UPDATE: The Tribune (and apparently the AP?) were there at the board meeting last night. They chose not to name the teacher in their story, but you can find it.
We cover a whirlwind of West Chicago news, starting with the elementary school gym teacher controversy that drew large crowds to a City Hall listening session (Jan. 26) and a school board meeting last night (Feb. 5). The board accepted the teacher’s voluntary resignation before public comment, and we reflect on the community reaction and how social media amplified the situation.
The bulk of the episode focuses on City Hall: the January 31 departure of longtime City Administrator Michael Guttman, the history of his contract dispute, and the mayor’s December disclosure of an EEOC complaint that led to a $300K+ settlement. We discuss (again) why this history matters, how residents can better engage with their alderpeople, and what comes next—including the search for a new city administrator, downtown revitalization plans, a new Ward 3 council member, and recent appointments to the Building Board of Appeals—a commission that is mandated by ordinance, but had not operated until Mayor Bovey’s tenure.
Links
Mayor’s statement on former city administrator complaint: https://westchicago.org/news-archive-2025/mayor-statement-on-former-administrator-complaint/
May 5 swearing-in ceremony recap:
July 15 Guttman settlement and Bond replacement recap:
