DuPage Sewer Official Lied To Get Certifications: State

DARIEN, IL – One of the supervisors in DuPage County's wastewater treatment agency was accused by the state of lying to get certifications in the wastewater field.

The agency serves a number of DuPage County towns, including Darien, Willowbrook and Burr Ridge. It also handles services for the unincorporated areas near Naperville, Wheaton and Woodridge.

Last year, David Vogel, a principal wastewater facilities operator with the county, entered a settlement with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

According to Vogel's LinkedIn page, he has worked as a comedian and actor. He is also a former member of the Fenton High School board in Bensenville.

As part of the settlement, the agency dropped its case against Vogel. In return, Vogel was required to take a number of steps, including hosting interns and creating a video.

Vogel declined to comment.

It appears the state's action had no effect on Vogel's job situation with the county. His pay increased by 6 percent in 2021, to $115,669, according to county records. He made $108,934 in 2020 and $99,945 in 2019

In an email, DuPage County spokeswoman Joan Olson said the county doesn't comment on personnel matters.

Asked whether Vogel was disciplined, Olson pointed to the settlement, which indicated Vogel made no admissions.

Vogel, who started with the county in 2018, repeatedly lied about the amount of his experience in applications for certifications, according to a report by the Attorney General's Office.

Vogel cited his experience while working for the village of Bensenville, the report said. But he could not have had has as much experience as he claimed, according to the attorney general. That's because a private company handled wastewater services for much of Vogel's time with the village, according to the attorney general.

"Mr. Vogel was dishonest on his applications for the exams regarding his time and experience as a wastewater operator and is not entitled to these certifications," attorney general's investigator Terence Shiel wrote in his report.

In 2019, DuPage County's human resources manager told the attorney general's office that she brought the matter to the attention of the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office.

But the manager said it was her understanding that county prosecutors would let the Environmental Protection Agency handle the issue, the report said.

Vogel told the investigator that he had public works assignments in Bensenville's wastewater plant and was shown how things operated, according to the report. But he acknowledged none of the training was official or documented in any way.

Under his May 2021 settlement with the Illinois EPA, Vogel's certificates of technical competency were suspended for 14 days.

Vogel was required to work with the Environmental Resources Training Center to host students from the group's internship program.

He was also mandated to create a catalog of educational content for industry professionals, college students and students from kindergarten to 12th grade.

The settlement requires Vogel to create a comprehensive video capturing the entire operation of DuPage County's Woodridge Greene Valley treatment plant. He is also to provide technical support by phone for smaller wastewater systems in northern Illinois.

All of these things must be done within two years, according to the settlement.