So...What Exactly Did Jean Kaczmarek Say To DuPage County Forest Preserve District?

Here's the full content of her remarks that caused this story to change:

Good morning. My name is Jean Kaczmarek. I’m a candidate for County Clerk. 

I’m stood here before this board, and the previous board, about overlapping issues regarding government entities I follow closely. 

Today I’m here regarding another overlapping issue. I read in the news about the hiring of a new executive director and his proposed salary. Because it was so sudden, I was interested in the procedure. I have concerns that a potential Open Meetings Act violation took place on August 19th. 

The OMA reads: At least 6 days before an employer participating in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund approves an employee's total compensation package that is equal to or in excess of $150,000 per year, the employer must post on its website the total compensation package for that employee. 

The spirit of the OMA is all about open government. The specific intent of this section of the law is to prevent pension abuse; this includes government employees and officials who are about to receive significant pay increases and ultimately pension bumps. I’m not an attorney, so I cannot determine if the letter of the law was followed. I do know that the Illinois AG’s office takes spirit and intent seriously when it comes to open government. 

In May, I brought this same matter to the attention of the DuPage County Board when they were about to vote for raises for elected officials receiving compensation packages of $150,000 or more. The County Board halted the vote on the agenda and held a special board meeting one week later. 

It’s a matter of debate whether board members should be aware of every detail in the statute. It ISN’T a matter of debate regarding those who advise you. 

The public isn’t allowed in executive session, so I can only speculate if your board secretary, was there. If he was, did he bring this OMA issue to your attention? After all, he was at the County Board meeting last May. If there’s any advantage to having the County Clerk having duo positions, this would have been such a time. 

If an OMA violation took place when you approved the salary of your new executive director, does this invalidate his contract? Or, did your new executive director, who is an attorney working for the chief judge, clear any legal questions before you hired him?

New Development On DuPage Forest Preserve Executive Director Fiasco?

This thing over at the DuPage County Forest Preserve District just gets weirder.  Now there's news that they may have violated the Open Meetings Act?  And that's only because a woman named Jean Kaczmarek made them re-consider?

DuPage County Forest Preserve commissioners will vote again next week to hire John Lapinski as executive director after a resident questioned the legality of their original action.

Commissioners voted unanimously Aug. 19 to name Lapinski executive director -- the same day they announced Arnie Biondo was stepping down from the top administrative post.

But Jean Kaczmarek, who is hoping to replace retiring county Clerk Gary King in the November election, told commissioners Tuesday the Aug. 19 vote may have violated the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

The Glen Ellyn Democrat said proposed compensation packages of $150,000 a year or more must be advertised six days in advance. Information about Lapinski's contract wasn't available to the public before the Aug. 19 meeting. 

"I'm not an attorney, so I cannot determine if the letter of the law was followed," said Kaczmarek, who will face Paul Hinds, King's chief deputy, during the general election. "I do know the Illinois (Attorney General's) office takes spirit and intent seriously when it comes to open government." 

After the meeting, officials conceded Kaczmarek's claim is correct. 

"I think she had a point," Commissioner Tim Whelan said. 

So the board agreed to have a special meeting next week to take another vote on Lapinski's contract.

Lapinski, who is the trial court administrator for DuPage County's chief judge, already has signed a three-year contract that will pay him $160,000 a year. 

Whelan said the board doesn't want there to be any question about the legality of the contract. 

"So we're just going to do it over," he said. 

Meanwhile, Lapinski's first day with the forest preserve district is scheduled to be on Oct. 1. The 53-year-old Oak Brook resident will replace Biondo, who took early retirement after commissioners made it clear he no longer was wanted after less than eight months on the job. 

Kaczmarek said she's pleased commissioners are taking another vote. 

"It seems like a good opportunity to re-evaluate their entire hiring process, especially when it involves a position with high responsibility, high salary and high pension," she said.

Rep. Ron Sandack Shines Light On DuPage Forest Preserve Sham

Good on Illinois State Representative Ron Sandack for taking the lead and shining some much needed light on the situation in the DuPage Forest Preserve District where the Executive Director lasted only seven months after finding him in a nationwide search.  In those short seven months, he pushed through an Early Retirement Program which he quickly jumped at himself.

From Sandack's Facebook Wall:

We think he says it well and we're glad to see him take a leadership position on this mess:

This is far more than merely bad optics; this is very bad practice which furthers the divide between taxpayers and their government. Hopefully, lessons are learned and some protections will be put into place for the go-forward.