Naperville council votes to censure Furstenau

Naperville city council censured Councilman Richard Furstenau Tuesday night, citing a history of disrespectful behavior toward the city's staff.

The council voted 8-1 to censure their colleague despite pleas from several dozen residents not to do so. Furstenau was the only councilman who voted against the resolution.

"We're sending a message to Councilman Furstenau that his behavior must change," Councilman James Boyajian said. "Not his good conscience, not his effort to represent the people who elected him ... but to change the behavior and intimidation tactics that have been used with staff."

The council has only had the ability to censure a councilman since September. George Pradel proposed the censure of Furstenau earlier this month just days after departing City Manager Peter Burchard sent out a scathing letter detailing instances in which he believed Furstenau had abused his power through threats and intimidation.

Tensions between Furstenau and the city elevated in October when he filed a federal lawsuit against the city and several police officers stemming from a 2006 incident in which he was arrested on charges of misdemeanor battery against a police officer. He was later acquitted and subsequently filed suit, saying the arrest was a retaliatory move.

Last week he added Burchard, City Attorney Margo Ely and police union President Joe Matchett to the suit.

"The real fact of the matter is I don't believe this would be happening if we weren't retaliating against the lawsuit I filed against the city for the false charges filed against me and the unfair investigation of these charges," Furstenau said Tuesday. "This is a continuation of that. No more, no less, just carried out by different people."

Thirty-one residents spoke on the issue of censure Tuesday, including Furstenau's wife, Connie. Nearly all of them asked the council not to censure Furstenau.

"Councilman Furstenau is passionate about his commitment to taxpayers of the city," resident Charles Linnell said. "He is approachable, responsive and works diligently for the residents of this city."

But officials said while he may be dedicated to constituents, his conduct toward the city staff is inappropriate and cannot continue. The board packet contained several dozen letters from staff members detailing run-ins with the councilman.

"Certainly our councilman is a lovable guy, a likable guy at times, and it's hard to actually go up against him because you have to like what he's doing," Mayor George Pradel said. "However, we are held to high standards and we are a team. Just like our family we just have to discipline our children when they stray from the rules."

The censure has few if any actual consequences.

But Furstenau said he will continue to work for taxpayers despite the censure.

"I'll also pledge to you this," he said. "That I will do my utmost and best I can to treat every staff member and councilman, if they treat me with respect I'll treat them with respect."

The council also voted to have the staff move forward with developing a process by which residents can recall an elected official.

Three home-rule communities in Illinois -- Arlington Height, Wheeling and Mt. Prospect -- have procedures for recall, though none have exercised that power.

The state legislature is considering resolutions to allow recall elections at the local level, which some councilmen said the city should support. But those opposed to moving forward with having a recall process in place in Naperville said not re-electing an official is the way to show displeasure with them.