At Monday night’s Normal Town Council meeting, during Public Comment, Jodi Pomis, an employee of the Normal City Clerk’s office, accused Councilmember Stan Nord of being “intimidating, unethical and unprofessional” Her statements were in regard to an email Nord sent to members of the City Clerk’s Department.
According to Pomis, “In this email it appeared to me that Mr. Nord is trying to intimidate employees of the clerk’s department to believe they are committing a felony …” Pomis asked council to “address this inappropriate behavior.”
Pomis spoke to Nord directly saying, “If you have issues with my job duties in the future, please heed City Manager Reece’s emails and address those items to her or Mayor Koos. Do not send me any more threatening emails.”
In the email dated Tuesday November 29th, which Nord addressed to City Clerk Angie Huonker and members of her staff, Nord questioned why petitions for positions the town recognizes as being elected were published on the town website but petitions submitted for three positions the town does not recognize as being elected were not published. Nord believes the three positions the town does not recognize are required by state law.
City Manager Pam Reece responded to Nord on Tuesday the 29th by email writing, “Thank you for once again sharing your opinion and interpretation of municipal law. I believe you have misinterpreted some pertinent material and your warning of felony charges seems unnecessarily and improperly intimidating.”
Also, the Town of Normal sent out a press release on Tuesday the 29th saying, “The Town of Normal has retained outside counsel, Kasper and Nottage, PC, to review the petitions for legal conformity. Upon completion of that review, the Town will issue an updated statement and take appropriate action under the state Election Code.”
According to the Cook County Record, “Kasper has a deep history in Illinois politics. In addition to routinely representing Illinois Democratic candidates and objectors, Kasper serves as general counsel for the Illinois Democratic Party.”
Three Incumbents, Four Challengers Running for Three Normal Trustee Seats
At Monday night’s council meeting Mayor Chris Koos spoke to Nord about his email saying, “It’s inappropriate and unethical for council members to go behind the back of the city manager and try to do business with staff.”
Karyn Smith said regarding the email, “To say in it, ‘I am not accusing the clerk’s office, which currently does not report directly to the public, of any wrongdoing at this time.’ That leaves the door open that there is potential for throwing some people under the bus. And to put in bold ‘Notice; It is a Class 4 felony to knowingly prevent the lawful nomination of any person to elected public office,’ and then site chapter and verse underneath, that, I would tend to read that as intimidating.”
After the meeting Nord was questioned regarding the appropriateness of him contacting town staff directly. “When I ask Pam (Reece) and she tells town staff not to answer my questions, what route do I have,” Nord asked. “I will ask a question, and the Mayor will instruct staff not to answer my question.” So Pam Reece, she’s already ignoring, She has been doing that for awhile. I have already made this an issue.”
Nord continued, “If Pam Reece and the Mayor order town staff not to talk to me then I am going to do what is in the best interest of the people that I represent.”
In a related matter Cities 92.9 asked Huonker if any objectors had filed objectons to any petitions before Monday’s deadline. She advised us two objectors filed and each objected to the three petitions filed for the three offices the town does not recognize as being elected. That information is to be published on the town website on Tuesday.
