Claar Retires As Mayor After Long Career Rife With Controversies

BOLINGBROOK, IL — Longtime Bolingbrook Mayor Roger Claar stepped down July 31, eight months prior to the completion of his four-year term. After reigning over the village for more than 33 years, he decided to retire and spend more time with his family, especially his 5-year-old granddaughter who lives in California.

Village Trustee Michael Carpanzano said he has worked with Claar for over a decade and that the former mayor is a "true visionary."

"He is someone who sees an opportunity for action, and has committed to anything that benefits the residents of our community," he said. "Some call him stern, some call him passionate. I have known him as a man who gets things done for Bolingbrook."

Claar, 74, was appointed in 1986 and elected mayor in 1987. Prior to being elected mayor, he served as a village trustee and a police and fire commissioner.

During his tenure as mayor, he saw the village more than double in population from 35,000 residents to 76,000 residents today. The village also saw a boom in business growth including a hospital, several hotels, the Bolingbrook Promenade, a golf course, an airport and other retail developments, Carpanzano said.

"He has done so much more all while encouraging door-to-door diversity and inclusion," he said. "While at times it is hard to see through his leadership shell, he is a selfless, giving man. Sports teams, nonprofit organizations, band boosters, music boosters and more always know they can count on his philanthropic heart."

The July 28 Village Board meeting was a special tribute to Claar, and members of the community had the opportunity to express their gratitude for his years of service.

"Could not have asked for a better mayor. He was exactly the right person for the job. Had he decided not to retire, we would have voted for him again," Bolingbrook resident Linda Rogers told Patch. "Sad to see him go, but wishing him much health and happiness in retirement."

The next mayoral election will be held on April 6, 2021, and the board appointed Mary Alexander Basta as the acting mayor in the meantime. According to Illinois State Law, the mayor's replacement must come from existing elected members of the village board.

Several other Bolingbrook Patch readers also expressed their appreciation for Claar. However, his long political career has not been without controversies.

He was appointed in 1991 to the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority board by Gov. Jim Edgar, but resigned in 2000 following a controversy over his acceptance of campaign donations from contractors who got tollway business, the Chicago Tribune reported. Thousands of dollars were allegedly passed among a land developer, former state Rep. Al Ronan and the business owned by Claar. But he was not charged with any wrongdoing.

According to a story reported by the Tribune, a businessman, Gary Lindesmith, alleged in a federal court filing that he was pressured in 2001 to donate thousands of dollars to Claar’s campaign and selected charities in order to keep his village contracts. Records show his company donated $7,250 to the mayor’s campaign fund from 2001 to 2007 and received more than $908,000 in contracts.

Seven people, including Lindesmith, pleaded guilty to federal charges in the scam and Claar donated the company’s campaign contributions to the village after denying any knowledge of the scheme.

Claar, a Republican, hosted a fundraiser in 2016 for then-presidential candidate Donald Trump at the Bolingbrook Golf Club. This led Will County Board member Jackie Traynere and her allies to challenge him in the 2017 election, which was infamous for accusations of deception, negative campaigning and connections to Trump.

Traynere had conceded to Claar, but this July 4, she announced that she will be running for mayor in 2021 and end his "yoke of oppression." Even though she accepted his retirement, she is not sure if he will stay away from local politics.

"He reported over $40,000 in political contributions to his Bolingbrook Political Action Committee through those with contracts with the village," she said. "He will in fact continue to hold the purse strings for any First Party candidate in 2021."

She said his retirement will "not take away the community debt, highest in the county for a community of our size."

"For all the residents that appreciated his service I hope they also understand the cost. I have looked in the corners and under the rug he has not kept a clean house," Traynere said. "Too many insider deals to mention. But most importantly we will not get relief from the garbage tax he imposed or the choice of a toter."

While there were those that adored him for what he did for the community, some also heavily criticized him. A Bolingbrook resident for 17 years, Lisa Scott said she chose to live in Bolingbrook because of its diversity, but was disappointed that Claar "backed Trump and invited him to this beautiful town."

"Claar's Facebook page is filled with anti-Obama rhetoric. He is happy to have a car allowance and "office" at the golf club that is paid for by the diverse citizens of Bolingbrook," she said. "He put Donald Trump on his birthday cake. "He is a disgrace, and I am glad he is gone."

John Moravecek, a former officer with the Bolingbrook Police Department, told Patch that he felt he was cheated out of his retirement funds by Claar.

In 1999, Claar agreed to give the police and fire departments free health insurance to all retirees who reached the age of 50 and it was said to last until they reached the age of 65 when one is eligible for insurance under Medicare. The plan also stated that 1 percent would be taken out the employees bi-weekly pay check and the village would match it to fund the retiree health insurance plan, Moravecek said.

"Things were going along smoothly for the ones that had retired after 1999 and then I retired in 2004 at age 48 after 25 years with the PD," he said. "When I reached age 50, I was eligible to use the retiree health insurance, which was very beneficial, until 2014, when the mayor said that the free retiree insurance is no longer available as there was no more money in the insurance fund."

Moravecek said all retirees were then told that they could go on the village insurance/COBRA plan at their premiums. The retired people could not afford that on their pension and were forced to consider getting a second job, he claimed.

"It’s even been heard from Claar in recent contact negotiations that he hopes the retiree health insurance fails," Moravecek said. "The retirees were promised to have free health insurance from age 50 to 65, but that is no longer happening."

Claar said during his last board meeting that he will not be moving away from Bolingbrook and will be around to answer any questions that may arise because he has invested many years in the town and would like to see it flourish.

"He built a strong, diverse, caring, serving, and loving community. We will be forever grateful not only for his vision, but for his selfless action for the residents and businesses of our village," Carpanzano said.