During open forum, a few residents complimented the park district and Matt Russian on a well run weekend basketball tournament.
Once again the board was asked the financial picture of the Chalet. For the third month in a row, Katherine Parker rattled some numbers off the top of her head. She never comes to the meetings with a prepared financial statement, it’s always a guesstimate. She always uses words like, “I think” or “It was about...” Can't she, for once, come to a board meeting with something on paper instead of in her head? Every month her numbers are different. She talks about revenue but not expenses. They want you to think they are making tons of money, but they're not. If they were, she would have something concrete to show, but she doesn't.
Once again the board was asked the financial picture of the Chalet. For the third month in a row, Katherine Parker rattled some numbers off the top of her head. She never comes to the meetings with a prepared financial statement, it’s always a guesstimate. She always uses words like, “I think” or “It was about...” Can't she, for once, come to a board meeting with something on paper instead of in her head? Every month her numbers are different. She talks about revenue but not expenses. They want you to think they are making tons of money, but they're not. If they were, she would have something concrete to show, but she doesn't.
Also during open forum, resident Edie Zuccaro stated she was shocked that everybody was so disheartened. When she served on the park board they passed a motion to spend a MILLION dollars on the Chalet but it got voted down. She said the Chalet is a great facility and it is finally making money and she can’t understand why people are complaining about it. When Edie was asked how she knew the Chalet was making money, she stated, “It was in the board minutes for December. They made $30,000, $60,000.”
Maybe she should stop drinking the Kool-Aid and take a minute to READ the board minutes from December. Nowhere in these minutes does it state that the Chalet is making money and especially not $60,000! Here is a link to the minutes so you can read them yourself.
The pressing business that was to be conducted at Monday's special meeting had to do with some fitness equipment that members of the park board would like to purchase. It is being sold by Velocity Sports Performance because they lost their lease. The equipment is used and the asking price was approx. $41K. According to Ernie Moon, the Chalet is in need of updated workout equipment. Velocity must sell their equipment or it will be sold at auction because they lost their lease and this equipment is collateral on a loan they have. The auction process is supposed to start on Thursday. Brad Martin suggested offering Velocity $35,000 for everything. He was more worried about the needs of Dale Deatsch and his deadline for the auction than he was about getting the best bang for the taxpayers' buck. At one point Martin stated that Deatsch was down to the wire and needed to get the most money he could for the equipment at which point Cainkar said, "They're broke." Martin stated that Deatsch paid $80K for the equipment and he only wanted half the value. Ernie Moon made a motion to offer Deatsch $18,500 for the used equipment. After the motion was seconded, the roll call went Moon, Brewer, Pettrone: yea and Martin: nay.
NAY???
Brad Martin said he thinks it is worth more than $18,500. He wanted to offer more money. This coming from the guy who in July stated the park was in financial ruin. Does it strike anyone as odd that Brad Martin wants to offer top dollar to a company that has a partnership with his sister-in-law, Sue Keck? Velocity Sports Performance has a page on their website that lists their partners. Two of the partners listed on their website, 1st Alliance and Lions Jrs. are club's owned by Martin's sister-in-law. Isn't this a conflict of interest for Martin? Should he be voting on ANYTHING that will directly benefit his sister-in-law's companies or their partners?
Discussion then turned to outsourcing jobs at the park district. Namely financial and payroll services. When Ernie Moon asked about this, Katherine replied you missed the meeting when this was discussed. Yeah, so did we because it was one of those secret special meetings that they didn't tell anyone about. This secret meeting came about at the December 8th board meeting. After 20 minutes of regular meeting, the board went into executive session to clear the room. About 10 minutes later, the recording secretary came out. She was asked if the meeting was going to reconvene and she said it was over and that they continued the meeting. They continued the meeting without telling anyone so that they could have discussion on December 10th with no one present in the audience. Sneaky.
The jobs they want to outsource are financial services and payroll services. Ernie Moon asked 'by outsourcing jobs, would they be eliminating some jobs?' Brewer added that by gathering bids to outsource jobs, they were looking at how much money the park district could save. This was rather ironic. A few minutes earlier, Martin was looking at how much money he could spend to help Deatsch out of his debt, and now they were talking about eliminating jobs of long time employees. It is obvious where Martin's loyalty is...with a partner of his sister-in-law's.
The most absurd part of the meeting was when Moon brought up Carol McMurray's resignation. Pettrone stated, "Unfortunately we didn't have any discussion, which is unfortunate for all of us."
No discussion??
Where was the discussion with Carol when they purposely changed the meeting to a night she specifically said she could not attend due to work commitments? People are not as dumb as they think. They FORCED Carol's resignation. There was no discussion with her. For Colleen to act all innocent is preposterous. Brad, Wade and Colleen should be ashamed of themselves for what they did to Carol McMurray. The residents of this community voted Carol into office and in one fell swoop, the three stooges tossed her out. No discussion...come on, Colleen, give us a break!
Finally, Cainkar drafted some kind of resolution for changing the appointment procedures for vacancies in the office of park. At his direction, the actual resolution was not read out loud except for the title. He said the resolution parallels state statute and his suggestion for the board is and has been that the board should advertise for the position. He offered to put something together for the board, and put it in the paper, request resumes and interview candidates. We'd be willing to bet that doesn't happen.
You might be wondering what Martin's role was for the remainder of the meeting. Well, to be honest, he sat there and sulked over the low offer for the fitness equipment. He did not participate in discussion on any other matters, just Velocity.
We don't make this stuff up, you can view the entire meeting on tape if you would like.
10 comments:
Once again there is the need to get organized. Determine our rights as citizens, taxpayers, etc. Let's find out, demand resignations, and rid ourselves of further mismanagment, rising debt obligations, and embarassment!!!!-
Edie Z is a hack! She couldn't balance her own cookie jar! Secret meetings, she's probably an expert given the shenanigans that went on in Willow Springs!!!
Citizens need to get organized and put together FOIA requests for ALL Chalet Expenditures related to the renovation, contracts, bidding, equipment valuation, etc. and all cancelled checks, account transfers or whatever mode used to determine where all the money came from. Perhaps it's time for the citizens to get a lawyer to do this and get a finance person to go through the results. There are citizens that must be in these fields to help.
How about getting the State's Attorney's Office involved? There are enough violations of the open meetings act, mis-appropriation of funds, unfair hiring and firing practices, non-bidding of large dollar work, building permit violations, asbestos removal without EPA notification....the list is GROWING!!!!
Great Super Sleuthing!!! Kudos for telling it like it is!!
Anon. by choice!!
I heard today that BellaFIT has been forced to end their relationship with the Pleasantdale Park District after Paul Caskey decided not to honor the financial agreement that was put into place before he arrived. Hmmm, perhaps this is because they are looking to push out vendors who have a sincere commitment to serving the community and instead make room for businesses like Velocity who have family ties to the board. BellaFIT has remained determined to continue offering classes to community members regardless of the failures of the recreation department. I have actually had to fight to register for the BellaFIT classes because there was such disarray with the processing of registrations. To see that a vendor who was an advocate for community members and community health and fitness initiatives forced out by a man who seems to have no regard for community service is incredibly disappointing. How has this "clan" of people been allowed to take control of the board, our tax dollars, our facilities and programs? How do we stop them? Seems that as time passes they are getting bolder in their actions and destroying what little we have left.
How did Paul Caskey get hired?
He's a friend of the family.
I also heard that outsourcing "Accounting Work" is something that Brad Martin's wife does.... Good this be true?????
There was a great number of new people at the Board Meeting the other night. That is what needs to happen, we need to make this Board accountable for their actions.
Ooh, la, la! Let's see what is wrong with this picture. President Martin's wife is doing the accounting work? WHAT! That is a major red flag. Proper auditors, cpa's and accountants need to be involved here. These people need to be interviewed, background checks completed and position posted and voted on by the board, etc. Employees hired because of family relationships, etc....I thought incest was illegal in this country?! When everyone is "RELATED" there are no checks and balances.
So pathetic you all are, why don't you ever mention the fact that Dominic V. was always having to protect his son against nepotism at PPD. They used it against him during election time but you were all babies and didn't vote back then. You want to say that people are connected and friends, etc. you cry like babies, do you wonder why you lost your election or didn't get hired. People don't like any of you.
Calm down Edie!
I have never posted on this blog but when a personal “attack” comes about, I feel the need to clarify.
The situation you mention regarding Dominic V doesn’t come up for several reasons. He has been passed away for almost 5 years, not on the board for over 7 years and what you are referring to occurred over 12+ years ago. The nepotism issue ONLY came up once, when another resident was trying to get his seat on the board and could find nothing else to “attack”. It was not against policy for me to work there, the public saw through the slanderous and misinformation and voted him to a 3rd term easily. Why? Because he had integrity, answered and served the public and was extremely conservative financially. His service was a big part of why there was money for the ballfield lights, expansion of the rec center and the golf course. I also had professional success which I can share or highlight if needed. Once again, the issue ONLY came up a month or so before and election, nothing was said for the 4+ years of PT work, the first 1.5+ years of FT work nor anytime after the election. I clearly worked directly for my boss, not my father and there was no reason for him to “always protect his son against nepotism.”
I did interview recently, if I was not selected because someone doesn’t like me, that is unfortunate because I believe it is the responsibility of a supervisor, director or in the this case the board, to select the most qualified person for the job, not the person who is liked or disliked personally. This very comment of your tells the public something about the officials they have elected. I am not upset about not getting the job, disappointed, yes, because I thought it would help my family and community. I do find it interesting that there is such disdain for me considering I haven’t probably spoken more then a few hundred words (if that) to any of the board members in my lifetime. I do want to take a second and thank the many people in the community who remember the work I did, say hello and quite often ask me when I will be coming back or mention that they still “miss” me after being gone 10+ years. As I have aged, those friendships still mean a lot to me. I am confident saying your statement “people don’t like any of you” is theatrical and well over stated as I believe the opposite is true.
Let me make it crystal clear, my family is not against the park, we are for it and agree with some of the things that have been done recently. (chalet renovation, new website and the extra layer of management that was needed). However, there are things that have been done that are not correct. (ie meeting violations, disregarding a former board members request not to change meeting to Wednesdays, not going out for bids on projects etc..)
Lastly, please let my father rest in peace, he earned that!- Vance V.
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