Obscene Texts Upend Burr Ridge Politics

BURR RIDGE, IL — A series of text messages show that Burr Ridge's new interim administrator, Evan Walter, questioned the competence of his predecessor and at least twice compared him to female genitalia.

In the months before the pandemic, Evan Walter, then the assistant village administrator, exchanged texts with Trustee Zach Mottl. These messages were sent after the Village Board had publicly reprimanded Mottl for calling Village Administrator Doug Pollock and Finance Director Jerry Sapp incompetent.

On Monday, the Village Board appointed Walter, who started with the village in 2017, as the interim administrator. Mayor Gary Grasso had originally wanted Walter as the permanent administrator, but changed course after Mottl revealed the text messages.

In an interview Friday, one of the other trustees told Patch that Walter's texts were "extremely juvenile." In an email, the mayor said Walter showed a "lapse in judgment" and has made the "appropriate apologies."

Walter has not returned repeated messages for comment.

Burr Ridge Patch has obtained the texts in question through a public records request to Village Hall. With Mottl's permission, a Patch reporter checked his phone to make sure the texts came from Walter's phone number. They did.

In one text message, Mottl wrote, "Wtf. Doug is a horror show. What does Jerry (Sapp) have on him?"

"Honestly, Doug is just a p----. I wish it were more complicated than that," Walter replied. "He has no ability to lead or manage. He's a planner who spent 20 years doing permits and plan commission reviews as they came across his desk."

In another message, Walter wrote, "Well, I think it confirms the confirmed secret that Doug is a p----. I only asked why he delegates so much to Jerry even when it's not remotely finance related, and he said he regrets it, but he lets Jerry do whatever more or less. It was clearly reminding of last year when he asked me if he should lead the organization more as village administrator."

Another text from Walter: "Nobody tasks Doug with anything other than carrying water, though. Ask Doug what performance based budgeting is in a meeting and he would answer incorrectly or ask Jerry."

Walter also told Mottl that the trustee missed "the stupidest budget workshop ever yesterday. Doug just admitting left and right that he didn't have any idea what the numbers meant, or why things were proposed."

He called Pollock "assistant to the mayor. Not a leader of an organization."

Although Pollock left as administrator last Friday, he returns as the village's part-time planner, making up to $70,000 a year. He will report to Walter.

In his text messages, Walter, who is a few years out of college, commented on Village Clerk Karen Thomas, who announced her retirement in mid-February after 40 years of service to the village. Her last day was set for May 22.

"I'm sorry to lose Karen's brain but honestly I'm going to get someone 40 years younger to replace her for 70 percent of the cost. My department will get more done after May 1," Walter wrote.

In the text messages, Mottl told Walter that he planned to vote against the appointment of Trustee Tony Schiappa's wife, Patricia, to the village's census committee, questioning her temperament.

"Tony's wife is a f------ animal, and I'm not appointing her to do anything without digging out her a couple of times," Mottl said. "She's had social media accounts shut down because she's been harassing and doxing private citizens."

Mottl later made those arguments in a board meeting, minus the obscene reference. The board approved her appointment, with only Mottl in dissent.

Walter did not comment on Patricia Schiappa in the text messages. The Schiappas could not be reached for comment.

In an email to Patch Friday, Mayor Grasso said Walter's "lapse of judgment" with the texts caused the board to make Walter interim administrator, rather than the permanent one. That way, he said, the board could continue to evaluate Walter's performance.

"Mr Walter has made the appropriate apologies and commitment to Burr Ridge," Grasso said.

Grasso said Mottl's motives were suspect because he waited until the 11th hour to disclose the texts, saying the trustee had them at least since March.

"When the Trustees asked for his texts to Walter, Mottl refused to give them to the Trustees. Why won't Mottl be transparent?" Grasso said. "I’m sure he baited Evan and has similar negative comments about staff — and probably me. What is more insidious as to Mottl’s motives is that he withheld these texts for many months, and most importantly, Mottl had all of them when he proposed last April that Mr Walter should replace Doug Pollock during the height of the Pandemic."

Grasso questioned why Mottl released the texts only after Walter's nomination as the permanent administrator. He suggested it was because Walter had refused the trustee's "various, erratic demands to circumvent board policy."

"So, Mottl tried to destroy Evan’s career. Evan has a wife and minor children. He is making amends. We should give Evan that chance. What the Village needs to do next is rid us of Mottl," Grasso said.

Grasso said Patch's approach to covering Village Hall favors Mottl. Trustee Schiappa made a similar argument at this week's board meeting.

In an interview, Trustee Al Paveza, who has served for more than a quarter century, said Walter's comments were "extremely juvenile." He said that's why the board named Walter interim administrator, so it could see how he does.

Pollock has not returned messages for comment. Sapp declined to comment.

Sapp, who has been the finance director for 24 years, has been on administrative leave since early September. The village has not explained why, but Sapp emailed the board recently about the circumstances.

With Mottl in dissent, the board voted 5-1 on Monday for Walter as interim administrator, with a salary of $125,000 a year. Mottl tried to read the text messages during the meeting, but other trustees shouted him down.

Walter did not attend the meeting. Officials said he was sick, but not with the coronavirus.

Last month, the board entered a separation agreement with Pollock, in which he was to receive $38,000 in severance pay. He is an elected trustee in Riverside.

The board has censured Mottl five times.