Burr Ridge Official Blocked From Speaking

BURR RIDGE, IL — It's no secret that Burr Ridge Mayor Mayor Gary Grasso and Trustee Zach Mottl are rivals. Grasso defeated Mottl in last year's mayoral election and pushed the village board to censure him in November, saying the trustee demeaned village staff.

At last week's board meeting, Grasso and his allies found a new way to block Mottl — not let him participate. Mottl was planning to take part in the meeting by telephone; he and other trustees have been able to do so before.

But the board votes to allow trustees to participate by phone. Just two weeks before, Trustee Joseph Snyder reported he was away on business. The board, including Mottl, voted unanimously to let him participate by phone.

Mottl wasn't so lucky. He said he was out of town on business. When the mayor asked for a trustee to make a motion to allow Mottl's participation, there was silence. Then Grasso informed the board that Mottl called in to the July 22 and Aug. 26 meetings and missed the Aug. 12 and Nov. 25 meetings.

"This would be the fifth time he has missed or called in," he said.

Grasso asked again whether any trustee wanted to make a motion. No one did.

"The request failed for lack of a motion," the mayor said. "Please disconnect."

In an email to Burr Patch this week, Mottl called the board a "rubber stamp" for Grasso.