Alders contest accuracy of meeting minutes as residents call for transparency and accessibility

During the Harvey City Council meeting on June 23, discussions became contentious over minutes’ accuracy, financial reporting transparency, and accessibility for Spanish-speaking residents.

During the approval of minutes from the April 28, May 12, and June 9 sessions, Colby Chapman (2nd) made a motion to have the minutes sent to the legislative committee for further review. Her motion failed.

Ald. Tracy Key (4th) voiced significant concerns about the accuracy of the meeting minutes. “The minutes don’t include everything that happened in the meeting,” Key said. “We need to have a better procedure for documenting what occurs during these sessions.”

Mayor Chris Clark responded by noting that the existing rules, established by the prior administration, specify that minutes do not need to be verbatim. “Number one, minutes do not have to be verbatim,” he said. “Number two, if someone has an issue, even though they don’t have to be verbatim, we can address it, but we have to follow procedure.”

Still, the comments come as City Clerk Rosa Arambula’s office has begun obscuring information in the city’s meeting minutes. 

Upon her election in 2019, the clerk would offer in-depth detail regarding thoughts offered during public comment. As criticism against the Clark administration rose, the clerk backtracked. Now, the clerk’s office only lists the names of public commenters. That means those reading minutes would not be aware of how embattled the Clark administration has become in the mayor’s second term.

The treasurer’s report, titled “Monthly Summary of Bank Accounts,” as of August 2024, was presented for the first time this year. But Clark raised concerns about its accuracy.

The report wasn’t reconciled, he said. Comptroller Louis Williams was asked to provide an alternative report to the council. “Technically, this report cannot be presented to the board because the finance committee did not meet prior to this session,” Clark said. “That being said, it is still up to the members whether you want to address these issues now or wait until we actually review it. You’re the council, you can decide.”

The council voted to have the treasurer’s report reviewed first by the finance committee, which will be held sometime before the next City Council meeting, according to Ald. Tyrone Rogers (6th).

Official business

The council also approved a settlement agreement related to a lawsuit filed against Harvey and George Lockett, Jr. The officer first joined the police department in 1995, serving for two years, according to state records. 

He then served in Olympia Fields for six years, rejoining the Harvey force once more in 2003 for two years. According to Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, he was not employed in law enforcement for 17 years before rejoining the Harvey Police Department in 2022.

Additionally, an aid agreement was authorized involving multiple municipalities, including Burnham, Calumet City, and Dolton, among others. This resolution empowers fire departments across these cooperating municipalities to request and render aid automatically, enhancing regional emergency response effectiveness, according to the agenda.

Public comment

Amanda Askew addressed issues regarding the treasurer’s report and city hall entry timing.

“My concern and suggestion is that at the next finance committee meeting, which I hope would translate into the next city council meeting, there will not only be a monthly summary of bank accounts report but also an update about the missing audits,” she said. “We are still three years behind on audits and out of compliance with the state of Illinois.”

The state comptroller has cracked down on Harvey, which is delinquent on state-mandated audits for the three most recent fiscal years. The state rejected Harvey’s remediation plan. Now, in accordance with state law, taxpayers will foot the bill for the state to hire an auditor to ensure compliance.

Askew also raised concerns about residents’ entry into City Hall during hot weather. “Today it was 90 degrees outside. It’s excessive heat, and people were outside waiting because the doors were locked,” she said. “It is inhumane to allow the public to stand outside.”

Glynis James-Watson spoke about the accessibility issues for Spanish-speaking residents. “My comments tonight are in Spanish to draw attention to the fact that 35.2 percent of Harvey residents are Latino, and there are many people who only speak Spanish,” she said. 

“However, I don’t believe that the city of Harvey has anything in Spanish the forms, the magazine, the bill, the answer, the website, and even the Mayor’s Cup competition are in English,” James-Watson said. “It’s important that the 6,848 Latinos in Harvey are included and have a voice in what’s happening in the city.”

Without referencing data, Clark responded that his administration is the most diverse in Harvey, during his mayoral comment. Prior administrations have not kept data on diversity. It is immediately unclear whether the human resources currently tracks demographic data in Harvey employment.