Harvey Park District blocking commissioners from performing duties, lawsuit alleges

The Harvey Park District is being sued by one current and one former commissioner, alleging the district is blocking them from serving on the board.

The case, filed Sept. 2, 2025, was brought by Waynemond Cotton and Lakeisha Brown-O’Neal in Cook County Circuit Court.

The lawsuit names as defendants commissioners Aaron Q. McCaskill, Amari L. McCaskill, Joyce V. Brown and Floyd Y. Coleman. Executive director and Cook County Commissioner Kisha McCaskill (5th), whose children are on the board, is also named. According to the complaint, they have engaged in actions “designed” to not recognize Cotton or Brown-O’Neal as commissioners, including allegedly denying access to records, participation in meetings, and voting. Read the complaint here.

Both plaintiffs are asking the court for declaratory and injunctive relief, including orders declaring Cotton and Brown-O’Neal lawful commissioners. They also seek to bar Coleman from exercising commissioner powers as a member appointed to fill the purported vacancy in Cotton’s seat.

Brown-O’Neal was elected in April 2025 to a four-year term. The complaint says the board and park district, “under the direction of its executive director, Kisha McCaskill,” have “failed and refused” to grant Brown-O’Neal access to facilities, offices, and records.

Kisha McCaskill botched Brown-O’Neal’s swearing-in ceremony, the lawsuit claims. Without coordination by the park district, a judge conducted her ceremony at Harvey City Hall on May 3, 2025.

Kisha McCaskill did not respond to requests for comment.

Cotton was elected in April 2023 to a four-year term. The lawsuit claims Cotton was removed “at the direction of its executive director,” with Coleman “apparently but unlawfully” appointed to take Cotton’s office, duties, and responsibilities. 

In January 2025, the board voted to vacate Cotton’s seat, alleging he owed $500 in unpaid debt. Cotton was absent that evening. Del Galdo Law Group, the park district’s corporation counsel which is representing it in litigation, only alerted Cotton four months later. 

Lawyers for the park district did not respond to requests for comment.

Coleman lost his re-election bid last year. But the board appointed him to fill Cotton’s vacant seat one week after the April 2025 consolidated elections. Coleman did not respond to requests for comment.

The park district holds meetings on the second Tuesday of every quarter. The complaint also alleges that the schedule violates the state’s Open Meetings Act.  

At a hearing on Jan. 22, held over Zoom, the court gave defendants 30 days to respond to the complaint. There were initial issues attempting to serve defendants.

“Council advised me joyfully that the board has accepted or said agreed to accept service and that that wouldn’t be an issue anymore,” said attorney Max Soloman, who represents Cotton and Brown-O’Neal. Solomon requested for expedited process due to limited time of the elected officials holding seats on the board. Judge Weaver Boyle declined the request.

“I’m still going to allow them 30 days to answer or otherwise plead, which is standard time,” Boyle said. “Based on what you’re telling me, I don’t think there’s any reason to expedite that schedule. We certainly won’t delay the progress of the case, but you’re telling me time frame that we’re operating with this at very least a year.” 

A status hearing is scheduled for March 10.