The Summer Jobs Some Can Count On

The folks at the Water Reclamation District love talking about their bond rating.

Spokeswoman Jill Horist says: "The issue is we're a fiscally responsible, triple-a rated company " --and talking--"In this day and this economy the district still maintains its Triple-A bond rating." --and talking--"If you don't understand, we have a Triple-A bond rating."

But when it comes to talking about patronage and nepotism at the billion dollar agency, Horist says: "It is a non-issue. It is a non-issue"

But you the viewer thought it was a big issue when we first reported last summer how the district was handing out scores of $13-an-hour summer jobs to the sons and daughters of politicians and district employees. We called them "Clout Kids."

Like the son of Water District Commissioner Barbara McGowan. When we approached her, said said: "Do not get in my way! Do not get in my way!" Reporter Dane Placko replied: "I'm not in your way. I just want to ask you about your kids." Her response: "No, no. You don't want to ask me about my children."

Or the kids of Northwest Side Alderman Pat Levar. Placko again. "Is it fair to the taxpayers that the political kids wind up on the list?" Levar's repsonse: "He applied for the job. They're college students. They applied for the job, got the job. That's all I have to say."

Our investigation found these were essentially secret jobs, not advertised or posted on the district's website.

Richard Lanyon, the District Superintendent, told us: "You keep pushing that point, but like I said ,to go through an unnecessary process, to sift through a lot of applications."

Our story struck a chord with viewers, many of them parents and students struggling to find summer employment. "Keep the pressure on," wrote one viewer. From another: "Hopefully this report will lead to some changes in how these jobs are filled next summer."

So, did anything change? Horist tells us: "The change is there is no change. This program was properly administered last year and is continuing to be properly administered." Which means once again, the district depended on word-of-mouth to fill the jobs

. Well, there is one change. We obtained a list of the district's summer workers for 2009 and found politicians have gotten the message. Only a couple kids with political ties. But the program remains a job bank for insiders.

Of the 124 names on the list, more than two dozen are readily identifiable as having parents working at the district. Many of those parents are making six figure salaries. The assistant purchasing agent, the assistant principal attorney, the director of research--all have kids with summer jobs.

BGA Director Andy Shaw says that's no coincidence. He says: "People are entitled to be considered for the jobs whether or not they're connected, whether or not they're employees. You are stealing my tax dollars when you don't give my son or daughter the same chances. It is a theft of services."

Patricia Horton certainly has clout. We asked the commissioner at a recent meeting how her daughter wound up on the summer jobs list.

Her answer? "Well I don't know. I just tell everybody to go over to H-R and apply."

James Dencek makes six figures as the President's Chief of Staff. His grandson got a summer job...but Dencek said he didn't help.

Horist says: "It's also a matter of resume and qualifications."

But even District President Terrence O'Brien admits having the right DNA helps. Now running for Cook County Board President, O'Brien made a candid admission during a recent appearance on Fox Chicago Sunday, when I asked about his kids getting jobs in the past.

He said: "I'm a father, like a lot of fathers and mothers out in the community, if they can't help their children when they're in need of some experience in the workplace, shame on me."

We told Attorney Michael Shakman: "His defense was 'What kind of father would I be if I didn't help my kids get a summer job'?" Shakman's reply? "One who followed the law and had integrity is the kind of father he'd be."

Michael Shakman literally wrote the rulebook when it comes to political hiring.

The Shakman decree basically made the patronage system illegal, even for part-time jobs. Shakman says this appears to be more a case of nepotism which may also be illegal.

He says: "The totality of the conduct here is a secret hiring system in which people who have clout are able to get jobs because they know about them... There's clearly a violation of public trust and there may be some civil consequences to that as well."