Plainfield 'Park Truth' Group Wins Citizen Initiative Award

Demonstrators at a Plainfield Park Truth protest in May 2013. Credit: Patch file photo.

A group that loudly criticized actions taken by the Plainfield Park District board of commissioners and its previous executive director will be recognized next month for its efforts to push for change.

The Citizen Advocacy Center (CAC) has chosen Park Truth as one of its 2014 Citizen Initiative Awards recipients.

Executive Director Maryam Judar said the CAC, a legal advocacy organization, assists groups and citizens in ”defending against the many government tactics that are used to silence their critics or to silence people who are monitoring government.”

“Those honored by CAC are dynamic in that they have identified a local issue of public concern and have taken action to organize community initiatives, advocate for greater accountability of public bodies, and make a difference in the communities in which they live,” said Judar, who spoke up on behalf of citizens at a 2013 Plainfield park board meeting. “Often times these individuals are criticized by government officials as ‘troublemakers’, ‘agitators’, ‘uninformed’, and more. CAC identifies these individuals as inspirational because they embody what it means to live in a participatory democracy, and their dedication to addressing a community issue is strong, even in the face of adversity.”

Park Truth members took action in May 2013, after a new park board majority made the decision to hire Plainfield Village Trustee Garrett Peck as the park district’s new executive director.

The group staged a protest, and began urging residents to attend board meetings and become aware of what was happening at the park district.

• Protesters to Plainfield Park Board: ‘Garrett’s Got to Go’

In a press release, the CAC outlined its reasoning for selecting Park Truth as a Citizen Initiative Award recipient:

“Park Truth is being recognized for their outstanding efforts in organizing community members to monitor Plainfield Township Park District by attending public meetings and questioning the stringing of contracts, hiring and contracting nepotism, expenditures that should have required Board approval, and qualifications of the newly hired Executive Director. They also addressed attempts to deter and squash public participation that included board members unabashedly playing tic-tac-toe during public comment, passing a public comment policy that limited First Amendment rights, and the removal of residents by police escort. Park Truth members also utilized FOIA to obtain information. When they disputed the Park District’s response, they turned to the Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor’s (PAC) , for which the Park District website described the citizens as ’a small group of radicals’ who use the PAC review process to ‘possibly harass the Plainfield Park District Board for its decisions.’ Park Truth used the information gathered and published and shared the information with the community so that they were made aware of the actions of the Board. During the time Park Truth engaged in their undeterred advocacy, the Executive Director resigned, offensive comments about the citizens were removed, the Board began investigating expenditures, and more. Park Truth’s continued advocacy and outreach also led to limited but groundbreaking legislation passed by the Illinois State Legislature that increased the Board size by two members to reduce the opportunity for a smaller majority to poorly dictate public policy.”

Related:

• Peck Calls Citizens ‘Radicals;’ Resident Ejected from Park Board Meeting
• Plainfield Parks Officials Eject Resident ... And Play Tic-Tac-Toe?

Since the group took action in 2013, there have been big changes the park district, including Peck’s resignation and the addition of two new park board members, who were appointed by state legislators to dilute the past board majority and give more voice to citizens.

The Illinois State Police also launched an investigation into accusations of ethics violations by former park board president Peter Hurtado.

So far, no one has stepped forward as a representative for the Park Truth group, and no one from the group responded to requests for comment on the award.

Awards set for Dec. 9

The Citizen Initiative Awards ceremony is scheduled for 7 p.m. Dec. 9, at Cafe Amano, 116 E. Schiller St. in Elmhurst.

The event is open to the public and free of charge, with a $10 suggested donation.

Anyone who is interested in attending should call the CAC at 630-833-4080 or email CAC@CitizenAdvocacyCenter.org to reserve a space.

Other award recipients include:

• Batavia Rate Payers for Fair Electricity, Batavia (Kane County), which is “being recognized for their outstanding efforts to hold the City of Batavia accountable for fiscal concerns related to a Power Sales Agreement with the Northern Illinois Municipal Power Agency for electricity from the Prairie State Energy Campus (PSEC).”
• Joan Metz, Indian Head Park (Cook County): “Ms. Metz is being recognized for her outstanding efforts in monitoring the Village of Indian Head Park and thereby bringing greater accountability to Village Board actions,” according to the CAC.
• Gerri Songer, Hawthorn Woods (Lake County): “Ms. Songer is being recognized for her tenacity in standing up to her Village Board about her right to seek documents and give public comment,” the group noted.