Jim Dey: Board censure vote delayed, but not deceased
Apr. 18—URBANA — There is a temporary — definitely not permanent — cessation of public hostilities between Champaign County Auditor George Danos and his county board critics.
The result is that a proposed resolution to censure Danos for "conduct unbecoming" of an elected official will not be the subject of a vote at Thursday's county board meeting.
Board member Emily Rodriguez, chairwoman of the board's labor committee, said she and like-minded members will wait a month to further revise its contents.
"We don't plan on stopping the censure," Rodriguez said.
She said board members are "doing their due diligence," working with their lawyer — Champaign County State's Attorney Julia Rietz — to review, revise and complete a final draft of the resolution.
"We want to make sure we are doing this correctly and in a way that honors employees," Rodriguez said.
Danos, who has promised a "forceful self-defense," responded sharply to the news.
"Perhaps more responsible board members of both parties recoiled at the specter of censuring a man over what is now recognized as a smear campaign orchestrated by the county administrator on behalf of the finance committee chair," Danos said, referencing county executive Steve Summers and county board member Stephanie Fortado.
The first draft of the censure resolution, released last week by Rodriguez, chastises the veteran auditor for alleged personal misbehavior and "putting Champaign County in future financial peril."
Danos, a Democrat who is running unopposed for re-election in November, has adamantly denied allegations of personal impropriety and contended they are politically motivated.
He also has hired a lawyer — Champaign's Jim Martinkus — to represent him. Martinkus has charged the board is waging a "vendetta" against his client.
Danos is scheduled — he's last on the agenda — to speak to the 22-member board tonight in opposition to plans to ask voters to approve a quarter-cent sales-tax increase in November. Insisting he has the financial figures to show a sales-tax hike is unnecessary, Danos has suggested his opposition explains why some board members are antagonistic.
Rodriguez responded that "this has nothing to do with the sales tax" and said his opinion on the issue "does not matter to me."
One question surrounding the censure issue regards the board's authority.
The auditor — like the treasurer, sheriff and other offices — is a separate, independent unit of county government answerable only to the voters.
But Rodriguez said the board is getting involved in response to Danos employees who allegedly have a bone to pick with their boss. Noting the employees are not unionized, Rodriguez said, "We are the people they turn to" for assistance.
The battle between Danos and, mostly, his fellow Democrats on the board — including Rodriguez and Fortado — became public after another local Democrat, former Urbana Township Assessor Wayne Williams, filed a Freedom of Information Act request for Danos' office that sought computer records and past employee complaints.
The disclosures became the basis for recent board committee hearings raising the censure issue.
The dispute has been filled with political intrigue.
Williams filed his FOIA complaint anonymously, identifying himself only as "cookie cutter."
Prior to the FOIA request, Fortado and Rodriguez, among others, sought to abolish the elected auditor's office. Public opposition persuaded the board to reject the plan.
After that vote, Danos reported someone had slashed a car tire on his vehicle.
