Trustees of Burr Ridge Support 1-2-3 on the Ballot on April 6th

Trustee Al Paveza • Trustee Tony Schiappa • Trustee Joe Snyder

Re: Please Vote 1—2—3 for Burr Ridge Trustee on April 6th

Dear Burr Ridge Resident:

It has been our honor to serve you as Trustees of Burr Ridge: “a very special place” we call home. There is a crucial election on April 6th as there are three (3) Trustee vacancies. We endorse newcomer and community leader Russell Smith, and incumbents Trustee Anita Mital and Trustee Guy Franzese. They are on the ballot in that exact order: 1-2-3.

Russell Smith has volunteered and given back to our community for over 18 years. He has served on the Veterans’ Memorial Committee and local Chamber of Commerce. Russell has sponsored Burr Ridge events such as our Concerts on the Green, Jingle Mingle, various Burr Ridge Park District events and our Summer Car Show. He is a financial advisor with Edward Jones of Burr Ridge. His financial experience and passion for public service will undoubtedly be invaluable assets in the boardroom.

Burr Ridge, with the leadership of Trustees Anita Mital and Guy Franzese, has maintained a AAA bond-rating, a CALEA certified police force to protect and serve Burr Ridge, a government certified budget where we received the GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Award, audited financials, the lowest water rates in ten (10) surveyed communities and the lowest village taxes on your real estate bill, where less than 2% of your tax bill is attributed to the Village of Burr Ridge. Of course, we would be remiss if we did not highlight that Trustee Guy Franzese was Burr Ridge’s champion during the Sterigenics crisis as Chairperson of the Environmental Quality Commission. Trustee Anita Mital worked tirelessly to maximize our U.S. Census results for Burr Ridge to make sure every resident was counted. The data collected by the Census directly affects how much Burr Ridge receives in federal funding.

If you have been participating in our Village Board meetings, you undoubtedly know why this election is crucial as you have personally witnessed the chaos and repeated disruptions caused by only one person: Zach Mottl. His name-calling, screaming, derogatory remarks, and attacks on our Staff, our fine Police force, colleagues, volunteers, business owners and other residents have led us to this letter: a plea to the residents of Burr Ridge to help rid us of Zach and allow us to return to our important Village business.

Mottl has voted against paying our police officers, our employees, our vendors, and our suppliers. He has voted against auditing our financials. He voted against the tent and business programs, which were vital lifelines to our businesses in Burr Ridge during the pandemic and paid for by the hotel/motel tax fund. He has voted against allowing new businesses in the Village Center and County Line Square. He has been censured six (6) times for his demeaning, denigrating behavior of Staff, fellow Trustees, the Mayor, business owners and residents. He has released confidential employee communications including medical information and non-redacted items to news agencies. He has wasted $60,130 of your taxpayer dollars on his FOIA requests to the Village of Burr Ridge while other Trustees simply ask for the requested information upon which Staff provides (with no additional expense). In our opinion, he has breached his oath of office and has violated his duties as a Trustee to you.

Mottl’s uncivil behavior in the board room and the unsubstantiated claims, lies and name calling made repeatedly by him bring nothing of quality or substance to the Board. We are elected to serve the needs of the residents and businesses of the Village of Burr Ridge. Your Board, sans Mottl, has always had differing opinions and ideas that we have brought to each other in a professional manner. We, alongside Trustees Franzese and Mital, have worked together to defeat the effects of the Covid-19 virus, keep our businesses alive and keep Burr Ridge “a very special place.”

Please help us return civility and decorum to the boardroom by voting for Russell Smith—Anita Mital—Guy Franzese.

Keeping Burr Ridge special involves good management of good people supervised by a dedicated Village Board. It is vitally important that you vote on April 6th. It is as easy as voting 1–2–3 for the top three Burr Ridge Trustees.

Sincerely,

Trustee Al Paveza Trustee Tony Schiappa Trustee Joe Snyder