Apparently, Judy Sigwalt and Paul Humpfer have been meeting regularly, for at least most of the year, with a small group of supporters a few days before Village Board meetings.
Now, that might seem like good, solid community involvement, but this is Carpentersville and we’re talking about two trustees who have been at the center of the “Trouble with Carpentersville“. This group was supposedly put together to get them re-elected.
So, what was really going on at these meetings?
They would allegedly go over the agenda and through the Board information packets to formulate something of a script for public comments. Then, one or more of those present would be designated to bring the comments up during the public comment period at Village Board meetings.
Anyone see a conflict here?
Perhaps if we look at the several Board meetings where comments made were out-of-bounds or specifically not Village business, which resulted in President Sarto gaveling those persons and asking them to sit down, only to have Trustees Humpfer or Sigwalt object or even “appeal the ruling of the President”.
It would offer glaring evidence of the attempts to manipulate the meetings, interfere with Village business and, not least of all, criticize President Sarto. This seems all part of the strategy (of which readers of Carpentersville Action Network are now well aware) of Sigwalt and Co to disrupt Village Board meetings, slow progress and play political games at the expense of the community.
I would advise the Village Manager and the Village Attorney to investigate these issues. If that investigation turns up evidence of this, I believe it should result in the immediate censure, and perhaps removal from office, of these two trustees. Apparently, Trustee Sigwalt has admitted to this.
Furthermore, I would recommend that Trustees Teeter, Hinz and Ritter distance themselves significantly from these two trustees, both in their voting and any commendatory or congratulatory messages, if they want any chance at remaining in office at the next election. That they have seemed supportive of some of the past antics of these two trustees casts a shadow of suspicion over them as well. They need to show residents they are not a part of these unconscionable acts.
These two trustees appear responsible for doing a great deal of harm to the Village and something must be done.
13 comments
Dec 21, 2007 at 12:24 pm
P.S.
This explains a lot doesn’t it? I know I’ve had enough of both Humpfers and Sigwalts politics. I agree, it is “unconscionable”. They both must go.
Why do people like this run for public office?
Dec 21, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Bob
I agree, it’s time for both Judy Sigwalt and her stooge Paul Humpfer to both be tossed out on their butts.
I can’t believe I fell for their line of crap in the last election. Never again!!!
Dec 21, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Joe Sanders
I’ve been reading this site for some time now. How deep does this go?
This makes sense out of all this senselessness. Sigwalt and Humpfer should be removed. NOW!!!
Dec 21, 2007 at 3:00 pm
JJ
If any or all of this is true, it should be thoroughly investigated and brought forward into a court of law. Who will bring this information forward to the States Attorney?
Dec 21, 2007 at 6:49 pm
Joe Sanders
This must be followed up on. I hope someone is planning on doing that. Things are out of control.
Dec 21, 2007 at 9:13 pm
P.S.
I just finished watching the Carpentersville Village Board meeting from December 18th. What I found very interesting is that Paul Humpfer was not there.
I’ve been watching these meetings for some time now and it seems as if Sigwalt makes most of the motions and Teeter seconds them. Could this be because they are getting together ahead of time to arrange the meeting format.
Those who did make public comments did read from a script for the most part. One fellow who I know to be from Harvard spoke against the formation of TIF districts. By the way, he was dead wrong in what he said. In fact, I believe I’ve heard Trustee Humpfer make the same mistakes in his opposition to TIF’s. I wonder if he wasn’t just reading Humpfer’s statement?
We do need an investigation of this matter with two or perhaps more trustees meeting in secret. This has to be a violation of several laws.
Dec 21, 2007 at 10:13 pm
James
From what I have seen online of Board meeting footage, much of the time it is disgraceful and appears to be a village hijacked by a small group seemingly determined to bring the entire proceedings to a grinding halt. If any Board member (whom we trust with our Village) is involved in an attempt to actually generate that sort of inefficiency during meetings (1. wasting tax dollars 2. preventing positive work from being accomplished 3. creating an image that makes C’ville at best seriously dysfunctional and at worst a laughing stock, dissuading potential home buyers and developers from touching the place), they should consider themselves lucky if the only recourse is simply being “let go” without any further consequences.
Dec 22, 2007 at 6:16 am
Chrysippus
I am encouraged to see some people treating this issue with the seriousness it deserves.
It appears that two trustees colluded with a small group to directly influence the decisions of the Village of Carpentersville Board of Trustees. That they met with the express intent to discuss matters coming before the Board, having it within their collective power to move the Board to act on those items.
I would encourage any and all citizens to send me an email with your contact information, and I will provide you with information on whom to contact about this matter, as soon as I have it available.
Dec 22, 2007 at 7:32 am
JJ
A recommendation: provide the information on whom to contact on your website. In addition, the person making the claims as mentioned above, will that person be contacting the proper authorities and is that person aware of the implications of his/her complete honesty? Someone is going to need some proof and witnesses otherwise this will all be for naught.
Dec 22, 2007 at 11:11 am
carpentersville2
Proof and witnesses, hmmmm.
Don’t hold your breath, you might turn blue in the face.
Just more innuedoes, but I’m sure that Chrys will put a spin on this too.
Dec 22, 2007 at 11:32 am
Chrysippus
Stay tuned…
Dec 26, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Ed
Sounds more like this story is fabricated. Whoever is the one who is making this claim, please come out and show us the proof. We can all make accusations and it is reaaly silly to claim it’s the truth when you can’t back it up.
Dec 29, 2007 at 5:18 am
Chrysippus
Here is at least some “proof” that the story is not “fabricated”.