Ex-Police Chief Explains Questionable $75,000 Check by BRIAN MURPHY Continued
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INSIDE THIS EDITION COMET SPORTS $1.00 Criminal justice bill Comets wrestle well Vol. 63, Issue 2 1 section • 12 pages heads to givernor in dream team duals Not over 75% advertising www.braidwoodjournal.com WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021 | A FREE PRESS NEWSPAPER Ex-police chief explains questionable $75,000 check BY BRIAN MURPHY continued. “I believe the Mayor forfeiture money and said he wanted out with a loan of $150,000 for his CORRESPONDENT signed for the loan and with city “I'M HERE TO QUELL ANY to help offset some of the loan. own use. He did not. I'm also here to approval and with a resolution. The “Part of the issue was that the quell any social media or any ques- Former Braidwood police chief mayor at that time was Jim Vehrs. I SPECULATION THAT THE federal seizure account money wasn't tions this board had that the $75,000 Nick Ficarello came before the city have a copy of the check that was PREVIOUS MAYOR MADE OUT coming in like it had been previously was never paid. It was earmarked council to address social media com- written from the federal seizure WITH A LOAN OF $150,000 and my last day I thought I would take ‘building upgrades’ and that's build- ments and Sound-offs in The account my last day of employment care of at least trying to offset the ing upgrades for the police depart- Braidwood Journal about business on April 23, 2019, for the sum of FOR HIS OWN USE. $82,000-plus that was going to be ment,” Ficarello said. dealings during his administration. $75,000. HE DID NOT.” owed by this administration at the Lyons described several expenses Ficarello spoke during the public “That was the last day I worked end, trying to take some responsibili- he inherited and said the funds were comment portion of the Jan. 12 city and the last day of Mayor Vehrs’ ty,” Ficarello said. not used appropriately according to council meeting at city hall. administration. The check was writ- NICK FICARELLO “Social media has since, along federal requirements. “There appears to be some ques- ten because in 2022 the next adminis- FORMER BPD CHIEF with I also believe this board, has had “If he was being responsible, why tion regarding a $75,000 check that tration was going to have to pay a lit- some question what happened to the did he leave us with a $200,000 bill to was written out of the Federal tle over $82,000 for lack of a better money and where the money went. WESCOM? Why do we owe $15,000 term, the balloon of the loan.” After we left, I found out that there for portable radios? Why do we owe Forfeiture Account. Also, a question through all the asset forfeiture stuff, Following the meeting, Police was $75,000 put in the police depart- $10,000 for tasers?” Lyons asked. pertaining to $150,000 loan that was and he said he did it as a favor. It was Chief Todd Lyons responded to ment budget, I believe for the pay- “When they did an audit on the taken out for the remodeling of the never applied to that loan because we Ficarello’s comments. ment for that $150,000 loan. The actu- asset forfeiture, there are rules on police department,” Ficarello said. didn’t realize it was a balloon loan. He “Why would he write that check al check was cashed on the 6th of how you spend that money. If you use “On June 25, 2017, a loan for said it was earmarked but it wasn’t in on his last day? I didn’t even know May, 2019. it for construction, you have to get $150,000 was taken out by the city the books,” Lyons said. that check was written to the city until “I'm here to quell any specula- through a resolution for remodeling Ficarello blamed the lack of asset SEE MONEY, PAG E2 of the police department,” Ficarello we did our own audit and went tion that the previous mayor made Braidwood Park District provides services throughout pandemic BY MARNEY SIMON Josh Bolatto. “Regulating tem- EDITOR perature underneath the pavil- ion is probably the biggest. In The novel coronavirus the summer months, it helps brought a lot of things to a halt to reduce the temperature as in 2020. But, one thing that prior to the insulation it would folks were encouraged to do get like an oven in there. In the throughout the year was to get winter, it helps makes it a little outside. warmer in there. To that end, the “Also, when it rains, you Braidwood Park District can actually hear yourself played an important role in think under there as the insu- the lives of folks in and around lation helps to absorb some of Braidwood in 2020, providing the sound from the rain on the an outdoor venue even when tin roof,” he continued. “Our other events had to be grounds crews painted it up scrapped. really nice in there which The district was able to helped to brighten it up as check a few items off its proj- well. Our hope is that once ect list in 2020. people start being able to hold In May, foam insulation functions again like parties, was installed on the ceiling celebrations, reunions, etc. it and walls underneath the will be even more attractive for Lions Pavilion, and the inner potential rentals.” walls were finished, which Bolatto said the pavilion marked the final phase of the upgrade project began five district’s original upgrade years ago, broken out into five BAHCC creates long term garden vision plan. phases. “The addition of insula- The first was an electrical BY MARNEY SIMON of produce. That haul was tion and inner walls helps in a EDITOR donated to the Community couple of ways,” explained SEE PARK, PAGE 2 Care Center food pantry in Park Board Commissioner The Braidwood Area Braidwood. Healthy Community Dell’Aquila said that Coalition (BAHCC) hosted its while the coalition will plant inaugural community garden those beds again this year, the in 2020. long term vision is to add up Now, as the coalition to 13 more beds, benches, a preps for the garden to return compost station, a tool shed, City expected to approve in 2021, members are also a potting table, and even a eyeing some long term goals fountain and bird feeders. communication agreement to keep it sustainable as well Dell’Aquila said the BBSA as make it a useable and is already on board to sponsor BY BRAIN MURPHY agreement has been passed by enjoyable space for the com- one bed. CORRESPONDENT numerous other municipali- munity. “We’re adding another ties and fire protection dis- BAHCC project coordi- bed this year so we can The city of Braidwood is tricts in order to utilize this nator Pete Dell’Aquila gave an donate even more to the expected to approve a measure system like Channahon, update on the garden’s long pantry. We’d like to have a later this month that will help Elwood, Shorewood and term vision during the group’s message board and some improve communications for Braidwood Fire Protection monthly meeting, which was trash cans and a little gazebo local first responders. District also passed it.” held via Zoom on Jan. 11. that people can sit under,” he Braidwood Emergency Bolatto said being able to “We’ve been working said. Services and Disaster Agency have access to the system is behind the scenes for the past In addition to a hopeful (ESDA) Coordinator Josh important for ESDA and the couple of months on the gar- future for vegetables and Bolatto addressed members of Braidwood police department. den, planning our communi- herbs, Dell’Aquila said there the City Council during their “It allows that ability for ty garden,” Dell’Aquila said are plans for Reed-Custer regular meeting on Jan. 12, communications which is “We’ve been planning a vision Middle School students to asking them to approve the important because if we go of what we want the garden to sponsor a butterfly garden, measure when it comes up for somewhere on the east side of look like, and then we’ve also and the Reed-Custer High a vote on Jan. 26. the county, if we don't have developed a schedule of School RAD group to eventu- “At the next meeting, it events and kind of a wish list ally add flower gardens. will be on the agenda to SEE COUNCIL, PAGE 2 for the things that we want for “We’ve come really far approve an intergovernmental the garden.” with the garden,” Dell’Aquila agreement with the County of Right now the garden has said. “This first year that we Will for use and access of the just two beds, which were rolled it out, we knew that we countywide radio system,” used last year to plant and SEE GARDEN, PAGE 2 Bolatto explained. “This harvest more than 80 pounds The Braidwood Journal, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, page 2 WWW.FREEPRESSNEWSPAPERS.COM Park the decision to rely on Money those funds because they are not guaranteed. “He said he was over- upgrade, stopped the ongoing budget because he did not problem of blown out speak- prior approval. You can get money from the asset ers. use it on anything like forfeiture. I have not got- Second was the concrete drug related investiga- ten money from the asset perimeter base for the walls tions, office equipment forfeiture because of along with the outer walls and and it’s pretty broad what COVID, I think it's slowing the metal siding, with spaces you can use it for.