Prospect Heights mayor fires former mayor from airport board over consolidation idea
Prospect Heights Mayor Nick Helmer has fired former mayor Rodney Pace from the Chicago Executive Airport board, saying anyone who promotes the dissolution of Prospect Heights is not fit to serve the city.
Pace, who was mayor of Prospect Heights from 2003-2007 and has been on the airport board nearly four years, was terminated Tuesday via letter.
"You are removed from the Chicago Executive Airport board of directors effective Thursday, March 31, 2016," Helmer wrote.
"Your actions in actively seeking the dissolution of the city are not in the best interests of the residents of the city of Prospect Heights. Accordingly, in my view, you are not qualified to sit on any board or commission of the City."
The board that governs Chicago Executive Airport (formerly Palwaukee Airport), has members from both Prospect Heights and Wheeling.
Pace is among the proponents of a project called The Initiative. It supports breaking up Prospect Heights and attaching the various pieces to nearby communities, because the city doesn't have long-term financing in place to thrive. It also promotes the consolidation of smaller local governments like schools and libraries, to make for bigger, more efficient institutions.
Pace said he met with Helmer last Friday and was asked to resign from the airport board. He refused.
On Tuesday, Helmer said he thinks it is a conflict of interest and perception for Pace to sit on one of the city's boards, while also promoting a plan that would eliminate the city.
"It gave the perception that he was representing our city, which he is not," Helmer said.
Pace, for his part, said Tuesday that Helmer seems to have a "vendetta" against him because of the consolidation proposal. He said The Initiative is not a shot aimed at Helmer's presidency, but about the future solvency of Prospect Heights, which is not home rule and therefore has little ability to levy local taxes.
"It's prudent to look to the future. Right now the city is in good shape so this is the time to look at it," Pace said.
Helmer is against the consolidation idea. He said Tuesday he has gotten more than 20 letters in the past week that agree with him.
Pace, meanwhile, said he is "very, very disappointed," both by the mayor's rejection of The Initiative and by his removal from the airport board.
"He could take this and run with it. All I'm asking for is for it (the consolidation) to be studied to see if it's a feasible idea," Pace said. "I loved the airport board and the people I worked with. He knew this would hurt me the most so that's what he did."
In spite of the setback, Pace said he isn't giving up on The Initiative.
"We keep pushing, we keep trying," he said, adding he and his team will go to other communities and Illinois political leaders with the idea next.
Helmer doesn't see a future for the consolidation idea, and says even if it did end up on a local ballot, he is confident voters would reject the idea.
"I'm not worried about it at all," Helmer said.
As for the empty seat on the airport board, Helmer plans to fill it himself for a few months while searching for a permanent replacement.
As a former member of the board, and a pilot, Helmer said he expects the city council to easily confirm his self-appointment next week.