Burr Ridge Officials Met Secretly With Developer

BURR RIDGE, IL — A majority of the Burr Ridge Village Board met secretly with a developer in 2018, despite a state law that generally requires such meetings be held openly.

The meeting was with developer Adam Firsel of Core Acquisitions, a prospective co-owner of the Burr Ridge Village Center. The Village Center has regular business before the board. Earlier this month, the board approved a business district for the Village Center and County Line Square.

The district involves a 1 percent sales tax for the businesses in the district. The tax is expected to raise up to $50 million over more than two decades for improvements inside the district, officials say. The Village Center backed the district and the tax.

The meeting participants were trustees Joe Snyder and Tony Schiappa, then-Trustee Zack Mottl and then-Mayor Mickey Straub. The day before the Oct. 26, 2018, meeting, the men communicated by text about it, even raising the possibility it may violate the Open Meetings Act.

In the first text, Snyder told his colleagues that Firsel was planning to buy the Village Center and that Firsel had a few questions for village officials.

"I think it's great for 150 plus jobs, not retail, but they have to eat, so see you at 2 at village hall tomorrow," Snyder said.

Schiappa and Mottl said they would attend.

But then-Mayor Straub had a concern.

"Gentlemen, I hate to rain (on) the parade, but I believe this would violate the Open Meetings Act to have any (more) than two Board Members in a meeting to discuss this type of village issue," he said. "Zach, is that correct?"

Snyder jumped in.

"Can't we listen, no discussion? If they are buying and just wanted to say hello."

Straub replied, "Not sure, but if there's a way around it. Zach may know?"

Mottl offered his opinion.

"As long as it's not a current village board issue, it would not be a violation," Mottl wrote. "We could listen, we can discuss any village business that is (not) currently up for discussion."

Straub suggested they could move the meeting to his business office in town "if it makes it more in compliance."

Mottl said that would be better. The meeting moved.

In Illinois, even a text exchange involving a majority of a public body is often considered a violation of the Open Meetings act.

In an interview this week, Mottl said the meeting was wrong. And he said his advice to Straub was bad.

"I regret attending the meeting. I regret helping them facilitate it. I was naive, and I have learned a lot," Mottl said.

The meeting, he said, raised his awareness of what he called a systemic problem in Burr Ridge — "a cozy relationship among all these players."

In an interview, Straub said he could not specifically recall the meeting in question. But he said such meetings of the majority happened at times.

"There were some preliminary meetings," Straub said. "It was only cursory stuff, so as not to violate the Open Meetings Act. We really prided ourselves on following the rules. Some things are just meant to be in a more casual environment."

But Straub expressed distaste for Patch's plan to write a story about it. He said the media outlet was just trying to get headlines.

Snyder acknowledged the meeting, but said it was fine legally. He said it was the only such meeting he attended, calling it a "onetime situation."

"The meeting was strictly informational. I'm OK with informational," Snyder said.

The three uninvited trustees were Guy Franzese, Al Paveza and Anita Mital. Franzese and Paveza said they were unaware of the meeting, but declined to comment further. Paveza said he would need more information before expressing an opinion. Mital could not be reached for comment.

Less than a month after the meeting, Straub resigned as mayor, saying he wanted to spend more time on his private business.

Soon after, Schiappa and Mottl became bitter political rivals. Snyder backed Mottl's unsuccessful campaign for mayor in 2019, but he later joined the board in repeatedly reprimanding Mottl.

"With regards to Mr. Mottl, I supported him. I'm sorry I did," Snyder told Patch.

In February 2019, Chicago-based Core Acquisitions and Orland Park-based Edwards Realty announced they paid $15 million for the retail part of the Village Center, then a dozen years old.

In the 2019 election cycle, the Burr Ridge Village Center donated to the campaigns of Mottl and Gary Grasso in the mayoral race, according to state Board of Elections records. Grasso, who won in a landslide, received $1,500. Mottl got $1,000.

Mottl lost his bid for re-election as trustee in April.