HARRISBURG—The appointment of Harrisburg Mayor Eric Gregg to Illinois’ Prisoner Review Board was not an unexpected thing when it occurred on April 26, 2013.
However, what’s ensued in the weeks following has been somewhat unheralded.
And, combined with rumblings in other sectors of Saline County, it’s beginning to look like things are heating up for the power brokers of the area.
Just what that will mean for those in positions of power remains to be seen, however, as insiders say that the fabric that’s holding together what’s considered one of the most corrupt counties in downstate is rumored to be fraying at the seams; and, if this is the case, no one can blame Gregg for taking the state position and getting the hell out of local politics before things are ripped to shreds.
Bombarded with questions
For months, Harrisburg residents were texting and messaging Disclosure with “news” that Gregg was resigning, and were wondering why the newspaper hadn’t covered it yet.
Of course, Disclosure was in contact with Gregg throughout, advising that yes, there was another round of questioning going on as to whether he was accepting a state job (some knew exactly what the job was, some did not), and being told no, there was no acceptance of said job, and Gregg was still on duty for the citizens of Harrisburg.
Only on the morning of Saturday, April 27, 2013, at least part of that ceased to be the case.
On that day, press reports throughout the state had it that Gregg had been appointed to the Prisoner Review Board by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn.
These same reports had it that Gregg was telling the press corps (including Disclosure) that he had to have Illinois Senate confirmation before it could be final.
However, the website “State of Illinois Prisoner Review Board” (www.illinois.gov/prb) had it that Gregg was already on the board and active as of April 26, 2013 (the day Quinn made the appointment).
There was no mention of “pending Senate approval” or any other such thing; the site even gave a biography of Gregg that made it sound as though he was “former” everything now that he was a member of the board of review:
“Mr. Gregg was appointed in April 2013. He has served as the Mayor of Harrisburg, Illinois. He has an extensive career in public service serving as a Saline County Commissioner, 12 years as a member and two years as the Chairman. He also served on the Coleman Tri-County Mental Health Agency Board of Directors for eight years, Saline County Housing Authority for four years, and has been part of the Saline County Tourism Board for the past several years. From 1985-2000, Mr. Gregg worked for the Illinois Department of Corrections in both the adult and juvenile divisions as the volunteer services coordinator and as a correctional counselor. While in the juvenile division, he was certified as an educator in conflict resolution. He was also the AFSCME union president at IYC Harrisburg facility. Mr. Gregg also worked for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity in the coal and market development divisions. He has served as the high school boys and girls soccer coach. Mr. Gregg graduated from Southern Illinois University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and a minor in Political Science. He was recognized by the American Corrections Association for excellence in state and community service and was designated with the Leaders Among Us Award in 2012 by the Southern Illinoisan newspaper.”
The website carries a chart with all “members” on it, as well as their “term expires” date and their “member since” date.
Gregg’s “term expires” date is January 21, 2019.
His “member since” date is, again, April 26, 2013. There is no codicil presented on his (or anyone else’s) membership that indicates it’s “pending” approval of anything or anyone.
According to state law
Reached for comment on deadline for this issue (May 11, 2013), Gregg told Disclosure the same thing he did two weeks prior: That this is an “executive appointment that requires senate confirmation. During that time, I have the opportunity to wind up what I am working on, such as being the mayor. Once I am confirmed, I will be stepping down. It will be sooner if I am directed to do so.”
Gregg was responding to queries about the statutory authority that is the guideline for PRB appointments: 730 ILCS 5/3-3-1
In that state statute (law), it specifically states that “Each member of the board shall serve on a full-time basis and shall not hold any other salaried public office, whether elective or appointive, nor any other office or position of profit, nor engage in any other business, employment, or vocation.”
This same statute sets out the qualifications for the job, the length of time each may serve and when their appointment ends (third Monday of January, six years from the year of appointment), the salary for each member ($85,886 per year); and on the website, the codicil to that shows clearly that “members may not hold any other form of paid employment.”
This has been the part that’s caused such grave concern among Harrisburg residents, as they feel their mayor of the past two years isn’t being as up front with them about his status as their mayor as he could be.
As of deadline, there wasn’t much more that could be filled in about it.
Will he give up all of it?
But it’s not just the mayor’s office that Gregg has to worry about; he holds other offices and/or positions as well.
Gregg holds a position with the Saline County Industrial Commission, receiving approximately $20-25,000 a year to bring economic development to the area.
As well, he was (recently, anyway) employed as a broker for MidAmerican Energy, which is an alternate energy supplier for companies and entities in the area.
Some of the entities confirmed as contracts Gregg has signed over the past couple of years (since he’s been mayor) have been the Saline Valley Conservancy District (water district), the Southeastern Illinois College (SIC) Foundation, and the Harrisburg School System, where his wife is employed.
He also managed to get sued by a fellow MidAmerican representative, LuAnn Walker, this occurring early this past November (2012).
In the civil suit, filed in Saline County circuit court, Walker accuses Gregg of taking compensation due her when he signed her on as a representative for the company.
The matter only recently had depositions taken in it and is moving extremely slowly through court.
Senior-most commissioner next in line?
Gregg hasn’t made any reference to having given up any of these positions or jobs; he has only told Disclosure that he is making sure to “follow the rules and keep legal advice close.” He stated he believes the “confirmation will be soon” and advised that he was “there (with the board of review) most of last week (the first week of May),” so apparently he has indeed begun work with the state in the new position.
Whether Gregg is getting special dispensation or not remains a point not discussed, however it may appear.
Disclosure has also been in touch with the senior-most member of the Harrisburg board of commissioners (city council), John McPeek, who stands to succeed Gregg as the member with the most seniority.
McPeek has advised that he’s aware that there are attorneys consulting with Harrisburg’s mayor, and that everything is going along well…however, McPeek has made no reference to his possible ascension to the office of mayor once Gregg steps down.
There’s also been no indication of who might be appointed to fill McPeek’s commission on the board.
Confusion swirls
The confusion that swirls around Gregg’s appointment and what’s in store for the Harrisburg city council has been underscored by a report coming out of the city in mid-April regarding problems with the police pension fund.
Trouble within this fund was pointed out during the city audit, which reports were released in February.
Sources preferring to remain anonymous advised Disclosure at the time that money “missing” from the pension fund could only have been accessed by two people: Harrisburg police chief Bob Smith, or Saline County Sheriff DK Brown.
However, since that time (April 15), Disclosure has learned that there has been another person named who could have accessed said funds: Harrisburg attorney and former city of Harrisburg mayor/city attorney Robert Wilson.
How or why Wilson would have even been interested in accessing the funds is a matter of pure speculation.
However, when the finger of suspicion was pointed at the two police officers in question, others came to their defense. And during that “defense,” some disturbing information was put forth: That there might be a little bit of “kickback” going on between some of the downstate county cops and their buddy, “ChickenBob” Wilson.
The input went like this: Certain cops would make traffic stops on certain people in Saline, Hardin and Pope counties. The driver would nearly always be charged for something that simply wasn’t the case, such as a bogus paraphernalia count or something to that effect. Then the cop will “suggest” Wilson as the lawyer to go to for such a charge; ChickenBob would get that person out of the bogus charge (because there was never any evidence to begin with), securing a nice retainer for the work…and he would then pass along some of the funds he obtained via the bogus arrest, back to the cop who did the job.
How this equates to ChickenBob handling (or mishandling) pension funds is unknown…but the fact that such information emerged from the initial report to Disclosure back in April is very telling.
Nervous associates; what’s up with Steve?
Wilson’s reported associates up north have allegedly become very nervous that such information is squeaking out of the ever-more-tightening police force, many of whom are devotees of ChickenBob.
His upstate associates will be further alarmed to learn that there are reportedly many banks downstate—22 in all—that are supposed to be under investigation currently for questionable practices.
In each bank, Wilson has had “some kind of involvement,” be it as legal counsel or some other factor in the bank’s success or failure.
And to tighten sphincters even further, there’s been NO word on the case involving another Wilson compadre, Steve Patton.
Patton was the pharmacist who was walked out of his store, MediCap Pharmacy, last August while the parking lot filled up with federal officials, who cleared everyone away from their duties within the pharmacy and began investigating things top to bottom.
Since that time, Patton has endured a divorce from his wife Linda, who is now sole owner and operator of the pharmacy thanks to intervention on the part of Wilson, and two of Patton’s concubines, Carolyn McGhee and Tara Sherrod, have been charged with multiple drug crimes.
The upshot of it is that Patton was keeping the gals supplied.
Sherrod has openly said “I’m not going to prison for Steve Patton” and has reportedly turned over to authorities a diary of sorts that outline what she and Patton have been doing.
Wilson, it’s been reported, features in this diary heavily.
Their seat on the bus
The big question that seems to have been formulated since about last summer is “Who will give up their seat on the bus?”
This references people who “have something” on other people, who will rat someone else out (‘giving up their seat on the bus’ to DOC) and who will be the ultimate person who will be rolled on by everyone else.
The reach of this massive game goes far beyond the boundaries of the city of Harrisburg and Eric Gregg’s upcoming resignation, and encompasses bigger players than even local know-it-alls can imagine, including Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who was reported to have visited Hardin County last fall in somewhat of a panic after an entire slate of Republicans on the ballot mopped the floor of the corrupt Democrats who had been in power in that county for far too long.
Madigan was reported to have swayed at least one of the new Republican officeholders, and that person has been seen hanging with Wilson and other Dem cronies in Pope County in recent weeks, knocking back a few at a local bar.
If the noose is tightening in south counties, it means someone is talking.
Continue to stay apprised of the ever-developing situation by keeping up with Disclosure, both in print and online.
