Bensenville under fire for newsletter's content

A Bensenville resident and political foe of Village President John Geils believes the village is using a community newsletter to turn him into a political piñata.

John Wassinger, who lost to Geils in the April 2005 election, is upset that his name was mentioned in two newsletters paid for and distributed by five taxing bodies. Wassinger says that the newsletters' content -- which refers to the 2005 mayoral election -- basically calls him a liar.

While that's an issue he has to take up with Geils and the village, Wassinger is upset because it appears that all taxing bodies endorse the village's view.

The logos of the village, park district, library, Bensenville District 2 and Fenton High School District 100 all appear on the newsletter.

"I've been articulated in there two times as being a liar," Wassinger said. "You helped pay for something that characterizes me as a liar."

In light of Wassinger's complaints, the park district decided Wednesday to begin running a disclaimer on its pages in the newsletter, stating it does not necessarily endorse the opinions or content expressed by the other taxing bodies.

In addition, District 2 board President Patty Reyes said last week the district also agreed on a disclaimer. The park district also drafted a letter responding to Wassinger's complaints.

"We understand your concern that public funds were expended for non-public purposes ... we understand that you consider this misspending of public funds," the letter states.

While the park district agrees with Wassinger that a disclaimer should appear in future newsletters, it does not pass judgment on whether or not the village president overstepped his boundaries.

"We believe that the question of whether public funds might have been inadvertently spent for non-public purpose falls into a 'gray' area of the law," the letter states.

Park district officials told Wassinger that each taxing body is responsible for its own content and that the park district does not even see the content submitted by the other taxing bodies until the newsletter is distributed.

But, in addition to the disclaimer, the park district wants to join with Fenton High School Disrict 100 and Bensenville Elementary District 2 and explain why the disclaimer will start appearing.

It will be the first time a disclaimer will appear in the community newsletter.

In the September/October and November/December issues, Geils writes that Wassinger accused him of "pilfering" firefighter pension funds during the 2005 mayoral campaign. Then he states: "This is a bald-faced lie. Your elected officials are honest and trustworthy."

Wassinger believes the statements are politically charged and should not be placed in a community newsletter paid for by taxpayers.