Politics & Government
Plainfield Park Board Members Won't Attend Meeting on PSA Incident
Commissioner Larry Newton called the planned March 25 meeting a "bitch session" about PSA; president Peter Hurtado said he has no knowledge of plans to cut ties with the youth sports group.
At least two Plainfield Park District commissioner say they won't be at a special meeting slated for Tuesday night.
The meeting, announced Friday, was scheduled to discuss reports that bags of equipment are missing from a Plainfield Soccer Association Equipment shed on park district property. Plainfield police last week said they are investigating the incident.
But commissioners Larry Newton and Janet Silosky said they won't be at the meeting, set for 5 p.m. at the Heritage Professional Center, 24023 W. Lockport St.
On Sunday night, Newton sent a message to board president Peter Hurtado, interim Executive Director Gene Coldwater and board attorney Matt Campbell explaining his decision.
"I will not be party to a 'bitch session' involving PSA," Netwon wrote. "In addition, I do not believe it is appropriate to hold any discussions on an issue that is being investigated by the Plainfield Police Department."
According to the agenda, the meeting's purpose meeting is to "conduct an open session inquiry into recent events that have occurred at Renwick Park."
On Monday, Newton said he's been told been PSA members, as well as other commissioners and park district staff, that the meeting could also include discussion about potentially severing all ties between PSA and the park district.
"I'm not interested in having that discussion," Newton said.
Silosky, who said the special meeting was called by board president Peter Hurtado and commissioner Peter Steinys, also said she won't be there.
"This discussion was not anything that could not take place at our April meeting," she said, referring to the regular meeting set for April 1. "The purpose of this meeting concerns me and what it will accomplish in the midst of a police investigation," Silosky added. "It's unwise at this time."
PSA Director of Recreation Kevin Scherry — who was one of the first to discover the missing equipment — said on Monday that he hadn't heard any talk about the park district severing its relationship with PSA.
"I haven't heard anything like that," he said, noting he's not sure how that would work, considering the parks are public.
Reached via email, Hurtado also said he no knowledge of rumored plans to cut ties with PSA. Asked if the meeting could include discussion on the topic, Hurtado said, "Not to my knowledge."
Meanwhile, Scherry said he and several other PSA members are working on rearranging their schedules so they can be at the earlier-than-usual meeting.
"A few of us are hoping to be there," he said.
Commissioner Mary Kay Ludemann did not immediately return a call from Patch on Monday, and it was unclear whether she will be at the meeting.
"If there's not a quorum, it's not a Plainfield Park District meeting," said Silosky.
Nick Diorio of American Family Insurance said he was surprised to get an email blast Friday from the Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce with information on advertising through banners at Plainfield Park District baseball fields.
In years past, Diorio said he took part in a similar advertising program at the park district's ball fields — except it was done through the Plainfield Athletic Club.
"I have participated in this program that the PAC has offered for years," Diorio said. "This year the PAC had to return my money because the PPD told PAC they could no longer do this. I wasn’t told why by PAC. Now it all comes together, turns out PPD has completely stolen this idea — and stolen the idea away from a volunteer based organization that is run specifically for the benefit of Plainfield kids."
Diorio said the park district is also charging considerably more for the ads than PAC did.
Park district spokesman Doug Booth said the baseball field banners are part of new marketing efforts, along with the new park district logo and website.
"We are taking the marketing aspect of a number of things in house as a way of raising revenue," Booth said, saying increased revenue through ads is a way to potentially keep costs down for park district programs.
Marketing Department staffer Corinne Vargas said the plan is for the ad banners to be up sometime in mid-April to early May. They will stay up until October, she said.
She said certain ads — such as ads for tobacco and alcohol — won't be permitted on the youth sports fields. Neither will competitor's ads, she said.
"We're not going to advertise something that would compete with our Great Adventures program, for instance," Booth added.
Just hours after the email blast went out to businesses, Booth said the park district has already seen some interest in the banner ads. The ads cost $750 for a single-sided banner and $1,100 for a double-sided banner.
The banners will be posted at Four Seasons Park, Ottawa Street, Renwick park and Joey Kledzic Memorial Field.
On Sunday night, Newton sent a message to board president Peter Hurtado, interim Executive Director Gene Coldwater and board attorney Matt Campbell explaining his decision.
"I will not be party to a 'bitch session' involving PSA," Netwon wrote. "In addition, I do not believe it is appropriate to hold any discussions on an issue that is being investigated by the Plainfield Police Department."
According to the agenda, the meeting's purpose meeting is to "conduct an open session inquiry into recent events that have occurred at Renwick Park."
On Monday, Newton said he's been told been PSA members, as well as other commissioners and park district staff, that the meeting could also include discussion about potentially severing all ties between PSA and the park district.
"I'm not interested in having that discussion," Newton said.
Silosky, who said the special meeting was called by board president Peter Hurtado and commissioner Peter Steinys, also said she won't be there.
"This discussion was not anything that could not take place at our April meeting," she said, referring to the regular meeting set for April 1. "The purpose of this meeting concerns me and what it will accomplish in the midst of a police investigation," Silosky added. "It's unwise at this time."
PSA Director of Recreation Kevin Scherry — who was one of the first to discover the missing equipment — said on Monday that he hadn't heard any talk about the park district severing its relationship with PSA.
"I haven't heard anything like that," he said, noting he's not sure how that would work, considering the parks are public.
Reached via email, Hurtado also said he no knowledge of rumored plans to cut ties with PSA. Asked if the meeting could include discussion on the topic, Hurtado said, "Not to my knowledge."
Meanwhile, Scherry said he and several other PSA members are working on rearranging their schedules so they can be at the earlier-than-usual meeting.
"A few of us are hoping to be there," he said.
Commissioner Mary Kay Ludemann did not immediately return a call from Patch on Monday, and it was unclear whether she will be at the meeting.
"If there's not a quorum, it's not a Plainfield Park District meeting," said Silosky.
No more PAC banners
On Friday, a Plainfield business owner questioned the park district's treatment of another youth sports organization.Nick Diorio of American Family Insurance said he was surprised to get an email blast Friday from the Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce with information on advertising through banners at Plainfield Park District baseball fields.
In years past, Diorio said he took part in a similar advertising program at the park district's ball fields — except it was done through the Plainfield Athletic Club.
"I have participated in this program that the PAC has offered for years," Diorio said. "This year the PAC had to return my money because the PPD told PAC they could no longer do this. I wasn’t told why by PAC. Now it all comes together, turns out PPD has completely stolen this idea — and stolen the idea away from a volunteer based organization that is run specifically for the benefit of Plainfield kids."
Diorio said the park district is also charging considerably more for the ads than PAC did.
Park district spokesman Doug Booth said the baseball field banners are part of new marketing efforts, along with the new park district logo and website.
"We are taking the marketing aspect of a number of things in house as a way of raising revenue," Booth said, saying increased revenue through ads is a way to potentially keep costs down for park district programs.
Marketing Department staffer Corinne Vargas said the plan is for the ad banners to be up sometime in mid-April to early May. They will stay up until October, she said.
She said certain ads — such as ads for tobacco and alcohol — won't be permitted on the youth sports fields. Neither will competitor's ads, she said.
"We're not going to advertise something that would compete with our Great Adventures program, for instance," Booth added.
Just hours after the email blast went out to businesses, Booth said the park district has already seen some interest in the banner ads. The ads cost $750 for a single-sided banner and $1,100 for a double-sided banner.
The banners will be posted at Four Seasons Park, Ottawa Street, Renwick park and Joey Kledzic Memorial Field.
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