Pappas defends county hires who also work for her

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas concedes her county-paid driver and office cleaner are incorrectly titled as “project leader” and “analyst,” but she said their work is justified and that's she's reimbursed the county for personal services they've rendered.

Pappas' driver, Emanuel Hatzisavas, has a $94,000 position as a “project leader” with the county, and Teresa Kawa, who cleans the treasurer's offices at night, is listed as a $57,000 “administrative analyst,” the Better Government Association and WBBM-TV Channel 2 reported this week.

Pappas said Thursday she's going to get the titles changed, but said she has had death threats over the years and needs the services of Hatzisavas, who also provides security for her. “I'm not going to be without someone,” she added. “It's just not going to happen.”

She said she pays the county $150 a month, or $1,800 a year, for any work done on her personal behalf, such as driving her to yoga class. She said she has reimbursed the county $17,000 in 10 years since taking office.

Pappas acknowledged Kawa cleans her downtown Chicago condo as well. She said she pays Kawa $4,000 a year for that, and that Kawa's work in the treasurer's office is essential in that the office was previously troubled by theft.

“This is not somebody who's a ghost payroller,” Pappas said.

MaryNic Foster, executive director of the county's Board of Ethics, said general policy is not to comment on any potential investigations, but added, “At this point in time, the board has not received any formal requests for an investigation.”

Pappas, in Greece to work with the government to implement new systems for the International Monetary Fund, said she'll be back in Chicago in time for budget hearings before the Cook County Board later this month and will defend her hirings then as well.

She said she intends to surpass County Board President Toni Preckwinkle's request for a 16 percent cut in the treasurer's office budget.