Burr Ridge Official Has No Vested Interest In Village: Trustees

BURR RIDGE, IL — Five Burr Ridge trustees released a letter on Burr Ridge Patch on Monday denouncing the remaining trustee, Trustee Zach Mottl. They criticized Mottl in a number of areas, arguing he has no vested interest in the village.

It's no secret the trustees dislike Mottl. And Mayor Gary Grasso, who did not sign the letter, feels the same way.

In the last year, the trustees have reprimanded Mottl four times and most recently asked him to resign. The reprimands were for Mottl calling the mayor, trustees and village officials names.

The board also has taken Mottl to task for suggesting corruption existed in the police department.

Monday's letter opened a new line of attack for the trustees. They said Mottl does not own property, eat or shop in Burr Ridge. And they questioned whether he actually lives in the village.

Mottl's residency was questioned earlier this year, but he appeared to have put the issue to rest at a meeting in June. That was after he sold his townhouse, where he had hardly used any water for two months. In June, he submitted information to the village showing he was living with his parents in Burr Ridge.

At the time, Mayor Grasso said the information that Mottl provided met the village's requirements. However, in a text message to Patch on Tuesday, Grasso said Mottl's comments and actions put into question whether he lives in the village.

Grasso noted Mottl's statements that he does not dine at Burr Ridge restaurants and that he was considering moving out of town.

Mottl, however, indicated the trustees' statement denigrated renters, saying no requirement exists in the United States to own property to vote or serve in government.

The trustees' arguments, he said, are "contrary to what makes America great and what America's founders intended. Residency yes, but not ownership. No doubt there are many people serving in government around the country that are renters. That doesn't make them second-class citizens."

Grasso said the Village Board has no issue with renters.

"Anchored renters who shop and dine and enjoy their lives here and who want to advance the well-being of the village are certainly welcomed on committees or run for office," the mayor said.

The trustees' letter focused on Mottl's lack of property ownership in the village.

"Mr. Mottl, by his own admission, has told the community that he sold 'his' townhome, which was actually owned by his parents. They sold it this year and Mottl moved out," the letter said. "Mr. Mottl apparently has not, and does not, own any property in the village."

Records from the DuPage County Recorder's Office indicate Mottl deeded over his Garfield Avenue townhouse to a new owner in June. He became the owner in 2008, with his parents the previous owners, records show. Property tax records also listed Mottl as the owner of the townhouse.

In an interview Tuesday, Trustee Tony Schiappa said the trustees did not meet or conduct group emails to draft the letter, which could violate the state's open meeting law.

Schiappa said Mottl resorts to name-calling in his dealings with village officials. And he said the trustee misrepresents facts.

In particular, Schiappa said, Mottl's recent assertion that the village was spending $600,000 for permanent tent structures for local restaurants was wrong. A proposal for such spending was presented, Schiappa said, but the restaurants did not request the money from the village and the board has not approved it.

"Instead, Mr. Mottl attempted to stir up fear and resident angst by spreading false rumors that the Village was funding the $600,000," the open letter said.

Schiappa was pointing to a Sept. 14 opinion piece by Mottl that the trustee published in Burr Ridge Patch. In that piece, Mottl said the village was considering the $600,000. He did not indicate that the village had approved it.

In a text message to Patch, Mottl referred to a Sept. 2 memo from Assistant Village Administrator Evan Walter indicating that restaurants had requested the village help with defraying the costs.

Schiappa said he had no problem with debates during meetings.

"I work at a company where we disagree with each other. There's respectful debate, and we look at all of our options and provide solutions," Schiappa said. "I want solutions for our residents, not name-calling, not belligerence."

Besides Schiappa, the other trustees signing the letter were Guy Franzese, Anita Mital, Al Paveza and Joseph Snyder.