Trustees Ciesla and Heller Criticize Fellow Board Members Over Ethics Vote

Trustees Todd Heller and Kathryn Ciesla criticized their fellow village board members at Tuesday’s meeting, saying they were unfairly forced to vote for a provision of an ethics code with which they disagree. 

“I am personally disappointed in my fellow trustees,” Ciesla said. “I feel that was an unwarranted, personal attack.”

She cited the discussion at last month’s board meeting, when trustees voted unanimously to approve the village board’s new, revised ethics code. The code includes a provision on ex parte communications, which prohibits trustees from speaking to anyone, outside of public meetings, who currently has an application pending village board approval (such as a building permit).

Trustees Heller and Ciesla said they opposed the provision, and that as a trustees, it was their job to hear from constituents—regardless of whether those constituents had a matter before the village board. When Heller moved to amend the ethics ordinance to remove that provision, the other trustees, except for Ciesla and Kati Spaniak, voted to retain it.

“You’re putting Trustee Ciesla and myself in a real tough spot,” Heller said at February’s meeting. “Vote against the ordinance, the whole ethics ordinance, or don’t vote for the way you feel.”

After some debate, both Ciesla and Heller voted for the ethics code, as did the rest of the trustees.

“I don’t see the harm in letting us vote no on that portion,” Ciesla said at the February meeting. “But I’m not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater." 

Heller brought up the issue again this week while the board was voting on the previous meeting’s minutes, saying the minutes did not accurately convey what he and Ciesla were attempting to do by separating the vote on the provision.

“It’s over, but I thought it was appropriate to comment on it at this point,” Heller said.

Ciesla said she seconded his opinion.

“At the first opportunity, I will work to challenge that provision,” she added.

Overall, trustees Ciesla and Heller praised the ethics ordinance, as did the rest of the village board.

“This is one of the stronger that I’ve seen, stronger in favor of transparency in village government,” said Village Attorney Steven Elrod, who works with several municipal governments in the area as a partner at Holland & Knight and also serves as Highland Park corporation counsel and Lincolnwood village attorney. 

The ethics code, available on the village’s website, lays down guidelines on meeting procedures, conflicts of interest and what matters require disclosure or recusal by trustees, among other issues.