Tuesday, Jun. 23, 2009

Fairview Heights committee to discuss Board of Fire and Police Commissioners nominee

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS -- The city's Law Enforcement Committee will hear at tonight's meeting a presentation on the mayor's nomination to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners.

The committee meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Municipal Complex, 10025 Bunkum Road.

Chief Ed Delmore is scheduled to make a presentation about James Coates, who Delmore recommended to Mayor Gail Mitchell as a possible replacement on the board should there be a vacancy.

Coates formerly worked for Union Electric and was a Monsanto management employee, served in the Air Force for 10 years and graduated from Southern Illinois University. If appointed, he would be the first African American to serve on the board.

The three-member volunteer board is appointed by the mayor with the City Council's approval.

The board is responsible for testing, hiring, promoting and disciplinary hearing for sworn officers at the Fairview Heights Police Department excluding the chief.

Members currently serving on the board are Bob Simons, Dale Sauer and former Fairview Heights mayor George Lanxon.

At a City Council meeting on June 16, Ward V Alderwoman Bonnie Crossley asked the mayor to consider Bev Mattison as a possible board member.

"I think a lady that attends every council meeting, she attends every single committee meeting, she's the head of the F.A.M.L.E. night for the police and so forth," Crossley said. "I think you should consider her very strongly to be one of those individuals, and I'm speaking of Bev Mattison... That is a recommendation, but that is not a motion, that is just a comment."

The Law Enforcement Committee consists of Ward IV Alderwoman Linda Arnold as chairman, Crossley and Ward I Alderman Norm Miller.