1st Annual Blue Ribbon Walk Photos - May 30, 2015

Thank you to all that came out to support Sauk Village's 1st Responders!

Public Comment

Since the last election there has been a lot of uproar about public comment by Trustee Burgess. As some may remember not so long ago Sauk Village board meetings were out of control with both residents and non-residents using the village board meeting as their personal soap box. Meetings were known to last into the early morning hours with audience members yelling and fighting and the need of Police officers (local and County) at all village board meetings.

In 2011 Trustee Derrick Burgess recommended to have the public comment limited in an effort to bring back order and decorum to village board meetings

The following is a history behind the amendment of the Public Comment Ordinance.

•  June 7, 2011 – Review of Public Comment Ordinance due to village resident’s complaints of long meeting, lack of order and decorum and unable to address the board due to individuals not yielding the floor
• July 5, 2011 – Discussion of Public Comment was added to the agenda at the request of Trustee Burgess
• July 12, 2011 – Village attorney’s made suggestions what other communities have in place at the request and direction of Trustee Burgess
• July 19, 2011 – Trustee Burgess during comments recommended a new format be implemented for public comment (current public comment format)
• July 26, 2011 – Amendment to Public Comment Ordinance when Trustee Burgess placed a motion on the floor to amend the ordinance

Now, Trustee Burgess has changed his mind and wants to turn back time and revert to an ordinance that was proven not to work. Trustee Burgess is also currently inciting residents to disrupt meetings to bring back the type of meetings that lacked order and decorum that we witnessed in the previous administration.

The public comment ordinance was amended not only to bring back order and decorum but to also allow all residents the opportunity to speak. In addition, with the formation of the new committee's residents now have an opportunity to attend the following committee meetings and discuss key issues with Trustees that chair and co-chair these committees.

Below are the 2015/2016 Mayoral committee appointments

Community/Public Relations Committee

·         Chair Trustee Williams

·         Vice Chair Trustee Burgess

Public Works/Lake Michigan Water Committee

·         Chair Trustee Burgess

·         Vice Chair Trustee Jones

Public Safety/Ordinance Review Committee

·         Chair Trustee Myers

·         Vice Chair Trustee Tates

Neighborhood Watch Committee

·         Chair Trustee Washington

·         Vice Chair Trustee Myers

Parks and Recreations Committee

·         Chair Trustee Jones

·         Vice Chair Trustee Washington

Budget and Finance Committee

·         Chair Trustee Tates

·         Vice Chair Trustee Williams

The latest rant is not about freedom of speech…….residents have more meetings now than ever to approach Trustees about important issues. Additionally, with the appointment of Village Administrator J.W. Fairman residents have access to someone during normal working hours. 

Don’t be fooled! This is nothing more than a political ploy to destroy our community, stop the Forward Momentum in an effort to win the next Mayoral election. If residents really want to know what’s going on perhaps they should be attending the Trustees committee meetings they chair and co-chair.