Gonzalez Tapped as New Parks Chief; Supt. Salary Cut by $119,000

Chicago Heights IL

12 August, 2021

10:09 PM

Description

(Chicago Heights, IL) – Seeking to "restore the financial health and integrity" of the Chicago Heights Park District, park commissioners voted on Thursday, August 12, to both hire ex-park district superintendent David Gonzalez as the district's new superintendent and chief financial officer and to reduce the top administrative post's annual salary from $120,000 to $1,000. "Under the previous park board majority and previous district superintendent, financial mismanagement, wasteful contracts, and expensive political cronyism plagued the district," said Chicago Heights Park District Board of Commissioners President Jessica Mangiaracina. "The new board majority wants to restore the financial health and integrity of district, and that's why we hired David Gonzalez, a former park district superintendent and a certified public accountant whose expertise will cost taxpayers only $1,000 annually compared to $120,000 under the previous superintendent." Gonzalez, who is also mayor of the City of Chicago Heights and who will remain the city's mayor, replaces former superintendent Frank Perez. "Bringing prosperity, growth, and equity to Chicago Heights requires that the all branches of local government – the city, the school district, the township, and the park district – maintain their financial health, integrity, and good governance, and that's why I have offered my services to the park district for only nominal compensation," said Gonzalez. "I was born and raised in Chicago Heights and built my business here and I want the city and its different branches of government to enjoy good governance in the interests of taxpayers, residents, and local businesses that they serve." Gonzalez, who was first elected as mayor in 2011, previously served as the park district superintendent from 1999 to 2007. He is also a certified C.P.A. and managing partner at GW & Associates, which is based in Chicago Heights. In January 2021, Park District Commissioners Jessica Mangiaracina and Curtis Straczek proposed that the park board conduct an independent forensic audit of park district spending and contracts, but were rebuffed by the then-board majority. Gonzalez pledged to seek a forensic audit of the previous administration. One target of a forensic audit would be the janitorial company Clay Custodial, LLC, which was hired in 2020 by former Park Superintendent Frank Perez and Park District Golf Manager, Lori Wilcox, to clean two golf courses buildings. The Clay Custodial contract was never approved by the park board, but Clay Custodial nevertheless received payments of $1,440 per month to clean both buildings. After the Chicago Heights Library Board terminated Clay Custodial's contract in April 2020, their fee at the Park District was increased to $3,600 per month. Clay Custodial is owned by the husband of Park District Commissioner and former library director Kelley Nichols-Brown. "There was no need for the district to increase a janitorial company contract rate to clean the East and West Course Banquet facilities because the facilities were closed to the public due to the pandemic," Gonzalez said. "Why should the district have spent $3,600 per month to clean facilities that are closed? That is one of the financial irregularities that need to be examined by a forensic audit." Gonzalez, who assumes his new post effective immediately, expects to hold the superintendent's post for approximately six months while a search is conducted for a long-term replacement. Gonzalez would lead the vetting and training of a new, permanent superintendent. "Over the next six months, my intention is to stabilize the district, hire an independent firm to conduct a forensic audit, and search, vet, and train a long-term superintendent who is committed to good governance at the park district," said Gonzalez. "I will hold the superintendent's job for only the short-term." [email protected]