Two Housing Authority workers implicated in the theft of appliances from a storage area face a second day of testimony Tuesday in a hearing that could end with the loss of their jobs.
Both Edward Westmoreland, the authority’s maintenance supervisor, and one of his workers, William Massey, are accused of selling a refrigerator belonging to the Joliet Housing Authority.
According to authority board Chairman Carl Winterrose, a decision on whether the two should be fired “could be possible” at the end of the hearing, but any ruling could be delayed because of two potential replacements on the authority board.
Joliet Mayor Art Schultz has nominated two people to the board: Helde Brenczewski to replace Anton Trizna, who has been on the board for 16 years, and Patricia Magee-Burford to fill the seat held by Kathleen Bolden, who died earlier this year. But the City Council tabled both nominations.
When Trizna became ill during last week’s session, it prompted Westmoreland’s lawyer, Shawn Collins, to question if the board-down to four members-could legally render a decision.
Winterrose admitted that if the two replacements are seated, the hearing may have to be repeated.
After last week’s testimony, Collins accused Housing Authority board member Robert Hernandez of conducting a “witch hunt” in an effort to “get” Westmoreland.
Hernandez denied the claims.
Last June, Hernandez said that an informant, Andre Smith, admitted buying the refrigerator, which apparently was taken from a locked area at the authority headquarters on Broadway in Joliet.
But Smith, who first told police investigators that he bought the appliance from Massey for $250, later recanted his statements in a second interview conducted by Joliet police. According to police officers who testified during the hearing, Smith has disappeared.
An internal investigation by Henry Morris, the authority’s executive director, turned up 61 various appliances, valued at about $13,000, missing from the storage area.
Both Westmoreland and Massey were originally suspended without pay by the board, but later were reinstated pending the results of the hearing.
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