Island Lake mayor, clerk agree to go through intermediary

All governments operate under a certain degree of stress these days, but the problem may be more acute in Island Lake.

Mayor Thomas Hyde, currently charged with forgery, and Village Clerk Christine Kaczmarek, the complaining witness against him, agreed Tuesday in Lake County Circuit Court to not let their personal situations overwhelm their public positions.

The two appeared before Circuit Judge Fred Foreman to present an agreement hammered out between the lawyers in the criminal case against Hyde that will allow the government to function while protecting critical evidence.

Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Christen Bishop said Kaczmarek called police because she believed Hyde changed the name of a business owner on a liquor license.

Hyde was arrested in October and charged with one count of forgery and two counts of official misconduct for using white correction fluid to alter the 3D Bowl/Sideouts Bar and Eatery liquor license.

The license had been issued in the name of Jerry DeLaurentis III in anticipation of his purchase of the business last March from his father, Jerry DeLaurentis, Jr. Prosecutors contend that when the sale did not go through, Hyde entered the clerk's office and altered the liquor license to appear it had been issued to DeLaurentis, Jr. rather than his son.

Bishop said Tuesday that Kaczmarek complained to her that Hyde was demanding access to files she has on a personally-owned hard drive, information Bishop said may be relevant to ongoing investigations.

Hyde's attorney, Charles Smith, said all his client wanted from Kaczmarek was access to files in her office necessary for the operation of village government.

"Village records are public records," Smith said. "The clerk cannot limit my client's access to public records simply because they may be stored with some sensitive documents."

Both lawyers said they would work with computer technicians for the village and the state's attorney's office and review the files in dispute.

Any records, e-mails or other material not relevant to the charges against Hyde or other investigations will be made available for inspection by Hyde or anyone else involved in the case, they said.

Foreman said he was satisfied with the suggestion and said Hyde's trial would begin March 30. Arguments of pretrial motions are scheduled for Feb. 2.