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Report reveals leadership failure
Village, police officials overlooked, ignored Gliniewicz’s sexual harassment, drinking, threats By CHELSEA McDOUGALL cmcdougall@shawmedia.com
Fox Lake police Lt. Joe Gliniewicz
FOX LAKE – The release of Lt. Joseph Gliniewicz’s personnel file last week not only highlighted a series of disturbing misdeeds by the officer, but it underscored a village and police leadership that for years either overlooked his transgressions, or simply ignored them. The files make clear some
Search is on for D-156 chief
village officials knew, or should have known, about Gliniewicz’s actions, but still promoted him. Allegations of sexual harassment, threatening behaviors and problem drinking are just a few of the offenses in his 264-page personnel file released to the Northwest Herald in response to an Oct. 13 open records request. Many of the documents contained within were written directly to city officials, or signed
by former police chiefs. His promotions also went through a police commission. Even with the allegations against him, Gliniewicz routinely received expanded responsibilities at the police department. He died with the rank of lieutenant. “How does a guy like this get promoted?” said Dave Bayless, village of Fox Lake spokesman. “It’s a failure in leadership.”
A leadership that is no longer in Fox Lake, he added. Michael Levine is a law enforcement consultant and retired Drug Enforcement Administration agent who has reviewed the hiring practices in federal law enforcement agencies as well as local police departments. Levine said rogue cops are all too common. So is promoting them. “All he had to have is one
friend, and he’s promoted,” Levine said. “Just cozy up to one boss, and he’s promoted. This is common in all departments. The cream does not always rise to the administrative surface.” Hired in 1985, Gliniewicz eventually was promoted to sergeant in May 1999. A recommendation for his promotion was signed by Margaret Paull, who
See GLINIEWICZ, page A9
Affordable housing crunch County offers limited options for seniors on fixed income
Superintendent Mike Roberts set to retire June 30 By ALLISON GOODRICH agoodrich@shawmedia.com
McHENRY – The McHenry Community High School District 156 Board will meet Tuesday with a superintendent search firm to review candidates as Superintendent Mike Roberts moves through his final school year before retiring. In his third year serving as the head of the district, Roberts’ official retirement date is June 30, 2016, when his contract expires, he said. The 58-year-old, whose current salary is $171,777, added that he gave years of notice that he would retire back when he was transitioning from his role as principal of McHenry High School West to superintendent in 2013. The search for a new superintendent comes the same year of the district’s first teacher strike in about three decades. Classes at District 156 have been back in session for about three weeks after an at-times contentious, seven-school-day teacher strike over salaries and benefits. Earlier this year, the district hired a search firm to the tune of about $12,000 to help identify candidates to fill Roberts’ position, School Board President Steve Bellmore said. The board will meet with Libertyville-based BWP and Associates at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday to go over guidelines for the interview
Matthew Apgar – mapgar@shawmedia.com
Ron Carlson of Algonquin takes aim and releases a blue beanbag with an embroidered Cubs logo as he plays bean bag baseball with other seniors Friday at the Grand Oaks Recreation Center in Crystal Lake. By CAITLIN SWIECA cswieca@shawmedia.com Before Jeanette Lewandowski’s mother was offered a spot at Harvard’s Sunset Senior Apartments in October, the family spent two years, as she puts it, “living off the list.” Lewandowski has shared a Woodstock apartment with her mother for about eight years. About two years ago, she began to look for an affordable senior facility for her
mother, whose only current income is Social Security. Her search led her to several waiting lists, some that had wait times of several years, some that were closed. “It’s kind of frustrating that you don’t have control of where you’re going to go, when you’re going to go,” Lewandowski said. “You have to jump if your name gets called.” While Lewandowski is grateful for her mother’s spot in Harvard
and confident she’ll be happy there, she has concerns about how far the new home is from her own new home in Union and her mother’s doctor in Crystal Lake. Carol Lee, an information and assistance specialist at Senior Services Associates of McHenry County, said the struggle to find senior housing has become more common, particularly for seniors living on a fixed income. “Probably two- to three-year
waiting lists right now exist for most housing in the area,” Lee said. “It’s an extreme problem.” A 2008 study of McHenry County conducted by the Heartland Alliance Mid-America Institute on Poverty found seniors made up 12.9 percent of the county’s population. By 2030, that number is expected to grow to 23 percent. The median annual income of
See HOUSING, page A8
See D-156, page A9
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Commitment to McHenry Co. As demands for services go up, Home of the Sparrow and Gavers Community Cancer Foundation thrive on community support / D1
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