* Ted Slowik at the Daily Southtown…

Political bullying may be the reason Calumet City citizens and taxpayers have been denied access to their public library for nearly a week, and no one seems willing or able to put a stop to it.

The library remained closed Wednesday, five days after Mayor Thaddeus Jones ordered it shut down.

Jones, who also is a state lawmaker, is developing a reputation for demanding loyalty and exacting revenge upon those who dare stand up to him. He previously was accused of bullying City Clerk Nyota Figgs and creating a hostile workplace for his fellow elected official.

Jones dispatched three loyalists from the city Public Works Department to the library Friday to serve as muscle and supervise the removal of patrons and employees from the premises, according to two witnesses.

Jones said in a cockamamie statement issued Friday he shut down the library due to alleged corruption. He falsely claimed in the statement he appointed a new library board when he was sworn in as mayor May 1 and asked the new board to order a forensic audit at that time.

Quite a lot in there, so go read the rest.

* Slowik in July…

Nyota Figgs, the elected city clerk of Calumet City, said she feels city hall is such a hostile workplace she can no longer go into the office.

Figgs said she feels harassed to the extent that she is working remotely in a public park across the street from the municipal center, 204 Pulaski Road.

“I’m basically protesting the bullying I feel and the intimidation and retaliation I feel,” Figgs said Wednesday. “I almost get a physical reaction going into the office.”

She has been working in the park for about three weeks, she said. About a dozen people stopped by Wednesday morning to show support.

“I believe the way she is being treated by this administration is disrespectful,” 6th Ward Ald. James Patton said. “It’s not right.”

Figgs claims newly elected Mayor Thaddeus Jones has sidelined her by reassigning her staff to a newly appointed city administrator and stripping her of duties and responsibilities.

* Meanwhile…

Today City Clerk and Collector of Calumet City, Nyota Figgs (“Clerk Figgs”), through her attorneys, The Royko Group, LLC, filed a complaint against Calumet City Mayor and State Representative Thaddeus Jones because of his interference in the performance of her job as City Clerk.

Figgs allegations include the fact that Jones has interfered repeatedly with her ability to do her job including locking her out of her office, blocking her access to the financial software for her office, and preventing her from answering questions directed to her at City Council meetings.

In recent weeks, Jones’s harassment of City Clerk Figgs has escalated. He “hired” someone to act as office manager for the City Clerk’s office. Clerk Figgs was not consulted about this hire and does not have any idea what he is doing in the Clerk’s office. He has removed records and boxes from the office and has also prevented the Clerk from doing her job.

Despite the bullying and interference, Clerk Figgs has attempted to continue performing the duties for which she was elected by the taxpayers. However, Jones has created such a hostile work environment that Figgs has been forced out of her office and has had to start working in the park across the street from City Hall.

Clerk Figgs is seeking injunctive relief to restore her duties for which she was elected to perform. Clerk Nyota Figgs, as elected to the office of City Clerk for Calumet City, is entitled to serve as City Clerk and Collector and perform all such acts and duties that are statutorily directed to those offices by the Calumet City Municipal Code. She is seeking to have all her duties and authority reinstated.

The complaint is here.

…Adding… Press release…

Today, one day after Calumet City Clerk Nyota Figgs was forced to file a lawsuit against Calumet City Mayor and State Representative Thaddeus Jones for repeatedly interfering with her ability to do her job including locking her out of her office, blocking her access to the financial software for her office, and preventing her from answering questions directed to her at City Council meetings, Figgs has discovered that Mayor Jones is using her electronic signature to sign documents without her knowledge or consent.

Clerk Figgs said in a letter to the Calumet City Attorney Mike Kasper, “Attached are business licenses signed LIVE by the mayor and my electronic signature is used. My electronic signature is in the system because I used it in the past administration at one time. However, for almost 2 years, I have signed licenses with a wet signature. This has been the practice under the Jones administration as well.”

Figgs continued, “Before my duties began to be usurped by the City Administrator & the office manager (who was improperly installed in the Clerk’s office by the Mayor) The mayor and I both signed the licenses with a live wet signature. For the past few months, I have not even seen any business license applications. I have not issued any business licenses. I have no idea of any new licenses, renewals, or the process of business license issuance. I recently became aware there are now “temporary licenses” issued without my signature by this administration.”

“Today staff attempted to seal the attached Business Licenses with my electronic signature. This is illegal and unethical. Why would this administration, and the mayor generate a Business License, sign it LIVE and then go into the system to use my electronic signature?”asked Figgs. “No one has asked me to sign anything!!! Here again is an attempt to take over my office, statutory duties, and even my RIGHT to sign my name! The audacity of an elected person with state and legal knowledge to do such a thing. This action lacks integrity for anyone. Who should do such a thing?

Figgs continued by asking why would the administration think she would be ok with signing without reviewing documents? How would she know if applications were submitted correctly? How would she know if other departments signed off appropriately?

Figgs went on to ask City Attorney Kasper why the Thaddeus Jones administration thinks that it is ok to override, disregard, and misuse an elected official’s signature? Is it because they have been able to do whatever they like without consequence and repercussions?

“This is a travesty. Please also defend me as the City Clerk in my position to rightfully do my job and sign my name on documents I approve,” pleaded Clerk Figgs.

Figgs went on to ask and state the following:

* DO NOT USE MY ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE FOR ANYTHING(INCLUDING ANY SIGNATURE STAMPS) WITHOUT MY WRITTEN PERMISSION.

* I will be signing all documents in person.

* IT must remove my electronic signature from the system so it cannot be used.

* A letter to employees including the city administrator and office manager must be issued immediately instructing them not to use my signature WITHOUT MY CONSENT.
* Please send confirmation that you receive this communication and have acted on above requests.

According to Clerk Figgs, “ This is all disheartening, just yesterday the mayor accused me of illegally destroying records (in an email you all read) before his administration. He is also conducting a forensic audit. But he uses my signature on documents I have not seen. In addition, they were going to apply the city seal to these documents with my signature to authenticate. I wonder what else my signature has been used for without my knowledge? Accusations toward me and my office have been casually advertised and that same person authorizes the use of my signature? I do not trust this administration. I do not believe because of the current environment the mayor’s and his administration’s actions will, advocate, or perform in the best interest of myself or my office.”

She continued, “This is why elected offices have separate powers, rules, regulations, and employees. Now let’s think about that staff member who knew I wouldn’t approve something but was executing a directive. This environment is a breeding ground for corruption, bullying, intimidation, and a single authority- a dictatorship.”

Lastly Figgs told Attorney Kasper, “I will NOT be returning the licenses, I will hold them as proof. I am willing, able, and available to sign. Please reprint, sign, and send them to me with the application (as the ordinance states) and I will gladly sign them for execution to move things forward.”

“City Attorney Kasper, I know you will perform in a manner that protects ALL elected officials in the city and not just the mayor,” Figgs concluded.