Unpaid fines could block Fox Lake trustee candidate from taking office if he wins election
An unpaid code violation fine of $14,000 owed to the village of Fox Lake could block a candidate from joining the board if he wins a trustee seat in Tuesday's election, officials said.
However, Glenn Close said he "doesn't know anything about the fines" imposed against him for varying 2018 violations involving the condition of his property in the 0-to-100-block of Fairfax Road in Eagle Point subdivision.
"This is the absolute first time I've heard of it," Close said.
Illinois state code says a person is not eligible to take the oath for municipal office if that person is in arrears in the payment of a tax or other indebtedness at the time the oath is to be taken.
Mayor Donny Schmit said the issue must be "satisfied one way or another for him (Close) to sit on the board."
Close, 61, is challenging incumbents Nancy Koske, Danice Moore and Brian Marr for three open village board seats. The violations came before Close filed to run in the April 2 election. Close was initially fined $500 a day during an administrative adjudicative hearing for violations that included keeping an inoperable and unregistered vehicle outside, and not cleaning up garbage on his property, documents show.
Illinois villages are allowed to hold such hearings to give people the ability to contest ordinance violations in their town without going to circuit court. Close's hearing was held March 27, 2018, documents show.
When those fines were not paid and the mess not cleaned three months later, a second hearing was held July 17 and Close was fined $14,000, documents show. Close said he didn't know about the fine or the hearings. Documents show he did not attend the hearings.
He admitted discussing the condition of his property with Schmit and other village officials, but said there was no mention of fines.
"They just told me to get my yard cleaned up," he said. "There were no tickets issued to me at all."
Fox Lake Community Development Director Donovan Day said the village notified Close about the violations and hearings through certified and first-class mail, as required by law. He added Close routinely requested more time to address the violations but never brought his property into compliance.
New village complaints have been filed against Close since he filed to run for trustee. They involve property he owns in the 0 to 100 block of Tremont Road, which connects to his property on Fairfax. The most recent letter tells Close to repair fences, bring vehicle registrations up to date, put away inoperable cars, and orders him to remove garbage and rubbish, documents show.
This isn't the first time Close and village officials have butted heads over the condition of his property.
They made headlines in 2006 when village officials pushed him to remove "junk" on his property. The village sought a court order to remove truckloads of cars and other items.
Shortly after the village cleaned the property, Close launched Foxlakesux.com as a way he and others could complain about village officials and politics. The name was changed to foxlakeinfo.com, which Close uses for his campaign website.
Koski said she doesn't believe Close didn't know about the violations.
"He's had many issues in the village, and currently owes thousands of dollars in violations on his property," she said. "It sounds to me like he hasn't been transparent about his own situation."