This was the scene on the evening of Monday, August 28, at the West Salem Village Board meeting’s executive session where a trustee was trying to initiate his agenda.

SCANDALS HANDLED

By​ ​Shannon​ ​Boyle 

WEST SALEM – North Edwards’ favorite prime time drama – the West Salem Village Board meeting – is back with all the attendant griping and recrimination that comes with it. 

And the August 28 meeting proved to be the most revealing yet.

There is an entire web of inner destructions that began to simmer from the last meeting and which came to a complete pus-filled festering head during said meeting. The infamous indiscreet, trustee Donnie Knackmus, dared to defy sanctioned contracts and Illinois State Labor Laws to enact a new set of employee policies. These policies specifically targeted those Village employees who are not privy to his own biased personal agendas…agendas that are both neglectful to the best interests of the Village as well as being considered as an act of retaliation. 

With his “policies,” it appears Knackmus is in direct conflict of OSHA’s worker’s rights of denying overtime, denying benefits, and reducing pay or hours as well as reassignment to certain Village employees for blocking his illicit advances in Village policy.

That’s the bomb! Literally

Someone decided to “bomb” Knackmus and it ended up on the front page of a biased local media outlet. The title was both misleading and puerile. It lead readers to believe that the Ted Kaczynski of West Salem showed up at Knackmus’ door step and took out half of the neighborhood. 

Fast forward to the August 28th meeting. Those in the community know from the mouth of “undisclosed minor” that he and his dad completed the two bombings of Knackmus, yet zero action has been taken. A concerned resident and former trustee, Jerry Mason, pleaded with the board for any information, as the community has been on edge since the bombing. He asked if the village needed, to as a community, “be concerned that there was a bomber on the loose in the municipality.”

Trustee Courtney Malone was quick to want to change the subject and move on to another order of business; however, the matter would later be addressed in a closed session that night in an attempt to reprimand Larry Reid, Chief of Police, for his investigation efforts regarding “undisclosed minor.”

Mason also brought to light that three of the board members had been gathering to discuss village business outside of official meetings. Complaints had been filed that board members were seen gathering on Wednesday the 23rd of August. One defense that ensued was that Knackmus and trustee Robert Hahn were in-laws and that they are related and as such gather regularly. Another statement was given that could only be summated as, “you can’t prove it.” Another board member declined comment about the meeting (bear in mind that no names were directly mentioned.)

Just to clarify…

Although there is no direct ordinance in place for the Village against related persons serving on the board, Uncle Sam has specific jurisprudence against this type of internal corruption: a little department within the government called the IRS. The IRS has this little ditty that they like call the “Governance Checklist” that provides protection from a conglomeration arrangement which directly results in effective control of the vote. Uncle Sam defines a relationship between trustees as having a familial relationship (blood or marriage alike) or outside business with any other voting or nonvoting board member, officer, director, trustee or key employee (irs.gov). This creates a conflict of interest to the Village, a defined nonprofit entity.

Fortunately, even if the municipality does not have a specific written policy in direct relation to conflict of interest, such conflicts have the ability to be reported to Mr. Sam himself in order to counterbalance the scales and restore equality to the system. 

The public commentary continued as citizen Stanley Dorney questioned the ongoing scrutiny that has been heaped upon Chief Reid by Knackmus and Malone when he and the community support Reid for the public’s safety. 

Dorney continued to question the integrity of the board and the other periodical journal reporters, as the entire community observes the selective information that is printed which has the intent to Wag the Dog. Robert DeNiro and Dustin Hoffman would indeed be proud of the effort put into the stagecraft and nuance, but it borders unethical reporting to paint the image of the transgressor as the victim and the victim as the transgressor.

No following of SOP

It was also brought up that the severe breakdown in following the Standard Operating Procedure regarding Village business is draining the Village’s legal fund. This is occurring by unnecessary correspondence to the Village’s Attorney Kelli Storckman. 

Malone has been advised of the proper procedure for ordinance drafting multiple times. However, Malone defended her jump of chain, bypassing the Village Clerk and jumping directly to Storkman for drafting of policy, wasting Village legal funds before board discussion. Many of Malone’s proposed ordinances that were brought to Storckman were voted “Nay” due to lack of support, thereby wasting Village legal funds before they are even board-approved because she feels like she is being attacked by the “girls in the office” when those ladies in the office merely try to discuss the standard operating procedures. 

Village Clerk Debra Mason countered that she was not attacking Malone, but she was trying simply to explain the appropriate procedure for filing a proper injunction for Village policy. Malone’s scrunched nose and deflected teenage scoff indicated that the very attitude broadcast at the meeting was the very attitude that those “ladies in the office” were exposed to. 

Patron Patty T. told Malone to “Put on your big girl panties.”

How many Donnies does it take to change…

Malone isn’t the only one wasting the legal fund; Knackmus decided it would be a good idea to put Storkman in charge of relaying the message to change a light bulb on one of the Village’s external lighting systems. The Village will now have to look to the taxpayers pockets in order to fund Storckman’s legal advice, as Malone and Knackmus’ inability to play well in the sandbox has left the Village with only $500 in the legal fund. 

Malone maintained that she will continue to bypass the Village Clerk and go straight to the attorney to compose the rest of her lamebrain ideas. 

So the next enigma that needs addressed: How many people get to keep getting paid for a job they do not perform? Malone made the move at this meeting that she is not going to resign, but rather to give Knackmus all of her duties. She stated that she cannot perform her duties to the extent that would benefit the Village. It must be pointed out at this juncture that she is not recalling herself; rather, she’s pawning off her responsibilities, still getting paid, and preserving her right to sway the majority vote. 

Knackmus was the polar opposite to Sally Field’s “You really Like Me” speech: no surprise was shown, indicating that he knew of Malone’s move to relinquish her duties. So it begs the question: how does one sign up for a job where one does no work, yet receives taxpayer monies? Where is that application and how many want a piece of that pie? For fun and future articles, Facebook Disclosure, taking a picture raising your hand with the hashtag #gimmiemypie.

Donnie the destroyer

With this relinquished authority, Knackmus immediately proposed that he decide which homes become condemned, forcing inhabitants out of said dwellings and charging said inhabitants for demolition of such dwellings. Rather than showing compassion and basic regard for possession law, the next motley machination for the agenda is the closest puppet with the dimmest crayons. It’s almost as if the majority voters play ‘Duck, Duck, Goose’ for rights to play the aggressor versus the hero. However, the community has grown tired of the slide-of-the-shell-game and wants to remain out of Knackmus’ nonsensical bureaucratic balderdash. A complete reversion to the time before secret agendas held weight in public policy is set in motion and community restoration is on its way. 

More drama emerged: The topic of safety patrol came about. Before Chief Reid could excuse the topic of the police reports and activity, a public concern voiced by a citizen provoked Knackmus. Reid had a written statement, anonymously presented as it was from a source from an ongoing investigation, stating that Knackmus has articulated that he gives permission for the citizens of the Village to smoke their dope at the Village lake to keep the drugs out of town. Reid maintains that the informant’s name will remain anonymous as with any informant that provides him with valuable information about crimes being committed within his jurisdiction.

Enter stage right, Mr. Jim Hinkle 

Former Wayne County Sheriff Jim Hinkle then took the floor, apologizing that he was unable to attend during the public forum, but asking permission to speak given board authority.

The board conceded to Hinkle’s request, whereupon he introduced himself as having “broke in” Chief Reid during his time on the narcotics undercover task force during the Cash Crop Campaign a couple of decades back.

Hinkle stated in a nutshell that Reid has an unmatched work ethic and his only downfall was that Hinkle had to “reel him in from working too hard.” Hinkle recounted a situation where Reid was serving a warrant to a suspect and was met under a fire of bullets. He stated that after the ordeal all they could do was hug in disbelief. Upon the conclusion of Hinkle’s testimony, there began a rolling applause, with a few citizens leading a standing ovation facing Reid, commending Reid for his outstanding service. 

Disclosure’s correspondent asked Chief Reid for a delineation of events that Hinkle was referring to. Reid stated that while working with the Southeastern Illinois Drug Task Force, he was attempting to serve an arrest warrant issued by the Jasper County Court system. The Jasper County Sheriff’s Department and the then-Inspector Reid arrived at the wanted person’s house in a marked squad car.

 “We were met with semi automatic gunfire,” Reid stated. “The squad car I was hiding behind had to be towed away due to the extensive damage caused by the rounds fired by the suspect.” The outcome was such that the “threat was eliminated.” Approximately 66 rounds were discharged: Sixty-one by the suspect, and five by the officers. 

Hinkle concluded his statements by urging the crowd and the board to ask Reid’s previous employer about Reid’s work ethic. Hinkle said that the only asseveration that could be made is the fact that Reid will work himself into the ground for the sake of a case, yet will not charge the municipality for the billable hours.

Flashback!

Now comes the time for a Scooby-Doo flashback from earlier where Knackmus was trying to pass the Employee Policy that discriminated against employees that did not support his agenda and limited their overtime, denied them benefits, made threats, and reduced pay and hours of said employees. 

There was another satirical glance around the room as to how the “buddies” were to vote. Malone was the first to fold and stated that she didn’t want to argue about it. Giggles ensued around her caved loyalty to the majority and applause ensued as each board member declared defeat and gave a “Nay” regarding this actionable proposed policy. Next there were statements, protection rackets and abuses of power.

In the closed session regarding the actions of Chief Reid during an active investigation regarding the bombing of trustee Donnie Knackmus (that certain journals felt the need to display on their front page as headline news despite not having the total facts). A certain board member’s husband and ‘undisclosed minor’ (hereafter referred to as UM) got satisfaction after the publication. It is reinforced by many citizens of legal age and others that cannot be quoted because of their minor status, that verify that UM did the second bombing. Coincidentally the closed session included Robert Malone, known offender of the truth. Courtney Malone and Robert Malone could be seen through the windows waving their hands and yelling during their communications regarding Chief Reid’s interview process of UM. Robert Malone could be seen and heard screeching at Mayor Larry Simms, defending UM. UM has earned derogative pseudonyms about his lewd behavior, detentions for transgressions at his educational facility, and continues to be excused for his delinquent actions by his guardians. This excuse is accompanied by the abuse of power by a member of the board and their majority-voting players. Chief Reid is the victim of a protection racket regarding this case against UM. The majority vote regarding Robert Malone’s “complaint” against UM was that Reid has two days to solve the bombing case that linked UM to the bombing. Reid’s cooperation with the majority will be met with no further recourse taken. Board member Courtney Malone had to recuse herself from the vote. 

Just in case all of that was confusing, the Cliff’s Notes version is that there is a severe abuse of power that is underlying in the favor of a juvenile delinquent being excused, while an adult (Knackmus) plays a fearful pansy over his actions and blames UM for his actions. 

After the closed session was excused and the public session was recommenced, no action was taken against Chief Reid as long as he did not pursue the multiple confessions as conveyed by the many members of multi age ranges of the community as told from UM’s mouth. 

It is a pity that nothing is ever achieved that actually benefits the Village, as the helpful ordinances cannot be passed due to the internal corruption that contains the majority vote. All residents are invited to attend the next meeting and catch the action. Like Levar Burton always said, “You don’t have to take my word for it.”