“Carpentersville Cares” supporters refer to African-Americans as monkeys

Supporters of the “Carpentersville Cares” team of Ed Ritter, Kay Teeter, Pat Schultz and Brad McFeggan have posted an entry on their blog that refer directly to African-Americans as “monkeys”.

They are apparently trying to draw attention to an incident that occurred last year where Trustee Linda Ramirez Sliwinski was issued a disorderly conduct citation for telling two children to stop climbing in trees like monkeys. The citation was thrown out on Constitutional grounds, particularly because it was clear that Sliwinski’s reference was in no way considered a racial epithet.

Still, supporters of the “Carpentersville Cares” team have continually tried to imply that it was a racist statement. In doing so, they have created entries that actually do call African-American residents “monkeys”.

The most recent posting contains several pictures of monkeys and makes comments such as the following:

Apparently, this an act of revenge after Carpentersville Trustee Linda Ramirez Sliwinski chased monkees out of her neighbor’s tree. After the “chasing those monkees incident,” the family of monkees moved out of the neighborhood.

These monkees only do jobs, that illegal aliens refuse to do. They’re just trying to make a living and raise their families here in Carpentersville.

They pay taxes and enjoy spending their money at local pubs.

None of this is a surprise since the “Carpentersville Cares” team has apparently decided to use their Board and Committee positions to take action against those whom they deem undesirable.

Sarto recognized for town’s progress

The following is a re-post of an article published November 27, 2007.  It was part of a 5-part series titled “The Trouble in Carpentersville”, which aimed to explain who and what was behind the years of turmoil that fractured several Village Boards (no, the problems were there well before the current Village President was elected in 2005).  It remains relevant and is good for voters to know as we head into the final few weeks of the 2009 campaign. Worthy of note is that “Sigwalt and Co.” is short-hand for a group that includes candidates in this election: Ed Ritter, Kay Teeter, Pat Schultz and Brad McFeggan.

[[Follow these links to read Introduction, Part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4 and part 5]]

The Board elected in 2005, with 4 new members, didn’t get off on a good foot due to the last minute appointments and 11th-hour approvals that came at the hands of an outgoing Board. There were some bumpy roads caused by more than the crumbling infrastructure in the wake of years of neglect.

Yet by the end of 2005, the papers were congratulating the Board for having found some direction and cohesiveness that hadn’t been seen in years; things were getting done, and they were crediting Sarto with being the key in moving the Village forward and bringing the Board together:

At their last village board meeting of the year, Carpentersville’s leaders Tuesday gave themselves a pat on the back for their newfound cohesion after a history of fractious government.

Comparing Carpentersville and East Dundee as towns heading in opposite directions, the Daily Herald wrote:

Carpentersville’s government, for years notorious for its ugly public spats, has been humming along pleasantly for the past several months.

[…]

Now, board members spend more time thanking each other and laughing at each other’s jokes than debating each other at board meetings. When disputes do arise, they lack the biting tone they once had.

[…]

The turnaround came, according to both Sarto and Humpfer, when the men met to discuss their differences, agreed they needed to compromise, and made shows of good faith.

The eutopia on the Board — with a few disagreements here and there — lasted through the better part of 2006, as well. However, there was still some animosity carried over from the earlier actions of the outgoing Board. Not only was the appointment of Trustee Humpfer without consideration of others for the position both suspect and underhanded, but also the 11th-hour deal on Pulte’s Winchester Glen subdivisions.

The distrust caused some finger-pointing, mostly between Sarto and Sigwalt, and charges of ulterior motives.

Yet, it was Sarto who repeatedly reached out to try to mend fences and bring the Board together to be able to work on the things that needed to be done in Carpentersville.

In July, the Daily Herald commented:

Almost three months after he demanded his political rival resign his appointed trustee seat, Carpentersville Village President Bill Sarto says he will appoint trustee Paul Humpfer, an auditor, to an advisory financial panel. Sarto also plans to appoint former Trustee Nancy Moore’s husband, banker Donald Moore, whose offers to help previously had been rejected.

“We can’t keep fighting,” Humpfer said.

Well, you could – but this is so much better.

[Source: Daily Herald editorial, July 2, 2005]

While Sarto was reaching out though, you could almost sense that it would not be well received by Sigwalt and Co:

New Carpentersville President Bill Sarto named the man who ran against him the chairman of the newly merged audit and finance commission this week. “I think he’s capable of handling this, and hopefully this can heal some of the past wounds,” Sarto said of Paul Humpfer’s appointment. “I’m doing my best to bring this board together to get things done.”

In a town where political strife is constant, the move to mend a deep political schism is downright soothing. Here’s hoping Sarto also brought the Super Glue.

[Source: Daily Herald editorial, July 9, 2005]

“Super Glue”, as would be seen in later months when Sigwalt and Humpfer would continually slap Sarto’s cooperative hand, would have been nice.

Things were and have been getting done in the Village under Sarto. Sigwalt and Co were not getting the press they needed to win re-election … especially when there was a very real possibility that voters would hold them accountable for disregarding the results of the election 2 years earlier by the backdoor appointment of Paul Humpfer. So, in September 2006, with the help of the local media and backed by Sarto’s sometimes fiery penchant for pushing to get things done, they moved on the volatile illegal immigration issue.