What's An Administrative Review?

Courts are asked to do administrative reviews for one or two reasons generally: to contest a property tax decision of a Property Tax Appeal Board or as in this case involving the Police Chief Robert W. Lowen Jr. to question the judgement of the City's own Board of Fire and Police Commissioners and their decision...to see if that decision of the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners is contrary to law. Now you have to understand that the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners had legal council present throughout the entire process, very competent legal council. They were not allowed to wander in the legal wilderness that persons (non-attorneys) find ourselves in at times. They are also according to the municipal code of the City of Woodstock considered officers of the City and have to take an oath and post a bond. They have official and legal status.

What sense does this make: the Chief of Police Robert W. Lowen Jr. files a Motion for Administrative review of the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners hearings which were entirely initiated and caused by the Chief's Complaint and then entirely prosecuted by the City's attorney with tax payer money. The entire process was in retrospect a unilateral process which recorded all the concerns of the Chief and these were expressed by the City's Attorney Ann Brophy. I hope that she did due diligence, research and investigated the Chief's accusations and found substantive cause in making his accusations other than taking him at his word before proceeding with this case; if she did not that could be a costly mistake in more ways than just financially but career wise also. The Chief along with his council is asking the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court, which in this case is acting as an Appellate Court to go over the substance of their own actions. To me it makes no sense except to draw things out from January when the Board found in the Sergeant's favor to July 17th...six and one half months down the line...without pay.

What tactic will they use next to drag things out even longer?

I pray that on July 17th the judge finds in favor of all four defendants, the three Board of Fire and Police Commissioners and Sergeant Gorski. I also wonder what action the elected officials of the City of Woodstock will take to address this wrong? There should be consequences for people in positions of authority who allegedly abuse their office.