To: Township Residents and Interested Parties
From: The Integrity Party of Rich Township
Date: March 27, 2021
RE: Pattern of abusive behavior by Highway Commissioner Calvin Jordan
Trustee Nick Bobis
Thank you to the positive feedback we received on our last memo. It is important that we raise issues regarding matters that are in the public record. We will not make unfounded and defamatory accusations as has been done towards our slate.
Attached please find documents that lead to questions of a pattern of abusive behavior towards Township employees, contractors and representatives of organizations that have relationships with the Township. These documents concern the behavior of Highway Commissioner Calvin Jordan and Trustee Nick Bobis. As with the documents presented in the last memo, an outside individual requested, via a Freedom of Information Act request for “Any and all documents, notes, files, electronic recordings regarding any elected official of the Township that has been accused of or committed or was involved in any types of harassment of staff or anyone associated with the Township entities during his or her conduct as an elected official.”
Synopsis of documents outlining abusive behavior by Highway Commissioner Jordan
Earlier this year, a Township consultant wrote a memo to Supervisor Riley to express her “utter dismay” in regards to a series of encounters with Commissioner Jordan. The encounters came to a head with a phone call she received on February 11 from a political staffer or agent of Jordan. The memo reveals that Jordan directed the political staffer to contact the consultant regarding public Township business and in doing so violated her confidentiality. The memo ended with the consultant noting that she did not “care to be the recipient of another verbal attack from Mr. Jordan.” Attached please find three documents related to this incident.
Synopsis of documents outlining abusive behavior by Trustee Bobis
In 2017, an employee of a community based organization reached out to Supervisor Riley via text to express concern about her interactions with Trustee Bobis that led to the organization removing him from the organization’s volunteer list. In 2018 another Trustee wrote a memo to Bobis stating that his conduct during a Township board meeting was “hostile, personal and unprofessional.” Lastly, in 2019, an employee sent a written complaint to Supervisor Riley that outlined an incident with Bobis that left the employee “feeling very uncomfortable and confused.” Additionally, the employee wrote that she “did not understand the origins of the hostility towards me.” Attached please find three documents related to these incidents.
The public officials elected to represent Rich Township have an obligation to treat employees, contractors, consultants, their colleagues, and community partners with respect. Failure to do so creates a hostile environment, damages the Township’s reputation, and could be costly to taxpayers in that the Township will be a less attractive place to work and do business. . Please read the following documents as you evaluate the candidates for office in Rich Township.
In solidarity for Rich Township,
