Manteno board meetings are regularly fraught with controversy, and the June 15 meeting was no different, with the ousting of Village Attorney Joe Cainkar and the appointment of a new village attorney, James Vasselli.
Mayor Annette LaMore wasted no time inviting Vasselli to the podium to introduce himself. Vasselli Law is an Oak Brook firm that represents 18 taxing districts and has a former Public Access Counselor among its staff.
The mere consideration of the appointment was protested by half the board, who questioned Vasselli’s character and past when he came to the podium to introduce himself.
Trustee Todd Crockett didn’t mince words and asked if he had been compensated after working with LaMore for the past year — a point Vasselli was quick to correct him on, noting he had only been speaking with LaMore and had not been compensated. He quipped that she bought him a coffee once, much to Crockett’s chagrin.
Then, Trustee Joel Gesky asked Vasselli whether he worked for the Cook County prosecutor’s office and whether he was involved in an anthrax hoax from 2001.
Vasselli owned up to the hoax, said it was him, noted that it was over 20 years ago, and asked if there were any follow-up questions. Gesky did not, but said he’d have a tough time voting in favor because of that.
Trustee Annette Zimblemen was up next and asked whether Vasselli was involved in a case in which he improperly withheld FOIA records. Vasselli asked for more context on the case Zimblemen was referencing. Vasselli said the individual tried to submit a FOIA request for the clerk’s records and was trying to protect the attorney-client privilege to the best of his ability.
Trustees Mike Barry, C.J. Bourdreau and Peggy Vaughn had no questions or comments at that point.
Despite the protests, LaMore appointed Vasselli on the basis that she is authorized to make an emergency appointment. Vasselli promptly took Cainkar’s usual seat in the boardroom as trustees protested and requested their dismay be reflected in the record as loud applause filled the room.
Once they settled, Gesky piped up to say the removal procedure hadn’t been followed, and as such, he was making a motion to disapprove of the removal of Cainkar and move to reinstate him.
Vasselli interjected and said that’s not how it works because there was no appointment of Cainkar.
The vote to undo LaMore’s action proceeded in the same fashion, though Vasselli remained seated in the village’s attorney’s seat.
“I don’t know what to say,” LaMore said — but her new lawyer did.
“In the state of Illinois, there are different forms of government, Madame Mayor, and we operate not under a commission form of government or a managerial form of government but a type of government in America where the executive appoints the officers. So, whatever motions get made or whatever things get done, we still operate under the form of government where the mayor appoints the officers,” Vasseli said.
“I think that’s the response, Madame Mayor,” Vasselli added.
He said it was also reflected in the state code and in the village code under section 1-5-5, which is on the appointment and removal of appointed officers.
At that point, Boudreau and Gesky interjected to say, “With consent of the board!”
LaMore reiterated her position, with Boudreau reiterating Cainkar’s firing wasn’t done properly.
Gesky, at that point, attempted to just move forward, stating the motion had carried.
LaMore reasserted she was making an emergency appointment for the next 30 days.
Gesky requested it be made clear on the record the vote to reinstate Cainkar.
Vasselli said it wasn’t on the agenda, so it essentially wouldn’t count. Gesky responded he didn’t see the removal on agenda, to which Vasselli said it didn’t have to be because the executive makes the decision, which is the mayor. LaMore had issued a letter to Cainkar earlier that day.
“I continue to be amazed by your delusional thoughts that you can run this village as a dictatorship,” Crockett lambasted the mayor.
This came after Crockett again asked Vasselli whether he was compensated by the mayor or her associates, and this time it elicited a response revealing that banana bread was also involved.
Crockett didn’t take the jokes lightly, and Vasselli said he’d already answered no at least three times.
During trustee comments at the end of the meeting, Boudreau said he wasn’t in favor of switching law firms while the village is defending itself from an active lawsuit filed by residents.