Robbins Park District officials haven’t sworn in the board candidates elected in April, arguing the ballots gave incorrect instructions and one candidate should be removed because of conflicts, according to a lawsuit.
Ballots in the April election stated vote for three in the race for Robbins Park Board, but only two seats were available, district officials said. The Cook County clerk’s office issued a certificate of election April 25 to all three candidates, according to the lawsuit.
Robbins Clerk Sharon Dyson said in an email Friday her office receives ballot information from the Park District and directed questions to Park District officials.
Park officials and their attorney did not respond to requests for comment Friday.
The Robbins Park District filed the lawsuit in May against Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough and the three candidates certified as elected, Ryan Buckley, Angelia Murphy-Watts and Terry Lee.
Edward Brener, the assistant state’s attorney representing Yarbrough’s office, said he will file a motion to dismiss the case, and a hearing is scheduled Oct. 6.
The Cook County state’s attorney’s office declined to comment Friday, citing pending litigation. Dyson said she did not know who would determine which candidates should take office if the case is dismissed.
In April, Murphy-Watts received 36.19% of the votes, Buckley received 32.14% of the votes and Lee received 31.68%, according to the election results.
The Park District argues Buckley should be disqualified because he is also a library board member and a legislative assistant for the village of Robbins, creating a conflict, according to the lawsuit. Buckley should be disqualified and Murphy-Watts and Lee sworn in, according to the lawsuit.
Buckley, who is on the William Leonard Public Library District Board, said serving on both boards wouldn’t be a conflict.
“My library duties are to ensure that we are providing educational opportunities and resources and at the Park District, my due diligence is to make sure we’re providing recreational opportunities and making sure the parks are upkept in the community,” Buckley said. “It’s two different things that I deal with on two elected boards that I ran for.”
Murphy-Watts said she was appointed to the park board about a year and a half before the April election, and she was excited to have received the highest number of votes.
“I care about my Park District,” Murphy-Watts said. “I don’t know where it went south to where we are now, but I want it figured out so I can get in my position and serve my community.”