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The Manteno Village Board has quietly removed the customary end-of-agenda slot for trustee remarks, a procedural shift that trustees say narrows routine opportunities for debate and accountability. The change — made without a formal vote — comes amid a recent reshuffling of local political power and follows heated exchanges at past meetings.
At Tuesday’s session, longtime trustee Todd Crockett drew attention to the missing item after delivering his Public Works & Utilities report, asking where the usual “comments” slot had gone. He warned the removal would not stop trustees from speaking, but later called the maneuver an attempt by the mayor to curb dissent.
Mayor Annette LaMore, a first-term officeholder who ran under the Manteno Freedom Party banner in April 2025, said she eliminated the agenda line because it repeatedly sparked confrontation. “I got tired of it,” she told colleagues, and when asked about reinstating the section she added, “If a miracle happens.”
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What changed — and how trustees are responding
No formal motion or recorded vote accompanied the deletion; the agenda simply omitted the item that traditionally appeared before “Adjournment.” That absence prompted immediate questions from several trustees, who say they received no prior explanation.
Trustee Crockett and others framed the move as a power play. “It just disappeared,” Crockett said after the meeting. “She’s running a dictatorship. She wants to silence the trustees,” he added, reflecting frustration among members aligned with the previous majority.
Not every board member sees the change as a muzzling tactic. Trustee Mike Barry noted trustees may still speak during committee reports and demonstrated that option during the meeting. “Just because it’s not on the ‘Comments’ section doesn’t matter. No one is going to stop someone from talking,” he said.
Political backdrop
The board’s dynamics shifted markedly following the announcement that battery manufacturer Gotion Illinois would locate a multi‑billion‑dollar facility in Manteno — a development that galvanized public debate and helped fuel the Freedom Party’s rise. For two decades, Mayor Tim Nugent and the Manteno Choice Party largely dominated village governance; the April 2025 election fractured that control.
Current affiliations on the seven-member board are split: four trustees align with the Choice Party and three, including LaMore, with the Freedom Party. That split amplifies the stakes of procedural changes at public meetings.
- Procedure removed: Traditional “trustee comments” line at the end of the agenda.
- How it was done: Omitted from the agenda without a formal motion or vote.
- Who is involved: Mayor Annette LaMore; trustees Todd Crockett, CJ Boudreau, Annette Zimbelman, Joel Gesky, Mike Barry and Peggy Vaughn.
- Why it matters: Limits a predictable forum for trustees to raise concerns in full session and may affect transparency and public perception of board deliberations.
- Alternatives: Trustees can speak during committee reports or raise items under other agenda headings, though those options are less visible as a standalone forum.
Municipal meeting practices vary, but regular opportunities for elected members to comment in full session are a common feature of local governance because they allow cross‑board scrutiny and public visibility. Removing that structured moment, even without prohibiting speech outright, changes how and when issues surface.
For now the change stands. Board members and residents who want clarity or a return to the prior practice will likely press for a formal explanation or vote in upcoming meetings, where the balance of power and procedural rules will continue to shape Manteno’s public discussions.
