Well its been a few weeks since David W. McArdle called for a special meeting of all the attorneys involved with the litigation between the Chief of Police, Robert Lowen and Sgt. Steven R. Gorski of the Woodstock Police Department. Well the meeting occurred with all the city's paid attorneys and the two representing the Sergeant.
All the attorneys had their say if they wanted to say anything and Mr. McArdle said he would get back to the Sergeant's two attorneys as soon as possible with a response to the Sergeant's request. Well guess what...to the best of my knowledge...there has been no response. No response that the Sergeant has heard from either of his two attorneys or Mr. McArdle of Zukowski, Rogers, Flood and McArdle a law firm in Crystal Lake that has been being paid for over a year now by the City of Woodstock's taxpayers money. This is getting to be a really expensive adventure for these tough economic times to expend the tax payers money to infuse into the coffers of a well endowed out of town law firm. I suspect that the city's payments to Zukowski, Rogers, Flood and McArdle will continue until at some point the tax payers, many of whom are out of work, say "end this" ..."enough is enough". The only people who are winning in this scenario are the attorneys. Maybe its time for the taxpayers of Woodstock to have a special meeting with their elected city officials who I presume have been calling the "shots" and "spending their money".
Four-Vehicle Crash West of Marengo
-
From the Marengo Fire/Rescue District: Multi-Vehicle Crash with Multiple
Patients on Route 20 in Marengo On Thursday, December 19, 2024, at
approximately...
2 hours ago
1 comment:
Before I read this article, I began wondering exactly when the Woodstock City Council met, probably in Executive Session, to approve the "adventure" embarked upon by Chief Lowen in his disregard for the lawful and unanimous direction of the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners to pay Sgt. Gorski all his back pay. The BOFPC determined that the Chief has not made his case, and the BOFPC dismissed the charges against Sgt. Gorski.
At that point, which was February 14, 2008, the City and the Chief were directed by the BOFPC to pay Sgt. Gorski all his unpaid wages. And now, nine months later, the City owes Sgt. Gorski not only his "back" wages, but also his wages since February 14.
If the City Council met in Executive Session to consider the litigation desired by Chief Lowen, then the Open Meetings Act may require disclosure of that decision.
What was the forecast of expenses to file the Chief's case against the City's own Commission - the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners. That's where the Chief's grip is, according to the legal action filed in McHenry County.
Did, in fact, the City Council approve the now-considerable legal funds to be expended on this senseless adventure? Or is Chief Lowen out on the limb with only the Police Department budget for these legal expenses and additional costs?
What do the officers of the Woodstock Police Department feel about the refusal of the Chief to accept the reasonable decision of the BOFPC?
My guess is that few, if any, are brave enough to stick their necks out and speak up. You know what happens when you stick your neck out. Usually your head gets lopped off.
Post a Comment