Private eye follows Carpentersville trustee

The Carpentersville village president and a fellow board member have hired a private eye to investigate the residency status of embattled Trustee Paul Humpfer.

Village President Bill Sarto said he paid a Schaumburg-based private investigator $750 to track Humpfer because, Sarto said, the trustee was not forthcoming in disclosing his current address.

Sarto said the investigator, whom he could not name, works with Linda Ramirez-Sliwinski's husband, John, a Park Ridge police officer.

The unnamed officer runs a private investigation business when he is off-duty, Sarto said.

"It is unfortunate that we have to go to these lengths to get answers to questions that should be readily available," Sarto said. "It is not the right answer to tell the village president that it is none of his business when he asks where you live."

At the March 20 board meeting, Sarto questioned Humpfer on his current living situation. Humpfer refused to answer.

A full-report from the three-week investigation is expected Monday, but Sarto said the private eye confirmed that Humpfer is living in Hammond, Ind.

If Humpfer is living in another state, Sarto said that would preclude him from serving on the village board.

"The village code says you have to live within village limits," Sarto said. "If the person does not live in the community they are representing, then that would make their position available."

Humpfer, who called the investigation "ridiculous," said his stay in Hammond is temporary.

"I pay all of the bills at my home in Carpentersville," said Humpfer, who rattled off expenses including the mortgage, gas, water and food.

"My intent is to live in Carpentersville, and once all of these court proceedings are over I intend to move back there."

At the last two village board meetings, Sarto has introduced a resolution declaring Humpfer's seat open as a result of the trustee's recent conviction on four counts of domestic battery.

But the measure failed on both occasions. On the first attempt to pass the resolution, trustees refused to second a motion made by Ramirez-Sliwinski.

At the subsequent meeting, Ramirez-Sliwinski requested the item be removed from the agenda, which Sarto supported.

Ramirez-Sliwinski did not return calls for comment Friday.

Humpfer was forced to move out of his Coventry Court home in May 2007 when his wife filed an order of protection against him.

That protective order was later dropped, but Humpfer has not permanently returned to the Carpentersville home.

Humpfer is awaiting sentencing for the misdemeanor battery conviction. He faces up to a year in Kane County jail.