The two law firms serving in an official capacity for the Village of Caseyville provided letters of resignation this week, but the Board of Trustees voted unanimously Wednesday to fill the posts before they were vacant.

Caseyville Village Hall / Photo by Roger Starkey

Caseyville officials were notified via letter Monday that the Law Office of Christopher Cueto, Ltd would resign as village attorneys, effective Wednesday. Chatham & Baricevic notified officials this week of its intention to resign as both tax increment finance attorneys and Police and Fire Board attorneys due to concerns about the manner in which they were appointed.

Chatham & Baricevic were approved by the Board of Trustees, but not also appointed by the mayor. Because the mayor did not first appoint them, there was some question about the legality of their employment by the Village. Attempts to reach the Law Office of Christopher Cueto to determine a reason for its resignation were unsuccessful.

With the unanimous approval of the Board on Wednesday, Mayor Leonard Black appointed Chatham & Baricevic as TIF attorneys and Police and Fire Board attorneys. The Weilmuenster Law Group, P.C was appointed and unanimously approved as village attorneys.

Black attempted to appoint the Weilmuenster Law Group on July 17, but the Board declined to vote on the matter (see related: Mayor’s attempt to appoint new Caseyville village attorney fails without vote).

Black appointed John Gilbert and the Law Office of Christopher Cueto as the village attorneys in May 2013. There was no Board vote on the motion.

According to a recording of the June 2013 regular Board meeting, Trustee Kerry Davis informed Gilbert and the Board that the Illinois Municipal Code indicates that the village attorney has to be approved by the Board. Gilbert then asked that he and the Cueto firm be appointed.

At Gilbert’s suggestion, Kerry made a motion to approve Gilbert and the Cueto firm. The Board unanimously approved the motion. The official meeting minutes do not reflect the conversation, the vote or an agenda item to appoint village attorneys.

Gilbert was removed as the primary village attorney in a move announced by Black to the Village Board during a June 4 committee meeting.

In other business at the Aug. 20 regular monthly meeting of the Caseyville Board of Trustees:

• The appointment of Derek Parker, a Democrat, to the Police and Fire Board to replace John Buckley, a Republican, was put on hold after a question was raised about the composition of the board. Illinois laws indicates that the three members of a Police and Fire Board cannot be from the same political party.

According to 65 ILCS 5/10-2.1-3 of the Illinois Municipal Code, “(p)arty affiliation shall be determined by affidavit of the person appointed as a member of the board.” Buckley said he was never asked to sign an affidavit. The other two members, Don Staley and John Vieluf are Independents.

• The job title for Keri Davis Cary was changed to zoning clerk and assistant zoning administrator. Trustee Brenda Williams explained that the pay was the same and the job was the same, but the addition of “assistant zoning administrator” to the title more accurately reflected her current duties. Trustee Rick Casey Jr was the only Board member to vote against the measure.

• The fiscal year 2015 budget was approved, again. Williams explained that, according to Illinois state law, the budget has to be on display to the public for 10 days and a hearing must be held before the Board can approve. Neither occurred in July, when the budget was originally approved. Casey was the only Board member to vote against the measure.

• An audit of the TIF accounts by Chatham and Baricevic was approved. Casey was the only Board member to vote against the measure.