Rival says photo ties Schaumburg mayor to indicted businessman
Schaumburg mayoral candidate Brian Costin says a 2007 photo in the village's own newsletter proves Mayor Al Larson wasn't telling the truth when he claimed to have never met indicted businessman and campaign fund donor William Degironemo.
The photo and story in the "Cracker Barrel" name Degironemo's company Alpha Communications as Schaumburg's June 2007 Business of the Month.
In the photo are Larson, village trustees Hank Curcio and George Dunham, Motorola's Director of Government Relations Darcy Davidsmeyer who chairs Schaumburg's Business Development Commission and three members of Alpha Communications, including Degironemo.
On Thursday, Larson said he didn't remember the photo shoot, and reasserted that he doesn't personally know Degironemo and would not recognize him.
"Well, apparently I have met him, but as I said, I don't recall it," Larson said. "I still couldn't pick him out of a crowd."
Degironemo was indicted on mail fraud charges last month related to alleged bid-rigging at McCormick Place Convention Center.
In light of that and the fact Alpha Communications bought a total of $675 in ads in Larson's campaign fundraiser ad books between 2004 and 2007, Costin is calling for full online disclosure of the village's contracts and subcontracts for work at the Schaumburg Convention Center.
Both the village and Marriott, which is contracted to operate the Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center, said neither entity has ever done business with Alpha Communications or Degironemo.
But Costin says the newsletter photo raises new questions about the influence campaign donations bring.
"It's not like it was just at a chamber of commerce event," Costin said. "This was an award (Larson) was giving for business of the month after getting three campaign donations from this man."
Larson said the Business of the Month winners are entirely up to the appointed members of the village's Business Development Commission, made up of business people from the community. He said Costin's assertion that he has anything to do with these selections is a disservice to the members of the commission and every business that has won the award.
Village Manager Ken Fritz said businesses of the month are usually those that have bettered the community in some way. The newsletter tribute said Alpha Communications was a supporter of Septemberfest, the village's big annual festival.
Costin said that if any further evidence of the need for online transparency was required, any question of ethics regarding the convention center's contracts would be that reason.
Fritz said documents could be constantly put up on the village's Web site, but the staff has been spending most of its time on timely updates believed to have a larger audience. This includes Police Chief Brian Howerton's letter to the community about recent crime incidents.
Fritz said Costin seems to be the only resident interested in the fine print of the village's business contracts and hasn't been shy about requesting them through Freedom of Information Act requests.
Costin said he's still awaiting release of these contracts, but Fritz said the subcontracts of businesses like Marriott or Walsh Construction are not controlled by the village.