HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes 01-95 01/17/1995 RESOLUTION NO. 01-95
RESOLUTION OF ADMONISHMENT
WHEREAS, Richard N. Hendficks is a duly elected and sitting member of the Village of
Mount Prospect Board of Trustees. As such, the Mount Prospect Code of Ordinances
at Section 8.115 requires that elected offidals conduct their personal and public lives in
a manner so as not to bring the office of trustee into disrepute. It is also incumbent on
a trustee to discharge the duties of office in a manner which does not unreasonably
expose the Village to liability; and
WHEREAS, in invoking the name of his or her office of Trustee of the Village of Mount
Prospect in private circumstances, the trustee must only do so to serve the best interests
of the Village of Mount Prospect. Further, the name of the office should not be involved
by a trustee to avoid procedures applicable to the general public especially when the
trustee is engaged in a private matter that does not involve the discharge of a duty as a
trustee; and
WHEREAS, further, it is recognized that, irrespective of the trustee,s actual motives, when
that trustee identifies himself or herself as a trustee of the Village of Mount Prospect in
private circumstances the suspicion is raised that the trustee has done so for the purpose
of gaining a private advantage not available to other members of the public; and
WHEREAS, it is also recognized that the Village staff is retained for the purpose of
carrying out the policies established by the entire Village Board and to serve all of the
residents of the Village. Therefore, a trustee should not make unreasonable demands
on the staff for the advancement of that trustee's personal agenda even if the trustee
sincerely believes that his or her agenda is based on the best interests of the Village; and
WHEREAS, it appears that based upon various communications received by the Village
and the personal observations of other elected officials and the Village staff that
Richard N. Hendricks has engaged in the following activities:
1. On certain occasions when not on Village business and while pursuing
purely personal matters, Richard N. Hendricks has chosen to gratuitously
identify himself to others as a trustee of the Village of Mount Prospect. The
circumstances of those occasions were such that the identification was
apparently used to gain a personal advantage not available to other
citizens.
21 Richard N. Hendricks has caused private citizens to feel intimidated by
using the prestige of his office as trustee to his own advantage when
demanding action from them with respect to perceived Village code
violations.
3. Richard N. Hendricks has inappropriately used a badge identifying himself
as a Village trustee to bypass a security system while engaged in private
pursuits at a Circuit Court of Cook County facility. Further, he showed the
same trustee's badge in another municipality during a personal dispute.
This was done even though a reasonable person should have understood
that others might believe that Richard N. Hendricks was claiming to be a
law enforcement officer.
4. Richard N. Hendricks has used his office as trustee of Mount Prospect to
inappropriately interject himself into the affairs of other municipalities.
5. Richard N. Hendricks has consistently used his office to demand actions
from the Village staff that were not authorized by the full Village Board but
had the appearance of being matters of personal importance to himself.
WHEREAS, it is further recognized that persons acting under the color of authority of the
Village of Mount Prospect may expose the Village and its officials to significant liability.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES
OF THE VILLAGE OF MOUNT PROSPECT COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS
SECTION ONE: Richard N. Hendricks be and is hereby admonished for engaging in the
aforementioned activities that tend to and have negatively affected the dignity and
prestige of the Village of Mount Prospect and which may have compromised the integrity
and reputation of the offices of the Mount Prospect Board of Trustees.
SECTION 'I'WO: By this Resolution, Richard N. Hendricks is admonished and
encouraged to conduct himself as follows:
1. Cease identifying himself as a Mount Prospect trustee when engaged in
activities that do not directly involve Village business.
2. Cease the use of his official capacity as trustee to demand action from
fellow residents.
3. Desist from using the "Mount Prospect Trustee Badge" as a means of
identification when engaging in Private pursuits, especially for purposes of
avoiding security facilities that must be used by other private citizens.
4. Cease identifying himself as a trustee of the Village and thus using the
prestige of his office when injecting himself into the affairs of other
municipalities when he has not been authorized to do so by the entire
Village Board.
5. Cease using his office of trustee to make demands on Village staff to take
actions in furtherance of matters of importance to himself.
SECTION THREE: This is solely a Resolution of Admonishment. It is not intended to
punish Richard N. Hendricks and it is specifically not an allegation of any illegal acts.
This Resolution is not intended to nor shall it be used by any person or entity to limit
Richard N. Hendricks in the exercise of his rights as a private citizen or his duties and
authority as an elected official.
SECTION FOUR: Further, this Resolution shall not limit the dght of the Village Board,
pdvate citizens or any other agency in any pursuit of other recourse that may be available
with respect to past or future activities of Richard N. Hendricks.
ECTION FIVE: That this Resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after
passage and approval in the manner provided by law.
AYES: Clowes, Corcoran, Hoefert, Skowron, Wilks, Farley
NAYS: Hendricks
ABSENT: None
PASSED and APPROVED THIS 17th DAY OF Januar,v , 1995.
ATTEST:
Carol A. Fields
Village Clerk