Hoffman Estates Park District compensating Commissioners in violation of law –

Hoffman Estates, IL. (ECWd) –

Upon reviewing the Policy Manual of the Hoffman Estates Park District, it came to our attention that the park district may be in violation of the Park District Code, Section 4.1. If you read the Section concerning the powers and duties of a park commissioner, you should note there is no provision for “surveying participants or receiving feedback” – it is all a made-up excuse for them to use district facilities free of charge (which we believe violates state law):

“. . . The members of such governing boards shall act as such without compensation, and each member of the board shall be a legal voter of and reside within such district.“

I doubt that needs any interpretation as it says what it means. They work without compensation, and that also means “deferred” compensation, such as freebees handed out to past park commissioners.

According to Section  4.2.17 of the district’s policy manual, this park district compensates former commissioners with free passes, such as:

“The Board recognizes the time and effort contributed by past commissioners who have
served at least eight (8) years in office by issuing on an annual basis, an annual individual
golf/learning center pass, an individual membership to the Scott R. Triphahn Community
Center and Ice Arena, Willow Recreation Center, Seascape Family Aquatic Center and
Prairie StoneTM Sports & Wellness Center. This recognition is based on an annual renewal
that must be requested by the individual each year. The recognition is limited to former
commissioners who currently are not holding the position of Hoffman Estates Park District
commissioner “

They don’t stop there, according to Section 4.2.20 of the district’s policy manual, the district also compensates current park commissioners with the following:

• FREE: …permit up to 10 guests of each Commissioner, per quarter, to participate in and attend District facilities and seasonal non-individual fee based programs without charge…
• DISCOUNTED…in so much as a Commissioner may feel the need to accompany more than ten guests in a given quarter then those guests will be charged the then current District full-time employee guest rate…
• ALLEGED FREE: …the policy states the Commissioner shall accompany the “guests” – and we are guessing the commissioner “accompanies” them without paying for it

Both of these, in our opinion, are compensation; one is deferred and one is real-time.

Compensation is anything receive as a result of their position as commissioner, that any or all member(s) of the general public cannot receive. Example: If every person gets a free ink pen, the commissioners can also get a free ink pen. However, if the general public cannot get free golf for 10 of their friends, neither can a commissioner.

We suggest the Board of Commissioners immediately revoke all of these freebees given to current and past commissioners and comply with the Park District Code.

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