LETTERS

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POLICING POLICE Police management needs to develop a system wherein good cops can report bad cops without the fear of reprisal. Certainly there is a natural sense of loyalty among the police and/or a fear of retaliation that prevents the reporting of excessive force and/ or brutality on the part of their associates.

Yet until that happens, for a large segment of the population, no distinction will be made between good and bad police, and all police will continue being seen and treated as the enemy. This is very unfortunate, since the great majority of police officers carry out their duties properly and respectfully, without resorting to excessive force and brutality. Dick McLane Springfi eld

A QUICK FIX I recently ran for Ward 4 Alderman, and it was absolutely a great experience. I had pretty much moved on from the election until I learned the details of an ordinance titled 2015-152, which was on the debate agenda for the May 5 city council meeting. Turns out there was a law in the Springfield municipal code that prohibited aldermen from holding a liquor license. John Fulgenzi, who won the Ward 4 election, has a liquor license. Instead of requiring Fulgenzi to come into compliance, the city threw him a bone and hastily voted in an ordinance that mirrors a 10-year-old state law which allowed him to keep his license. Being a home rule unit, there was no pressing need for the city to adopt the state law, other than the dilemma of what to do about Fulgenzi’s liquor license. Fulgenzi should have been faced with a tough decision, whether to keep his liquor license or accept the alderman post. But he never had to make that decision; the city conveniently allowed him to have his cake and eat it too.

I have talked with former mayor Mike Houston, former city clerk Cecilia Tumulty, former aldermen Gail Simpson and Sam Cahnman, as well as exchanging emails with former city attorney Todd Greenburg. No one is denying what they did or why they did it. Given the timing, it was clearly a quick fix to enable John Fulgenzi to hold office and keep his liquor license. I have an official copy of the ordinance, stamped #168-05- 15, and it is signed and dated on May 7, 2015, just hours before Fulgenzi was sworn in as alderman.

To make matters worse, Fulgenzi is prohibited from voting on issues pertaining to liquor or gaming licenses at city council. Fulgenzi will be a less effective alderman since he can’t have a voice in these common issues.

I don’t expect the city to throw out Fulgenzi and that I will somehow become alderman. What I do expect is a fair process all the way to the finish line. And changing the rules the day of the inauguration is definitely not a fair process.

Everyone I tell this story to says the same thing, “Wow, that doesn’t sound right.” And that’s because it isn’t right. Dave Varner Springfi eld

SAY WHAT? Did Gov. Bruce Rauner really say Springfield is where Lincoln grew up (Editor’s note, May 7) instead of moving here (in 1837) at the age of 28? No wonder he thinks it’s a dandy idea to eliminate the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency and move its remaining functions into the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. He doesn’t know enough about history – or heritage tourism – to have an informed opinion. Peter Ellertsen Springfi eld