Motion to remove Carpentersville trustee dropped

A proposal seeking the removal of a Carpentersville trustee was dropped Tuesday after the resolution's supporters removed the item from the agenda.

Carpentersville Village President Bill Sarto resubmitted a resolution declaring Trustee Paul Humpfer's position vacant -- reasoning the trustee's recent conviction on four counts of domestic battery and residency questions precluded Humpfer from maintaining his position.

But before trustees could discuss the measure, Trustee Linda Ramirez-Sliwinski motioned to remove the item.

Sarto said since he brought the measure forward, he would support the item's removal.

The resolution regarding Humpfer's post was unsuccessful at the previous village board meeting after trustees snubbed a motion made by Ramirez-Sliwinski to approve the resolution.

At that meeting, Sarto appealed for a second at least four times before yielding.

A shouting match erupted and residents paraded across the board room holding signs supporting Humpfer.

At least three village board members have said they support Humpfer's position on the board.

The resolution was the latest attempt to remove Humpfer, a political adversary of Sarto's, since a Kane County judge found the trustee guilty of domestic battery for hitting his wife with a baseball bat during a domestic dispute in May 2007.

In March, the day after Judge James Hallock handed down his decision, Sarto sent a memorandum to the village board declaring Humpfer's seat vacant.

Sarto also sent requests to both the Kane County state's attorney and Illinois Attorney General asking both offices to begin quo warranto procedures.

A quo warranto is used to determine the validity of an elected official's position.

Humpfer, who faces up to a year in Kane County jail, is appealing the decision.