Village Attorney Costs

Last year we reported the Village Attorney makes over $800K in salary to his organization that he is listed as a Partner in.  His partner handled the School Board, bringing in their combined totals over $1Mil on each residents tax dollars.  This is up almost double his costs just a few years ago. 

This year, the budget was passed for "less" than last year, but he is slated to actually make "more" then last year, cruising up to a million dollars in the Village alone.

So how does this work?  He dictates the course.  His decisions alone bring him the money. 

For example, everyone is talking about Bonnie's lawsuit.  Do you know it was started because Mr. Boan made the executive decision to break her constitutional rights?  She submitted to the board a "Change in Venue due to conflict of interest of the parties on the board."  When it was addressed at the meeting, the Trustees turned to Mr. Boan for advice and he told them that "she does not have a right to ask for that and please continue".  Truth be told, it was that one statement that caused all the problems legally and for the Trustees.  Apparently it was a BAD decision.  But for him, it was brilliant!  Bolingbrook would get sued and his law firm would handle it, bringing his totals higher for the year.

Now the funny thing is that this happens often lately.  Mr. Boan, of all people, being an attorney and a part of past civil rights movements, knew this was Bonnie's right to a fair trial, free of bias.  Especially when the bias was legit, with two of the three electoral board members running on her competitions slate against her.

Call it dictatorship, call it fighting dirty in the political arena, we call it money greed.

We decided to investigate how many lawsuits are currently in courts.  In Will County alone we stumbled upon at least a half dozen that did not involve Bonnie.

One is the new water lawsuit.  Jim Boan instructed Mr. Claar to sue on behalf of the Village.  The water companies stance reflects that an expensive lawsuit could have been avoided if they would have just called to discuss the issue.  Another blunder that will cost taxpayers many thousands of dollars.  One phone call, $.25, one lawsuit = attorney $200K.

Do the residents know that when we FOIA'ed the legal bills last year, we found that the bills are NOT broken down by task?  Most attorneys or people in lawsuits will tell you that your legal bill typically reflects what the attorney has done.  ie. made phone call - $120.00...  Boan's statements are vague, like "work done".  His charges are absurd without basis.

Last year Bonnie Alicea and Bob Bowen fought for bidding of attorneys.  This would have solved the problem.  A new attorney would have charged half the price and not been corrupt.  Mr. Claar and the Trustees ignored their requests and a year later we are more than $500,000 over what we would have paid had attorneys been allowed to bid for services.

What could that money have paid for?  It would probably have paid for many jobs, advertising for the failing businesses, or even worse, cleaner and safer streets. 

Watch closely when you see the Village suing or being sued.  It is your tax dollars.  The most recent Bonnie suit should have cost the taxpayers under $3,000, but wound up costing them $27K for high billing of the attorney.  It would have cost nothing, had Mr. Boan respected her rights to send her case to another board.  It would have cost nothing, had he informed Roger to retract his liable statement made against her.  It would have cost nothing if the parties involved apologized.  However, because he failed to offer "sound" advice, he made out like a bandit.  See the pattern and watch as it unfolds time and time again...  Bolingbrook = debt, Attorney = wealth!