Plainfield Parks: Atty. General Investigating Special Meeting; Peck Pact Includes 'Advanced Degrees' Provision

• Village Trustee Garrett Peck Named Interim Plainfield Park District Director
• It's Official: Park Board Votes to Make Peck Executive Director

"I'm as much in the dark as anyone else," commissioner Mary Kay Ludemann told Patch on May 13. She said she was notified via email prior to the special meeting. She added she had no idea that Peck would be named board secretary at a previous meeting on May 8.

According to The Enterprise, Peck said the park district is cooperating with the attorney general's investigation.

Last week, Peck told Patch all media inquiries regarding the park district should be directed to new interim Director of Communications Doug Booth, who was also recently appointed park district treasurer.

"They just asked for a general litany of stuff," Booth said of the attorney general's office. "Copies of the agenda, the meeting notice, minutes of the open meeting, minutes of the closed meeting." Booth said park district attorney Matt Campbell was reviewing the documents.

Bauer said Madigan's office has been in touch with park district officials to get more information on the May 11 meeting. She declined to discuss specifics of the investigation, and said she didn't know how soon it would be completed.

"I'm not going to speculate [on the outcome], because I don't know," Bauer said. 

A public body found to be in violation of the act could be subject to remediation including being forced to retake a vote, or to take steps to ensure future compliance, according to Bauer.

Group cries foul over contract

A group calling itself Plainfield "Park Truth" sent out an email blast Wednesday questioning differences between Peck's contract and that of his predecessor, retired Executive Director Gregg Bott. Bott was set to retire July 1, but at the May 11 meeting, the board voted 3-1 to amend the pact to end six weeks early.

The "Park Truth" group, which last month staged a demonstration to protest Peck's hiring, pointed out the contract for Bott — and for former Superintendent of Planning Cameron Bettin, who was originally hired to replace Bott — provided for continuing education such as seminars and programs.

Peck's contract, on the other hand, includes a provision for the park district to pay for "advanced degrees," subject to board approval.

Under "continuing education," the contracts for Bott and Bettin stated: 

"The parties recognize that continuing education is vital aspect for keeping the Employees of the District informed and aware of the sensitive issues which affect the park districts of Illinois and throughout the nation. District agrees to pay the full cost of job related seminars and programs, subject to Board approval."
Peck's contract, approved by the board in a 3-2 vote on May 28, states:
"The parties recognize that continuing education or advanced degrees is vital aspect for keeping employees of the District informed and aware of the sensitive issues which affect the park districts of Illinois and throughout the nation.  District agrees to pay the full cost of job related seminars, programs and courses, subject to board approval.  These costs shall include, but not be limited to, books, fees, tuition and other expenses reasonably related to such continuing education."

On Wednesday, Booth said he isn't aware of any plans by Peck to pursue an advanced degree. He said Peck requested the provision in case he becomes aware of a course he feels a park district director should take.

"The board's response was, 'OK, but we still have to have prior approval,'" Booth said, noting the park board would have to approve any courses or tuition expenditures in advance. "The important line in that section is that it's all subject to prior board approval."

Booth said Peck currently has an undergraduate degree. According to a Facebook page set up for Peck's unsuccessful Senate campaign last fall, he is an honors graduate of William Rainey Harper community college and has a bachelor of science degree from Western Illinois University.

Bettin, whose contract was amended May 28 to remain in the assistant director position, has a bachelor of science degree from Southern Illinois University and master's degree in landscape architecture from Ball State University.

Originally, Bettin's contract called for him to serve as assistant director from April 1 to July 1, at which time he would take over for the retiring Bott.

Peck's contract, which is posted on the park district website, sets his salary at $110,000 for the first year, with annual raises of at least 2 percent and a maximum of 6 percent, depending on employee evaluations, for the next two years.

The pact also provides for him to be reimbursed for "all reasonable and necessary" business expenses.

Related:

• Booth Says New Plainfield Park District Role is Temporary — At Least For Now
• Plainfield Parks: Hurtado Defends Decision to Hire Peck
• Plainfield Park District Treasurer Named Interim Director of Communications
• Group Plans to Protest Plainfield Park District Meeting