Bill Newell's accomplishments as Wayne Township Supervisor should be enough to impress anyone. He has raised tens of thousands of dollars for good causes without dipping into taxpayer's pockets. He has supported seniors, veterans, kids and those in need. He has started programs that nurture volunteerism in our community and that recognize those who selflessly donate their time for the good of others. His accomplishments have been recognized by the Illinois Association of Townships.
The only people that Newell doesn't seem to impress are the old guard of the Republican Party, whom are determined to show him the door and who are willing to stoop to any degree of deception and underhanded tactics to keep him from winning a second term.
What makes township government unique is its populist, "all citizens are free to participate" tradition. One need go no farther than neighboring Winfield Township to find a candidate selection process that is open, honest and that encourages everyone to participate in a caucus to select candidates. But, in Wayne Township, the GOP big wigs have closed ranks and made the process as secretive and biased as possible, in order to keep voters from placing Newell on the ballot under the Republican banner.
Their chosen heir-apparent, Trustee Tom Arends, has already embarked on a viscous campaign of half-truths and outright lies in order to muddy Newell's good name. A letter penned by Arends implies that Newell "harassed and humiliated" township employees, and that he spends money without the approval of the township board.
The first charge is the kind of fabrication that would flabbergast anyone who knows the easy-going Supervisor. If Arends managed to dig up a disgruntled employee, that should be no surprise. Some people live their lives disgruntled, no matter who is in charge. The truth of the matter, however, is that the overwhelming majority of township employees both like and respect their Supervisor.
The second charge reflects the sort of self-serving twisting of the truth that only someone as singularly arrogant as Arends could contrive. Newell did, for example, hire a contractor to do basic housekeeping at the Wayne Township offices after Newell's physical condition left him unable to do so himself. And yes, he did so without formally signing a contract and seeking board approval. For Arends, this is damning.
What Arends doesn't tell voters, and doesn't want them to know, is that the previous Supervisor, Glenn Auble, had exactly the same sort of handshake agreement with the husband of his receptionist, to perform exactly the same work, and - during Auble's eight year tenure - the board never had a written contract for these services either. But Auble was the board's fair-haired boy, so trustees, including Newell-hater Joan Mruk, never said a word. When Newell reasonably assumes that he was simply following accepted procedure, Mruk, Arends and their pals tried to turn it into a scandal.
Arends and his allies, Mruk and Doris Kapiel, engaged in the same sort of self-righteous grandstanding when the flagpole at the township offices was damaged. Newell dutifully solicited three bids for its repair and then informed the low-bidder that he was going to place his bid before the board for approval. The contractor, not understanding the process, quietly completed the repairs on a Saturday before the board meeting. When Newell then presented the bill - all of $129 - Arends and his pals went ballistic. This from a group of trustees who don't show but the most cursory of interest in the big financial picture. Rather than pat Newell on the back for solving the problem quickly, they wanted to jump down his throat for their aggrandizement. It's "gotcha politics" at its most despicable.
Arends, Mruk, Karpiel and highway commissioner Ken Spitz owe their position, and allegiance, to the old Pate Phillip Republican machine, the people who gave us an Illinois governor - George Ryan - so reprehensible that the state elected an even worse one to take his place. The Pate blueprint includes stacking the deck whenever possible, and this group has done its best to do so.
The GOP selection committee for Wayne Township included: Randy Ramey, Pate's stepson (need we say more?); Pat Musson, the mother of township assessor Mike Musson, whom she was allowed to interview (no conflict of interest there); former Supervisor Glenn Auble (did we mention conflicts of interest?); Jim Zay and Karpiel.
When it came time to plan the caucus to choose the GOP slate, the powers that be did their level best to ensure that the meeting would only be attended by their cronies. They switched locations, changed times and dates, and, contrary to past practice, have done their best to make sure that the final arrangements were not known until the last possible moment.
The candidates they support are the insiders who have their own interests at heart. Trustee Laura Gebis, who has actually taken the time to understand the inter-workings of township government and whom is the one person who regularly asks relevant questions, and Newell, don’t rate a second look. They prefer blowhards like Arends and Mruk, a bully in a brassiere if there ever was one, to people who actually give a damn.
Bill Newell has solicited private funds to help the people of Wayne Township: over $2,000 to help the Sheriff's department patrol the township, $5,000 to help bail out WAYS; over $17,000 for repairs to the food pantry; and over $3,000 to help out needy families at Christmas. What have Arends, Mruk, Karpiel and Spitz done that even comes close to this record?
In his despicable letter, Tom Arends said that he wants to "restore trust in Township government". We couldn't agree more, Mr. Arends.
That's why it's time for you to get out of it.