Layoffs to pave way for Sauk Village police chief’s salary

Police Chief Robert Fox walks outside the Sauk Village Police Department Monday, Jan. 23, 2012, in Sauk Village. | Matthew Grotto~Sun-Times Media

Two weeks after some Sauk Village trustees tried to lock the new police chief out of the police station, the village board voted Monday night to pay him a $75,000 salary.

But the money apparently will come at the expense of two policemen: The board also voted to lay off a pair of officers, and to transfer money from the water fund to cover back pay for Chief Robert Fox, who has worked without a contract since Mayor Lewis Towers appointed him in November.

Fox has been at the center of a power struggle between Towers and the board over the mayor’s appointment powers.

A majority of trustees supported Tim Holevis, a 25-year veteran of the department who had been acting chief since replacing Frank Martin in May 2010.

Fox was appointed without board approval, so trustees passed a local law limiting Towers’ appointments to two 30-day periods. When the second 30 days ran out last month, trustees changed the police station locks to keep Fox out. But Towers filed a lawsuit to have the law thrown out, and a Cook County Circuit Court judge ruled in his favor.

Trustees have contended they don’t have the money to pay Fox, so the layoffs became necessary.

“It was a tough decision, but there’s a judge that says we had to do something,” Trustee David Hanks said.

The layoffs are pending 30 days notice to the affected officers.

Fox was matter-of-fact about the board agreeing to draw up a contract, saying he was going to get paid “no matter what.”

“I never stopped doing the people’s business,” Fox said.