Understanding politics is essential to understand the world around you. Learn about all types of government, how laws are decided upon and applied tocountriesVillages, find out how the election process works, and who gets to decide who rules acountryvillage like Forest View.
After being elected, Former Village President Thomas Heller resigned his position with the Village of Stickney and took his post as Village President in Forest View. What Thomas really wanted was to be the Forest View Fire Chief but he didn’t know how to make that happen since he can’t really appoint himself. In the end, Heller found a way. We thought it was a friendship between Heller and Powell but we have learned that this was not likely.
So how did he do it? A big clue that was right under our nose and we missed it. If Thomas Heller were to step down, a new village president would need to be appointed by the village board. After Heller did step down, the board was all in favor of appointing Brigitte Kirchgatterer aka “Bee” aka “the Bookiest Book Lady”. In the eleventh hour Kirchgatterer backed out and suddenly supported Larry Powell to be appointed.
Warning – Larry Powell Disclaimer: Speculation
Why would Kirchgatterer do that? One possibility is if she takes the position of Village President in Forest View, she may need to resign as secretary of the Forest View Park District due to a… wait for it… conflict of interest. Kirchgatterer is raking in $9K a year as a secretary for the park district and the Village President in Forest View makes less.
Okay not so bad right? Well as we looked further, we saw the dots shining bright in our eyes and we went on a connecting spree.
The Forest View Park District website lists the following people on the board of commissioners:
- Chad McDade
- Nadine Heller
- Heidi Garza
- Irma Navarez
- John Herman
Damn confusing! We doodled it out:
A kindergartner can put this puzzle together. Thomas Heller loses his primary employment and must act fast. A plan was needed to put Heller in the highly paid Fire Chief spot. The only way he could do it was by removing the current qualified Fire Chief, stepping down and having a person on the village board he is most connected to take over as village president. We may need to send another FOIA for phone records.
The money probably wasn’t right for Kirchgatterer so now what? Enter the Larry Powell. Larry always wanted to be the village president and here was his big opportunity! The board goes on to appoint Larry Powell as Village president with Kirchgatterer bowing out at the last minute. Larry wasn’t really a fan of Thomas Heller and with that high-level executive management job with Metra, we would think Larry would have done his due diligence and cleaned up the mess Thomas Heller left behind. Instead Larry unethically goes along with the program and appoints the unqualified Heller to the Fire Chief position without question. Larry falls short on votes to make this happen. Larry then goes out of his way to make sure Heller is appointed and remains as Fire Chief by appointing a neighbor who would vote how Larry wanted him to vote. Why would Larry do such a thing??? Larry later refused to remove the unqualified police chief and his sidekick even after all the turmoil that has turned up and may lead to legal liabilities. We wonder if this is how he makes decisions at his Metra management position.
The eleventh hour's turn of events would explain Kirchgatterer’s behavior at board meetings. Brushing off other trustees who want to get real answers from Larry's newly inherited cronies. Disgusting to say the least. Larry must have given Kirchgatterer what she and Thomas asked for, so she sides with Larry continuously. Given her noticed behavior, Kirchgatterer has failed to carry out her duties as a trustee with objectivity and integrity. Kirchgatterer is not new to controversy. There were some reports filed with the Forest View Cops by Chad McDade and Kirchgatterer’s former customers looking for their bikes, money or bike parts after the sudden closing of the motorcycle repair shop.
It is overwhelmingly obvious that some deals were made behind closed doors and we wouldn’t be surprised if the FBI pays Forest View a visit in the near future.
15 comments:
As more Mexicans move into Funnyview, this power struggle is going to get mucho interesting over the coming years. Funnyview's own version of Tex-Mex Boarder Wars!Can dumpling filled burritos be far off?
So long cook county when that happens. I grew up, like most of us did, in Cicero when it was still a nice middle class suburb. The 90s happened and now look at it
Chad and his wife ripped off a bunch of people. They were coming to town looking for them after they closed their business.
this is ridiculous, how has the press not found out about this????? This should be all over the news like the McCook and Lyons unethical runnings and job granting!!! I hope the media shows up at next board meeting. And I hope the rest of the trustees there save what’s left of integrity and replace the police chief and fire chief ASAP!!!!
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Chad and his wife ripped off a bunch of people. They were coming to town looking for them after they closed their business.
They must not do background checks on trustees either.
If the village of funny view wants to turn the media off, they should have Tugboat Tommy do all the communications with the press. After 20 minutes of him trying to formulate a sentence and it still just sounds like gibberish that makes no sense, they will probably walk away with their heads spinning..... much like the members of his department do on a daily basis
Of course not... That’s the forest view way!! But wait, only if your sals person then it doesn’t apply to you.
I don’t know about the police Chief, but UNFORTUNATELY the members of the fire department fear they are stuck with useless tugboat Tommy at least until the next election. Supposedly the mayor came to the firehouse on a few occasions and told firefighters that as long as he is the village president tugboat Tommy Heller isn’t going anywhere and will be Fire Chief and that the guys just need to try and make it work with him...... that was straight from guys I talked to at the funny view firehouse.
I wonder if Powell walks around metra yelling at anyone who doesn't park in between the lines.
Speaking of favouritism,the former mayor couldn't kiss Nagys ass enough. I'm surprised he didn't change the village's name to Nagyville.
If Powell is going to yell at anyone he should start with tugboat Tommy and the lack of his leadership or constant failures in the funny view fire department. For example, I wonder how the residents would fee to know that the other morning there was NO ONE working at the fire department. From 7a-3p it was a vacant firehouse. Chief Tommy wasn’t able to get the schedule filled even with all of his experience and leadership knowledge ( eye roll) so the residents were left with a vacant firehouse. No ambulance no fire engine.... NOTHING. Once again the village of forest view would have had to call McCook and Stickney to run their calls and protect the residents. Way to go Chief Tommy, you really earned that big paycheck this week.
Lawrence C Powell earned $147,330 in 2017 as a Sr Director, Eng Maintenance for METRA Eng Maint. Powell had worked in this position since February 16, 1983.
Powell earned more than 100.00% of employees in METRA Eng Maint.
From BGA website
That is ridiculous to hear about no one working at the firehouse. What if there was a fire or someone really needed an ambulance. I think the village should do what my town did and look at going with a company that provides fire service. We are by forest view and we have 9 full time contract firefighters. It is a lot cheaper for the village and best of all there is ALWAYS people in the firehouse to protect the residents. I mean isn’t that the purpose of a fire department, to help people. When I read this I think to myself I’m glad I’m not a funny view resident.
They HAD to have a brand new half million dollar ambulance, but it’s out of service more then it’s in service. Never have people to man the fire house, how is this possible?? So they take other towns out of service to handle their calls. How does a FIRE DEPARTMENT have NO manpower? I sure hope no one tries to walk into the FD with an Emergency, that would be a lawsuit waiting to happen. Seems as if Tug boat tommy has a problem making the schedule, just like Sal does at the PD, can’t even get that right.
What is the purpose to A: Have a "Park District" for 1 park that's a block by half block? And B: Having FIVE Park District Board Members? That District should be abolished and the Park be a Village department. What are they going to do next? Create a Forest View Park District Police Dept.? Oh, right Shoup is the "Park Ranger" whatever the fuck that is.
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