O’Dekirk-isms Spoken Here: Gallagher

Opinion

In the great big world of Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk's ego, it is challenging for us mere mortals to truly grasp, and effectively translate what is really going on at city hall.

Especially now that the NorthPoint monster has re-emerged, and the public hearings are getting a do-over, it’s important that we all speak the same language. In an effort to blow away O’Dekirk's smoke and wipe off the mirrors, here is a primer to help translate the Bob O’Dekirk-isms.

Mudron Five — Catch-all phrase coined by O'Dekirk to blindly lump his opposition into one convenient scapegoat. Since Council members Jan Quillman, Larry Hug and Terry Morris are three peas snugly in O’Dekirk’s pod, the “Mudron Five” loosely refer to pretty much anybody else on the council – regardless of how they actually vote on any given issue.

Not only do the “Mudron Five” sometimes refer to only three or four people, but Councilman Pat Mudron doesn’t even have to be in the room. Click here to watch an example of O’Dekirk attacking the Mudron “five” when only four were present.

“We’re 100% with the Attorney General" — This means O’Dekirk is about embark on something shady, as was the case with the NorthPoint public hearing debacle during the pandemic shelter-in-place last April.

On WJOL, O’Dekirk said “yeh, we're 100% with the attorney general … Again, the letter I received I instructed staff to put on the website to try to quell, you know, some of those rumors and false reports about us being in violation because that’s not accurate.” Click here to hear O’Dekirk’s April 9th interview.

In reality, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued a statement denying O’Dekirk’s claims. Read the Herald News report here.

When asked for the letter, the City of Joliet provided other back-and-forth between Joliet with the AG, but not that letter. Click here to see the city’s response. While on the site, be sure to look for where O’Dekirk instructed staff to put it.

Rumors and False Reports — O’Dekirk flat out hates when people tell the truth about him. When he says there are “rumors” or “false reports,” he usually is referring to facts and documentation.

"I Can’t Show Favoritism to Friends" — This is O’Dekirk code for “I’m gonna screw ya, your family, and all your neighbors because I don’t like ya, but afterwards, I’m gonna tell the newspaper I had to do it because you’re a friend.”

Case in point was when the mayor suddenly reopened the alley behind the home of his staunch critic John Sheridan. The mayor claimed he received “numerous calls” to reopen it, despite being closed many years to prevent crime.

After O’Dekirk re-opened the alley, he said Sheridan is a “friend,” and “I can’t show favoritism to friends,” he said. Read Sheridan’s response here.

Meanwhile, nobody has been able to find these mysterious callers. Councilwoman Bettye Gavin went house to house with no luck. Read the Herald News report here.

But wait, let’s be clear. This kind of friendship is not to be confused with O’Dekirk’s goodwill and harmony when he gave a cushy job to the wife of defrocked city attorney Marty Shannahan to “right a wrong." Read the report here.

"Raw Deal" — O’Dekirk called Marty Shannahan’s firing a “raw deal,” but the paperwork shows the opposite. Here is an excerpt titled "DuPage Medical Group Field” written by then interim city manager Steve Jone’s five page summary detailing why he gave Shannahan the boot:

"He [Shannahan] admitted that he had signed the naming rights agreement without reading it, stating it was considered to be a confidential agreement. I [Jones] read the agreement after taking the initiative to suggest a non-disclosure agreement and pointed out to him it contained no confidentiality clause. I indicated I expected more from a Corporation Counsel. Stated the appearance was that he was protecting the Mayor and not being truthful with the Council. Noted he could not answer a simple question as to the legality when asked by a Council member."

Click here to read the five pages.

"Is This Your Comment?” — This is how O’Dekirk cuts people off during public comment when they ask questions that make him look bad — especially women. Watch my first hand experience here. It's a doozie. I clocked him talking over 25 percent of my allotted time.

Keep an eye out for O’Dekirk’s other antics, such as starting the four-minute timer early, excessive talking and interrupting during a commenter's four minutes, and turning off the microphone. Watch here how he cut off the microphone from another woman who criticized Quillman and played an audio recording of O’Dekirk.

But watch here how he willingly answers other people’s questions when he likes the answers.

Now that several lawsuits and court smack-downs have forced the mayor to re-do the NorthPoint hearings that O’Dekirk insisted were “100%” with the AG, (but apparently not really), let’s see how he crams these "new-and-improved hearings" down Joliet’s throats.

Since O’Dekirk’s last NorthPoint dog-and-pony-show in April, the Covid mortality rates are five times higher.

As a volunteer with the Stop NorthPoint movement, I obviously have skin in the game. The Stop NorthPoint LLC vs. City of Joliet, appears to be the only remaining lawsuit against Joliet and NorthPoint seeking a permanent halt despite the upcoming circus.

Still, Joliet residents shouldn’t get caught up in the language barrier between O’Dekirk and the rest of us.

Afterall, he just hates when people waste his time by telling the truth.

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Erin Gallagher is a public relations consultant who serves her clients as community liaison. Her volunteer efforts not only include Stop NorthPoint LLC, she is also on the front lines with Covid relief efforts. She founded the group Manhattan Strong Illinois, and works daily and weekly with individuals and food pantries in Joliet, Manhattan, Wilmington and Elwood.

Unlike other gun-for-hire PR pros, Erin's community-liaison approach ensures clients maintain credibility and lasting relationships within their communities. Erin Gallagher is no ordinary spin doctor. Her clients are confident in putting forth a message that is genuine. With a reputation for integrity, transparency and fairness, "Erin Gallagher drives it straight up the fairway!"

Erin@ErinGallagher.net