MEDIA, Gary Woll newsletter [M]

Maywood Village Trustee Gary Woll has a monthly newsletter. If you want to get on his mailing list send him an email at garywoll circled "a" comcast spot net (writing email addresses this way keeps spammers from collecting them automatically).

This issue has a long explanation about why to replace Eugene Moore with Karen Yarbrough for Democratic Committeeman.

Now to this race and the purpose of this office. While I know, with certainty, that Ms. Yarbrough will bring a cleaner and stronger operation to this office, when facing an incumbent (Moore) one MUST talk about the negatives more as an argument for replacement of the one with experience. So, here goes!! I honestly believe that Gene Moore has been a disaster at every aspect of the job. When he first won the race in 1997 it ended 50 plus years of township rule out of Melrose Park with Dannyboy Coglianese the longtime power behind the scenes. I backed Gene to end this not knowing he would practice exactly the same kind of politics. Once in his organization it was readily apparent that he did NOT KNOW how to organize or consult with his workers. I left in disgust as have many, many over the years and they have been replaced by Maywood and other town folks who practice the “old” form of politics. Let’s see how that works in relationship to the purpose of this office.

Endorsements: In local races Gene backs those who will give him patronage jobs and juicy, sometimes, unneeded contracts all of which have nothing to do with good government, especially good schools, and higher expenses, for YOU, the taxpayer. Case in point: recently a Maywood young man emailed me that he had gone to Proviso to apply for a custodian’s position (they pay well!) and he was told (this would be unbelievable if NOT TRUE), go over to 5th Avenue and see Gene Moore as he controls that!!! I believe that is against the law under the Shakeman decree or is that only Chicago? The 209 four person, Gene Moore majority voted a $160,000 (YES!!) to broker their insurance needs. Most districts this size do it for NO EXTRA COST, in-house. This was just after he made a large donation to Chris Welch’s STUDENTS LAST PARTY last year and took Sue Henry, one of the majority four, on a junket to Hawaii in his capacity as Cook County Recorder of Deeds and she as a $75,000 a year assistant. As an aside regarding how he operates his governmental office, Recorder of Deeds, it was reported when he ran for re-election that Cook County has twice the business of DuPage (in the Recorder of Deeds) but FOUR TIMES the number of employees!! It was also reported that this junket to Hawaii found 25% of the money spent coming for the Recorder of Deeds Office which has less than 1% of the County employees. YES, over and over, as much as I can say it, who runs the party does affect YOUR pocketbook. His elected 209 Board has prevented a referendum on the $60 million dollars in bonds that has all been spent on the new school, NOTHING for East or West and they are going broke for the operation of all the schools. The 209 majority continues to dole out jobs to relatives and finders fees to shady characters like the former attorney, Anthony Bruno who got huge bucks finding the apparently lost Loyola Administration building to serve as the new high school. Unfortunately, Gene’s organization has shown some successes, although not much in Maywood, his hometown, in electing these scalawags.

If the State's Attorney had any respect for the citizens of Proviso Township he'd initiate an investigation of illegal hiring and political practices at District 209. In addition to being in Woll's newsletter it's been reported in Forest Park Review (Seth Stern).

One custodian, who did not wish to be named, said that "65 to 70 percent" of the district’s maintenance staff is participating in the current campaign.

Typically, he said, workers are given the campaign literature that they’ll be distributing on Thursday and Fridays by Director of Facilities Jose Santiago, who was himself once investigated by former Superintendent Greg Jackson for campaigning on school grounds during Welch’s last school board race.

The custodians, as well as other campaign workers, then meet Saturday morning at Moore’s office at 9N 5th Ave. in Maywood to receive their marching orders.

"They’re told that if a promotion is coming up and you want it and you’re not helping, you’re not going to get it," said the custodian.