Taxpayers in Normal get the legal bill to probe council member’s discrimination allegations

Posted on April 21, 2021
Council member Stan Nord. (Photo courtesy: WJBC/File)

By Heart of Illinois ABC

NORMAL – The Town of Normal has received the bill for a Chicago-area law firm to investigate an elected official’s discrimination claims against the mayor and city manager.

Taxpayers will pay the law firm $2,125 to the Clark Baird Smith law firm in Rosemont who looked into Council member Stan Nord’s complaints, and determined they were unfounded.

According to Nord, Mayor Chris Koos directed government staffers not to answer Nord’s questions or do the work he requests of the staff. Nord also contended information staff gives him is different from what other council members receive.

The report prepared by the law firm’s attorney Benjamin Gehrt said there was no evidence “adverse action” was taken against Nord “based on his gender, age, religion, or any other trait or characteristic” protected by town policy or by state or federal anti-discrimination laws.

In the report, Gehrt scolded Nord for making discrimination complaints based on political disputes.

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