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Mathias distances self from Stone
Former Buffalo Grove trustee Lisa Stone.
Updated: September 11, 2012 10:07PM
BUFFALO GROVE — State Rep. Sid Mathias, R-Buffalo Grove, came to Village Hall on Monday to deny any professional association with former trustee Lisa Stone.
Stone has become so anathema to the Village Board that her simply saying she supported Mathias prompted board members to demand a refusal of that support from him.
“I do not support Lisa Stone,” Mathias told the trustees, reading from a prepared statement. “There is no collaboration between us. I have never supported her political agenda nor her methods or behavior at Village Board meetings.
“She is not now, nor has she been, affiliated with my campaigns for many years,” he continued. “Furthermore, I have told her repeatedly not to use my name in her statements and blogs.”
Stone, a former Buffalo Grove village trustee who voters recalled from office in November 2010, has said in social media posts in recent weeks that she was grateful to Mathias, who she claimed did not support her fall from public office.
Voters recalled Stone after a series of confrontative outbursts during public meetings. She became the first municipal-level public official to be recalled from office.
Stone also has said that she would campaign on Mathias’ behalf as the Republican faces Democratic state Rep. Carol Sente for the newly redrawn 59th District.
Voters elected Stone to the Village Board in 2009, at which time Mathias held an honorary title of campaign co-chairman for the then-unknown Stone’s first successful run.
After hearing of Stone’s statements, Village Board members wrote in a letter to local newspapers that they had been waiting for Mathias to renounce her support.
“It is a matter of his reliability, credibility and judgment,” the seven trustees wrote in an Aug. 29 e-mail sent to Buffalo Grove Countryside newspaper. “It directly calls into question his capacity to adapt to changing circumstances and his ability to make sound decisions.
“The continuing silence from him is deafening,” they added. “And it is telling as well.”
After learning of the board’s letter, Stone said Sept. 9 that she had complete trust in Mathias’ support of her continuing political efforts, which include a push for more testing for Buffalo Grove’s drinking water, and requests to revamp how public speaking is handled in Village Board meetings and how the body’s records are kept.
“Sid Mathias didn’t abandon me when I stood up for the people, and didn’t sell my soul for power,” Stone said. “Instead, I went the distance and stayed true to my oath. Thank you, Sid, for having the integrity and courage to follow your beliefs.”
But on Monday, Mathias denied supporting Stone.
“Mayor Braiman and the Village Board have carefully and intelligently managed the village in the most difficult of times since the Great Depression,” Mathias said. “As a 32-year resident of Buffalo Grove, I applaud and thank them.
“I am confident that this will finally put an end to all misperceptions.”
