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Residents press trustees for answers, raise Open Meetings Act concerns at Bensenville meeting
Summary
Multiple residents at the Dec. 4 special meeting urged the board to publish research and fiscal analysis about changing the village’s form of government and alleged potential violations of village code and the Open Meetings Act; trustees did not provide detailed responses at the meeting.
Several residents used the public-comment period at the Dec. 4 special meeting to press the trustees for more information and to raise procedural concerns about recent personnel actions.
Chris McCollum, who identified himself as a resident, alleged the board’s action could violate village code and the Illinois Open Meetings Act, citing a provision that he said requires filling a manager vacancy within 90 days. McCollum asked whether trustees discussed the termination of the prior village manager in public and questioned the role of an advisor named Jay D'Alacandro. He asked trustees to explain their reasons when casting votes.
Other commenters sought more formal outreach: James Nylander, a resident and chaplain for the Bensenville Police Department, asked what due diligence and case studies the board had reviewed and requested a white paper or public consultation so residents could evaluate pros and cons. Another resident said they were disappointed in the speed of the process and asked for an open discussion and clearer documentation.
No staff white paper or detailed fiscal analysis was presented during the meeting; trustees proceeded to vote on the resolution and ordinance.
