I just received this news release from the city:
Mayor Jim Ardis has appointed Council Member Bill Spears to fill the position of Liaison to the Peoria Public Library Board.
Mayor Ardis said, “Moving quickly to appoint a liaison after Councilman Sandberg’s resignation stresses the importance the Council places on having a liaison in place as the conduit to work with the Board, and achieve a consensus that will enhance the library system.”
Gary Sandberg said he resigned at 7:00 Tuesday night, adding, “I’m not wasting any more of my time.” He also said that the council had forgotten they had a library liaison as they were all talking to the library board directly before the council meeting without including Gary.
Ed Szynaka, Peoria Public Library Director, had not heard until this morning that Gary had resigned. He said he was “extraordinarily disappointed” that Gary would no longer be the liaison, and said on behalf of the board that this news was a “very big disappointment to all of us,” adding, “but we will work with Mr. Spears,” after learning that Councilman Bill Spears had been appointed to replace Gary.
I asked Mr. Szynaka about Gary’s comment that the council was going around Gary before Tuesday’s meeting. He said that he and the board were “barraged with communication from council members and the mayor” in the hours leading up to the council meeting. He did not receive any communication from Gary during that time, nor was Gary included on the conference calls that took place. Outside of that, he couldn’t comment on whether Gary was being kept in the loop on the discussions.
Have we ever had a city council that got along? Is District 150 rubbing off onto the council or is the council rubbing off onto District 150? I don’t blame Gary one bit for resigning!
I don’t blame Gary for resigning. He has spent a great deal of time and effort researching this project and getting all the ducks in a row and then the rest of the council goes around behind his back and doesn’t even include him in their discussions. What is the point of him being the liaison if they are going to take the reins and run past him? Good job Gary. Evidently you did you work too well and the council didn’t like it.
so when the going gets tough or something happens you don’t agree with or like you just quit on them(the libary board)?
If Gary has invested all this time with the libary why would he just resign?
In the end Gary can’t seem to get along with anyone on the council past or present which may explain why the rest went around him.
Bull! It’s egos at work.
Peoriafan, I think you are right! I think the rest had their own agenda and didn’t want Gary to stop them. It was deliberate! I have watched Gary vote for years and he ususlly votes for the people. I missed where Gary made any money on the riverfront. He resigned because they disrespected him and went behind his back and left him out intentionally. It seems clear to me. Gary tells it like it is, he doesn’t much beat around the bush.
Oh, Uncle Em! I should have known you’d show up 🙂
The council had already stopped recognizing Gary as the liaison; Gary just made official what was already happening.
Peoriafan: you are probably right on this one; the council didn’t seem to want to give an open check book to a questionable library board so they asked questions ( like where the hell are you going to put this North library) and they couldn’t get an answer.
I’m just curious about something: When Grayed was council liaison to the Civic Center, did Sandberg run his questions thru Chuck? Just asking.
Sud: The difference is that Sandberg can probably answer most questions put to him by his fellow board members. While Sandberg and Grayeb both are fold of standing on a soapbox, Sandberg also enjoys a reputation for rolling up his sleeves and getting his hands dirty. Not so much with Grayeb.
the council has disgraced itself again, so what else is new? Did the council make any attempt to work through their own liason, “peoriafan”? No, of course not. And you think that is Gary’s fault? You have as screwy a thought process as most of the establishment, that’s why you are a “Peoria Fan”
Mouse: how do you know the council didn’t ask Gary some questions that he couldn’t, or didn’t answer. Rubber stamp $35 million of taxpayers money without questions being answered? No thanks!
We hereby register our support for Gary in his decision to resign.
Sincerely,
Crybabies and quitters