Harvey library fires IT manager months after he filed harassment complaint against administrator

The Harvey library board moved to terminate information technology manager Sam Hentz at a special meeting on June 18, 2025.

Months prior, Hentz filed a complaint against Carol Morris. She was hired at a special meeting in February, officially starting in March, according to a report read by a former consultant. Morris was terminated in April.

Morris, potentially associated with the McCaskill family, who now runs the library, was rehired at the same special meeting last month.

Hentz’ termination leaves trustee Chapelle Hooks in a state of limbo, currently unable to send emails and read attachments, including board documents.

“You gotta talk to IT,” president Anthony McCaskill directed Hooks, since she’s specifically referring to a library email address, he said. McCaskill then directed Hentz to assist her. After an executive session, the board moved to terminate Hentz. 

Hentz’s termination also creates challenges for other staffers. Shortly after the meeting, a temporary worker with Robert Half arrived to receive training from Hentz. Two days later — without total board approval — the McCaskills terminated two temporary workers, the HWH has learned.

Melanie Baker, who previously served as a contractor for the youth services division, has also been terminated, the HWH has learned.

Attacks on transparency and official business

The library board provided no public notice on its website for its meeting on June 18, in direct violation of the state’s Open Meetings Act. The OMA dictates that advance public notice is required for meetings of public bodies, like Harvey library. Board packets were even sent to trustees the night before the meeting.

Trustees Charwana Morgan and Tamika Price were absent from the meeting due to work. Chappelle Hooks made a motion for the board to allow Price to join the meeting remotely, but her motion died without a second. 

President Anthony McCaskill and trustees Chappelle Hooks, Felicia Powell-Johnson, Angelette Taylor and secretary Amari McCaskill were present. 

Four members of the public were in attendance, all of whom commented on the timing of the meeting. Resident Mauzkie Ervin questioned the board’s move to reschedule its May 20 meeting to 9:00 A.M., to oust then-treasurer Chappelle Hooks from her board role.

“I know there’s supposed to be a monthly scheduled meeting at a time that is supposed to be convenient for the residents and for the board members. You all are having meetings at nine o’clock in the morning, one o’clock in the afternoon,” Mauzkie Ervin said. 

“You was able to participate,” Powell-Johnson quipped in response. 

Minutes from the tumultuous May 20 meeting, where Hooks was expected to lose her board treasurer role, were tabled. The board approved the May 22nd special meeting minutes. 

Even though Powell-Johnson is now the treasurer, Anthony McCaskill instead read the treasurer’s report — in an odd move. As of May 30, the Regions Bank account ending in 1331 holds $606,924.89, according to Anthony McCaskill. The Regions Bank account ending in 1359 holds $670,323.42. The First Merchants bank account ending in 5775 holds $1,665,372.75. The First Merchants bank account ending in 0863 holds $7,914.70.

The board approved the bills list, totaling $27,289.17. Hooks was the lone nay on the motion to approve the list, as she said she is unable to open her official library email account and thus did not see the bills list. This comes on the heels of Hooks’ ousting from her library treasurer’s position, for what she believes was retaliation for “asking too many questions.” 

Board attorney Tom Condon, of Montana Welch, will review and updated the library bylaws.

Executive director search

Harvey library has operated without a full-time executive director since at least August 2024. Interim director Kim Peake was terminated around the time.

McCaskill walked back the library’s plan to contract Korn Ferry, a consulting firm, to spearhead the search for an executive director. His concerns included that Korn Ferry doesn’t “have a website” and could be costly. The website is here. A global firm, its Chicago headquarters is located downtown at the Willis Tower. 

Instead, the board’s attorney to initiate a search with the Illinois library system, namely Reaching Across Illinois Library System. Anthony McCaskill set a 90-day hiring timeline. 

“We’re going to do the vetting process through the personal committee, and then the personal committee is going to bring it to the board, then we’ll have a public forum to do the introduction of the person that we select, and then we will actually vote on that person,”he said. 

McCaskill appointed himself, his daughter, trustee Amari McCaskill, and Taylor to head a personnel and policy committee. The new committee is responsible for vetting executive director candidates and presenting them to the board. The measure passed. Hooks voted no.