The Illinois Attorney General’s Office is investigating claims Shields Township violated the state’s open meetings law in just one element of ongoing tension between elected officials there that has seen Assessor Scott Helton resign and two trustees threaten to leave the board amid differences with Supervisor Heather Kerr.
In an April 12 letter to Kerr, Assistant Attorney General Jane Sternecky wrote that the office received word of a potential violation of the Open Meetings Act on March 31 from someone whose name was redacted from the letter, and the Attorney General’s Office believes further action is warranted.
” (The individual) alleges that the Board violated OMA by conducting a vote on two items that were not listed on the agenda for the March 31, 2022, rescheduled regular meeting. Specifically, she states that a vote was conducted regarding (1) the installation of a sitting trustee to serve as a liaison, and (2) the resignation or removal of the Township’s legal counsel and addition of a new attorney. According to (the individual), neither item was listed on the agenda for the meeting,” the letter read.
On April 19, Kerr responded to Sternecky that she was not present at the March 31 meeting, but she told Trustee Jeff Urso that the board could not take final actions on any items not listed on the agenda, but she believed the board did just that.
Kerr added in her letter the board does not have the authority to remove the counsel without the approval of the supervisor.
Attorney General’s Office spokeswoman Annie Thompson said the matter remains under review.
“While we do endeavor to work through matter efficiently, we also attempt to be as thorough as possible and our priority is to ensure that public bodies understand their responsibilities under transparency rules,” Thompson said.
Shields Township provides government services to residents of unincorporated areas from Route 60 in Lake Forest to the south, North Chicago to the north and Knollwood. In December 2021, trustees unanimously approved a property tax levy of just over $1.3 million.
The Attorney General’s Office investigation is one part of an ongoing public fight between Kerr and some of the other elected officials, with all parties citing communication issues within the obscure unit of government.
Kerr has clashed publicly with two trustees and Helton in recent weeks, with Helton leaving his post last month. Helton resigned in May, making his intentions known at an April board meeting.
“Having attended almost every township meeting, it is very apparent that this idea of the board working as a collaborative body is not taking place,” Helton said. “The township supervisor in my opinion has not provided the leadership needed to allow the board to bring their ideas and concerns forward, and provide the quality of service and fiscal responsibility that we promised the voters we would provide.”
He did not respond to telephone calls requesting comment.
Also at the April meeting, Urso and fellow trustee Kathryn Walker-Eich said they intended to resign as well unless Kerr departed. However, by May they said they were going to stay on the board, but said their differences with Kerr remain.
“There were a lot of people who asked me not to resign, and I want now to stay and try to fix the situation,” Urso said in an interview. “Fixing anything is possible, and at the end of the day I am trying to find an amicable solution.”
Urso said he does not intend to meet with Kerr to ease the tension.
“Everything I have to stay, I want to say in public to be transparent,” he said.
Walker-Eich said she decided to stay and fight back after being the subject of what she says was a false harassment claim mentioned by Kerr in an April statement.
“I just decided I can’t resign, and I have to protect my name now,” Walker-Eich said in May. “I had time to think about it, and I decided I have to protect my name and the Shields Township taxpayers need me. Now more than I ever I feel I have to stick around.”
In an interview, Kerr said she was open to meeting with the trustees, but faulted them for a lack of communication.
“The taxpayers deserve better than this type of behavior,” she said. “If you are going to resign, do so and please tell me why you are going to do this. I was never told about what their dissatisfaction stems from.
“Moving forward for the benefit of the taxpayers, I would certainly encourage trustees to reach out to me and answer questions,” Kerr said.
Township Clerk Tammy Bryan said, “I do not like what is going on, but my duty as clerk is to take minutes and provide correspondence with the board, and I feel I can still do my duties even though the contention between the board and supervisor is quite unbearable at times.”
Kerr has gotten support from Trustee David Weil.
“My experience with Supervisor Kerr has been very positive,” he said in April.
Trustee Brady Andersen expressed his concern about the situation, but said he would not resign.
