Gurnee mayor says deal coming in military memorial
Gurnee Mayor Kristina Kovarik announced Monday an agreement is in the works that may end her dispute with a village trustee whose private foundation has been trying to build a memorial for military personnel who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Earlier this month, Kovarik contended that, over the past five years, the foundation headed by Trustee Kirk Morris has shown it's unable to complete the job. She had said a new village committee should replace Morris' group.
But the mayor softened her position Monday night, saying construction timelines and guidelines are being developed with Morris for the Heroes of Freedom Memorial Park on Old Grand Avenue, where the village's police headquarters once stood.
Kovarik said a proposal may be ready for the Gurnee village board in November.
"Both parties agree that having a written development agreement outlining activities at the Heroes of Freedom site will better inform the public of exactly what is planned, how those plans would be implemented and that the project will be completed in a timely fashion," Kovarik said.
Morris heads the Pfc. Geoffrey Morris Memorial Foundation, named for his son, a U.S. Marine who died in 2004 while serving in Iraq.
The foundation has been attempting to raise private money for the memorial since 2005, four years before Morris became a village trustee.
About 25 Morris supporters attended Monday's village board session, including Mary Alger of Crystal Lake, who was skeptical about Kovarik's desire to keep the foundation involved in the memorial planning.
"This is such a good man, and he has such good will for this country," said Alger, referring to Morris.
Village Attorney Bryan Winter said he's had positive discussions with Morris' lawyer and is optimistic a deal will be reached.
Heroes of Freedom Memorial Park is far from complete. Nine flag poles - representing every military branch- and lights were installed in February 2006, but a planned walkway, sculptures and a garden have yet to be built.
Gurnee village board members agreed to establish a memorial park in remembrance of U.S. military personnel who died in Iraq and Afghanistan in March 2005. Morris' foundation was not named in the resolution, nor was a construction timeline set.
Morris then assumed fundraising responsibility. He filed paperwork with the Internal Revenue Service to create the nonprofit foundation that has his son's name.
Kovarik has publicly questioned whether Morris' organization has the financial wherewithal to finish the memorial. IRS documents filed from tax years 2005 through 2007, the most recent available, allow a glimpse of the foundation's finances.
Spending on the memorial over those three years was $50,477, according to the IRS forms. Morris said the documents didn't reflect thousands of dollars worth of donated labor and materials because that's not an IRS requirement.
Other top expenses include $91,313 to stage dinners and fundraisers, $20,347 on veterans outings and $11,161 to the Illinois Military Family Relief Fund.
In addition, $8,125 went toward a patriotic pillow project for wounded military members and $1,415 was distributed to a local Exchange Club, the Marine Corps' Toys for Tots drive and a military detachment in McHenry County.
IRS documents show total revenue raised over the three years for the foundation was $202,700. Gross receipts from dinners and auctions were $122,091 for tax years 2005 and 2006. Total expenses over the three years were $247,638, leaving the organization $44,938 in the red.
On 2007 IRS forms, Morris reported a balance of $89,218 on an annually renewable 5 percent, interest-only loan he and his wife provided to the foundation for startup costs and working capital.
In a recent interview, Morris said he's put the money he raised to good use.
"I had four individuals call me just (two weeks ago) that needed help," he said.
Morris is the foundation's director. His name has been the only one listed on IRS papers over the past three years under the heading "Current Officers, Directors, Trustees and Key Employees."
Lake County records show the Pfc. Geoffrey Morris Memorial Foundation as taxpayer of record for a vacant lot near the trustee's home on Gurnee's east side. Morris said something may be done with the property one day, but it is not an alternate site for the memorial.
According to a mission statement submitted to the IRS, the foundation's money is supposed to be used to develop the Gurnee memorial, help family members of active service members killed in the line of duty and to provide cash to qualified charities.
It's estimated $200,000 will be needed for life-size bronze statues planned for the memorial depicting Geoffrey Morris, Warren Township resident Sean Maher and Libertyville's Wesley Wells. All of the men were in the Marines or Army and killed in battle in 2004 or 2005.
Memorial: Mayor has questioned foundation's ability to finish park