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Chicago Tribune
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Illinois attorney general investigation of DuPage County clerk a concern for county's Democratic growth
When activist Jean Kaczmarek was elected DuPage County clerk seven years ago, she became the first Democrat elected to countywide office in 84 years and her subsequent work as clerk to make voting easier and more available was lauded by the party faithful. But the appointment of Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul's office as special prosecutor to investigate Kaczmarek's office over allegations of official misconduct has prompted concern among Democrats that the gains they have made in wresting significant control of the once strongly Republican suburban county could be at risk. Kaczmarek, hailed in 2022 by the Democratic Women of DuPage County with its leadership award, is already facing a primary challenge as she seeks a third term next year. And her previous budgetary actions helped lead to a change in state purchasing law for most Illinois counties — a law that is now at the center of the Raoul investigation. DuPage County Circuit Judge Bonnie Wheaton's order on Monday appointing Raoul's office as special prosecutor is rooted in more than two years of internecine battles between the Democratic clerk and the Democratic-led DuPage County Board involving the often labyrinthine world of budgetary control and power in county governance. Even before the special prosecutor appointment, each side had filed civil suits against the other over such issues as Kaczmarek's ability to make budgetary transfers from one account to another without informing the county's chief financial officer from where the money was coming — as other county agencies and offices are required to do. In defending the moves, Kaczmarek is leaning on an April 2023 advisory opinion from Raoul that says a county board's budgetary authority over county officers using 'internal control provisions' is limited to appropriating lump sum amounts for equipment, materials and services. 'The attorney general's office has been crystal-clear for decades on this issue and it's time DuPage County started following the law,' Kaczmarek said in a statement a day after the special prosecutor appointment. 'The job of the County Board is to fund the office, not to micromanage operations.' But DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin, one of only three GOP countywide officeholders and the legal counsel for both the board and the clerk's office, said that under state law the clerk's transfers 'must be accomplished in such a manner for the County Finance Department to track' them. 'You were cautioned that expenditures in excess of an appropriation are prohibited, and a violation may result in prosecution of a Class B misdemeanor,' Berlin wrote to Kaczmarek's chief deputy clerk, Adam Johnson, in a May 2023 email. 'Further, a violation of any of these laws may constitute official misconduct by the public officer and/or the employee. Penalties may include forfeiture of the office or position, in the case of an employee, and is also a Class 3 felony.' The Democratic-led county board has sided with Berlin amid concerns over Kaczmarek's power, contending that there is a lack of transparency and a failure to follow traditional bidding rules. It led Deb Conroy, the county board's chair since 2022 and a former Democratic legislator, to travel to Springfield last year to persuade her former legislative colleagues to change state purchasing law to specifically put controls on the actions of elected county officials like Kaczmarek. 'The DuPage County Board and I work diligently to ensure our offices are fiscally responsible and that they comply with procurement laws and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles,' Conroy said in a statement. 'For years, we have expended significant time and energy to persuade the clerk's office to comply with these procedures. I went to Springfield in 2024 to clarify the law, ensuring the statute specifically outlined bidding guidelines for elected officials.' The new law, which took effect Jan. 1, requires elected county officials outside of Cook County to bid out 'services, materials, equipment or supplies in excess of $30,000.' Nine days after the law took effect, however, Kaczmarek signed a contract with Prager Moving & Storage Co. to transport early voting booths for this year's spring municipal elections, Berlin wrote in requesting a special prosecutor. The firm billed the clerk for $113,710, above the $30,000 bidding threshold, but the clerk's office has refused to give the county auditor any documentation to prove the contract was bid in order for the payment to be made, Berlin wrote. 'The County Auditor's office is not a court to which the County Clerk submits evidence in order to obtain the Auditor's subjective approval of her internal operational decisions,' Johnson, the chief deputy clerk, responded to the auditor's request for bidding documentation, according to Berlin's court filing. In another instance in April, the county auditor's office received a $115,997 bill from Governmental Business Systems for election supply kits, such as ballots, supplied to the clerk's office. The auditor requested more information from the clerk about the invoice, but the clerk has not provided any, and the auditor won't process the bill for payment. 'The clerk's failure to comply with the competitive bidding law may constitute official misconduct,' Berlin told the DuPage court, saying the county board knows the county could be sued for nonpayment of the invoices — something that prompted the board to request 'an investigation into possible misconduct.' Because Berlin legally represents both the clerk and the county board, he has a conflict of interest and requested Raoul's office step in as an independent special prosecutor. Wheaton granted the request and Raoul's office has agreed to the role. In a statement after the special prosecutor appointment, Kaczmarek said she would 'welcome the involvement of' Raoul's office but said the action was 'simply another example of the lengths to which Bob Berlin will go to avoid admitting being wrong about the law.' Berlin, in response, issued a statement saying, 'In my thirty-seven plus years in public service, my ethics have never been called into question. I have no vendetta against anyone. All I am trying to accomplish is to ensure that everyone follows the law.' The new state law contains one exception for bypassing competitive bidding — professional services. Those are generally defined as professions in which a government-issued license is needed for the work to be performed, such as lawyers, accountants, physicians or architects. In an interview with the Tribune, Johnson, Kaczmarek's chief deputy clerk, contended the contracts awarded for moving and supplying polling equipment and ballot materials were 'professional services' that exempted the clerk from having to bid out the work. 'The act of moving 250 pieces of sensitive equipment throughout the county to polling places that by law have to be open at 6 a.m. the next day — yes, we do believe that that requires the professional expertise of our vendor,' Johnson said of the moving and supply contract. He said the same held true for the ballot kits, citing the March 2018 primary night fiasco of misshapen ballots that hampered vote counting — an issue that effectively ended the DuPage County Election Commission and merged its duties into the clerk's office. 'If people go back and look at the issues that the election commission had with improperly produced (ballot) cards that caused the election night catastrophe, my feeling is, if you can ruin the entire election by doing your job wrong, that sounds like a professional risk to me,' Johnson said. Beyond the immediacy of the investigation by Raoul's office is the potential fallout for Democrats if the probe concludes that prosecution of a criminal nature or official misconduct is warranted. Once considered a Republican firewall against Democratic votes out of Cook County, DuPage County since Kaczmarek's 2018 election has seen Democrats now hold six of the nine countywide elected offices and 12 of the 18 county board seats, with the countywide-elected chair, Conroy, also being a Democrat. Democrats privately fear that a prosecution of the clerk could halt their advances, with many wondering why the clerk and county board couldn't simply work out their differences. Now, Kaczmarek, who in May announced her 2026 bid for reelection as clerk, faces an announced Democratic challenger, county board member Paula Deacon García of Lisle, who Conroy is backing. What's more, there are also Democratic concerns that a highly visible prosecution could give Republicans an opportunity to regain the office. Such a development could potentially curb the expansion of voting opportunities created under Kaczmarek, such as increasing early voting sites and allowing people to vote at any polling place in the county on Election Day. 'It's disappointing that an investigation is needed,' Conroy said in her statement. 'However, I'm grateful the attorney general's office will investigate, provide information and determine the appropriate next steps.'
Chicago Tribune
05-07-2025
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
Naperville News Digest: A.D.O.P.T. Pet Shelter expands animal medical services; DuPage County awards more than $711,000 in grants
A.D.O.P.T. Pet Shelter's community clinic in Naperville is expanding services to offer appointments for pets with minor illnesses and injuries starting Thursday, July 10. The services will be in addition to wellness exams, vaccinations and spay and neuter surgeries already provided by the shelter's clinic, a news release said. Care for minor conditions, such as skin irritations, ear infections, minor wounds and other nonemergency issues will be available by appointment on Thursdays and Fridays, the release said. Special pricing is available for veterans and people with disabilities or receiving Social Security or Link benefits. A.D.O.P.T., a private, nonprofit and no-kill animal shelter and veterinary clinic, is located at 420 and 425 Industrial Drive. The expanded services furthers the clinic's mission to provide accessible, compassionate care for pets and remove barriers to care for pet owners, especially those facing financial challenges, the release said. For appointments, call 630-355-2299 or go to The DuPage County Board has awarded grants of up to $30,000 each to 32 small nonprofit organizations, including several serving the Naperville area. The board's Human Services Committee approved $711,336 in funding through its Small Agency Grant Programs, a county news release said. Eligible agencies had to apply for the money and be a nonprofit organization with an annual revenue of less than $300,000, the release said. Organizations selected provide programs and services in the areas of economic development, education and mentoring, housing and shelter, behavioral health services, substance use disorder treatment and food assistance. Some of the local organizations receiving grant funds include: Accelerate Climate Solutions, Chinese American Women in Action, Community Access Naperville Inc., Naperville Neighbors United, Orchestra Parents/Patrons' United Support, O.L.I. Gardens Inc. and Ride Assist Naperville. Funding for the program came from investment earnings from the American Rescue Plan Act. Funds were distributed equally among the County Board's six districts, the release said. The Rotary Club of Naperville recently installed Mike Calabrese as its new president and honored several of its members. Among those recognized were Donna Malone, named Rotarian of the Year; Barry McKeown, recipient of the Rita Harvard Lifetime Achievement Award; and Alma Jones, presented with the Art Davis Leadership Award, a news release said. Outgoing president Jacque Clermont said the organization distributed more than $550,000 in the last year through scholarships, grants and community giving and welcomed a record number of new members. The club also surpassed its fundraising goals, collecting more than $30,000 in Sergeant-at-Arms donations to support student scholarships. The club's theme for the upcoming year is 'United for Good,' Calabrese said in the release.
Chicago Tribune
24-06-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
DuPage to establish community land bank, trust to incentivize more affordable housing
More than two years after forming an ad hoc committee to augment affordable housing, DuPage County is taking a new approach to incentivizing low-cost development. The county is establishing a land bank. Authorized by the DuPage County Board last month, it will essentially put county-owned surplus land on reserve for future affordable housing projects. With DuPage being a virtually built-out county, the idea is to carve out space for more local affordable units by breathing new life into underutilized properties, county staff and officials say. 'People that work in DuPage and contribute to our economic stability (being) able to afford to live and raise their families here seems like it should be a fundamental right, but it's something that we're struggling with,' DuPage County Board Chair Deb Conroy said. 'We want to fix it.' The average median household income in DuPage County as of 2023 was $106,961, according to census data. Meanwhile, as of last month, the median sale price of a home in DuPage was $425,000, per data from Redfin, a national real estate brokerage. As for renters, the typical cost of rent in DuPage County in May was $2,113 a month, a 5.1% year-over-year increase, according to the Zillow Observed Rent Index, which measures changes in asking rents over time. Land banks have existed for a long time, said Paul Hoss, the county's planning and zoning administration coordinator. The concept just hasn't been implemented in DuPage before. The county is, however, uniquely primed to see the idea through. For years, DuPage has been building an inventory of county-owned property through its standing 'Neighborhood Revitalization Program,' which seeks to repair or remove dilapidated or abandoned buildings in unincorporated areas. Through the program, the owner of property in disrepair is given the chance to address issues on their own. If they don't, the county tackles the work and bills the property owner. If the owner abandons the property, the county puts a lien on it. Should that lien go unsatisfied, the county can seek to foreclose and could acquire the property as collateral for the unpaid lien. Alternatively, the county is sometimes just gifted dilapidated property through the program. Either way, DuPage has been able to accrue a 'de facto' inventory of property that can now act as a starting point for a land bank, Hoss said. Not stopping there, the county — hand in hand with establishing a land bank — will also be seeking to partner with a nonprofit community land trust (CLT), per board action taken last month. A community land trust is a similar mechanism to a land bank but instead of property, the CLT manages funds that can be loaned out to developers or property owners for the purpose of developing a certain type of housing that a government is looking for, Hoss said. The board has directed staff to prepare a request for qualifications to seek out a CLT. Both the CLT and land bank are the product of a recent effort to ramp up affordable and attainable housing throughout the county. In March 2023, Conroy established the Ad-Hoc Housing Solutions Committee to further the creation and expansion of DuPage's affordable housing stock. As part of that work, the committee engaged with Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm Grounded Solutions Network to partner with the county on its housing strategies and solutions. The effort, an 18-month venture, culminated in a comprehensive housing action plan. 'These folks helped us organize our thoughts and crystallize what we needed to do moving forward,' Hoss said. Grounded Solutions presented its plan at a board meeting earlier this spring, including pitches for a DuPage land bank and trust. District 1 Board Member Sam Tornatore said that since the creation of the Ad-Hoc Housing Solutions Committee, which he co-chairs, 'The progress has been significant.' 'It may not be as quickly as some people would want it, but we had to develop a foundation in order to get where we're at right now,' he said. With the county's new affordable housing strategies, Conroy said she especially hopes to make housing accessible more to the county's 'missing middle,' or those who make too much money to qualify for subsidized housing but not enough to afford market-rate housing or to buy a home. 'It affects (anyone) from college graduates to seniors downsizing to professionals that are in teaching or firefighting or police,' Conroy said. 'You know, those professions which are so important to the fabric of our communities, (they're) struggling to be first-time homeowners … here in DuPage (where) it's difficult to find anything under half a million dollars that has more than two bedrooms and maybe a bath and a half.' Conroy said she's 'incredibly proud of the investment that my board and staff have made into this.' 'It's been a very long process,' she said. 'It's taken a lot of time.'
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DuPage County Board member Sheila Rutledge to step down in August
West Chicago Democrat Sheila Rutledge is stepping down from DuPage County Board to focus on her newly elected role as supervisor of Winfield Township. Rutledge's resignation will be effective upon the adjournment of the Aug. 26 county board meeting, according to a news release from the county. Rutledge, who has represented District 6 on county board since 2018, was elected supervisor of Winfield Township in April. Winfield Township is located in DuPage County and comprises most of West Chicago, WInfield and Warrenville, as well as small sections of Wheaton, Naperville, Aurora and Batavia. Reached over the phone, Rutledge said she loves her work on the county board but decided that her focus should be on Winfield Township. When she vied for the supervisor position earlier this spring, Rutledge had always intended on stepping down but anticipated an overlap between the two roles to see through several county projects, she said. In a statement, DuPage County Board Chair Deb Conroy said that she was notified Tuesday of Rutledge's impending resignation. '(Rutledge's) collegial approach and dedication to the residents of District 6 is to be commended,' Conroy said. 'We thank Member Rutledge for her service and wish her well as she focuses on her new role as Winfield Township supervisor.' Rutledge said she will 'always be grateful' for the time she spent as a board member. The position 'created a new life' for Rutledge after her husband died in 2018, she said. 'Widowhood demands a new life,' she said. 'The county board was my vehicle for that. … It was a wonderful, wonderful experience.' Rutledge's term was due to expire in December 2026. Her vacant seat will be filled by Conroy with the advice and consent of the board, according to the county. The new appointee must be a Democrat, the county said. District 6 residents interested in seeking appointment to the board can email a resume and letter of no more than 300 words outlining their interest to Conroy at chair@ The deadline for submission is 4:30 p.m. June 20. News of Rutledge stepping down comes after Naperville Democrats Sadia Covert and Dawn DeSart confirmed earlier this month that they will be vying to keep their District 5 board seats in next year's midterm elections. Naperville City Councilman Ian Holzhauer has also announced that he will be challenging Covert for a four-year seat on the board. tkenny@
Chicago Tribune
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
DuPage County Board member Sheila Rutledge to step down in August
West Chicago Democrat Sheila Rutledge is stepping down from DuPage County Board to focus on her newly elected role as supervisor of Winfield Township. Rutledge's resignation will be effective upon the adjournment of the Aug. 26 county board meeting, according to a news release from the county. Rutledge, who has represented District 6 on county board since 2018, was elected supervisor of Winfield Township in April. Winfield Township is located in DuPage County and comprises most of West Chicago, WInfield and Warrenville, as well as small sections of Wheaton, Naperville, Aurora and Batavia. Reached over the phone, Rutledge said she loves her work on the county board but decided that her focus should be on Winfield Township. When she vied for the supervisor position earlier this spring, Rutledge had always intended on stepping down but anticipated an overlap between the two roles to see through several county projects, she said. In a statement, DuPage County Board Chair Deb Conroy said that she was notified Tuesday of Rutledge's impending resignation. '(Rutledge's) collegial approach and dedication to the residents of District 6 is to be commended,' Conroy said. 'We thank Member Rutledge for her service and wish her well as she focuses on her new role as Winfield Township supervisor.' Rutledge said she will 'always be grateful' for the time she spent as a board member. The position 'created a new life' for Rutledge after her husband died in 2018, she said. 'Widowhood demands a new life,' she said. 'The county board was my vehicle for that. … It was a wonderful, wonderful experience.' Rutledge's term was due to expire in December 2026. Her vacant seat will be filled by Conroy with the advice and consent of the board, according to the county. The new appointee must be a Democrat, the county said. District 6 residents interested in seeking appointment to the board can email a resume and letter of no more than 300 words outlining their interest to Conroy at chair@ The deadline for submission is 4:30 p.m. June 20. News of Rutledge stepping down comes after Naperville Democrats Sadia Covert and Dawn DeSart confirmed earlier this month that they will be vying to keep their District 5 board seats in next year's midterm elections. Naperville City Councilman Ian Holzhauer has also announced that he will be challenging Covert for a four-year seat on the board.
