Police investigating confrontation at Buffalo Grove meeting

Buffalo Grove police are investigating claims that a village hall confrontation between former trustee Lisa Stone and a local blogger nearly turned violent Monday night.

Stone, who voters recalled from her trustee post in 2010, alleges Stan Zoller rushed at her and another woman, former village worker Bonnie George, with a raised fist during an altercation in village board chambers.

“I heard him go up to Lisa ... And I came over and tried to help Lisa and I said, 'Stay away,'” George said afterward. “Then he came up at me like this (raising her fist), with the hand. I had to run up there and jump (on the village board dais) and hide.”

She said she was not struck, “But I felt very threatened. (Stone) was crying. That was scary.”

Zoller, who writes the blog Gaggin' in the Grove, denies raising his hand at either woman. He said Stone called him “unethical” and made an obscene gesture toward him. He said he responded with “two words.”

“I'll leave it at that,” Zoller said of the confrontation.

Buffalo Grove Police Chief Steve Balinski said Zoller was not arrested, but the department will be consulting with the Cook County State's Attorney's office, reviewing a video recording of the meeting to see if it captured the altercation and talking with witnesses.

“Once the police investigation is completed, there will be a determination whether, in fact, there was a violation of the law, and we will also be consulting with the state's attorney's office to get an objective view of the totality of the circumstances,” Balinski said. “Then there will be a decision made.”

Both Stone and George were at the police department after the meeting, delivering statements. Balinski said the department will be reaching out to Zoller.

The confrontation came as village trustees left board chambers to conduct a closed session at the end of a contentious public portion of their meeting.

George, a former 13-year employee in public works, and Stone earlier in the meeting had criticized village leaders during public comment over last year's hiring of a particular intern.

Village President Jeffrey Braiman later said that village trustees are not involved in hiring of interns. He said the intern was hired as part of a program through Buffalo Grove High School.

After the confrontation with Zoller, Stone approached Braiman and leveled more criticism.

“This government is out of hand. There is no integrity, and it starts with leadership that does not sit there,” she said.

When an audience member interjected, Stone responded, “You might be talking to your future congresswoman, my friend. Get that. Get that.”