Orland Trustees Repeal New Ethics Rules

ORLAND PARK, IL — Orland Park's trustees repealed a set of ethics rules Monday night it had approved only one month ago in a swift political move orchestrated by Mayor Keith Pekau is his first display of newfound political power on the board.

In a vote split along party lines, the board voted to send the newly reworked ordinance back to the drawing the board. It will be reviewed by a newly formed committee who will determine whether the same rules should apply to elected officials, appointed officials and employees. It will also review penalties and whistleblower protections for staff.

The board approved the new rules in April after spending months to amend an existing code that many thought was too weak. Mayor Keith Pekau was the lone dissent vote on that measure.

"There weren't ethical issues [in the past] that I'm aware of," he said at Monday night's meeting. "There wasn't a big problem."

Modeled on the code Tinley Park officials use, Orland's version required that village officials fill out disclosure forms that list real estate or business interests that could pose conflicts of interest in their roles as representatives of the village. It prohibits officials from accepting gratuities and gifts, using village information to support their private interests and hiring employees with "close" relationships to other elected officials or supervisory staff. It includes a code of conduct for anyone representing the village, creates a process for filing complaints and sets fines for offenders.

Pekau opposed it at the time because he said it was too vague and could be used as a political weapon by trustees running for office. He said he asked for the repeal Monday because 17 volunteer, appointed members of planning and economic advisory boards sent letters threatening to quit if the ordinance was not repealed. The commissioners argued that the process was too onerous or an invasion in their private lives. Pekau redacted the names on each of the letters.

He also made the proposal on the first night his slate of candidates took office after the April 2 election. Swearing-in meetings traditionally are ceremonial or celebratory, and boards typically reserve pet political projects for other meeting agendas.

However, "a bad ordinance is a bad ordinance," Pekau said at the meeting. As written, it will dissuade business owners from seeking office, he said.

Trustee Jim Dodge pointed out that one way to address the volunteers' concerns would be to keep the ordinance in place but amend so that it applied to elected officials only. Then the new committee could work out details for disclosure for appointed members. They could also work on codes for employees, which the last board had not yet finished. That suggestion was voted down along party lines, with William Healy, Cynthia Nelson Katsenes, Michael Milani and Pekau dissenting.

The four approved the repeal, which was opposed by Kathleen Fenton, Daniel Calandriello and Dodge.

In the past, Orland's board of trustees and some residents have criticized Pekau for questionable ethical behavior. The ordinance was motivated in part by that criticism.

The committee charged with rewriting the rules includes Carole Griffin Ruzich, who spearheaded the original rewriting of the ordinance, Sean Kampas, Ed Schussler and Kevin Scanlon. Healy will chair the committee.

Also on Monday night, Katsenes was elected as mayor pro tem. She will substitute for Pekau in emergencies.

Read more: Pekau Moves To Repeal New Ethics Rules At Monday's Board Meeting