At the April 1 village board work session, Trustee Peter Negri, via telephone, made a motion to engage Sullivan and Nickel, a full-service construction management firm, for $15,000. In return, this firm would confirm the numbers that Einhorn Yaffee Prescott (EYP) and Todd Harvey Associates presented to the board for three separate areas related to St. Paul's.

First, Sullivan and Nickel would double-check the cost of moving the library and community center into St. Paul's. Secondly, it would confirm costs related to stabilizing the Main Building and thirdly, the cost of threshold use, which, besides stabilization, would include upgrading the basic mechanical, electrical, fire systems etc. to make the building available for limited use by the public.

Mayor Barbara Miller, in wanting to move forward, entertained the motion and was willing to cast her vote at the work session, as was Trustees Jon Segerdahl and John Watras.

Trustee John Mauk, who accused the mayor of trying to "slip something under the table," preferred to cast his vote during a regular board of trustees meeting to enable public comment. Trustee Robert Rothschild, agreed, stating he'd like to see the chosen contractor's resume.

"I find it fascinating that the approval of uniform cleaning contracts is an agenda item, yet we're going to spend $15,000 on a contractor and that's never been on the agenda for the public to review," Trustee Rothschild said.

Back in February, Mayor Miller appointed two trustee committees to further investigate the library/community center proposal at St. Paul's. She charged one committee, comprised of Gerard Lundquist (chair), John Mauk and Peter Negri, with choosing the most qualified cost estimator for the project, which now incorporates tenant space on the third and fourth floors.

Mayor Miller questioned why Trustee Lundquist did not have the report April 1. During the last regular board meeting, however, Trustee Lundquist said he'd have a full report for the board at the April 8 meeting, which has now been postponed to April 15. "That's why I don't have the reports," he said. "Being you asked, that's my response."

After a heated debate ensued, the board began voting on Negri's motion. Mayor Miller and Trustees Negri, Segerdahl and Watras voted in favor while Trustees Lundquist, Peter Bee, Mauk and Rothschild voted against it. As the board realized this left them deadlocked, and before Mayor Miller could vote again, former mayor Hal Hecken informed Trustee Bee that Trustee Negri could not vote or make a motion for that matter because he was not "physically" present. Trustee Negri would have been a "no" vote if one had taken place.

"If I can't vote how can I make a motion?" Trustee Negri asked via telephone. "You can't," Trustee Bee interjected.

With that, the board slated to vote to engage the contractor at the April 15 board of trustees meeting, where Trustee Lundquist believes the "motion will carry."

In closing, Mayor Miller wanted to set the record straight. "There is absolutely no intent to 'slip' anything past the public," she said. "I resent those types of judgments."