried aloft by the wind, taking it along for nearly half a mile, to the stack yard in a moment everything, stacks and stabling was ablaze recalled Sauter.  The fire then rapidly made its way across an orchard, and the road where it struck James’ brother’s William Millars (June 7, 1822 – Nov 1, 1877) farm stacks and stabling destroying everything in its way, and finally dying out for the want of further material for it to work on. The farm houses were quite a distance away, which was the only thing that saved them Sauter remembered.

Coincidently, all of this was going on as word was brought to area that the whole city of Chicago was ablaze recalled Sauter.  “Oh, that was a day which has lingered long in my memory” according to Sauter.

While the Great Chicago Fire killed some 300 people and destroyed 3.3 square miles, the fire that hit the area on October 8, 1871, only burned several acres and nobody died.  But the fire never-the-less must have been pretty great to the farmers in the area.

BURGESS IN RACE FOR MAYOR

SAUK VILLAGE |  Village Trustee Derrick Burgess announced he is running for Mayor in the April, 2017 election Saturday afternoon at the Sauk Village Café surrounded by a crowd of supporters.

Burgess kicked off his campaign for mayor saying that the Village needs a Pathway to Progress and he will be the leader who will begin that new direction.

 

Burgess pledged to bring his campaign to the people of Sauk Village to share his vision and his plans for where he wants to take Sauk Village.  Burgess said that the Village must invest in the children and give homeowners a reason to buy and invest in Sauk Village once more.

Burgess will lay out his plans, which will include new policies and actions that will increase openness and transparency within all aspects of Village government.  “The time for talking about change is over.  We need a leader who will pursue an ambitious Pathway to Progress from day one” Burgess said.

“I am running for mayor to bring community and collective vision into the Mayor’s office.  To truly put us on a Pathway to Progress.  As Mayor, I will govern with service, integrity, courage, openness, honesty and transparency because Sauk Village needs a strong and true leader” Burgess said.

Village Trustee Cecial Tates, who introduced Burgess as “the next mayor of Sauk Village” was named as his campaign manager.  Burgess praised Tates who served his country as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army and who has served his Village as former School Board President and now as Village Trustee.

Burgess, who was attending the Illinois Municipal League Annual Conference in Chicago, took time out and returned to Sauk Village to make his announcement and then returned to Chicago immediately following his announcement.  “It’s been a very busy week.  I’ve met with many mayors and officials from throughout the region and state.  We have been discussing many of our common problems and discussing solutions” Burgess said.

Burgess said he already has more than enough signatures required to get his name on the April, 2017 ballot .  Burgess  said he decided to run because so many residents have been asking him to run.  “I have been listening to the residents of the Village.  They are looking for and have been wanting the Village to move in a new direction.  Many long-time residents have asked me to run so how could I say no” Burgess said.

Village residents will be electing a new mayor since one-term mayor David Hanks announced Tuesday that he will not be seeking re-election.   Burgess, Tates and Trustee Kelvin Jones swept all three seats in the 2015 election easily dispatching all three candidates supported by Hank, a huge change in the political paradigm.  Burgess was the top vote getter in his re-election bid.

HANKS CALLS IT QUITS AFTER ONE TERM

SAUK VILLAGE |  Mayor David Hanks announced Tuesday night that he will not seek re-election in April, 2017.  This comes as Trustee Derrick Burgess has planned an announcement to declare he is a candidate for Mayor on Saturday 2pm at the Village Café 1699 Sauk Trail, Sauk Village.  One thing is certain, in May, 2017, Sauk Village will have a new mayor.

Hanks will become the second mayor in Sauk Village to serve only one term as his predecessor Lewis Towers resigned during his first term with just 6 months remaining on his term in 2012.
Hanks also vowed he would not run for Mayor at that time and endorsed Derrick Burgess only to abruptly "change his mind" going back on his word.

Hanks' administration has been plagued with controversy during his time in office.  In 2015, all of the candidates Hanks backed for Village Trustee lost including two incumbents, Jeff Morden and John Poskin.  Hanks also received a petition of no confidence signed by 652 residents calling for him to take action or resign from office.  The Sauk Village rank and file of the Police Department filed a letter of No Confidence in the Administration of David Hanks.  There are currently pending two Federal lawsuits filed against David Hanks by village employees claiming he has retaliated against them and discriminated against them because they are women.  To date, Hanks had not addressed the concerns voiced by the resident of Sauk Village.

At the end of Tuesday's Village Board Committee Meeting Hanks read awkwardly from a prepared statement "Tonight, I’m informing the residents of Sauk Village that I will not be seeking re-election as your Mayor and will be retiring from politics at the end of my term in 2017".

Hanks did not state why he decided to not seek re-election but many residents point to the fact that the Village has been under a Federal Investigation following the scandal of James Greigel, the Village Treasurer who is charged criminally by the Federal Government and is awaiting indictment for embezzling money from the Police Pension Fund.  The Village also is being investigated for improper use or application of a Federal Grant according to documents filed in Federal Court.  "Hanks has been feeling the heat" one long-time resident said.

Hanks called his appointment of Robert Kowalski as one of his best achievements calling Kowalski the "best" chief of police Sauk Village has ever had to chuckles by many longtime residents. 

Village Trustee Lynda Washington-House is joined by Rosie Williams-Baig, who have voted in lockstep with David Hanks since taking office, have announced they are running for Mayor.  Williams immediately announced she was running on an internet blog.  Wiliams-Baig was covered in controvery along with her mother with the Travelgate scandal soliciting money from village vendors to take a so-called personal trip to Washingto DC.  Williams-Baig said she too would retire from politics in 2017, but like Hanks she apparently has "changed" her mind too.  Washington and Williams seats are up for election and should either lose they will not be back on the Village Board and they cannot run for both Mayor and Trustee.  Nomination petitions are currently out as of Tuesday.

HANKS CLOSES DOWN TRANSPARENCY AS GRAND JURY INVESTIGATES

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

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

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

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

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

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