Burr Ridge Trustee Apologizes To Officials

BURR RIDGE, IL — Burr Ridge Trustee Zach Mottl on Wednesday apologized to two village officials for calling them incompetent last year — one of the statements that led the Village Board to censure Mottl a year ago.

Mottl directed his apology to Village Administrator Doug Pollock and Finance Director Jerry Sapp, both of whom appear to be on the outs with Mayor Gary Grasso and the Village Board.

"As far as Doug, you and I had a disagreement that led to the first censure where I said you and Jerry were incompetent or insubordinate," Mottl said during a board meeting. "Now I need to apologize to you. I realize I was fed misinformation from another member of the village staff about you, about Jerry and about other people."

Recently, Mottl emailed screenshots to village officials that he said were texts he exchanged with Assistant Village Administrator Evan Walter. In those texts, Walter was critical of Pollock and Sapp.

At Wednesday's meeting, Mottl, whom the Village Board has censured four times in the last year, said he no longer sees Pollock and Sapp as part of Village Hall's problems. Rather, he said he considers them victims of the mayor's control. He noted Pollock has not worked under an employment contract, which he suggested may be the mayor's way to keep him on a short leash.

Mottl released the texts from Walter around the time Grasso recommended Walter as the new village administrator.

Last month, the village entered into a separation agreement with Pollock, who is set to get $38,000 in severance pay. Pollock's last day is Friday; he attended Wednesday's meeting.

Sapp has been on administrative leave since early September. He emailed the entire board about his situation on Monday and suggested Walter has been planning changes in personnel at Village Hall long before Pollock announced his retirement last month.

Before Grasso announced his recommendation for administrator, he told Patch that the village was looking at a "younger qualified" candidate to replace Pollock. Walter is much younger than Pollock and Sapp.

Pollock and Walter have not returned messages for comment. Sapp has deferred questions to the mayor, who has declined to comment.