A Des Plaines alderman charged the city clerk with overstepping her authority earlier this month after she removed the photos of all elected officials from the city hall’s lobby before the April 7 election.
Alderman James Brookman, 5th, who did not run for re-election this spring, brought up the issue at a city council meeting the night before voters took to the polls.
City Clerk Gloria Ludwig said she received orders from the Cook County Clerk’s office to remove all fliers, posters and campaign materials from city hall because it served as a polling place for early voting and on election day. She said she asked if photos of incumbent aldermen running for re-election were included in those categories, and was told that yes, they should also be removed.
But instead of removing only the photos of officials running for re-election, Ludwig said she chose to remove all photos of elected officials in an effort to avoid confusion.
“My thought was that it would invite less questions from the public if all the photographs were removed,” Ludwig said. A total of 10 photos were taken down, including pictures of the city’s eight aldermen, Mayor Matt Bogusz and a photo of the clerk. Four of the eight aldermen ran for re-election on April 7.
But Brookman saw it differently.
“I think this is clearly wrong and should not have been done,” Brookman said.
Alderman Mark Walsten, 6th, who will be forced to vacate his seat on the council in May due to term limits, volunteered to put the photos — which were in Ludwig’s office — back up that night.
“No, sir,” Ludwig responded to Walsten’s offer.
Then, one aldermen not up for election said she didn’t want her photo put back on display until after April 7.
“If Alderman Brookman has the authority to demand those photos be put back on the wall, I have the same authority to demand my photo not be put back up on that wall,” said Ald. Denise Rodd, 3rd.
On election day, photos were back on display of aldermen not in the race. Pictures of those who ran for reelection were on the wall again the next day.
