Dupage Policy Journal

Downers Grove's Village Council would be violating state law if it votes tonight to remove Bill Nienburg from the village library board over policy disagreements.

The Edgar County Watchdogs say such a move would be a violaton of the Local Volunteer Board Removal Act, which only allows volunteer appointed board members to be removed for misconduct, or neglect of office.

"Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the person or entity that appointed a member of a board may remove that member for misconduct, official misconduct, or neglect of office," the law says.

Co-sponsored by State Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Oakbrook Terrace), it passed both legislative chambers unanimously and was signed into law by Democrat Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Aug. 27, 2021.

A resolution drafted by the village states that "removal of a member of of the Library Board of Trustees is not governed by State law."

The Watchdogs wrote that this is incorrect.

"We do not know who is responsible for the drafting of the resolution but commonly it would be the Village Legal Counsel," they wrote. "Regardless, they might want to update themselves on applicable laws because their resolution is flat-out wrong as the removal of such board members is governed by state law and ironically we played a major role in getting that law drafted so it could become law."

Nienburg, the only Republican along with five Democrats on the village's six member library board, has drawn the ire of fellow members for opposing their plans to invite a cross-dressing stripper for a kids' "bingo" event in the library, and to replace the Pledge of Allegiance with a "land statement" claiming Downers Grove was stolen the cannibal Indians by white Christians.

The Downers Grove Village Council includes Mayor Robert T. Barnett and commissioners Gregory Hose, Leslie Sadowski, Christopher Gilmartin, Danny Glover, Martin Tully and Mike Davenport.

Hose, Sadowski, Davenport and Gilmartin have voted previously for the resolution to remove Nienburg.