As state cracks down on delinquent audits, Mayor Chris Clark addresses financial reporting concerns

Mayor Chris Clark responded to critcism over the administration’s ongoing financial reporting challenges at the council’s regular meeting on March 10, focusing on the finance department’s compliance with municipal code and absent treasurer reports.

But what Harvey’s top official neglected to mention was a state crackdown on delinquent audits. 

Criticism flies that city officials aren’t financially transparent, with City Treasurer Aisha Pickett barely giving regular reports.

The mayor delivered a powerpoint presentation on the city’s municipal code, roles of fiscal agents, and the treasurer’s reporting procedure. In August 2024, the council voted to move the treasurer’s report to the comptroller for review and approval. The council directed Pickett to first submit her report to the comptroller, and then submit the reviewed report to the finance committee. 

“Since that time, the treasurer…has not submitted any reports to the comptroller,” Clark said, adding the lack of reporting is a procedural issue rather than financial misconduct. He did not once mention Harvey’s delinquent audits, nor that taxpayers will pay the state to hire an auditor to review its own finances.

According to state records, Harvey has not completed its state-mandated audits for its three recent fiscal years. Last fall, the city submitted a remediation plan to the state, which rejected it. Now, Harvey’s undergoing forced audits. According to state law, the city has to pay for it. 

For Pickett, she criticized municipal leadership’s communication efforts. She said that the comptroller, Louis Williams, stopped reporting information to her and has missed the past two council meetings where he was supposed to provide the finance department report. Pickett added that Williams received the report Clark mentioned but has yet to address it.“I feel like it would have been nice as a professional courtesy to warn me,” Pickett told the HWH, questioning why these concerns weren’t raised earlier in her term.

Last year, Pickett provided an informal treasurer’s report during public comment. The mayor rejected a request to include it in the clerk’s meeting minutes.

Crime statistics updates

“The Harvey Police Department has observed an overall decrease of 23 percent in crime since 2023,” said Police Chief Cameron Biddings. The data he provided either spanned a four-year period or the prior year-end. Data was not provided for the 2021 and 2022 years. According to Biddings:

• Burglaries declined 78 percent, from 275 incidents in 2020 to 61 in 2024. Fifteen have been reported in 2025, so far;
• Robberies decreased 76 percent, 80 incidents in 2023 to 19 in 2024. Two have been reported in 2025, so far;
• Fatal accidents have declined 30 percent, with 10 accidents in 2023, and 7 in 2024. One has been reported in 2025, so far;

But shot fired incidents have risen 10 percent, Biddings said. There were 411 incidents in 2023, rising to 451 in 2024, he said. To date, there have been 21 shot fired incidents, so far, according to Biddings. Homicides have tanked.

Biddings also confirmed what residents have speculated but officials never publicly admitted: Harvey uses shot detection software. Officers also use surveillance technologies that leverage artificial intelligence, the latter funded by a state grant. That could present problems for civil liberties advocates and residents’ sorely distrust of Harvey police, one of the most corrupt departments in Illinois.

He added: “Our crime has also enabled us to strategically deploy officers in our surveillance trailers in high-risk areas to prevent this type of crime,” Biddings said.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office has reported two homicides in Harvey, this year. They were isolated incidents and presented no larger threat to the public, Biddings said, with a person of interest identified in one case and an arrest warrant issued in the other. He did not provide, however, the department’s homicide clearance rate.

He attributed the decline to enhanced community engagement and strategic policing efforts. The department is also implementing a real-time crime center which will integrate citywide surveillance technology to improve response times and crime prevention.

Additional departmental updates

City Administrator Corean Davis announced that the city has secured approximately $30 million in grant funding with over $58 million in applications currently under review. These funds will support infrastructure projects, including fire hydrant replacements, the reconstruction of Broadway Ave., and upgrades to the city’s water meter system.

Economic Development Director Cesar Suarez outlined a housing initiative focused on addressing vacant and abandoned properties. The program targets 430 city-owned surplus properties and 490 privately owned abandoned structures, aiming to redevelop, rehabilitate, and repurpose them to increase housing availability and revitalize neighborhoods.

Public Works Superintendent Richard Seput reported ongoing infrastructure improvements, including the completion of 32 pothole repairs and the replacement of 53 street signs. The department is also preparing for a comprehensive lead service line inspection program which will assess the city’s water infrastructure for safety and compliance with regulatory standards.

Communications Director Alexia Hall introduced the return of Community Solutions Meetings, designed to provide residents with direct access to city leadership. The first meeting is scheduled for March 31 from 6-8 p.m. at City Hall. Residents can voice concerns, ask questions, and receive updates on municipal projects, she said.