The OIG transmitted its second quarter report for 2013 to the City Council and City officials on July 15, 2013. The report provides a summary of OIG activity from April 1 through June 30, 2013. This quarter’s report includes summaries of three OIG audits, one advisory, three financial recoveries, and four administrative investigations it transmitted to the City during the prior three month period.
Highlights from the report include:
- An OIG investigation found that while at work, a Motor Truck Driver with the Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS) collected signatures from three coworkers for nominating petitions for the 2011 Chicago mayoral campaign in violation of state law and the City’s Personnel Rules. The investigation also established that the employee knowingly submitted a forged signature to the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners and falsely certified that all the signatures were genuine despite knowing at least one was not, a violation of the Illinois Election Code.
- The OIG established that a Chicago Fire Department (CFD) Firefighter negligently operated a CFD sport utility vehicle (SUV), causing it to be irreparably damaged. The Firefighter (1) parked the SUV off-road in a grassy area near a Chicago Park District lagoon, (2) left the vehicle running, (3) exited the vehicle—leaving it unoccupied—to talk on his cell phone; and then (4) continued to talk on his cell phone while 30 feet from the vehicle. Ultimately, when the unoccupied SUV began moving toward the lagoon, the Firefighter was unable to prevent it from going into and becoming partially submerged in the lagoon.
- The OIG sent the Fire Commissioner an advisory regarding unlicensed fire sprinkler contractors performing inspections witnessed by CFD personnel. The advisory reported that the CFD Fire Prevention Bureau does not ensure all City-mandated tests of fire pumps are performed by licensed contractors.