Letter to the Editor: Council Should Publicly Vote on Commissions

L’Affaire Thoman

Comments to Council, 03.07.12

I’m not only disappointed about the Council’s non-decision regarding Mr. Thoman’s nomination to the Environmental Concerns Commission, I’m disillusioned.

Here we have someone eminently qualified to offer a very knowledgeable perspective on environmental matters, and for vague reasons or no stated reasons at all, some Council members will not even let this nomination be brought to a vote.

I’ve read in the paper that two Council members either will not state their opinion or are not available for comment.

Another Council member seemed to be in a veritable tizzy of indecision because some people he’s spoken to would like Mr. Thoman on the Commission while some others would not. As a Council member who must make decisions up there on a weekly basis, it’s as though confronting differences of opinion in this case is a whole new experience for him.

And another Council member said that her “big thing” as she expressed it to the Downers Grove Reporter, is that Mr. Thoman might actually be – and I quote – an “advocate” for environmental concerns and make it difficult for the group to reach consensus.

Imagine that – someone who might have the nerve to advocate for the environment. Someone who might state his case convincingly, as he did in helping to defeat a proposal to locate a dirty waste handling facility across from Cameo Apartments (occupied predominantly by seniors). Or is this kind of advocacy the kind of thing that this Council would rather not have to deal with?

This same Council member stated that “a commission is a representative of the Council”.

Commissions do not represent the Council. They are not intended to be a mouthpiece for the Council or any particular Council member. They independently advise the Council with opinions arrived at after considerable research, discussion and yes, debate. That’s how consensus is arrived at – unless you prefer go along to get along.

None of what I’ve read sound to me like reasons. I and others are being forced to conclude that these are just flimsy excuses, and the longer this goes on, the more it appears like an effort to exclude a talented individual for reasons some Council members would just rather not discuss. Frankly, it opens the whole process of appointing commission member to the suspicion that some criterion other than talent, ability and independent thinking is at work here.

I would like to see four things happen:

The Mayor formally nominate Mr. Thoman

Commissioner Waldack make the motion to nominate

Then let some one on this Council have the courage to second that nomination

And then let the Council take a vote

Step out of the shadows and stand up like adults and state your case publicly to the voters. You at least owe that much to the candidate as well as the voters.

At the Council meeting two weeks ago I came to compliment you on what I thought at the time wars a splendid opportunity for you and the Village.

But tonight I must say that I’m disillusioned and that I find the behavior of some of our Council members simply evasive and cowardly.

Timothy Meaney