Caarpentervsille finance panel -- minus one -- to resume meetings

A Carpentersville commission disrupted by the latest village board dispute will soon return to business as usual -- for the most part.

Three of the four members of the village's finance panel who skipped last month's meeting said they would attend meetings now that the majority of the village board has determined Trustee Paul Humpfer can remain on the village board.

Resident finance commission members Sherry Dobson, Michael Sievertson and Nathan Spain, as well as Village President Bill Sarto, refused to attend meetings until the village board resolved the status of Humpfer's position.

Sarto sent a letter to commissioners encouraging them to avoid meetings until the issue was resolved.

On Tuesday, trustees voted 5-2 to dismiss Sarto's resolution declaring Humpfer's seat vacant.

Sarto argued Humpfer vacated his seat when a Kane County judge found him guilty of domestic battery in early March.

With the board's determination, Dobson, Sievertson and Sarto said they would resume involvement.

"Consistent with my prior position, now that the village board has made its determination regarding Trustee Humpfer, I feel it's appropriate for the audit and finance commission to continue its meetings," Sievertson said in an e-mail.

But the commission will remain one member short.

Spain said he would not return, citing moral and ethical conflicts.

"He has been found guilty of the charges and the board's decision to let him stay shows that they have zero moral authority," said Spain, who called Tuesday's vote "ethical suicide."

"As long as Trustee Humpfer is there and his … enablers are there, I cannot return to the meeting," Spain said.

Spain has missed two meetings since Humpfer's March 5 conviction and last month sent an e-mail to commissioners and village officials stating he would not attend as long as Humpfer remained chairman.

Though he will miss upcoming meetings, Spain said his e-mail does not announce his resignation. The village board must remove him, he says.

While Humpfer said he would await the outcome of a proposed measure giving trustees the authority to remove commission members who miss three consecutive meetings, Sarto said he would not remove Spain.

And Sarto applauded Spain's fortitude.

"I find it quite refreshing that someone in this village has a backbone," Sarto said. "There could be a vacancy, but I am not willing to fill it. As far as I am concerned the position is filled."

With six members, Humpfer said he did not foresee problems.

"I don't believe his absence materially harms the commission, but we do lose the perspective and experience of one member," Humpfer said. "His absence could also cause a tie vote, but I cannot recall any commission votes of 4-3."

The commission's next meeting is May 22.