Mundelein trustee apologizes for 'lipstick on a pig' comment
Mundelein Trustee Dawn Abernathy has publicly apologized for negative comments she made about the village three weeks ago.
At the April 23 board meeting, Abernathy said installing new village gateway signs in Mundelein would be "like putting lipstick on a pig."
She also called the $347,930 purchase financially irresponsible at a time when "our downtown is a complete mess."
Mayor Steve Lentz and some trustees said they were offended by the comments. But some people praised Abernathy at dailyherald.com and on social media for trying to be fiscally responsible with taxpayer funds.
At Monday's village board meeting, the first since Abernathy made the controversial comments, she apologized to "any resident and to my fellow board members."
"I love Mundelein and as a board we have worked very hard to improve our village," Abernathy said.
Abernathy said she stood by her vote against buying the gateway signs but noted she "could have chosen different words to express my opinions."
The apology was good enough for Lentz.
"I'm glad she addressed her earlier comments and I feel her apology should be well received," Lentz subsequently told the Daily Herald. "It's time to move on."
Trustee Ray Semple had called Abernathy's original comment "deplorable." He was pleased she apologized and noted most elected officials have said something "regrettable or easily misinterpreted" during a public meeting.
"Typically it happens when we are passionate about a particular issue and not in the majority opinion of the board," Semple said. "Dawn apologized and is forgiven in my eyes."
A video of Monday's board meeting, including Abernathy's apology, can be found at mundelein.org. Video of Abernathy's April 23 remarks can be found there, too.