East Central Reporter

The Downers Grove Village Council is under scrutiny for its attempt to remove an appointed library board member, with allegations that it may be disregarding state law governing such actions. The controversy stems from the council's resolution, which states: "WHEREAS, board and commission members serve at the pleasure of the Village Council, the appointing authority and the removal of a member of the Library Board of Trustees is not governed by State law."

Questions have been raised about who drafted this resolution, although it is typically prepared by the Village Legal Counsel. Critics argue that this resolution contradicts state legislation known as 50 ILCS 60-1 or the Local Volunteer Board Member Removal Act. This law specifies conditions under which volunteer board members can be removed, including misconduct or neglect of office.

The Village Ordinance has not been updated since 2018, leading some to believe that those handling legal affairs for Downers Grove have overlooked new legislative changes. One intention behind this legislation was to prevent board members' removal based solely on differing opinions—a situation alleged in this case involving library board members.

Local citizens have sent a letter to the village emphasizing that current actions do not align with legal requirements. Community members are encouraged to attend a meeting at 7 pm tonight at 801 Burlington Avenue, Downers Grove, IL 60515. The agenda for this meeting is available online.