The city clerk’s post, vacant since December, was filled Tuesday night with the appointment of Jack Castelloni, despite protests by aldermen who tried to adjourn the meeting before action could be taken.
It all began when Robert Fitzpatrick, the clerk since 1977, resigned in December. Initially, the City Council approved Mayor James Richmond’s appointment of Deputy Clerk LaVerne Schultz, a full-time city employee, as clerk.
But when the council would not increase the clerk’s pay of $2,500 a year to meet her full-time salary, she declined to take the oath of office, and the position remained vacant.
With the City Council split 4-3 against him, Richmond said he saw his opportunity to make a clerk appointment at Tuesday’s three-hour meeting when opposition Ald. Frank Smith left early.
The appointment was immediately met with a motion to adjourn by Ald. Don Burns, another Richmond foe. Despite Burns’ protest that the clerk vote was illegal because of his motion to adjourn, Richmond and his allies voted to make the appointment.
After the meeting, City Attorney Keri-Lyn Krafthefer said Castelloni’s appointment had been properly carried out.
Castelloni, 48, is a teacher in Calumet Park School District 132 where he is president of the teachers union. He and his wife have three daughters, two of whom are twins and are high school seniors. The other daughter is a college senior.
He has been an Oak Forest resident for 23 years.
Castelloni said Wednesday he agreed to serve as clerk when Richmond approached him a week ago. He said if he proves a match for the clerk’s job he will run for election when his term ends in 1997.
