Stroger would oust hundreds of workers

Stroger would oust hundreds of workerSays he'd request resignations of 500 county appointees

October 19, 2006
BY STEVE PATTERSON AND FRAN SPIELMAN Staff Reporters
Dr. Daniel Winship and J.W. Fairman had better freshen up their resumes.
Cook County's hospital chief and juvenile center director won't have those jobs much longer, according to both candidates for Cook County board president.

In an appearance before the Chicago Sun-Times editorial board Wednesday, Ald. Todd Stroger (8th) said if he wins the Nov. 7 election, he will ask for the resignations of more than 500 appointed county employees.

And he vowed he'll quickly accept resignations from Winship and Fairman.

"Everyone is on the block," the Democrat said.

Republican Tony Peraica said asking for resignations from top leaders is a standard move for a new county chief executive, though he's sure the move -- as well as the call for the removal of Winship and Fairman -- came from speeches Peraica has made.

"Todd Stroger has no ideas of his own," Peraica spokesman Dan Proft said.

Winship has run the $1 billion county hospital system since being appointed to the job in 2004 by Stroger's father, ex-board president John Stroger. The hospitals have long been considered a bastion of waste and patronage.


'Lackluster' campaign
The juvenile center, meanwhile, is the target of federal investigation after complaints of abuse and neglect of children there. Fairman was tapped to run the center this year by Board President Bobbie Steele, but Fairman was also close to John Stroger.
Neither Winship nor Fairman returned calls.

Also before the editorial board, Todd Stroger took exception to a column in the Sun-Times by Carol Marin saying ward bosses are frustrated by the lifeless campaign he is waging.

Ald. William Beavers (7th), running for the county board seat vacated by John Stroger so he can serve as Todd Stroger's floor leader, said the criticisms are driven by "people [who are] envious and jealous" and who "know nothing about the campaign. . . . He's showing up to where he wants to show up, OK? Todd Stroger is working real, real hard."

But one committeeman said Stroger brought his young daughter to a recent fund-raising meeting with veteran ward bosses -- and she sat on his lap the entire time.

"What can you talk about with a [child] sitting there?" the committeeman said. "It was hard to take him seriously."

Both candidates are claiming the title of "reformer." Peraica is out with his second TV ad, emphasizing negative remarks published about Stroger. Stroger will unveil his first TV ad in the next week.

spatterson@suntimes.com

fspielman@suntimes.com