Island Lake may suspend S. Hyde

Island Lake trustees held a lengthy discussion Thursday night after returning to open session. From an audiotape of the final open session, residents can learn that Trustee John Ponio made a very clear statement to the Board that it/they need to address the issue of Sharon Hyde’s continued employment as the head of the Creative Playtime school operated by the Village.

The issue apparently did not get discussed in the executive session that was presumably called to discuss the suspensions of Acting Police Chief Anthony Sciarrone and Officer Fred Manetti.

From the audiotape it sounded like an effort had been made to include Hyde’s employment in the executive session.

Trustee Ponio said he wanted to make a motion to consider unpaid administrative leave for Sharon Hyde, who is under grand jury indictment on felony charges.

Considerable discussion took place, including advice from an attorney from Ancel Glink (where was Scott Puma again?), and it finally came back around to Trustee Ponio’s original statement that he wanted the Board to consider action regarding Sharon Hyde.

He made an eloquent and on-target statement to the Board that they should address that issue. He said the residents are owed an explanation and action. There’s the man who should have been elected Mayor of Island Lake. He understands that his election to the Board means he is responsible to the People of Island Lake!

How often do you hear that at any meetings of any town, village or city?

At about 14 minutes into the tape, Attorney Anderson was explaining that, at the next meeting, they could have an agenda item to go into executive session and then discuss the (Hyde) personnel issue. And, when they came out of executive session, they could say what action was taken.

WHOA! A Board cannot take action in executive session. It MUST leave the executive session, return to open session, and then take whatever action in public, open session! He said, “That action could be taken and reported, coming out.” No, NO. Absolutely not!

Then one of the trustees stated that the Board cannot vote in executive session. At that point at least three people were talking at the same time.

Both earlier in the evening and in the post-executive session Village Board members engaged in free-wheeling discussion, often talking over one another and disagreeing with others. Two of the Trustees, O’Malley and Mascillino, mostly stayed out of the fray.

If you’d like to listen to the audio, go to www.cbgil.com/meetings.html, then look for February 25th, Audio, and click on “II”.