The Markham Park District agreed Monday to not cause or permit the operation or landing of helicopters on Park District property, 10 days after a contentious prom helicopter photoshoot.
The city of Markham alleged Markham Park District Executive Director Quintina Brown displayed an overreach of authority by arranging a helicopter landing on public property for her daughter’s prom photoshoot May 8.
Quintina Brown “unilaterally” approved the helicopter landing, the filing said. A letter regarding the authorization, included as an exhibit, was printed on Park District letterhead and signed by Brown.
The city also filed exhibits showing that Brown ordered the helicopter under a credit card with a billing address to the Park District office.
Burt Odelson, representing the city in the lawsuit, said after the city filed this evidence, Brown paid for the helicopter in cash Friday, according to his conversations with the helicopter pilot.
Brown and the attorney for the district, Adam Simon, could not be reached for comment Monday.
Markham Mayor Roger Agpawa said Monday the helicopter landing was dangerous and showed issues with Park District decision making.
“These things can lend themselves where they’re not just counterproductive to parks but where they’re dangerous.” he said. “I think that decision making makes it very evident that this is the type of governance over there.”
The city alleged in its filing that the helicopter “landed near active basketball courts, causing children to flee the area.”
Body camera footage of the incident shows around a dozen residents standing around the helicopter, some taking photos of Quintina Brown’s daughter, QuaMyra Brown, in her prom dress. It’s unclear if these residents were already there before the helicopter landed.
The restraining order is part of a larger lawsuit filed by the city against the Park District last October, where the city alleges the park board mismanaged funds, left parks in disrepair and violated a 2012 intergovernmental agreement.
The Park District has argued recent loss of city grant funding, despite promises by the city to fund projects, has created financial distress.
Agpawa alleged several parks are unmaintained with equipment in disrepair that creates an unsafe, liable situation. He also said parks have not been maintained aesthetically and there has been a lack of park programing.
He encouraged taxpayers to attend park board meetings and pay attention to their parks.
The city’s lawsuit against the park district is still pending and set for a status update 10:30 a.m. on June 30.
Odelson said he plans to ask the judge for an injunction in an effort to speed up the case and appeal to the appellate court.
“One wouldn’t think it would take this long but you need to honor the judge’s time,” said Agpawa.
awright@chicagotribune.com
