Polashek expense audit

[Ted]

 Story in the Life newspaper:

http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/2013/02/05/berwyn-expense-report-investigation-may-tighten-ordinance/a46c5g8/ 
 
  By JOE SINOPOLI - jsinopoli@shawmedia.com
Created: Tuesday, February 5, 2013 2:27 p.m. CST

   The City of Berwyn's Ethics Commission has recommended an audit of 6th Ward Alderman Theodore Polashek's expense reimbursements by the city Finance Department based on allegations of impropriety brought against him last year.

However, the fact that the guidelines are unclear as to what constitutes a legitimate reimbursable expenditure for city aldermen leaves unanswered questions.

Commission member Wayne Parthun said the Finance Department has been asked to make a determination if the expenses submitted by Polashek fall within the criteria set by the city ordinance governing expenses by elected officials.

While the ethics ordinance states aldermen must have a receipt for each purchase and reimbursements are limited to "expenses relating to executing his or her official duties and obligations," it is not specific as to what constitutes a legitimate expense.

"We've requested, since there is no policy in place, that a policy be put in place with an implementation date, and to let us know what that date is," Parthun said.

City Administrator Brian Pabst said the city of Berwyn will be issuing a public statement regarding the investigation. He added, however, that virtually every receipt submitted by Polashek was reimbursable, with the exception of a few instances when a credit card receipt and a customer's copy for the same expense were accidentally submitted twice.

"It's really not an issue," Pabst said. "The  Finance Department should have caught it. The few bucks we're owed we'll make sure to get back."

The issue came to light last year when Sandra Radtke, who is running for 7th Ward alderman against incumbent Rafael Avila in April, filed an ethics complaint against City Clerk Tom Pavlik for attempting to charge her more than $100 for copies of documents related to Polashek's expenditures. Radtke was questioning several trips to the Czech Republic Polashek made when developing the Chicagoland Czech-American Community Center in Berwyn.

Polashek said he didn't want to comment on the reimbursement issue until the findings of the Finance Department are released.

In January, Hajer-O'Connor, who is the wife of former Berwyn Mayor Michael O'Connor, filed the ethics complaint against Polashek with the Ethics Commission.

"We felt justified in requesting (the audit) so we could close the case," Parthun said.

Michael O'Connor is running for the city treasurer's seat against incumbent Joe Kroc.

[buzz]

"The City of Berwyn's Ethics Commission has recommended an audit of 6th Ward Alderman Theodore Polashek's expense reimbursements by the city Finance Department based on allegations of impropriety brought against him last year."

Where do these commissioneri come from ?
Who is Wayne Parthun ?

[MRS. NORTHSIDER]

I guess the Czech Republic as a business trip will be off limits for Berwyn alderman from now on.  Who would have thought that could happen?? C'mon now.

[~LL~]

"The City of Berwyn's Ethics Commission has recommended an audit of 6th Ward Alderman Theodore Polashek's expense reimbursements by the city Finance Department based on allegations of impropriety brought against him last year."

Where do these commissioneri come from ?
Who is Wayne Parthun ?

Getting to know Berwyn's lead ethics commissioner
Berwyn, ILBy Staff reports Berwyn Life
  Comments (0)
Text Size: Given Berwyn's checkered history with politicians and corruption, the job of ethics commissioner would seem difficult at best.

Wayne Parthun, chairman of the city's ethics commission, might disagree. In the more than two years the commission has existed, they've received one complaint that an alderman used a city copier for his private business. He was acquitted.
Although Parthun is seeking ways to make the ethics commission more effective, he takes the near absence of complaints as a sign that the city is on point.

"I look at it as being positive that the citizens feel that there is no mismanagement on behalf of their elected officials," Parthun said. "I don't think there are any shenanigans going on."

The volunteer ethics commission operates solely on citizen complaints. They do not actively root out corruption. Currently, the ethics commission can't hear issues related to unelected city employees. That's something Parthun is hoping to change.

"We would like to expand the ordinance to include city employees, but as a commission, we can't do that," Parthun explained. "There would have to be a new ordinance passed and that's not likely to happen. I think it would give the resident and the taxpayer satisfaction in that everybody is above reproach."

Given the general dearth of complaints, Parthun and fellow ethics commission members Jaime Flores and Ray Fron have tried to make the process simpler by creating a flow chart.

The process starts with a formal application with the city clerk and works its way up to a decision by the ethics commission that could recommend removal from office or prosecution.

For more information, call the city clerk's office at (708) 788-2660.

[OakParkSpartan]

Sorry, but the whole thing is a bit of a joke.  They can't address city employees?

[Bonster]

Why would they address employees?

[~LL~]

"The City of Berwyn's Ethics Commission has recommended an audit of 6th Ward Alderman Theodore Polashek's expense reimbursements by the city Finance Department based on allegations of impropriety brought against him last year."

Where do these commissioneri come from ?
Who is Wayne Parthun ?

Wayne Parthun has been around Berwyn for a while.  He also does a lot with/for the various Veterans groups in the area.  I believe interested persons submit a letter of interest and their resume to be considered for an appointment to the various Commissions.

[OakParkSpartan]

Why would they address employees?

Ethics should apply to everyone getting a paycheck from the city, not just the elected officials.

[Bonster]

Why would they address employees?

Ethics should apply to everyone getting a paycheck from the city, not just the elected officials.

Ethics should apply to everyone getting a paycheck from anywhere, but that's what our codes of business conduct and bosses are there to enforce.   The Commission does not need to be micromanaging employees when the problems, if any, start from the top down...

[Ted]

I guess the Czech Republic as a business trip will be off limits for Berwyn alderman from now on.  Who would have thought that could happen?? C'mon now.

No, Mrs. N, no business trip to the Czech republic.  More like Polashek using the expense account to buy a computer and office furniture and charging in cell phone bills for 5 different cell phones.

Dang!   Why does Teddy Polashek have 5 different cell phones?

There seems to be a lot of gray area in what alderman use their expense accounts for.  One alderman charged in $4,000 in secretarial expenses without providing any receipts.  Another alderman charged in a campaign donation to the DCOB out of his expense account. 

[Bonster]

They should just up their salaries and do away with the expense accounts.   If you blow your salary on unnecessary items and you run out, tough noogies.

[~LL~]

They should just up their salaries and do away with the expense accounts.   If you blow your salary on unnecessary items and you run out, tough noogies.

+1!

[Ted]

 The latest copy of the Berwyn Independent has an article about Polashek's spending. It claims Polashek spent $17,922 out of his expense account, including the following items:

A. Over $4,200 on meals

B. $5,400 on office furniture and office supplies, including a cherry wood desk, cherry wood credenza, cherry wood hutch and chairs delivered to his home

C. $3,357 for cell phone bills for multiple cell phones from at least 3 different providers (Verizon,  U.S. Celluar and N.U. Wireless).  FYI, he had cell phones from those 3 providers at the same time!

D. $767 is parking fees for parking in downtown garages

  The article also claims that Polashek charged in phone bills before he was sworn in as alderman for phone service from February, March and April of 2009.  Polashek was sworn in in May of 2009.

[berwyn senator]

They should be paid according to accomplishments! which would be "ZERO" I am not in favor of alderman at all.

[berwyn senator]

How much are they allowed for expenses each year? Plus what is their salary? After reading the accounting for Polashek,expenses,this is outrageous,what about the others? Boy they really care about Berwyn!

[buzz]

The latest copy of the Berwyn Independent has an article about Polashek's spending.

I didn't know that was still being published.

[MRS. NORTHSIDER]

The latest copy of the Berwyn Independent has an article about Polashek's spending. It claims Polashek spent $17,922 out of his expense account, including the following items:

A. Over $4,200 on meals

B. $5,400 on office furniture and office supplies, including a cherry wood desk, cherry wood credenza, cherry wood hutch and chairs delivered to his home

C. $3,357 for cell phone bills for multiple cell phones from at least 3 different providers (Verizon,  U.S. Celluar and N.U. Wireless).  FYI, he had cell phones from those 3 providers at the same time!

D. $767 is parking fees for parking in downtown garages

  The article also claims that Polashek charged in phone bills before he was sworn in as alderman for phone service from February, March and April of 2009.  Polashek was sworn in in May of 2009.

If this article is correct, that's outrageous.  Any alderman should have to provide documentation of what each and every one of their expenditures has to do with their position as alderman.  Even if he needed office furniture $5400 on office furniture and supplies including cherry wood office suite is crazy.  That shows a total disregard for spending the taxpayers money.  He couldn't use a little common sense and buy something more reasonably priced.  I hope when he is no longer alderman the furniture will go back to the city instead of staying in his home since it was purchased for his aldermanic duties presumably.  I can't believe this is going on when people here in Berwyn are losing their homes to foreclosure and many have seen their tax bills skyrocket (not that it should ever go on).

[Ted]

Here is a link to some of the expenses Polashek submitted, including a $5.59 receipt from Dunkin' Donuts... lol

  This link is to a 6 meg document that will take a long time to download, so please be aware of that:

http://www.jeanmarieforberwyn.com/upload/Receipt%20LIst.pdf

[Mike Phelan]

Aldermen receive a $10,000 annual salary as well as a $4,500 expense account.  I used to charge one half of my cell phone bill as it was the number I had on my business cards.  I never used more than half of my allotment but just about all of them use it all.  If he really did get reimbursed for bills incurred before he was elected, he should be forced to reimburse the taxpayers.

[berwyn senator]

Cell phones for what purpose? Don't they have extensions at city hall?The really good alderman years ago would give out their home phones,and would return their calls. I would like to see these expenses eliminated,along with salaries.Then lets see how many really care about Berwyn and remain in the position!!!!!