Thursday, October 8, 2009

More Park Shenanigans

The shenanigans never seem to end over at the Pleasant Dale Park District.

On Tuesday evening, the park board held another "special meeting" to discuss who knows what. There wasn't an agenda, so anything goes.

In addition, this "special meeting" was held in a BAR with several TVs blaring, customers chatting and a few members of the park board as well as its infamous director, Katherine Parker, imbibing alcohol...and lots of it.

The park board, minus one, and its director, Katherine Parker, note-taker Nancy McKenna and project manager, Joe Jura were huddled around two tables discussing park district business. Once again this "SECRET special meeting" was not disclosed to the public nor posted on the park district website. In addition, there was no seating set aside in case the public wanted to attend. Of course there wasn't...because THEY DON'T WANT ANYONE THERE!!

Some of the discussion included increasing fees and dropping the rental space price from $1 a square foot to a measley .50¢ PER SQUARE FOOT to attract a tennant. Nothing like giving the park away, huh? And this place is supposed to make money?? We wonder what park board president Brad Martin will be charging his sister-in-law Sue Keck to lease the space for her volleyball leagues. No doubt you will be seeing a "FOR SALE" sign there in no time at all.

Shortly before the meeting ended, park commissioner Ernie Moon had had enough of the shenanigans, and stormed out of there before the meeting was over. The problem with this "SECRET special meeting" is that the park director, a supposed recovering addict, was tanked along with a few others as they were discussing financial matters involving the public's money!!

Seriously, we don't care if you drink, but rap the gavel, end the meeting and then have at it...but don't do it during a public meeting while you are deciding what to do with OUR money!

SCARY is all we have to say!

Wade Brewer was smart to stay home.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Once again as I have continually said - people need to start attending the park board meetings and make these people accountable for their actions and their decisions, although I doubt they would discuss any of this or make up excuses. What happened the other night was unprofessional, immature, and completely uncalled for. I have personally tried to make people informed of what is going on and have also pleaded to the Board at meetings to be respectful and do things the right way. I am sure if you talk to them they will say they are doing what is best for the community. They are not. These actions are evident of that. I am going to continue attending the Burr Ridge Park District where things are done right am most importantly where there is respect for community members. I am very disappointed in the Board especially the Director who let this happen the other night. Whether the meeting was still going on or not, it should have never taken place in a bar and the Director and certain Board members/staff should have never been showed signs of being drunk in front of the public. It is an embarassment to the community, the park district and mostly to yourselves. Kristin Violante

Anonymous said...

Can you start taping the park board meetings like you do the school board? Now those are some meetings I would like to see!

Anonymous said...

So much for the Chalet being a family fun place. I am not going to send my child there for a program if there are drunk people around - sorry, not my scene! A park district should promote staying fit not Gridiron parties. Complete waste of tax payer dollars!