Oak Park IL Mayor and The Six Who Resigned . . .

Village board chose a racial-equity program for its staff, six Community Relations Commission members resigned on the spot, leaving only its chairman, a black former trustee.

Oak Park’s mayor explained why the village trustees did not play ball with the Community Relations Commission in hiring a village staff equity educator. Not theirs to pick vendors and establish contracts, he told Wednesday Journal. The board has “processes” for that.

In so speaking he got to the heart of the matter: Who runs the village? Elected officials and staff. “I don’t think taxpayers want that to be a commission’s responsibility.” No, but they get upset when ignored.

Another concept is in play here, one that turns up regularly in village politics: governance by referendum. Put decisions to the vote, repeatedly. None of this “set processes” business. Call a meeting. Show up, you got a vote. Can’t make it, gotta put the kids to bed, you don’t. Keep the pot a-boiling, have lots of meetings, where “the community” decides, that is, those who show up and don’t leave to put the kids to bed.

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Read the rest at: OakPark.com