Cody Mares quit his position as trustee with the Village of Stickney earlier this week just before a board meeting. He then was appointed head of public works at the meeting. This isn’t sitting well with several other trustees who suspect politics and friendship are trumping experience.
“Nobody in their right mind would place him there,” Trustee Fred Schimel told the Better Government Association, referring to Mares. The appointment – which came with little advance notice from Village President Dan O’Reilly, a political ally of Mares – “blew my a– away.”
Schimel walked out of the May 15 public meeting in frustration because of the situation.
O’Reilly, whom the BGA and FOX Chicago News previously reported was using village funds to buy flowers from the flower shop he owns, appointed Mares, then cast the tie-breaking vote to make it official.
“He’s a journeyman carpenter, he’s well qualified to lead maintenance workers,” O’Reilly said in defense of his pick. “He’s one of the best trustees I had.”
O’Reilly said the salary for Mares’ new position hasn’t been set but the previous guy made about $70,000. Trustees are paid roughly $7,000 a year.
Mares wouldn’t say why he was leaving the village board, but indicated he was “tired of politics.”
Stickney might be best known as home to a vast waste-water treatment plant.
Turns out the facility, located near Stickney’s Village Hall, is not the only thing making folks hold their nose in town.
The post Stepping down, then stepping up in Stickney appeared first on Better Government Association.