New Avon Township supervisor's spending questioned

The tables turned a bit in Avon Township this week, as Supervisor Sam Yingling found himself under fire from opponents over money spent on a new meeting room rostrum.

Trustee William "Bill" McNeill raised the issue about the wooden rostrum in the wake of Yingling and other elected officials voicing concern about spending by outgoing Assessor Rick Dishman.

Yingling, who took over May 18, said it cost about $1,900 for material to build the long desklike structure that accommodates the supervisor, clerk, four township trustees and an attorney. The elected officials had been seated at folding tables for public meetings.

Avon Township maintenance employees were used to build the rostrum to keep down costs, said Yingling. He said the dais creates a more professional atmosphere and allows guests to look public officials in the eye, unlike the previous setup.

McNeill said the structure was built while his political opponents have been questioning and trying to block Dishman's attempt to use $3,000 in public money for a Miami convention about three months before he departs office Dec. 31.

"I'm kind of curious," McNeill asked Yingling. "Did someone know you were doing this (construction) or did you do it on your own?"

Yingling responded that he went over capital expenditure needs with the town board at a June meeting attended by McNeill. He said the wooden rostrum, built since the last meeting, is one part of an overall effort to improve Avon Township's offices in Round Lake Park.

McNeill was the only one of four trustee candidates to win on the Avon One political slate headed by former township supervisor Shirley Christian in April. Dishman lost his assessor's job to Bryce Carus, who ran on Yingling's Avon Forward team.

Before McNeill questioned the need for the rostrum, Trustee Sherry Ridge criticized Dishman for not trying to get a cheaper rate on an assessor's office employee's hotel room for an upcoming St. Louis-area conference.

Ridge said she called the Comfort Inn & Conference Center in Edwardsville on July 9. She said just by asking she was quoted a cheaper $73 daily fee - a $39.21 savings - during the time Dishman's employee is supposed to be at the hotel.

Dishman did not object to seeking the reduced hotel rate. Township trustees this week declined to approve the $277.92 bill in advance of the event until an effort is made to get a better deal at the Comfort Inn.

"We owe that to the people of this township," Ridge said.

Avon Township includes all or part of Grayslake, Hainesville, Third Lake and the Round Lake area.