Trustee gets police escort from meeting

Discontent on the Antioch Village Board has reached new heights as Mayor Dorothy Larson had police remove a trustee from a meeting.

Trustee Robert Caulfield was escorted from Tuesday's village board meeting around 10 p.m. when he made motions, took roll-call and declared new ordinances had passed -- all jobs of the mayor.

"I would absolutely do it again given the same set of circumstances," Caulfield said Wednesday. "Some may argue with my approach, but the fact is the mayor wouldn't allow the voice of the majority of the board to be heard."

Larson said it was the first time she had to remove a trustee. She said she was sorry it happened, but stressed security would be at the next meeting.

"I will not let it get out of control like this again," she said.

Larson and Caulfield are longtime political adversaries.

Caulfield was upset after Larson told trustees two agenda items -- the first to override her Aug. 8 veto of an ordinance allowing trustees to have their own legal council and a second reconsidering the Aug. 8 appointment of a new village attorney -- would not be voted on.

Prior to the meeting, Larson had obtained an opinion from village attorney Adam Simon, of the AncelGlink law firm, stating the override must occur at the meeting following the veto to be legal.

That meeting, on Aug. 20, was not attended by Caulfield or trustees Larry Hanson, Dennis Crosby and Michael Wolczyz, meaning there was not a quorum to vote.

As far as reconsidering the decision to hire AncelGlink, Larson said appointing a village attorney is her decision.

"The thing that troubles me is this attorney is giving advice on issues he benefits from," Caulfield said. "No one knows what the law is until we get there and (Larson) and her attorney say what it is."

Larson said she consulted with an attorney instead of listening to Caulfield, who is not a lawyer.

"I take my direction from him (village attorney)."

Trustees Hanson, Crosby and Wolczyz voted in favor of Caulfield's motions. Trustees Scott Pierce and Robert McCarty remained silent.

At Larson's request, Caulfield was escorted from the meeting by Police Chief James Foerster.

Caulfield returned minutes later to gather his things. He later returned through the front door of village hall and joined fellow trustees in executive session.

Neither he nor Larson spoke.

After taking his own vote, Caulfield said, it is clear what the board majority wants. He plans to ask an attorney how to proceed.

"As far as I'm concerned, we voted on the issue and need to move forward. It won't be that easy, I'm sure," he said. "In the mean time, I do my job as an elected official and make sure our voices are heard."