Gurnee trustee: Flower bill vote not personal

Gurnee Trustee Greg Garner tried to ease some of the visible friction that's developed over his votes against a fellow elected official's flower sales to village government at a meeting Monday night.

Trustee Jeanne Balmes gained approval for a $159 bill she submitted from her business. Garner has been voting against the Gurnee Flowers by Balmes bills since 2008, but started speaking out on the issue this year.

At Monday's village board meeting, Garner and Trustee Kirk Morris voted against the Balmes tab, while Mayor Kristina Kovarik and trustees Hank Schwarz, Michael Jacobs and Cheryl Ross were in favor.

Before the vote, Balmes provided her usual explanation on how she has an economic interest in the shop and recused herself from voting or participating in any discussion.

Under state law, Balmes can do business with the village she represents as an elected official as long as sales don't top $4,000 annually.

Garner followed Balmes, a political opponent, with a statement of his own.

"My vote against Trustee Balmes receiving this (payment) is not personal and has nothing to do with the quality or value she provides as a florist," he said. "I believe no sitting board member should receive direct benefit from the village and we - the board - should practice being above even the appearance of wrongdoing to the witnessing public."

Including the bill approved Monday, Balmes has $805 in village flower business this year.

Kovarik, a Garner political foe, has previously sniped at his flower bill stance. Citing those votes, she criticized Garner after trees he ordered through a village program were planted on his private lot and not the public parkway, as required, near his house May 26.

Garner said the three trees were planted in his front yard with approval from top village staffers as a way to keep them away from overhead power lines. Officials denied the claim and the trees were removed at his request June 3.

Kovarik questioned how the saplings wound up on Garner's private land and said he stood to directly benefit from doing business with the village for at-cost trees, similar to his argument against Balmes' flower bills.