Calls for Mayor Chris Clark’s resignation, opaque finances, and police intimidation mar two-hour council meeting

Sharron Mcgee demanded Clark’s immediate resignation the wake of the arrest of Ald. Colby Chapman (2nd) for allegedly filing a false police report related to an alleged assault in August.

“Mayor Christopher Clark has crossed the line, a line that no public servant should ever approach,” McGee said. “The recent politically-motivated arrest of alderman Colby Chapman is not only an act of cowardice, it is an undeniable abuse of power.” 

Chapman was arrested in October for a second time and released without charges after filing a police report against City Administrator Corean Davis stemming from a verbal dispute, police officials said.

To date, Davis claims Chapman physically attacked her. However, the mayor’s office released video footage that reveals neither were assaulted by the other. But it also confirms the mayor’s office and police conspired to have Chapman arrested this summer for a crime they knew she didn’t commit. 

City spokesperson Glenn Harston II of the Gemini Group also falsified official statements of that night’s events.

Alleged harassment of library official

As an alderman, Clark was a staunch advocate against corruption, Harvey library secretary Chapelle Hooks said during public comment, “but you didn’t give it when you got in office in 2019, right?” she said. 

Harvey Patrol Bureau Commander Antoine Anderson ticketed Hooks for disorderly conduct after the meeting. She’s also received tickets for frivolous infractions, amounting to nearly $2,500, as harassment, she said. 

According to Hooks, Anderson stalks her home and vehicle. She’s considering legal action.

In 2011, Anderson was fired from the Country Club Hills police department after he allegedly tipped off a drug dealer to an impending police raid, WBEZ and the Better Government Association reported, a claim Anderson denied. 

As a part-time officer in Markham, Anderson shot and wounded a man in 2013. Two years later, Anderson shot and killed a man in nearby Phoenix.

Harvey police officer Javier Magana, accused of harassing locals, stood behind former planning commissioner Ryan Sinwelski as he criticized an approved zoning request with Metra for a warehouse on 170th St. and Halsted St.

Treasurer in the dark on city spending

Treasurer Aisha Pickett echoed comments previously made this summer, detailing ill transparency regarding city spending between herself and municipal departments.

Pickett was surprised to receive an email from the Illinois Department of Transportation that the city was awarded a $1 million Rebuild Illinois Grant for capital infrastructure improvements. Pickett doesn’t know who is in charge of tracking the city’s expenditures of grant money because of poor communication with the mayor’s office, she said.

Pickett’s also concerned about the city’s audits. Harvey is delinquent on its 2022 and 2023 fiscal year audits, according to records with the state comptroller, which cracked down on leadership to force an independent audit from the state.

“I recently found that I was not included as an authorized signer or given access to the city’s Illinois Metropolitan Investment Fund, which is a blatant disregard of the authority and responsibility of my office,” Pickett said. “I am humbly requesting that we improve our communication and cooperation amongst us.”

Fire on Center Ave.

Margaret Jones Shelton’s daughter was among those displaced by a three-alarm fire at 155th St. and Center Ave. on October 27. The city hadn’t provided any assistance or information on services offered to her daughter and others impacted by the fire, she said.

The Red Cross and local churches have stepped in to offer housing to 11 displaced families. The mayor’s office is collecting donations for them at City Hall.

Harvey Fire Station #1 is one block north, and response time was upwards of 40 minutes, raising concerns that the fire department isn’t well equipped to respond to emergencies.

“Whoever got hurt and die[d] is because of the sin of your heart, because you didn’t have an inspector for the fire hydrants,” Melville King Jr. alleged during public comment.  One person was injured but no deaths were reported, to date.

“We do have adequate water, and we do have adequate materials so that we can have a proper response to fire,” Clark responded during closing comments that evening, “regardless of what some may want to say.”

Problematic record keeping

The council approved Chapman’s motion to table August 26 meeting minutes until they could be amended to reflect a 15-minute recess that evening, motioned by Ald. Dominique Randle-El (5th). The September 9 minutes were also tabled.

That’s the second time this year minutes were requested to update for accuracy since police have begun arbitrarily removing the public or city leaders have called recesses to tamper the audience from criticizing the mayor. Arambula has faced scrutiny for obfuscating alarming elements of summer council activity in her official minutes. That includes removing an entire audience from chambers, the arrest of a former mayoral ally, and Pickett’s informal financial report.

Bids, bills, and other official business

Clark unsuccessfully suggested grouping all ten agenda items in an omnibus to be approved with one vote, instead of alderpersons voting on and debating each item separately. 

Indiana-based Anchor Heavy Civil LLC was approved to replace storm pipes along Robey Ave. for $100,000.

Chapman raised questions about payment amount and when the bid opened, saying she emailed the mayor’s office and finance committee, consisting of Alds. Telanee Smith (3rd), Randle-El, and and chair Tyrone Rogers (6th). No one responded, she said.

According to the agenda, the project bid was issued in July, which usually go out between one to three months, according to the rectory of current and previous projects on the city’s website. However, the Robey Ave. pipe bid is not listed online.

Chapman also questioned the accuracy of August and October bills lists. “I think we need some additional oversight …” Chapman said. “I want to just ensure that we’re following the correct process of approval before moving forward … because we’re in a financial deficit.”

Ald. Shirley Drewenski (1st) pushed back on Chapman’s call for more oversight. “I am respecting the colleagues of the finance committee that did their due diligence, that went through [these items and recommended them for approval],” Drewenski said. 

Harvey’s bills lists aren’t itemized or have transaction numbers, meaning they don’t wholly depict city spending. 

Chapman previously served on the finance committee, and previously complained bills had to be taken “at face value.” Clark removed her this spring. Still, the bills list carried, with majority votes from Alds. Drewenski, Randle-El, and Telanee Smith (3rd).

The council also approved resolutions that ensure Harvey’s federal funding eligibility for a future natural disaster preparedness plan. A memorandum of understanding with the county sheriff’s Treatment Response Team identifies those struggling with addiction and mental health, connecting them to people with access to licensed clinical social workers and harm reduction strategies to reduce overdose deaths. Key dissented. 

Harvey residents contesting their tickets for breaking municipal code will now pay filing and hearing fees in the city’s municipal court system.

The council also raised ticket fees for storage of nuisance materials, like storage containers, tires and old vehicles, on public and private property. The minimum daily fine is now $500. The maximum daily fine amount imposed by Harvey ballooned from $200 to $2,500.

According to Chapman, the fees are too high. She motioned to divert the measure to the finance committee to draft a “tiered approach based on the current economic climate.”

Illegal storage is a persistent problem that may present public health crises. The fees are already ranged. However, it’s unclear how city officials are determining amounts and whether they have deterred the issue.

Drewenski supported the measure and disagreed with a tiered scale. “I have large containers on people’s residences, in their driveways,” Drewenski said. “I have people that are using them for drugs or illegal activities.” 

She continued: “I don’t want the fine to be minute,” Drewenski said. “I want a hefty fine, because the good citizens of Harvey know the rights and the wrongs of what we should be doing and what we should not be—regardless of income status.”

The ordinance passed.

Watch the full meeting here.