7/28/2010 12:09:00 AM Questions, accusations continue at City Hall
Marney Simon Staff writer
The drama over the termination of former city administrator Andy Galatte just won't go away. As promised, Galatte returned to the City Council on July 27, asking questions of Mayor Sue Grygiel over comments she made about him at a special meeting of the City Council on July 19. Some of the questions posed by Galatte had all the makings of a best-selling novel, only with real life consequences.
Galatte approached the council during public comment, addressing issues that he said are proof that the mayor has lied about him.
"On July 19, [the mayor] made a comment that I can't really decide which way [she] said it, [that] I had three commissioners in my pocket, or you told people that I had three commissioners in my pocket, because I [sent a Freedom of Information Act request for] the tapes... and [City Clerk] Gloria [Robilotta] for some reason said, it's not ready yet, it has to be proofed," Galatte said. "I don't understand because a tape does not have to be proofed. Are you going to tell me what three you think or you heard? ...I'm going to ask you, tell me the three commissioners."
The comment Grygiel made on July 19 was that she had heard that Galatte told "the commissioners and some of the ladies in the office that he had three commissioners in his back pocket. I don't think that's true." Galatte said he wanted to know who she heard these things from, and said that without disclosing her source for the comments, the mayor is simply slandering him.
Grygiel stayed true to her assertion that she felt the matter was closed.
"I'm not going to comment," Grygiel told Galatte.
"So you continue to hide behind a lie because you're going to slander me," Galatte said.
Galatte also laid into the mayor over comments she made regarding the industrial park on Route 53 being built by Bob Jones. On July 19, the mayor explained that the application for sewage disposal installation for the property the city has on file is altered to list Bob Jones as the owner of the property, but the application on file with Will County lists Galatte's son, Joe Galatte, as owner.
Galatte said that an e-mail sent to City Zoning Clerk Elaine Hall on June 22 by Stacey Bailey of the Will County Health Department states that it doesn't matter whose name is on the application. Galatte said the change was only made because Zoning Officer Tony Santerelli demanded that the forms be in Bob Jones' name. Galatte puts the confusion over the industrial park property permits on the back of Santerelli. Galatte said that Joe Galatte obtained the permit as a favor to Bob Jones, who couldn't get to the county at that time, and only did so because he was guaranteed it shouldn't matter who applies for the permit.
"She misled the pubic," Galatte said. Galatte did say, however, that he has no idea who changed the copy filed with the city.
"She's trying to make it sound like there's some hanky panky, but she had both copies," Galatte said. "She had that letter, that letter is dated June 22."
While the mayor did have the two differing copies of the permit, a Freedom of Information Act request (FOIA) submitted to the City by The Braidwood Journal shows that the county's copy was issued via a fax on June 15. The altered copy was filed with the city on March 11, and the county copy was only obtained after Grygiel requested it be faxed to her.
Galatte said that his involvement with issuing any permits to Bob Jones was not only known in advance, but he had the approval of both the mayor and the city attorney.
"I'd be more than happy to show how you lied by misleading the public that I had something to do without the attorney's approval," Galatte said.
While Grygiel did not comment at the July 27 meeting, she did state previously that she believes Galatte may have gotten permission to sign off on permits for the property. She said, however, that she didn't think he had been truthful with her or City Attorney Carl Buck about his son's involvement with the industrial park beforehand, and that's what made her lose her trust in him.
The mayor also provided The Braidwood Journal, via a FOIA request, documents to back up her claims that Galatte had been insubordinate. In a letter to Commissioners dated June 4 this year, Grygiel stated she had informed office workers at City Hall of the chain of command, and that questions, issues and concerns needed to come to her or City Clerk Gloria Robilotta. In that same memo, Grygiel quoted a voice mail message left on her cell phone by Galatte that states in part, "I am the City Administrator so I guess we're going to have to sit down when I get back and talk about this because I am not going to go through Gloria for anything."
According to Grygiel, that message is further proof that Galatte wasn't performing his job as required.
As far as the July 19 special meeting recording Galatte asked for, the former administrator said he thinks that the minutes and recording of that meeting are not subject to open meeting laws, and therefore do not need a FOIA request to be released. Galatte argued that since the agenda said "Special Meeting" it doesn't count as a City Council meeting. Any meeting of the full council would, however, be considered an official meeting, even if it is called for a time other than regularly scheduled meetings.
Public Buildings and Property Commissioner Jim Hutton spoke briefly on Galatte's removal after the meeting, saying that while he wished Galatte could have stayed in the position, it didn't seem like a viable appointment considering the problems between him and the mayor.
"We've had that conversation for the past couple of months, if they can't get along then something's got to happen," Hutton said. "They have to get along."
Galatte said he plans to continue coming to council meetings until he gets some answers. And he doesn't seem to be done there. The ousted administrator has also set his sights on the mayor's termination from her post as City Clerk back in March of 2006.
"I'd like the council to take a look at the tapes from January 2006 to April 2007. The minutes and the executive meetings tape from back there, which happens to do with [Grygiel's] termination [as City Clerk]," Galatte said.
Galatte asked for the minutes from those executive sessions through a FOIA request. Those minutes, however, were voted not to be released by the council back in 2008, and aren't available via a FOIA request.
Galatte said that he did tell the mayor that he would resign if asked, but added additional information when asked this week.
"On the condition that she did not try to embarrass me or my family. And she decided to take it personal, and I resent that," Galatte said.
As far as the war of words with Grygiel, Galatte vowed to keep pushing this issue until he gets an answer.
"You know what I'll do, in two weeks, I'll pool each one of these commissioners and ask them, do you ever feel you were in my back pocket? Did I ever make that comment? And I'll pool each one of them if I have to," Galatte said.
The next City Council meeting is Aug. 10 at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
