Harvey City Council to vote on resolutions censuring alderpersons and city treasurer

Editor’s Note, 03/28/2024: This article originally indicated city treasurer Aisha Pickett had not provided a treasurer’s report in the five years since her election. This story was updated to reflect Pickett’s record giving those reports.

Three allied city officials may find themselves on the receiving end of a public reprimand tonight.

The City Council will vote on three resolutions censuring Alderwoman Colby Chapman (2nd), Alderman Tracy Key (4th), and City Treasurer Aisha Pickett for a range of issues, including alleged misuse of office for political purposes.

Weeks ago, Chapman, Key, and Pickett held a ward meeting at City Hall. Ahead of the Illinois primary, several Cook County judicial candidates were invited to attend. The three are accused of misleading the mayor’s office about their intent to use the Council chambers for political purposes outside of their duties as public officials.

However, the mayor allowed Associate Judge Lloyd James Brooks to speak during a Council meeting months ago. Brooks said that he grew up and around Harvey, and was seeking re-election, hoping to get to know Harvey residents. Brooks was seen holding a petition, used to collect signatures to secure placement on the ballot.

Introduced by Mayor Chris Clark, the resolutions censuring the three will likely open up his administration to increased criticism that Clark is abusing executive authority to find superfluous ways to silence critics.

Chapman, who posted the resolutions on her ward Facebook page Sunday, faces possible censuring for asking questions during meetings while ill prepared, asking questions to a water treatment agency regarding a project that threatens to displace some of her constituents with aim to subvert the initiative, and authorizing a local dance group to misuse a police vehicle.

Key and Pickett face censure for working with Chapman to use their office for political purposes, according to the resolutions. 

Key also faces censure for offering misleading statements about a project during a Council meeting.

This all comes after the HWH reported Mayor Chris Clark and Harvey Police Chief Cameron Biddings personally requested that Patrick Walsh, who works with the mayor in Calumet City, investigate Chapman.

Legacy School of Performing Arts released a dance film last year in which a teenager climbs atop a Harvey police vehicle on 154th St. They did not have permission from the city. According to the dance film credits, Chapman had no involvement in the production, direction, or cinematography.

However, Walsh’s final report wrongfully assumed so. In his final report, issued late February, Walsh recommended Chapman be censured. Political experts told the HWH the investigation presented clear conflicts of interest.

A censure has no legal consequence but rather a symbolic one: it’s a sharp public rebuke. Each resolution for tonight contains language that an approval would distance the mayor and City Council from Chapman, Key, and Pickett’s actions as public officials.

The three recently sparked an allyship, with Pickett now attending finance committee meetings—previously co-chaired by Chapman until last month—to gain more information about city fiscal health amid speculation the mayor is telling the finance department to block Pickett from receiving paperwork.

Pickett has advocated for a finance department page on the city’s website and overall fiscal transparency. 

The production of monthly finance reports, a key issue in the 2023 treasurer’s race, are necessary to produce a treasurer’s report. Pickett has only done so an estimated handful of times since being elected in 2019 and re-elected in 2023. 

Chapman also faces censuring because she provides the public with meeting materials ahead of vote, according to the resolutions. 

However, the Illinois State Open Meetings Act doesn’t prohibit public officials from releasing meeting packets prior to a public meeting, an HWH analysis found. Some municipalities in suburban Cook County post the items on the city’s website so residents can view materials city officials will vote on ahead of time.

Chapman previously told the HWH she sends meeting packets to residents, upon request.

Residents have complained they lack proper information to understand what the Council votes on. 

In March, the city began placing statements below each agenda item offering details on what the resolution or ordinance means. 

The mayoral and clerk offices stopped just short of releasing the packets to the public ahead of the Council meetings.

Tonight’s meeting will be at City Hall, beginning at 7:00p.m.