Dupage Policy Journal

A cache of emails released through a recent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) has triggered a major dispute inside the Oak Brook Park District, with Commissioner Tina Chan claiming fellow board members and local activist Will Haskell coordinated political attacks against both the Village of Oak Brook and the Park District.

The emails, exchanged over several weeks in September 2025, show regular communication between Haskell and senior Park District officials, including Park District President Sharon Knitter, Commissioner Ivana Ivkovic Kelley, and Executive Director Laure Kosey. 

Chan, who provided the emails to DuPage Policy Journal, said the exchanges demonstrate an ongoing collaboration with Haskell to target critics and influence internal Park District disputes.

“Sharon Knitter, President, Ivana Ivkovic Kelley, Commissioner, and Laure Kosey, Executive Director, all talk with Will Haskell,” Chan told the DuPage Policy Journal. 

She said that her colleagues were feeding Haskell information “to attack both the Village of Oak Brook and the Oak Brook Park District,” calling their actions “a dangerous political game.”

The emails include repeated criticism of Chan and Commissioner Mario Vescovi, who often serve as dissenting voices on the board. In one email, Haskell wrote that an upcoming matter involving Chan would be “quite the show Ms. Chan is about to star in.” 

In another, he complained about Chan updating meeting minutes and said he “hopefully embarrassed her some more,” adding that he might file a harassment motion and seek a protective order. Knitter responded in a separate email, calling Chan “a petulant child.”

Other messages show Haskell arranging a lunch meeting with Knitter and Kosey at Grill 89 and joking about his appearance. Additional emails reveal Kosey sharing information about Chan and Vescovi’s Park District memberships. 

“Tina is a member… She first became a member in December 2024. Mario is also a member and has never used the facility,” Kosey wrote.

Chan said the statements were false and accused Kosey of leaking private information. “Laure Kosey discloses personal membership data about Tina Chan and Mario Vescovi… to random people like Will Haskell,” she said.

Earlier email threads show Haskell claiming he had uncovered a plot involving Park District Commissioners and Oak Brook Village Trustees to evade public scrutiny. 

“I’ve uncovered a plot… to illegally collude with members of the Oak Brook Village Trustees,” he wrote, urging a meeting to discuss what he called a “blatant disregard for the rule of law.”

In another email obtained by the DuPage Policy Journal, Haskell accused Chan and Vescovi of spreading misinformation and attempting to destabilize the Park District for political purposes. He defended his activism as civic responsibility, described his critics as biased and entitled, and threatened to sue Chan for defamation.

Haskell has developed a reputation in DuPage County for political activism and has frequently clashed with conservative residents and officials. Chan and other critics say his involvement in Park District issues amounts to harassment and intimidation.

“Unfortunately, it appears that Will Haskell is used as a pawn by former and current Park District Commissioners, Executive Director and Park District Attorney in their collective political game to attack Mario Vescovi and me,” Chan previously told the DuPage Policy Journal. 

GOP Precinct Committeeman Noel Manley, who has also been a target of Haskell, defended Chan and Vescovi, accusing Haskell of malicious attacks on officials who demand “transparency and accountability.”

Tensions on the board have increased since Chan and Vescovi were elected in April 2025. Park District meetings have grown more adversarial, especially during Haskell’s public comments. The district, which oversees community parks, recreation facilities and nature areas, reported $11.9 million in revenue and $12.7 million in expenses in fiscal year 2025.

In May 2025, the board’s attorney, Steve Adams of Robbins Schwartz, warned commissioners that disclosing closed-session discussions could result in arrest and prosecution—despite Illinois law providing no such criminal penalties. Adams later acknowledged he could not cite any legal authority for his warning. During that closed session, board members discussed the possible removal of Vescovi over meeting attendance.

The FOIA emails have intensified the already-strained dynamics on the board, exposing deep divisions over governance, transparency and political influence. With both sides accusing the other of misconduct, the controversy shows no signs of easing.