Itasca seeks more time to produce documents for federal Haymarket inquiry
Itasca is seeking more time to respond to a federal inquiry regarding its decision last year to reject the Haymarket Center proposal for an addiction treatment and recovery facility in town.
Village officials told federal prosecutors they wouldn't be able to meet the Dec. 24, 2021, deadline to provide documents due to their small staff and the high volume of material requested.
"They've asked for a lot of paperwork, but we are doing our best to get it done," Mayor Jeff Pruyn said.
So far, Itasca has turned over 1,100 documents related to Haymarket and has purchased Bluestar Software to sort through thousands of emails related to the inquiry.
No new deadline for the documents has been announced.
Federal authorities are examining claims the village violated anti-discrimination laws based on the Americans with Disabilities Act by denying a permit for the drug treatment facility.
Haymarket was seeking village approval to open a 240-bed rehab center in the former Holiday Inn along Irving Park Road. After months of hearings, the village board in November rejected the proposal.
The federal investigation was announced about three weeks later. A letter dated Nov. 24 from U.S. Attorney John Lausch seeks documents related to Haymarket's zoning application. These include:
• All communications and documents related to the village's 2019 decision to classify the Haymarket project as a planned development during the zoning proceedings rather than a health care facility.
• All communications related to Haymarket between village representatives and the Itasca Fire Protection District or Itasca Elementary District 10.
• All internal communications of the village and documents created by the village related to the Haymarket project.
• All communications and documentation between the village and a spokeswoman related to the project.