Attempt to vacate Carpentersville trustee's seat thwarted again

For the third consecutive meeting of Carpentersville trustees, board members bucked the village president's call to remove a trustee recently convicted of domestic battery.

At Tuesday's special meeting to discuss plans for a new public works facility, Village President Bill Sarto declared that Trustee Paul Humpfer had forfeited his trustee position more than a month ago.

Sarto argued Humpfer vacated his seat on March 5 when a Kane County judge found him guilty of beating and poking his wife with a baseball bat.

"It is my determination that Trustee Humpfer is no longer a trustee," said Sarto, who asked Humpfer to leave the dais and sit in the audience.

Sarto had also sent a letter to the board and village manager on Monday pronouncing the open position.

In the letter, Sarto quoted the Illinois election code and a memorandum from the village attorney, stating Humpfer's conviction and living situation precluded him from serving on the board.

However, Humpfer did not leave his seat and Trustee Judy Sigwalt argued Sarto did not have the power to remove Humpfer.

"It is a board decision to declare a seat vacant and it is a board decision to appoint someone to the seat," said Sigwalt, who drew applause from some audience members.

Sarto did not pursue the request further, but he referred to Humpfer as "Mr. Humpfer" instead of Trustee Humpfer for the rest of the meeting.

After the brief exchange, village staff members presented a site plan for a new public works facility at the intersection of Wilmette and Cleveland avenues.

Trustees approved a concept plan, but did move forward with architectural or engineering services.

"Until we get numbers we shouldn't really talk about financing until we know what we are financing," Trustee Ed Ritter said.

The village's audit and finance commission at its next meeting is expected to discuss financing options, which includes taking out another $10 million bond.

The site, commonly referred to as the Tamarac property, would potentially house the public works facility, as well as the police department and a fire department training area.

Village Engineer Scott Marquardt said the public works facility would occupy about 15 acres of the 26 acre site.

A Space Needs study by Williams Architects in 2004, recommended a 126,000-square-foot public works building.

Public Works Director Bob Cole said the new facility would be 20 times larger than the department's current location at 220 Lake Marian Road, which is about 6,300 square feet.

"It is very cramped in here," said Cole, referring to the current public works building where the board meeting had been relocated to Tuesday. "There is one urinal and one toilet. We are hurting for space in here."

However, Cole said village staff revisited the needs of the department and determined a building measuring about 72,000 square feet -- a reduction of about 54,000 square feet -- would suffice.

In addition to providing more space for the underground utility and streets divisions, the new site would also allow the village to store more than $1 million worth of equipment inside.