Allyships ripped to shreds as Harvey library leadership ousts board treasurer

An abrupt move to usurp the treasurer in her role — without her knowledge, no less — transformed Harvey’s symbol of stillness and tranquility into the site of screaming.

The Harvey Public Library District board held a special meeting on May 20, at 9:00 A.M., seeking to reorganize the board’s roles following the April consolidation elections.

The early morning session came almost two weeks after Amari McCaskill, daughter of the board’s president Anthony McCaskill, and Cook County commissioner and paid library consultant Kisha McCaskill, was sworn in during a special meeting on May 8. 

That evening, when the agenda was posted online a mere 30 minutes prior, the HWH has learned, the board attempted to reorganize. State law requires 48 hours advance. The board attempted reorganization before attorney Tom Condon of Montana Welch eventually realized it did not have a quorum, incapable of conducting official business.

Felicia Powell-Johnson would become treasurer, replacing Chapelle Hooks. But Hooks, who was not present, did not know there was intention to remove her from her treasurer position.

The tension surrounding the swap mounted to screaming at the meeting on May 20. During the board’s executive session, Hooks could be overheard in an adjoining room belting. Hooks has been vocally supportive of the McCaskill family, who largely run the Harvey Park District and whose ties have now shaped the trajectory of the city’s library. Now, that’s changed.

“I see that there’s a lot of mess going on,” Hooks said. “That was the reason I was pulled, because I asked questions and I wanted the ledger and the invoices every month before I signed checks — and that was a problem.”

Anthony McCaskill blocked her from obtaining invoices and bank statements, Hooks said, to give a treasurer’s report, named to the position in February after the board reorganized earlier this year. Hooks did not give a treasurer’s report in the nearly three months she served in the role.

“[…] the lady who was, at that time, the administrator told me that she wasn’t supposed to give it to me. What do you mean? I’m the treasurer. This is where all this is stemming from.”On May 22, Hooks was ultimately ousted from the board treasurer role. Powell-Johnson is now treasurer. The decisive vote came from Angelette Taylor, now vice president. Originally voting to retain Hooks as treasurer, she changed her vote days later. Others voted the same. That same evening, trustee Charwana Morgan appeared to make a 911 call after she felt threatened by Powell-Johnson.

Official business

During the discussion of bills totaling $49,227.67, trustee Charwana Morgan and Hooks raised questions about unitemized expenditures, lack of vendor receipts, and outstanding invoices dating back to 2024. 

According to Morgan’s understanding of the bills list, the library is only paying for one consultant — not two. Janet Spencer and Kisha McCaskill, Anthony McCaskill’s wife and a county commissioner, have both been paid consultants to the library for over a year.

The board did not approve the bills list after a tied vote, where the motion failed. “I’ll be giving the vendors y’all numbers, so y’all figure out how y’all gonna pay the bills,” Anthony McCaskill said in response, visibly annoyed.

A newly sworn-in member

Amari McCaskill, who become a commissioner with the Harvey Park District from 2023 in, elected to a four-year term, was a write-in candidate in the April 2025 election and was sworn in to fill the two-year seat. No other name appeared on the ballot for the seat. She is now board secretary.

“I don’t see him as my father on the board,” Amari McCaskill told HWH. “When I come to this board, it’s really just about the community. I don’t see him as [my father], I see him as a board member.” She completed her bachelor’s degree at Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans and recently finished her master’s studies in public health. Politics wasn’t of interest to her while younger, but that changed over time, increasingly concerned with youth involvement, she said.

The meeting piqued the interest of several south suburban electeds, including Cook County Commissioner Kisha McCaskill (5th), wife of board president Anthony McCaskill and paid library consultant, who was in attendance. In the audience sat Germaine Hooks, a Ford Heights village trustee and Hooks’ cousin. To his right, East Hazel Crest village trustee and president of East Hazel Crest Library District Maureen Forte. 

Former library employee, former Harvey alderman, and South Chicago Heights village trustee Daryl Crudup was also present, but exited the community room before the meeting began.