By James Pluta

Once the election ended in April of 2009 in Justice, it was evident things
were awry from a political standpoint.

And now, two years out, the political climate has changed dramatically and
a new Coalition Party of Justice has been created to try and overthrow the
sitting majority — and needs to win at least three of four trustee seats
to do so on Tuesday, April 5.

The People’s Voice Party, which the mayor and others laid claim to, had
broken ranks with the Village Voice Committee-turned-Party and it became
clear over time the move may have not ‘just happened’ but rather was
orchestrated by a political faction that now rules the Village and Park
District boards and has been making decisions which seemingly every other
political entity in town is in disagreement with, opponents say.

Very few of their supporters come to meetings, but the board majority
maintains they are more involved in the community and are a silent
majority.
Friends that were foes or who stayed out of the last election started
joining together again and the issues became not simply what was being
done but who was doing them and why and, perhaps, what outside sources
were helping steer that ship.

Within the first few months of that first summer, newly elected Trustee
Kinga Bartoszek formed her own campaign committee, even though she ran
under the party leadership of Mayor Kris Wasowicz, quickly breaking ranks
herself with two, then three other trustees, to start usurping the mayor’s
powers and eventually overthrowing his party.

She has said nothing was progressing with Wasowicz, who was not being an
effective leader. Others say he changes his mind often, is easily
influenced.and, just as he accuses them of doing, is very secretive.

Wasowicz, meanwhile, said as chief executive officer it’s his job to
investigate potential developments and report his findings to the board,

Within no time, say members of the newly formed Coalition Party, they
started seeing the mayor persuaded to agree with their decisions over such
things as replacing the village attorney, waste hauler — and almost a
public works director — with their politically connected appointees with
ties to Cicero, Berwyn, the Hispanic Democratic Coalition and other local
towns such as McCook and Lyons.

Soon after the election, Lyons Mayor Chris Getty replaced his village’s
towing contractor with a major campaign donor and one directly linked to
Bartoszek, the supposed ring leader of this new faction —and fiance of the
company’s owner — who at the time was still People’s Voice chairman.

Bartoszek then chose an outsider, in “longtime friend” and just defeated
Cook County Board Commissioner Joseph Mario Moreno of Cicero, to become
her first fundraiser chairman for what one party leader said could be for
a campaign for some future bid for higher office, the Coalition recalled.

So, according to Wasowicz, Village Clerk Kathleen Svoboda and the new
party’s most vocal trustee candidate (former trustee and short-term mayor)
Richard Sparr, “the fix was on.”

The new faction worked quickly to bring up unsubstantiated ethics charge
against mayor ally and then-trustee Mike Murray for alleged abuse of the
village cell phone as well as his alleged role along with then-trustee
John Fairman and village prosecutor Tom Garrette in the fixing of an
ordinance violation drug case involving a Fairman friend that was
dismissed by Garrette.

And although none of them was ever charged with criminal wrongdoing,
Fairman and Garrette resigned, Murray was censured and called on to quit,
which he refused to do — resulting in being stripped of all committee
membership - which by that time was made a power of the board.

Wasowicz, who was eventually courted to back the Coalition by Sparr and
Trustee Ed Rusch Jr., still hung on to unpaid chief of staff Jerry Carter,
who is allegedly with the opposition.

But the mayor is now on a crusade to “get rid” of the board majority, who
he said not only took advantage of his good nature, but changed the board
committee structure to eliminate public input and avert the Illinois Open
Meetings Act by appointing only their trustees to “oversee” department
functions, moving the veterans memorial, changing the village logo, hiring
a media consultant and ripping down village entry signs all without
telling anyone.

And though he is not running, the candidates he supports — Rusch and
Sparr, Rick Symonds and Sue Small — share the same ideals and opinions
with such slogans as “Let’s Take the Village Back” to “undo the damage
that’s been done” and “let’s put our community back on the right track.”

That track, said Sparr, includes a return to the respect of residents, a
new accountability “not being exhibited” by the new majority, restoring
the committee structure and, more than anything, ensuring the newly
approved comprehensive plan consultant helps bring new business to town.

“We all came from different parties (United, Village and People’s Voice)
that were really coming together (against the new majority),” said Sparr,
a longtime village firefighter who also directs security at McCormick
Place. “Everyone was enthused (and) it was amazing how fast and easy we
came together. One thing we have is a ton of years of experience and
history in a lot of fields that’s going to put us ahead.”

Sparr, who also runs the annual village auto show, left the Fire
Department as a lieutenant before it was disbanded; Small is director of
sales support for a large direct sales corporation; Symonds was also a
Justice and Roberts Park firefighter who last served as deputy chief and
Rusch, mayor from 1991 to 1997, is an eighth grade social studies teacher.

Combined, the slate comprises nearly 150 years of village residency.

“This village has never been this politically closed,” Sparr said. “It’s
sad we have decisions affecting this town by people who don’t know this
town. We’ve never been this far north up the river before.”

However, Trustee Phil DePaola is a lifelong resident and trustees Mary
McGee and John Koslowski have each lived there for more than 20 years.

“I don’t think anyone on this board wants to become career politicians
like they do,” said Sparr. “We are in this for the community, to get
things done for future generations.”

Rusch agreed, adding the slate will be “an advocate for the people, pure
and simple.”

Small, who ran unsuccessfully for trustee in 2009, said economic
development is “one of the bigger things” that needs to be addressed.

“This new Lakota comprehensive plan doesn’t come with a lot of
deliverables and we intend to see that contract, if there is one, and what
it reads ... so we can hold them accountable if things don’t happen the
way they’re supposed to.

Rusch, former village finance director as well, is more concerned whether
state statutes don’t preclude the board to perform a normal bid process,
an answer he cannot obtain from the attorney.

“We’re about restoring accountability, respect of and communication with
the residents,” said Small. “Right now there’s a void there.”

Symonds agreed a change must be made because the public cannot be snubbed
or ignored.

As for economic development, the ticket is most on seeking new business
for Archer and at 79th and 88th at the Tollway, where they hope on and off
ramps can be created so a proposed travel center can be built there.

“We really need to pursue that project because it will change the face of
the village,” remarked Small. “We really need those ramps. If the ramps
open, just think of all the development that will come to town.”

Small believes village staff and elected officials can “give up a day a
week” to conduct resident meetings and perform necessary surveys and
studies so as not to use up so much TIF money to pay the new consultant.

“I strongly believe all our residents who go out of the community to eat
will stay here to eat and dine once we bring it here,” she said. “We just
need to get some momentum going.”

The party said they first need to focus on restoring communication with
residents, state and congressional leaders to get everyone on the same
page to get Justice on the map.”

In a new mailing, former trustee Jeff Kranig wrote a letter defending the
fact the People’s Voice cannot claim they had anything to do with paving
roads in Roberts Park.

Instead he credits former trustees Murray and Fairman and Building
Commissioner Jim Lurquin.

The state grant receipt “should not be used as some sort of political
tribute to trustees who were not involved in the process.”

Svoboda put her slate’s view of things of recapturing the sense of
community most appropriately in their eyes.

Voting for the Coalition slate, she stated, will “put our community back
on the right track” and “will bring our village back to reality.”