Office of Inspector General Chicago Park District Will Fletcher, Inspector General Page 1 of 9 2018 F IRST Q UARTER R EPORT To the Board of Commissioners, Please find below a summary of sustained investigations, investigation and audit data, and employment monitoring activity from the first quarter of 2018. I. C OMPLETED I NVESTIGATIONS A. E MPLOYEES D RIVING P ARK D ISTRICT V EHICLES WITHOUT D RIVERS L ICENSES Investigations completed during the first quarter of 2018 revealed several cases of employees who were regularly driving Park District vehicles without valid driver’s licenses. The investigations revealed a systemic problem in the Park District of failing to verify and monitor the license status of its employees driving Park District vehicles. Below are summaries of investigations that were completed in the first quarter of 2018. Other similar investigations are still pending. 1. Employee Hired with a Revoked Driver’s License for DUI and Drove Park District Vehicles Because License Status Was Never Verified A landscape employee (Driver 1) had regularly been driving a Park District vehicle although his driver’s license had been revoked for a DUI conviction before the employee was hired in late 2016. The Park District apparently never checked the status of Driver 1’s license before placing him in a position that may have called for him to drive one of its vehicles. Not even Driver 1’s failure to fill in a space on the job application form that requested driver’s license information seemed to have alerted anyone that the status of his license may have been an issue. Although Driver 1 disputed whether his license was suspended or revoked at the time his Park District employment started, Driver 1 told OIG that he knew he should not have been driving at work but was afraid of disclosing that fact to his supervisors.
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Office of Inspector General Chicago Park District Will Fletcher, Inspector General
Page 1 of 9
2 0 1 8 F I R S T Q U A R T E R R E P O R T
To the Board of Commissioners,
Please find below a summary of sustained investigations, investigation and audit data,
and employment monitoring activity from the first quarter of 2018.
I. COMPLETED INVESTIGATIONS
A. EMPLOYEES DRIVING PARK D ISTRICT VEHICLES W ITHOUT DRIVERS L ICENSES
Investigations completed during the first quarter of 2018 revealed several cases of
employees who were regularly driving Park District vehicles without valid driver’s
licenses. The investigations revealed a systemic problem in the Park District of failing
to verify and monitor the license status of its employees driving Park District
vehicles. Below are summaries of investigations that were completed in the first
quarter of 2018. Other similar investigations are still pending.
1. Employee Hired with a Revoked Driver’s License for DUI and Drove Park
District Vehicles Because License Status Was Never Verified
A landscape employee (Driver 1) had regularly been driving a Park District vehicle
although his driver’s license had been revoked for a DUI conviction before the
employee was hired in late 2016. The Park District apparently never checked the
status of Driver 1’s license before placing him in a position that may have called for
him to drive one of its vehicles.
Not even Driver 1’s failure to fill in a space on the job application form that requested
driver’s license information seemed to have alerted anyone that the status of his
license may have been an issue.
Although Driver 1 disputed whether his license was suspended or revoked at the time
his Park District employment started, Driver 1 told OIG that he knew he should not
have been driving at work but was afraid of disclosing that fact to his supervisors.
Chicago Park District
Office of Inspector General
2018 First Quarter Report
Page 2 of 9
OIG recommended the termination of Driver 1’s employment. The Park District
initiated termination proceedings.
2. Foreman Drove Park District Vehicles with an Expired License for 11
Years
An OIG investigation established that a foreman (Driver 2) had been driving Park
District vehicles every day (by his own account) without a valid driver’s license for
nearly 11 years.
What was especially puzzling about Driver 2’s case was that his driver’s license had
only expired – it had not been revoked or suspended and there appeared to be no
reason why he could not have renewed it at any point since mid-2007. Put another
way, Driver 2 jeopardized his employment and exposed the Park District to liability
every time he operated a Park District vehicle simply because he had not renewed his
driver’s license in nearly 11 years.
The Park District had a copy of the license that expired in 2007 but apparently never
requested Driver 2 to show that he renewed his license since that time.
During the investigation, Driver 2 gave OIG bogus vehicle sign-out sheets for the last
several years because, as he admitted, Driver 2 had not been completing the forms on
a regular basis.
OIG recommended the termination of Driver 2’s employment. The Park District has
started the process of employment termination.
3. Motor Truck Driver Allowed His Commercial Driver’s License to Lapse in
2014; Continued Driving Park District Commercial Vehicles
An OIG investigation has established that a Motor Truck Driver (Driver 3) had been
driving since 2014 without the required commercial driver’s license.
Because Driver 3 was over the age of 75 when his license expired in 2014, he would
have needed to perform a skills and driving test to renew his CDL. Driver 3 told OIG
that he did not take the test because he had been planning to retire and no longer
needed a CDL. Nevertheless, Driver 3 continued driving Park District commercial
vehicles for nearly four more years without the required license and associated
endorsements. Driver 3 told OIG that none of his supervisors checked to determine
whether his CDL was current.
Driver 3 admitted that he lacked the required driving credentials and retired within a
few days of his OIG interview. Had he not resigned, OIG would have recommended
his termination.
Chicago Park District
Office of Inspector General
2018 First Quarter Report
Page 3 of 9
As part of the review, Department of Risk Management and OIG collected the license
status of Park District employees who are required or may be expected to drive for
work.
In addition to the disciplinary recommendations related to the individual employees,
OIG recommended that the Park District institute measures to actively monitor that
the employees who drive its vehicles have current driver’s licenses.
B. EMPLOYEE FORGED PAY STUBS TO HELP A RELATIVE BUY A CAR
An OIG investigation established that an employee doctored two of her pay stubs so
that a family member could fraudulently obtain financing to buy a vehicle.
Submitting false documents to obtain a loan, conspiring to submit false documents to
obtain a loan, and forgery are felonies in Illinois.
The employee admitted using Photoshop to place the relative’s name on electronic
images of two Park District pay stubs. The relative presented printouts of the fake pay
stubs at an auto dealership in an unsuccessful attempt to get a loan for a vehicle. The
fraud was discovered when the auto dealership contacted the Park District to verify
the relative’s employment.
OIG recommended the employee’s termination and for the Park District to offer the
dealership its assistance in a criminal prosecution. The Park District has started to
pursue the employee’s termination.
C. RESIDENCY CASES: THREE SECURITY GUARDS SURRENDER ILLINOIS DRIVER’S
L ICENSES FOR OUT-OF-STATE L ICENSES, ESTABLISH RESIDENCY IN OTHER STATES
Three Park District security guards on the active roster established residency in other
states by, among other actions described below, surrendering their Illinois driver’s
licenses and obtaining new licenses in the other states.
One of the minimum qualifications for the Security Guard position is that an
employee in that title “Must have a valid State of Illinois Driver’s License.”
Chapter Five of the Park District Code also states that “Any … Employee of the Park
District who resides outside the City of Chicago … shall be terminated from his/her
office or position of employment …”
Background: Many of the Park District’s Security Guards are part-time employees
who are full-time law enforcement officers for other agencies or who are retired law
enforcement officers. Security Guards often have itinerant work schedules and it is
not unusual for there to be months-long gaps between their shifts depending on their
Chicago Park District
Office of Inspector General
2018 First Quarter Report
Page 4 of 9
availability and the Park District’s security staffing needs. Security Guards are hourly
employees.
The flexibility in scheduling means that a Security Guard can live in another state for
several months out of the year (especially in the winter) and not be missed by the
Park District. There is, however, no official waiver of the Park District employee
residency requirement for Security Guards no matter how frequently (or
infrequently) they work.
1. Security Guard Became a Full-Time Law Enforcement Officer in Tennessee
While Still an Active Park District Security Officer
A Park District Security Guard (Security Guard 1) left Illinois for Tennessee in August
2017 to become a full-time law enforcement officer there but never resigned as a Park
District employee. Security Guard 1 obtained a Tennessee driver’s license and
surrendered his Illinois driver’s license shortly thereafter.
Because Security Guard 1 never worked a shift at the Park District after moving to
Tennessee, OIG recommended that he be allowed to resign rather than be terminated.
Illinois Driver’s License and Claimed Florida Homestead Exemption on
Residence Owned There
Security Guard 2 had an Illinois driver’s license when hired by the Park District in
2011. However, Security Guard 2 obtained a Florida driver’s license in February 2017
and surrendered the Illinois license in March 2017. And Security Guard 2 had
continued to work at the Park District; his most recent shift was in January 2018.
To obtain a Florida driver’s license, an applicant must show two documents that
identify his/her Florida residence. And, in addition to holding a Florida’s driver’s
license, Security Guard 2, a retired Chicago law enforcement officer, has claimed the
Florida homestead property tax exemption on the residence that he owns there. To be
eligible for the homestead exemption under Florida law, the subject residence must be
the taxpayer’s primary residence.
Through his own declarations, Security Guard 2 became a Florida resident and
surrendered his Illinois driver’s license in early 2017. Each of these facts made
Security Guard 2 ineligible to work as a Park District employee.
OIG recommended the termination of Security Guard 2’s Park District employment
and the Park District has initiated termination actions. Security Guard 2, who re-
Chicago Park District
Office of Inspector General
2018 First Quarter Report
Page 5 of 9
acquired an Illinois driver’s license after the investigation was completed, has
requested a hearing.
3. Security Guard Surrendered Illinois Driver’s License and Obtained a Florida
Driver’s License, Has a Vehicle Registered to a Florida Residence
Security Guard 3 had an Illinois driver’s license when he was hired by the Park
District in 2016. He obtained a Florida driver’s license in July 2017 and surrendered
his Illinois driver’s license in August 2017. Security Guard 3 continued to work after
he surrendered his Illinois driver’s license. Security Guard 3’s last shift was in
November 2017 but he remained a current Park District employee.
To obtain a Florida driver’s license, Security Guard 3 was required to show two
documents that identified his Florida residence. Further, Security Guard 3 registered a
vehicle that he owned to the Florida residence.
Through his own declarations, Security Guard 3 became a Florida resident in July
2017 and surrendered his Illinois driver’s license after that date. Each of these facts
made Security Guard 3 ineligible for the Security Guard position.
OIG recommended termination. Security Guard 3 resigned pending the Park
District’s response to the recommendation. Security Guard 3’s separation, however,
has been coded a resignation instead of termination.
II. 2018 CASELOAD INFORMATION
Investigations by Quarter
First Quarter
Second Quarter
Third Quarter
Fourth Quarter
2018 Total
Opened 18 Closed 13
Pending 69 Includes carry-over from previous quarter. * Includes 132 closely related investigations closed together.
Chicago Park District
Office of Inspector General
2018 First Quarter Report
Page 6 of 9
Reviews by Quarter
First Quarter
Second Quarter
Third Quarter
Fourth Quarter
2018 Total
Opened 9 Closed 1
Pending 8 Includes carry-over from previous quarter.
Nature of Investigations and Reviews Initiated by Quarter
First Quarter
Second Quarter
Third Quarter
Fourth Quarter
2018 Total
Criminal Misconduct or Fraud 4 Waste, Inefficiency, Compliance -- Other Rule, Code, Ordinance Violations
14
Audits by Quarter
First Quarter
Second Quarter
Third Quarter
Fourth Quarter
2018 Total
Opened 2 Closed 3
Pending 3 Includes carry-over of four audits from previous quarter. Revises Fourth Quarter ’17 Report that stated one audit was pending at end of 2017.
Investigated Parties
First Quarter
Second Quarter
Third Quarter
Fourth Quarter
2018 Total
Officers 0 Employees 17
Chicago Park District
Office of Inspector General
2018 First Quarter Report
Page 7 of 9
Investigated Parties
First Quarter
Second Quarter
Third Quarter
Fourth Quarter
2018 Total
Other (Agents, concessionaires contractors, other parties, unknown)
1
Cases Pending Over Six Months
[5]
Reason
Complex investigation. Generally involve difficult issues or multiple subjects: 3
Available Resources: 2
III. COMPLIANCE MONITORING ACTIVITY — F IRST QUARTER 2018
Under the Chicago Park District Employment Plan, OIG reviews and monitors the
Park District’s hiring and assignment determinations to ensure that impermissible
political factors have not played a role. OIG reports on its compliance monitoring
activities in each its quarterly reports.
A. MONITORING CONTACTS BY H IRING DEPARTMENTS
OIG reviews all reported or discovered instances where hiring departments contacted
Human Resources to lobby for or advocate on behalf of actual or potential applicants
or bidders for positions that are covered by the Employment Plan or to request that
specific individuals be added to any referral or eligibility list for upcoming jobs at the
Park District.
Human Resources did not report any contacts by hiring departments for the first
quarter of 2018.
1. Review of Exempt List Modifications
OIG reviews the Park District’s adherence to exemption requirements and
modifications to the list of job titles and number of positions that are Exempt from the
Chicago Park District
Office of Inspector General
2018 First Quarter Report
Page 8 of 9
Employment Plan procedures. There were no modifications to the Exempt List in the
first quarter of 2018.
2. Review of Exempt Management Hires
Human Resources reported no Exempt hires made during the first quarter of 2018.
3. Review of Written Rationales
OIG reviews written rationales when no consensus selection (no one from the
approved candidate pool was selected) was reached during a consensus meeting.
Human Resources did not submit any “no consensus” letters during the first quarter of
2018.
4. Review of Emergency Appointments
OIG reviews circumstances and written justifications for any emergency hires made
pursuant to the Personnel Rules of the Park District Code.
Human Resources reported no emergency appointments in the first quarter of 2018.
5. Review of “Acting Up” Activity
OIG reviews all circumstances where employees are “acting up” (performing all or
substantially all of the duties of an employee in a higher-paid classification).
Human Resources reported that nine employees “acted up” in the first quarter of
2018:
o Six Security Guards acted up as Security Supervisors
o A Physical Instructor acted up as a Park Supervisor
o A Physical Instructor acted up as a Playground Instructor
o A Playground Instructor acted up as a Park Supervisor
B. COMPLIANCE H IRING MONITORING AND AUDITS OF PREVIOUS QTR. (4Q 2017)
OIG audited a random sample of seven Park District’s hires from the fourth quarter of
2017 for compliance with the Employment Plan’s procedures.
1. Review of Notices of Job Opportunities
OIG audits modifications to minimum requirements and screening and hiring criteria
and modifications of class specifications, minimum requirements, or screening and
hiring criteria. OIG found no compliance violations with the posted minimum
Chicago Park District
Office of Inspector General
2018 First Quarter Report
Page 9 of 9
requirements and other criteria in the corresponding Notices and Job Opportunities
during 4Q ‘17.
2. Review of Qualified Applicants/Bidders Lists
OIG audits the lists of applicants/bidders who meet the predetermined minimum
qualifications for the position (as generated by Human Resources). The 4Q ‘17
sequences OIG reviewed revealed no compliance violations.
3. Review of Candidate Testing
OIG found no compliance violations related to testing of Park District job candidates
in 4Q ‘17.
C. NO ARBITRATIONS OR GRIEVANCES REPORTED
OIG audits all arbitration and grievances involving hiring, promotions, transfers or
involving allegations of unlawful political discrimination. Human Resources did not
report any arbitrations or grievances in the first quarter of 2018.
Office of Inspector General Chicago Park District Will Fletcher, Inspector General
2 0 1 8 S E C O N D Q U A R T E R R E P O R T
To the Board of Commissioners,
Please find below a summary of sustained investigations, compiled investigation and
audit data, and employment monitoring activity from the second quarter of 2018.
I. INVESTIGATIONS
A. CRIMINAL INDICTMENT – THEFT OF ADVISORY COUNCIL FUNDS
Following an investigation by OIG and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, a
former Welles Park Advisory Council Treasurer was charged with two felony counts
including a continuing financial crime enterprise for stealing funds from the bank
account of the Welles Park Advisory Council and theft exceeding $10,000.
The investigation established that the former treasurer, who was a volunteer and not
a Park District employee, had access to the Advisory Council’s bank accounts and, on
multiple occasions over several years, stole funds for personal use. Additionally, the
investigation established that the former Treasurer concealed his theft in part by
presenting the Council members with false financial statements. The funds in the
Council’s accounts were the result of fundraising events and donations from
community members and partners for facilities improvements and programming
activities at Welles Park.
The former Treasurer was indicted in Cook County Circuit Court in July. The two
charges—continuing financial crime enterprise and theft exceeding $10,000—are
Class 1 and 2 felonies, respectively. The criminal prosecution of this matter is ongoing
and the public is reminded that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven
guilty.
B. EMPLOYEE PESTICIDE APPLICATOR L ICENSING
An OIG investigation found that employees who were required to have state-issued
pesticide applicator licenses either held expired pesticide licenses or had never
acquired them. State of Illinois records showed that 17 employees did not have the
Chicago Park District
Office of Inspector General
2018 Second Quarter Report
required licenses and the licenses of an additional 17 employees (including three
foremen) had expired.
The investigation established that the job descriptions for several of the employees
required pesticide applicator licenses although their actual duties did not include
handling or spraying pesticides.
Among other measures, OIG recommended a review of job descriptions and their
related job duties to determine whether the license was necessary.
In response to OIG’s findings, the Park District amended the job descriptions for
Junior Tree Surgeons and Gardeners to remove the requirement of a pesticide
applicator license. According to the Park District, the amendment more accurately
reflects the work performed by the employees in the two job titles.
Further, the Park District provided records indicating that the State’s records may not
have been current for two employees. Three additional employees had been promoted
to titles that did not require the licenses.
II. 2018 CASELOAD INFORMATION
Investigations by Quarter
First Quarter
Second Quarter
Third Quarter
Fourth Quarter
2018 Total
Opened 18 6
Closed 13 13
Pending 69 62
Includes carry-over from previous quarter.
Reviews by Quarter
First Quarter
Second Quarter
Third Quarter
Fourth Quarter
2018 Total
Opened 9 16
Closed 1 23
Pending 8 1
Includes carry-over from previous quarter.
Chicago Park District
Office of Inspector General
2018 Second Quarter Report
Nature of Investigations and Reviews Initiated by Quarter
First Quarter
Second Quarter
Third Quarter
Fourth Quarter
2018 Total
Criminal Misconduct or Fraud 4 0
Waste, Inefficiency, Compliance 0 16
Other Rule, Code, Ordinance Violations
14 6
Audits by Quarter
First Quarter
Second Quarter
Third Quarter
Fourth Quarter
2018 Total
Opened 2 6
Closed 3 3
Pending 3 6
Includes carry-over of four audits from previous quarter. Revises Fourth Quarter ’17 Report that stated one audit was pending at end of 2017.
Investigated Parties
First Quarter
Second Quarter
Third Quarter
Fourth Quarter
2018 Total
Officers 0 0
Employees 17 6
Other (Agents, concessionaires contractors, other parties, unknown)
1 0
Chicago Park District
Office of Inspector General
2018 Second Quarter Report
Cases Pending Over Six Months
[7]
Reason
Complex investigation. Generally involve difficult issues or multiple subjects: 4
Available Resources: 3
III. COMPLIANCE MONITORING ACTIVITY — SECOND QUARTER 2018
Under the Chicago Park District Employment Plan, OIG reviews and monitors the
Park District’s hiring and assignment determinations to ensure that impermissible
political factors have not played a role. OIG reports on its compliance monitoring
activities in each its quarterly reports.
A. MONITORING CONTACTS BY H IRING DEPARTMENTS
OIG reviews all reported or discovered instances where hiring departments contacted
Human Resources to lobby for or advocate on behalf of actual or potential applicants
or bidders for positions that are covered by the Employment Plan or to request that
specific individuals be added to any referral or eligibility list for upcoming jobs at the
Park District.
Human Resources did not report any contacts by hiring departments for the second
quarter of 2018.
1. Review of Exempt List Modifications
OIG reviews the Park District’s adherence to exemption requirements and
modifications to the list of job titles and number of positions that are Exempt from the
Employment Plan procedures. Human Resources reported no modifications to the
Exempt List in the second quarter of 2018.
2. Review of Exempt Management Hires
Human Resources reported no Exempt hires made during the second quarter of 2018.
3. Review of Written Rationales
OIG reviews written rationales when no consensus selection (no one from the
approved candidate pool was selected) was reached during a consensus meeting.
Chicago Park District
Office of Inspector General
2018 Second Quarter Report
Human Resources did not submit any “no consensus” letters during the second
quarter of 2018.
4. Review of Emergency Appointments
OIG reviews circumstances and written justifications for any emergency hires made
pursuant to the Personnel Rules of the Park District Code.
Human Resources reported no emergency appointments in the second quarter of
2018.
5. Review of “Acting Up” Activity
OIG reviews all circumstances where employees are “acting up” (performing all or
substantially all of the duties of an employee in a higher-paid classification). The
following “acting up” activity occurred during the second quarter of 2018: