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West Chicago resident urges council to release sealed executive‑session minutes tied to 2022 settlement
Summary
Resident Heather Nizolic told the West Chicago City Council the public deserves to see executive‑session minutes related to a 2022 sexual‑harassment settlement, saying taxpayers paid nearly $200,000 and that continued secrecy harms trust. The mayor said staff and corporate counsel would review whether the minutes can be released.
Heather Nizolic, identifying herself as a West Chicago resident, told the City Council on July 21 that the public has been “told almost nothing about” a 2022 settlement that resolved an EEOC sexual‑harassment, discrimination and retaliation complaint.
Nizolic said the city paid the former employee “over $70,000 plus back pay, vacation time and sick leave,” that the city’s risk manager at the time covered attorney fees, and that the final cost to taxpayers was “nearly $200,000.” She said the settlement was approved by resolution 22R0051 on Oct. 17, 2022, and that the matter was handled in executive session; she asked the council to vote to release the executive‑session minutes and disclose who was involved and whether any discipline was imposed. “If there was no finding of guilt and no admission, then why not release the minutes?” she asked.
The mayor acknowledged the comment during his remarks and said he would discuss the matter with corporate counsel. He told Nizolic the topic was under consideration and that staff and the city’s corporate counsel would review the city’s ability or responsibility to release the document she referenced.
Why it matters: Nizolic framed the issue as a transparency and accountability concern. She said she submitted FOIA requests and contacted aldermen and staff without satisfactory answers, and she urged the council to let taxpayers see how the city handled a costly personnel settlement.
What the council did: No formal motion to release minutes was made during the meeting. The mayor said the issue would remain under review and that the council would continue discussions with corporate counsel about whether portions of the executive‑session record can be disclosed.
Next steps: The mayor said staff would continue the review and that he expected the topic to be discussed further in August. The record shows Nizolic’s request and the mayor’s response, but no vote or final determination on release during the July 21 meeting.
