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| Melrose Park 
August Taddeo: Melrose Park Mayor (1972-1997) No. 1-03-2950 | C. AUGUST TADDEO, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE ILLINOIS
MUNICIPAL RETIREMENT FUND, and LOUIS
KOSIBA, JOHN L. NOVAK, MAX F. BOCHMANN, W.
THOMAS ROSS, MARTHA H. RADEMACHER,
MARVIN R. SHOOP, R. STEVEN SONNEMAKER, and
SHARON U. THOMPSON, in their official capacities, Defendants-Appellants. | )
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) | Appeal from
the Circuit Court
of Cook County
03 CH 1847
Honorable
Patrick E. McGann
Judge Presiding |
JUSTICE McBRIDE delivered the opinion of the court: Defendants, the Board of Trustees of the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (the Board), appeal the trial court's reversal of its decision to deny plaintiff, C. August Taddeo, his pensions from his employment as mayor of Melrose Park and as township supervisor for Proviso Township in accordance with section 7-219 of the Illinois Pension Code (Pension Code or Code) (40 ILCS 5/7-219 (West 1998)). The Board had held that plaintiff forfeited his entire pension when he was convicted of a felony arising from his position as mayor of Melrose Park. Plaintiff sought administrative review in the circuit court. The court disagreed with the Board and ruled that plaintiff was entitled to his pension from his position as Proviso Township supervisor. The parties do not dispute the facts in this case. In April 1969, plaintiff was elected township supervisor for Proviso Township, and he held that position until his retirement in July 1999. In 1972, plaintiff became the mayor of Melrose Park. Plaintiff's final term as mayor ended in April 1997. From May 1977 until April 1997, plaintiff earned concurrent service for his participation in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF). At the time of his retirement, plaintiff had a total of 30 years and 4 months of IMRF service credits with 19 years and 9 months being concurrent service with the Village of Melrose Park and Proviso Township. Plaintiff's contributions were calculated separately for each IMRF position. Plaintiff made employee contributions in the amount of $47,546.02 from his wages as mayor of Melrose Park and $38,455.71 from his wages as township supervisor for Proviso Township. In August 1999, plaintiff entered into a plea agreement for the felony offenses of extortion under the color of official right and making a false statement on a federal income tax return in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division. Plaintiff admitted that during his service as mayor of Melrose Park, he appointed Nicholas Spina as village attorney from 1988 to 1994 in exchange for periodic cash payments to plaintiff. Plaintiff also admitted that he failed to report those payments as income on his federal income tax returns. Plaintiff received a sentence of 27 months in prison and a fine of $40,000. Plaintiff was ordered to repay to the government the $11,000 that he extorted from the Melrose Park village attorney. Plaintiff conceded that these felony convictions were "related to or arising out of or in connection with" his service as mayor of Melrose Park. In December 1999, the IMRF notified plaintiff by letter that it was terminating his pension benefits for both positions as a result of plaintiff's conviction arising out of or in connection with his employment as mayor of Melrose Park. No reference was made to any allegation of misconduct relating to plaintiff's employment as township supervisor. In March 2002, plaintiff requested an appeal hearing before the Board as to the termination of his pension benefits. At the December 2002 hearing, plaintiff challenged the decision to terminate his pension benefits earned as township supervisor. Plaintiff asserted that a nexus must exist between the criminal conduct, plaintiff's official duties, and the receipt of benefits in order for the pension benefits to be terminated. The Board held that all of plaintiff's pension benefits were forfeited under its interpretation of section 7-219 and did not take into consideration that the convictions related to only one of plaintiff's IMRF positions. Following the Board's decision, plaintiff filed a complaint for administrative review with the circuit court. The parties filed cross-motions for summary judgment. The circuit court rejected the Board's interpretation of section 7-219 and reinstated plaintiff's pension benefits from his township supervisor position. The circuit court interpreted section 7-219 to mean that plaintiff's felony conviction only caused the forfeiture of his pension as mayor because no nexus existed between the conviction and his service as Proviso Township supervisor. On appeal, the Board argues that the circuit court's construction of section 7-219 contravenes the legislative intent behind the forfeiture provisions of the Code because it ignored the plain language of the statute. When a party appeals the circuit court's decision on a complaint for administrative review, the appellate court's role is to review the administrative decision rather than the circuit court's decision. Siwek v. Retirement Board of the Policemen's Annuity & Benefit Fund, 324 Ill. App. 3d 820, 824 (2001). Although a reviewing court may not reverse findings of fact made by an administrative agency unless they are contrary to the manifest weight of the evidence, an issue of statutory construction raises a question of law subject to de novo review. Siwek, 324 Ill. App. 3d at 824. Section 7-219 provides: "None of the benefits provided for in this Article shall be paid to any person who is convicted of any felony relating to or arising out of or in connection with his service as an employee." 40 ILCS 5/7-219 (West 1998). Read all.... D-2143 IN THE MATTER OF DISBARMENT OF NICHOLAS M. SPINA
Nicholas M. Spina, of Melrose Park, Illinois, having been suspended from the practice of law in this Court by order of February 22, 2000; and a rule having been issued requiring him to show cause why he should not be disbarred; It is ordered that Nicholas M. Spina is disbarred from the practice of law in this Court. 600 in Melrose Pk. protest plan to build waste plant Chicago Sun-Times - March 25, 1986 More than 600 Melrose Park residents gathered last night at a village board meeting to protest planned construction of a hazardous waste plant in the western suburb. The company, Eticam America Inc., a West German firm specializing in recycling precious metals from hazardous wastes, has purchased five acres of land for a plant site, leaving some Melrose Park residents fearing for their lives. The village board in December passed a $9.4 million industrial bond issue for the plant, which will be built at 2800 Carson Dr. Trustees and Village President C. August Taddeo said they were unaware of the nature of Eticam's business when they approved the issue. "We just didn't know," Taddeo ... State, town debate toxic cleanup method by Susan Duerksen Attorneys for the State of Illinois and an Elk Grove Village firm accused of dumping cyanide-contaminated waste squabbled in court Thursday over whether to use the quickest or least expensive method of cleanup. For the time being, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Albert Green agreed with Illinois Attorney General Neil Hartigan that the fastest method of disposal should continue. Thomas Royce, attorney for Film Recovery Systems Inc., of Elk Grove Village, had proposed instead that the 17 million pounds of cyanide-coated plastic chips be sold to a West German company that would convert the toxic waste to a form of electricity-producing fuel used in Europe ROYCE SAID the company, Eticam International, would pay about $350,000 for the material, and that money would help pay off the costs the state and various companies have incurred in the legal battle. Royce said the plastic is useless to Eticam once it goes through the detoxifying process that just began this week. Hartigan has hired a Lemont company, Petrochem Services Inc, to detoxify the material, which has been illegally stored in 171 truck trailers around the county for about two years. Jewel Foods Paid Street Tax Merose Park, IL - Police Corruption JULY 19, 2007 - The former chief and six other former and current officers and employees of the Melrose Park Police Department operated the department as an illegal racketeering enterprise for at least a decade between 1996 and 2006, according to a federal grand jury indictment returned today, announced Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. Indictment Complaint COUNT FIVE The SPECIAL DECEMBER 2005 GRAND JURY further charges: 1. The grand jury realleges and incorporates by reference paragraphs 1 through 41 of Count Two of this indictment as though fully set forth herein. 2. On or about September 2, 2005, in the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, VITO R. SCAVO and GARY MONTINO, defendants herein, for the purpose of executing and attempting to execute the above-described scheme, knowingly did cause to be delivered by the United States Postal Service according to the directions thereon, an envelope containing the security payment of Jewel Food Stores, a grocery store chain with a facility in Melrose Park that used security provided by DOD, for the period August 8, 2005, to August 21, 2005, which envelope was addressed to: VITO R. SCAVO DBA D.O.D. SECURITY 280 BRADDOCK MELROSE PARK, IL 60160; In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1341, 1346, and 2. The indictment alleges that the former chief, Vito R. Scavo, and other defendants defrauded west suburban Melrose Park and its citizens by using police department personnel and property to operate several private security guard companies and provide personal services to Scavo; extorted village businesses into using security guard services provided by companies that Scavo and others controlled; and that Scavo committed individual and corporate tax fraud and improperly compensated police department employees who performed personal chores for him with compensatory time off that they had not earned. Scavo, who was village police chief from 1995 until he resigned in September 2006, was charged with racketeering conspiracy along with Deputy Police Chief Gary Montino and Michael "Mickey" Caliendo, former civilian supervisor of part-time police officers. As part of the alleged conspiracy, Scavo and two other defendants, Guy Ric Cervone, a former police lieutenant recently promoted to commander, and German Cepeda, a former police department janitor and current code enforcement inspector for the village, allegedly obstructed a grand jury investigation of their conduct and tampered with potential grand jury witnesses. "Scavo exploited and preyed upon the businesses' fears that if they did not hire security through [him], he would use his official position to cause the businesses to suffer negative consequences," the indictment states. Scavo also charged the businesses more for security services than what they had previously been paying for security, knowing that they agreed to pay his rate to ensure no adverse consequences from police officers and Scavo himself, it adds. Among the Melrose Park businesses named in the indictment that Scavo and certain codefendants allegedly defrauded and/or extorted are: Cinemark, Navistar, Jewel Food Stores, Allied Waste Services, Inc., and Lincoln Tech, as well as a bar, which was not identified by name. The complaint revealed that one of the companies that Vito Scavo did business with was Navistar. Excerpts from Complaint G. In or about October of 2004 and 2005, defendant SCAVO operated a commercial parking business (the "Commercial Parking Lot") using a portion of a parking lot owned by an International Truck and Engine Corporation, formerly known as Navistar, facility in Melrose Park ("Navistar"), wherein customers of a nearby haunted house attraction could park before entering the haunted house. The Commercial Parking Lot 28. It was further part of the scheme that defendant SCAVO gained the use of the Commercial Parking Lot through false pretenses and material omissions in that he requested use of the parking lot in his position as Chief of the Police Department, by acting in a manner intended to induce Navistar to believe that by allowing use of its parking lot it was providing a public service to the Police Department and Melrose Park, not a profit opportunity for SCAVO. 29. It was further part of the scheme that beginning by at least October 2004 and continuing through at least early November 2005, defendant SCAVO diverted Melrose Park resources to his personal use and benefit by: (a) using the Police Department to operate the Commercial Parking Lot; (b) managing various aspects of the Commercial Parking Lot while on duty; and (c) using on-duty Police Department personnel to operate various aspects of the Commercial Parking Lot.
Melrose Park Police Chief Holds Press Conference on Shootings Aired February 5, 2001 - 5:06 p.m. ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. BERNARD SHAW, CNN ANCHOR: Earlier today, a shooting in an engine plant in Melrose Park, Illinois outside of Chicago. We join the news conference. (JOINED IN PROGRESS) QUESTION: ... the security systems you have and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) CHIEF VITO SCAVO, MELROSE PARK POLICE: Well, I really can't speak on those terms because that's Navistar's deal. We haven't got anything to do with their security system. But I do know this, being a police chief here, they do have security gates, security people employed in the exterior of the building, so on and so forth. But that's so far as that goes. QUESTION: Was the suspect ever arrested before? SCAVO: Yes. He was -- he was convicted, arrested in '95, convicted in '98. QUESTION: Can you tell us about the weapons that you recovered and what you believed was used as the manner to get them? SCAVO: The weapons that are recovered are one AK-47 assault rifle, One .38 revolver, one Remington 870s (ph) shotgun pump, and one .30 caliber hunting rifle. QUESTION: Which one did he seem to be using? SCAVO: It appeared to be the AK-47, but again, we're still going on with the investigation and we're not real certain if that's the only weapon that was used. (CROSSTALK) QUESTION: Did he say anything while he was shooting? QUESTION: Full auto? SCAVO: Yes, full auto. QUESTION: Did he say anything verbally? SCAVO: At this time, the investigation is still pending. We have numerous witnesses still in our station. We have no indication if there was any words exchanged with his victims whatsoever. QUESTION: Were the Melrose Park police involved in the investigation of the engine thefts and what more can you tell us about that? SCAVO: I have no knowledge of that whatsoever about the engine theft. We weren't involved in that. I know for a fact that it was a Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI handled it, investigated it and convicted him of it. QUESTION: Chief, do you have any information about how long he might have been planning this? SCAVO: No, none whatsoever. (CROSSTALK) QUESTION: Earlier that day, he was seen at the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) down the road? SCAVO: I have no knowledge of that. QUESTION: Have you had a chance to check the suspect's home? Any other weapons found there? SCAVO: Right now, I'm not certain if that was even done. I have no knowledge of that, whether or not that's true or false. QUESTION: You say the security guards were armed and if so, did they return any fire? SCAVO: Again, you'd have to ask Navistar that. QUESTION: Do you know whether -- I mean as a part of the investigation, whether they fired any shots? SCAVO: It's ongoing. You've got to remember, this only happened last less than eight hours ago. I have no idea whether or not Navistar has armed guards or not armed guards. (CROSSTALK) QUESTION: You said he took a security essentially hostage to get into the facility. Was that security guard shot? SCAVO: No. QUESTION: And was the guard able to break away or... SCAVO: Again, it's still ongoing. I haven't received any statements from my investigators of exactly what went on. But it was to my belief that he just cast her aside and walked in. QUESTION: Was there a change in the security configuration at the plant just in the last 24 to 48 hours that you are aware of? SCAVO: No, not that I am aware of. QUESTION: They got a new security company... SCAVO: I have no knowledge of that. That's a question you have to address to Navistar. QUESTION: Were any of the guns possessed legally or was he not supposed to have them... SHAW: OK, let me voice over the picture... SCAVO: ... that's kind a lengthy process. As of right now, we don't have any knowledge whether or not anything was stolen or what the situation with the guns are. SHAW: This is the Melrose Park, Illinois police chief Vito Scavo at this news conference under way on the shooting earlier today at the Navistar International Plant which makes diesel engines. Five people are dead. Four are injured. Among them, the alleged gunman, 66-year- old William D. Baker. According to the U.S. Attorney's office, Baker was indicted on federal conspiracy to commit theft charges in 1999. Among those killed in the shooting at the plant 15 miles west of Chicago was a man identified as a supervisor who had worked 26 years for the company.
Scavo guilty on all counts June 1, 2009 Jurors deliberated for five and half hours Monday before finding former Melrose Park Police Chief Vito Scavo guilty of all 22 counts in his federal corruption trial that lasted seven weeks. Scavo was accused of shaking down local businesses to hire his private security companies. These firms were run out of the Melrose Park Police Station using on-duty cops and squad cars. He was charged with extortion, racketeering conspiracy, obstruction of justice, mail and wire fraud, and filing false personal and corporate taxes. Co-defendant former Melrose Park Deputy Chief Gary Montino – Scavo's right-hand man – was found guilty of racketeering conspiracy and mail fraud, and part-time cop Michael Wynn was found guilty of mail fraud. The 12 jurors – seven men and five women – walked hurriedly out of the judge's chambers after the verdict. “I think they are very corrupt people,” said juror Julie Benes, of Downers Grove. “It's a sign of the times.” In a statement, Melrose Park Mayor Ron Serpico said he was “saddened” by the news of Scavo's conviction. “Public corruption cannot be tolerated at any level,” according to the statement. In closing arguments, prosecutors said Scavo “hijacked the police department.” Through lies and strong-arm tactics, Scavo got business from Kiddieland, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, Jewel Food Stores, bars and about a dozen other establishments in Melrose Park. Testimony in the trial revealed Scavo yelled, used profanity and threats to get businesses to hire his security firm. One businessman described the chief as a “real bear.” Managers from Cinemark testified that the opening of a Melrose Park movie theater was at risk if they did not hire the chief's security, even though Scavo wanted double the number of guards they needed at a higher rate than any other Cinemark theater in the country. Scavo used similar tactics with garbage-hauling company Allied Waste Services, prosecutors said. One Allied manager said he felt like a student in the principal's office when meeting with Scavo. Another said he feared Melrose Park police would unfairly target the company's trucks for weight checks. From 1999 to 2006, local businesses paid more than $3.4 million to Scavo's firms or a security company Scavo consulted for. About $800,000 in commissions was paid directly to Scavo for consulting. He also received unknown amount of cash payments for security work. Between 2000 and 2004, Scavo underreported at least $340,000 in personal and corporate taxes. Scavo also lied about his security companies being licensed and insured to perform security work. After a September 2005 federal search on the police station, Scavo was secretly recorded telling officers and businessmen to lie to investigators. A 30-year veteran of the police force – 12 years as chief – Scavo retired in 2006 amid the federal investigation. Scavo will return court Thursday to address bond and security issues, according to the court. No sentencing hearing has been set yet. Convictions of extortion and racketeering carry a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. -- Staff Writer David Pollard contributed to this story  Convenience VALET®
Division of Mechanical Servants, Inc.
2755 West Thomas St.
Melrose Park, IL 60160 Mechanical Servants Inc Business Information Mechanical Servants Inc is a private company categorized under Wholesale Druggists-Sundries To the Trade and located in Melrose Park, IL. Our records show it was established in 1946 and incorporated in Illinois. Current estimates show this company has an annual revenue of $10 to 20 million and employs a staff of approximately 50 to 99. David Baum President Stephen E Welsch Chief Financial Officer Steven Walsh Finance Executive Jim Blosser Sales Executive Incorporated in 1955 by Harold Baum under the name Mechanical Servants, Inc., the company originally focused on manufacturing mechanical vending machines and providing the products to be sold. In the late 1980’s, convenient sized merchandise began to dominate the marketplace and the company made the decision to move forward from vending to traditional retail outlets by changing its packaging, offering their products in a convenient blister packed format. As the company grew it began to specialize in packaging OTC drugs, health & beauty care products, personal care items, toys, and general merchandise. Mechanical Servants also expanded from bowling centers and travel plazas to airports, hotels and cruise ships. In 1995 Mechanical Servants began testing its merchandising methods in convenience stores and found a very receptive audience. Within two years, Mechanical Servants founded Convenience Valet, a division of its parent company specializing in convenience store retail product lines. This line would offer color-coded cards, by category, for easy merchandising. The Convenience Valet division specialized primarily in convenience stores, but added grocery in 1998 and drug in 2000, while the Mechanical Servants travel division focused on the company's airport, hotel and cruise ship customers. By 2002, Mechanical Servants had outgrown its original facility on Chicago's North Side and moved into a 150,000-square-foot (14,000 m2) facility in Melrose Park, in April 2003. By 2004, Mechanical Servants' growth had continued and they once again expanded their services focusing on category management and merchandising services.   Melrose Park Man Charged in Bribery
A Melrose Park man who pleaded guilty to bribery charges in 1973 was accused Thursday of soliciting four cash bribes involving suburban court cases. Ralph "Babe" Serpico, 67, of the 2100 block of Division in Melrose Park, was charged with extortion and tax evasion. Serpico was indicted in 1972 on charges he used the mails to accept $19,500 in bribes to reduce property taxes while he served as a supervisor in the Cook County Assessor's Office. He pleaded guilty the following year to bribery and tax evasion charges and was sentenced to 18 months in prison and a $5,000…
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