Barwin most incompetent manager in memory

Opinion: Letters To The Editor

Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011 10:00 PM

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I wonder if all villages or municipalities have problems with their village managers that we seem to have in Oak Park.

I refer more specifically to the current manager who has been directly involved in one feckless situation after another — loan, contract, money mismanagement, etc., etc.

Now apparently he wants the village-owned house that he has lived in rent-free for years given to him [Oak Park village manager may soon be homeless, News, Dec. 1]. He only later decided to pay a rent that was far below the rate for such a house.

In my recollection of the past 40 years, I cannot remember another village manager so inept. Wake up, Oak Park! We should be able to do better.

Robert Hammer
Oak Park
Editor's note: We apologize for the lateness in printing this letter.

Reader Comments

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Jon Donohue

Posted: February 24th, 2011 12:28 PM

The Village Board perpetuates the incompetence of Barwin by keeping him employed. They should have fired him a long time ago. But then, that would mean the Board actually made a mistake and God forbid acknowledges that they did something wrong. Incompetence only breads more incompetence.

OP Resident

Posted: February 24th, 2011 12:27 AM

Not a fan of Barwin either. He should have been tossed when the trustees learned of the scheme he cooked up to pay $250K, without board approval, to an incompetent computer consultant. Still, we can't forget the other rogues in this Village gallery. Allen Parker played fast& loose with the facts about his personal life & finances. Karl Swenson hid the extent of a severe budget shortfall. His mismanagemnt wasn't uncovered until after he scooted. We may need to look for a different recruiting firm

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