Ford Heights has a new mayor.
After Charles Griffin’s criminal conviction of stealing village funds made him ineligible to continue serving as mayor of Ford Heights, the board had to decide which of them would fill his shoes until next year’s election.
On Saturday, the board called a special meeting and elected Freddie Wilson, a first-term trustee whose sudden rise to leadership has raised concerns among those hoping for a fresh start after the Griffins resignation.
“Everything will be the same,” Trustee Tina McMichaels, the lone no vote on Wilson’s nomination, said Monday. She added that she believes the other trustees, including Jimmy Viverrete, who was recently told by the state attorney’s office that he must resign because of a prior criminal conviction, met before the public meeting to decide to install Wilson without her input.
McMichaels said that as the top trustee, she feels frustrated not to be considered acting mayor after serving on the board for 20 years. She plans to run for the seat next year, as she believes Wilson will also run.
“It’s not right,” McMichaels said. “I’m not mad at the seat – it’s a matter of respect.”
When reached by phone Monday, Wilson declined to comment. He abstained from the vote that led to his partial payment, which came less than a week after Griffin was found guilty of misappropriating between $10,000 and $100,000 in public funds to benefit himself and others close to him.
Former Ford Heights police officer Willie Robinson, who was at Saturday’s meeting, said Monday he thinks Wilson is a “good guy” but questions whether his ties to Griffin will make him act the same as mayor.
“He says he’s going to do what Griffin did,” Robinson said. “I’m just waiting to see … What if Griffin goes to jail? Will he have a cell phone from the common, running city business?”
Ford Heights will hold its next regular board meeting on Wednesday at 5 p.m. at 1343 Ellis Avenue, according to the village clerk.
ostevens@chicagotribune.com