North Cook News

Village officials of Skokie recently were set to vote on an ordinance that would grant retroactive pay raises to Skokie's village manager, corporation counsel, assistant corporation counsels and deputy village clerk.  

The raises would be effective from May 1, 2022, over 10 months ago. The adjustment amounts to around $400,000, and it was approved at its first reading without any amendments made by council vote.

"Outside of village hall in your personal lives, you all have clear and explicit political associations with Assistant Corporation Counsel James McCarthy and Corporation Counsel Mike Lorge," Village Trustee James Johnson said. "They lead your local political party, they participate in the selection process by which you were chosen as candidates for this board, they prepared and circulated your nomination paperwork, they have fundraised on your behalf, they have donated thousands of dollars to your political campaigns, they have volunteered and organized volunteers for your political campaigns, and more. So I do not believe it’s appropriate tonight for you to vote on their public compensations and their continued employment by the village. So, I am asking you to recuse yourself."

At the March 7 meeting when this ordinance was brought up, Johnson made a comment about it, asking certain trustees with personal and political ties to the corporation counsel members to recuse themselves for the vote because of potential conflicts of interest. He included Mayor Van Dusen, and trustees Keith Robinson, Edie Sutker, Ralph Klein and Khem Khoeun in his request for recusal.

Van Dusen spoke against this statement, testifying to the competency, work ethic and diligence of all members of their corporation counsel department. He also addressed the political alignment of them and many members of the board, saying that leaders seek out those with similar beliefs in helping them lead a community, much like how presidents appoint their advisers and representatives. He also reminded everyone that anyone who works for the village still retains their First Amendment rights in their personal life and may practice whatever political beliefs they have on their own time, in their own private life. 

Residents also spoke on the item, urging trustees to use caution with how they proceeded with the vote, saying nothing against the quality and character of either the board or corporation counsel. 

The board did vote on the ordinance, with only Johnson abstaining. Johnson then requested an item for the next meeting to have a public discussion about appointment policies, which they had previously done in an executive session in an accidental violation of the Open Meetings Act.