Stone responds to Buffalo Grove mayor's letter
Embattled Buffalo Grove Trustee Lisa Stone said Tuesday she plans to write a letter in response to Village President Elliott Hartstein's open letter to residents urging them to remove her from office.
Stone said she was not surprised by Hartstein's letter, saying her dealings with him have proved he doesn't like her questioning his leadership.
“I think Hartstein all year long has been dodging all of the issues that I've brought to light, said Stone, citing her questioning of the village's cash-handling policies, concerns she raised about the Land and Lakes Landfill and her accusation that Hartstein covered up an alleged altered e-mail by former Village Manager William Brimm.
“This is a man that doesn't like my shining a light on his leadership, she added.
Village residents will vote Nov. 2 on a recall measure that, if successful, would remove Stone from office with more than two years left on her term.
In Hartstein's letter, which he stresses he wrote as a citizen and voter, and not as an elected official, he criticizes Stone's “negative and improper conduct and approach as being disruptive to the governing process.
“This is a serious referendum, Hartstein said Tuesday. “This is a situation where the conduct of one trustee has had basically a very, very negative impact just upon the whole well being of the community.
Hartstein said Stone has cost the village staff a lot of time and money researching issues on her agenda that are not pertinent to current village business.
Stone argues she has only asked for documents under the Freedom of Information Act in the interest of public safety.
Stone's and Hartstein's heated exchanges at board meetings reached a peak this summer when Hartstein told Stone to “shut up and threatened to have her expelled from a meeting. Tensions rose as Stone continued reading from a report on the Land and Lakes Landfill after the board had voted to adjourn to closed session.
“That was a moment of frustration, Hartstein said. “I have not shut her down. I have basically tried to keep the meeting on track. Even within the same breath that I uttered those words, I said, ‘would you please, please wrap it up'.
Stone says Hartstein tries to silence her every chance he gets.
“They have passed a number of rules this year expanding upon Roberts Rules trying to shut me down, she said.
Hartstein said he is not concerned about his letter supporting Stone's recall being seen as an attempt to quell dissent on the board.
“I don't believe anybody wants to quell discussion, comment, dissent, Hartstein said. “What people want is people who deal with things in a proper manner in the way government should operate. The purpose of our village board meetings is not to provide entertainment like a reality TV show. People can't wait to see what's going to happen in the next episode. This show should be canceled.
Hartstein said residents have approached him on the street, in grocery stores, even at the movie theater about the contentiousness of meetings, which he says is ruining the village's image.
“I can't go anywhere without hearing about this, he said. “Buffalo Grove has always been respected as a model for what a great community is.
Should the recall attempt fail, Hartstein said he is not too worried about increased animosity.
“I can separate politics from governance, he said.
Hartstein, who has been village president since 1999, is up for re-election in April but has not decided whether to run again. Meanwhile, Stone still has two-and-a-half years left on her term.
Stone doesn't regret stirring the pot even if it costs her a seat on the board.
“It takes someone that has the willingness and the conviction to say ‘No, I am worried about it,' she said.
If she's ousted, she said, “I'll just continue living my life as I did before I was an elected official. In my heart I think I'm not going to get recalled.