Township trustees take steps toward tougher ethics code

March 12, 2009

By IRV LEAVITT reporter@pioneerlocal.com

Northfield Township trustees Tuesday decided to move toward a tougher ethics code, despite Attorney General Lisa Madigan's refusal to tell them whether or not their efforts were within state law.

Trustees spent an hour arguing over fine points, with Republican Bob Dunne insisting nothing should be discussed until Madigan delivers an opinion. Democrats maintained they might as well start work with the understanding that somehow it might get done.

A 2004 state law, according to Dunne, seems to prevent non-home rule governments from toughening their ethics codes. Dunne had already contacted legislators to ask for help. He said Madigan is compelled to provide legal opinions to members of the General Assembly, even about laws that seemed arcane or ill-conceived.

Tuesday, Republicans sided with Democrats, compelling Dunne to change his motion to send a Democratic resolution for ethics reform to committee but "hold it ... until we hear from the attorney general."

Trustee Elizabeth Coy agreed with her fellow Republican, Township Supervisor Jill Brickman, who said she didn't "see why we should wait. I don't see any harm in going ahead."

The election-time issue had been raised earlier this year by Trustee Karen Nystrom, a candidate for Brickman's post. Nystrom maintains Highway Supervisor Pete Amarantos' hiring of his relatives, and others linked to elected officials, like Coy's husband, should be curtailed.

By law, the Township Board can't do anything about Amarantos' Township Road District, other than fail to approve its budget or monthly expenses. Nystrom came close at Tuesday's Township Board meeting, when she abstained on the road district's monthly expenses after noticing that Amarantos had added them up wrong.

The total of benefits and salaries was $4,000 too low, a mistake township attorney Eric Patt called a scrivener's error.

Nystrom also criticized Amarantos' individual expenses, including about $1,000 for T-shirts for his crew to wear at eight annual recycling events, $27 for a business lunch she considered unnecessary, and employee memberships at Costco and Sam's Club. Amarantos didn't come to the meeting.

A date for the Human Resources Committee ethics discussion was not set.