Wednesday, March 7, 2007

A conflict of interest in Forest Park???

The highlighter has learned that former Forest Park Police Sergeant Dan Harder was terminated last year after he filed a lawsuit against the Village of Forest Park. Forest Park Mayor Anthony Calderone is suspected of instructing Police Chief Ryan and other village employees to terminate former Police Sergeant Dan Harder. The Fire and Police Commission is responsible for hiring, promoting, and firing public servants.
Coincidentally, the chair of the Forest Park Fire and Police Commission is Amy Rita. According to Josh Adams, The Forest Park Review, "The board's chairwoman, Amy Rita, has received financial gifts from Calderone, according to campaign contribution reports maintained by the state. Rita is also a volunteer in the mayor's re-election campaign and regularly features a column penned by him in her publication, the Forest Park Post." Visit http://www.forestparkreview.com/ to read article written by Josh Adams.

Is the relationship between Mayor Calderone and appointed Commission Board Chair Amy Rita a conflict of interest? Is retaliation the common practice if one files a lawsuit in the public sector?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Of course this is a conflict of interest but in Forest Park no one cares. Could you just imagine a sitting judge since that is really what Amy Rita is, taking money from a politician and working actively on their campaign. That judge would be in jail. This is just another example of the widespread corruption that is Proviso Township and Forest Park. Most have just decided to live with it rather than change it. Oh well.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Proviso Highlighter,

I didnt know how to send this to you except to reply to a different post. I am sure it should be its own topic.

I will post as Westchester Senior...

I am very upset at the way the supposed, Progressive Party is politically spinning everything in our town. The seem to be on an agenda to constantly ridicule the mayor and Mr Luciano in every way, shape or form. It is very tiring....and mostly untrue. I am not saying that I agree with everything that our Village board does, what I am saying is that they are not doing anything different than what they are complaining about.

The Broadview Adult Club story...they made a complete political issue with out casting blame where blame should be....on the Village Manager. It is HIS responsibility to communicate information he learns to all of the board members. I think this is why we have a Village MANAGER form of goverment...instead they blame Mayor Gattuso. It's not his job to call everyone and alert the parties involved, it is the managers. (correct me if I am wrong). Needless to say this is NOT how it is all portrayed on the Progressive Party Website of Lies.
Why didnt they call Mr gattuso when they heard about it to join forces and get the word out? I bet because they only wanted to try to make him look bad. They dont want to work together. The are loners trying to manipulate a system for there own needs and political gain.

Mr "Open and Honest" Richard Fox wants everything out front and open, however he made his "blog for public forum and dscussion" private to his select few. I guess he really doesnt want to hear from people who's opinion differ from his. If this would have been anyone else, he would have wanted a GRAND JURY HEARING into it.

Also, the release of the attorney. They post all of the information that would make it look negative on the situation but fail to say that Mr Edmonds was a Village Trustee with Mr SInde and made a deal to become the village attorney if he would resign from the board. Why dont they talk about that? Why dont they say that Mr Edmonds is a supporter of the Progresive Party...that is why they are concerned. Why dont they say that he billed the village excessively and has provided MIS-INFORMATION on the Prairie issues as well as other things over the past years. Mr Bikelman and Mr fox have both commented on these things over the last few years at meetings but are now unaware of why he was released. Are we seeing a pattern of lies and deception on Mr Fox and Mr Casey's part?

What did Mr Casey ever do anyways except go along with everything that Mayor Sinde wanted? Now he wants back? He used to even roll his eyes at Mr Fox's comments...I witnessed that in the audience myself...but now he will run with him.

My husband and I see a bunch of hypocracy with Mr's Fox and Mr Casey (and Mr Buikema). We dont know anything about Mr Boyle...he seems like a nice lad...but who knows.

I just can't see how grown men who say they want to move the Village forward continuously stop they flow of information and movement for their own enrichment. they like to hear themselves talk and rant and really make themselves out to be people they are not.

I just hope more people see this before they go vote in APril...I know I am trying to tell as many people as I know.

I hope you can post this and we can see if any others feel the same way.

March 8, 2007 10:42 AM
Anonymous said...
Heres another example of Mr Fox and Mr Buikemas two-faced mentality....this is from his personal BLOG: and this is a quote:

"I researched and brought to the board the suggestion to place a temporary moratorium on non sales tax producing businesses in town so that our prime redevelopment opportunities would not be wasted on businesses that will not bring additional sales tax revenues to the village. In the short term, we still have blight in the village, but through proper planning, the village will have a real chance to benefit financially in the longrun. Longterm planning in Westchester did not exist three years ago."

...but even with this statementon his BLOG, Mr Fox and Mr Bikleman want to Approve Mr Manzo's request for a "Social Club" a non-tax-producing entity on Roosevelt Rd across from the Village Hall...Is this because Mr Manzo is a supporter of Mr Fox and Casey?

I guess it is OK to be political when it is for their benefit.

I thin kthere were other issues with this "club" going in, but they were OK with those too...Funny isnt it?