Burr Ridge Officials Apologize To Resident For Trustee's Remarks

BURR RIDGE, IL — Burr Ridge's mayor and five trustees apologized at a meeting this week for comments that Trustee Zach Mottl made about a resident during a session earlier this month.

The only elected official who didn't apologize at the meeting was Mottl himself. He wasn't there.

Trustees said at Monday's meeting they wanted to seek a sixth formal reprimand — known as a censure — against Mottl because of his remarks about the resident.

At the Nov. 9 meeting, the resident, who was connected remotely, took Mottl to task for not providing through a public records request a video believed to have been taken by Mottl during an encounter at Village Hall.

A few minutes after the resident finished speaking, another resident expressed concern that a third of the Zoom video screen seen by the public was of the previous resident in his home, "which seems like some kind of invasion of privacy for him."

A few people spoke at once, but Mottl could be heard saying that he hoped the resident had his pants on and wasn't masturbating. The board's meeting minutes reflect this statement, and Mottl doesn't dispute it.

The resident who had criticized Mottl spoke at Monday's Village Board virtual meeting. He focused on Mottl's statement about him.

"I find it appalling, offensive, juvenile, immature and outrageous behavior for a trustee and totally inappropriate speech in public," the resident said. "That speech is damaging to my reputation ... and Mottl made those comments without basis or foundation. Now I must explain what they mean to my family."

In response, Mayor Gary Grasso, who was not at the meeting in question, apologized on behalf of the village to the resident. He lamented that Mottl's comments would be in the village's meeting minutes forever.

"I don't know where those who support (Mottl) are, but they need to step forward and demand he step down," the mayor said. "Hopefully, this saga will soon end with the next election," which is April 6.

Trustee Guy Franzese, who presided over the Nov. 9 meeting, said he did his best contain Mottl's "outbursts, antics and theatrics."

"I tried my best. I'm sorry this happened to you," Franzese told the resident.

The other trustees — Anita Mital, Al Paveza, Joe Snyder and Tony Schiappa — expressed similar sentiments.

Later in Monday's meeting, Snyder proposed the board consider a sixth censure against Mottl at its next meeting because of Mottl's comments about the resident. Others agreed.

Grasso said the censure resolution should also include Mottl's decision to disclose publicly what happened in a closed board meeting, which is unusual but not illegal.

"The board has no power at all to bar Mr. Mottl from meetings or to throw him off the board as a non-home rule village. He apparently knows this," the mayor said. "It does almost encourage his bad behavior."

Grasso defeated Mottl in the April 2019 mayoral election. Mottl has been censured five times in the last year.

Patch left a message for comment with Mottl.