Forum: Time for Dwight Welch to resign
June 21, 2012 9:52PM
Updated: July 23, 2012 8:03AM
For the good of the community, Country Club Hills Mayor Welch must resign.
In the Spring 2012 city newsletter, he lied when boasting to residents about “our continued fiscal responsibility ” and the “financial stability and economic good health of our city.” Just a few weeks later, city attorney Murphy’s letter to the Cook County state’s attorney projected a staggering $9.6 million budget deficit by January 2013 — even without repaying the
$6.6 million owed to the county for its property tax overpayment.
The truth is clear. Having seen the bulk of the city’s property tax money used to pay off the bank loan, Welch expected the city to get only a little money from the county. Instead, he received a lot of money. There’s no way he could have missed it.
So removed from his responsibilities, enjoying the spoils of his office, yet again he blames others.
Welch will not be challenged or admonished. So as not to be held accountable, he skips city council meetings, no doubt hoping that citizens are too stupid to remember or too timid to maintain their outrage at his sins.
He’s been intentionally oblivious to the struggles of his taxpayers, refusing to acknowledge that his bloat, greed and mismanagement are very significant factors in their large tax burden. We’re saddled with long-lasting debt. We’ve nothing to show for our losses but the bills.
Having shamefully violated the public’s trust and failed miserably in his responsibility to act in our interests, it is well past time for Welch to go. If he wants someone to blame, I’ll gladly step up.
Kathy Berg
Country Club Hills
Paying for party rather than police?
How can Orland Hills afford to hold its annual Party in the Park festival (June 29-July 1) when it must lay off two-thirds of its police force and closed the community center on Sundays to supposedly balance the village budget?
Every year there has been some sort of issue at the village festival. Now, village leaders want the seven to 10 police officers still on the job to spread themselves thinner and work security at Party in the Park and at Wal-Mart.
As a taxpayer, I would rather see my tax dollars go to something logical in the village budget. Even if the village breaks even on Party in the Park, at what cost is it to the taxpayers? If police officers are working 16-hour shifts, how well can they protect us? If they are tired, are they really effective?
I do not know the whole story, but it has been mentioned widely that Orland Hills police have not had a contract in three years. Is this a power struggle between the mayor, the village administrator and the trustees vs. the union?
If Chicago cut down Taste of Chicago from 10 days to five, why can’t Orland Hills forgo the three-day festival or limit it to one day? If they want to do best for the residents, spend the fest money on improving the parks or something that would be useful a majority of the year.
Marie Kanofsky
Orland Hills
