The Village has posted a link to the ePacket agenda for this evening’s Village Board meeting. That agenda can be viewed here.
The only business before the board is the discussion and possible approval of a “Procedure for Soliciting Qualifications for Office of Village Attorney.” A copy of the document outlining that proposed procedure can be downloaded here.
Want to lay odds on how soon into the meeting Messer will call something “meaningless”?
It will take under twenty seconds for Messer to call the President out if the past is an indicator of the future. They won’t change, because their leader has provided them with the script from which they can’t divert.
If the intent of tonight’s meeting is to waste another 45 minutes of time to listen to their exhaustive bickering and analysis of technicalities in the code, our residents should protest such a process which does nothing but shelve all the issues that really need our attention. Public comment had now basically been reduced to a inconvenient accommodation of sorts.
I hope Mr. Bond is suited up with his bullet-proof vest on tonight, along with our President. I think it’s fair to say the verbal bullets will be flying around the room hoping to land on their designated targets. There’s a phrase that seems appropriate here.. Be careful of digging a coffin for someone else, you might just be digging your own!
Trustee Messer’s belligerence is one thing; his ignorance of municipal law is entirely another. Messer keeps referring to the Illinois municipal statute relating to replacement of “elected officals” rather than the municipal statute pertaining to replacement of “appointed officials”.
The Village Attorney is “appointed”; not “elected”. The resigation letter of an “appointed official” does not have to be notarized and the power of appointment of an “appointed official” who resigns (like Burke-Warren) rests solely with the Village President, not Village Trustees. (we cannot shut-down Village government waiting for a BOT majority vote; further, VBH former counsel Burke-Warren knows what steps are necessary to resign and they took these steps – “executed resignation letter”)
While admittedly this appointment by the Village President must be done with the “advice and consent” of the Board ie. (“majority vote”); if a majority vote cannot be attained, the Village President has the “absolute” right to appoint the Village Attorney on an “interim basis” – defined as until such time as a majority vote is reached. This is exactly what Pres. McLaughlin did therefore Messer’s assertion that the “interim appointment” of attorney Patrick Bond was an “utra vires” act is without legal merit.
Trustee Messer proclaimed at the last BOT meeting a phrase I remember hearing in 7th grade civics class; and that is we are a “nation of laws” and not “men” (women). My question to you Attorney-Trustee, Messer, is when are you going follow this admonition by John Adams.
For me, April cannot come too soon!
I think the following questions need to be asked regarding the draft of the “RFQ” for tonight’s meeting:
1. Who prepared it?
2. Who was it disseminated too prior to submission to VBH Clerk?
2. Were there Violations of the OMA regarrding this document?
4. Why does the RFQ not include the requirement that the Village Attorney be experienced in matters of political corruption, white collar crime and ethics?
5. Why is the Board (through this RFQ process) attempting to usurp the powers of the Village President when it comes to appointments; somehting they never did before even when it came to 33 illegal appointments.
My advice to President McLaughlin is do not relinquish any of your legal authority to this politically bankrupt band of phonies who refer to themselves as “Save 5 Acres”.
Like the bicycle lane issue, this document is nothing more than the invisible hand of Abboud.
I couldn’t agree more with you Mr. Stieper. Why is the Board attempting to usurp the powers of the President when it comes to appointments? It never happened last year. Why? Because the 33 illegal appointments were the right ones, all supporters of the Save 5 Acres click.
You are wise to point out that President McLaughlin should not relinquish one ounce of his legal authority. Regardless of the pressure applied, the full court press, do not yield.. I’m sure Mr. Bond will see to it. He seems like a refreshing asset as legal counsel. The horrible and illegal act of these appointments will be addressed down the line. And soon like an onion the layers of corruption, lies, favors, political shannanigans will be exposed. It’s simply a matter of time.
Abboud is very much like the Ebola virus. Once you are exposed to it, it plots to take over all of your human functions. It is a disease of control.
Just think, if this village didn’t have a great president and some strong supporters where we would be.
I can’t wait for April and the change that the villagers will impose.
Thank you to the neighbor who set the tone of the meeting by calling out Messer as rude and contentious. He was duly admonished and more subdued, but still had his marching orders. The reall prize of the night went to Harrington. 2 hours of time wasted listening to these people turn a run of the mill appointment into building the Taj Majal. All working in lockstep and all following their matching orders. These are very small and very unintelligent people whom I would trust to get the pizza order right. They are truly disturbed.
April will bring a new outlook and a new board to the village.
We just need to slow down the process untill we have honest representatives to fairly treat the villagers and not repay the cash cow that has purchased their fiduciary loyalities.
If the residents of BH’s feel that a board member is acting in a disingenuous and an illegal manor and he is a licensed lawyer, they should consider a formal complaint to the ARDC. This action should be the last resort because it places his law license at risk.
This is so sad!