By Lolly Bowean
Chicago Tribune

COOK COUNTY, Ill. — A Cook County grand jury is investigating whether Country Club Hills Mayor Dwight Welch violated the public trust when he allowed firefighters to demolish a pool cabana at his house last month, officials said.

The grand jury has asked for records of City Council meetings and videotapes of the demolition work, which are to be turned over this week, said Country Club Hills spokeswoman Wanda Comein.

Because Welch has not been charged with a crime, the Cook County state's attorney's office would not comment on the matter.

News of the investigation was revealed Wednesday when Welch met with his staff to discuss the grand jury's request, Comein said. In the meeting, Welch told his staff that he was approached by the Country Club Hills Fire Department and asked if they could conduct a training simulation on his property. Welch said he got permission from City Council and announced the project in a public meeting.

"He assured everybody that this is not a big deal," Comein said. "He contends he did nothing wrong."

On April 16, nearly a dozen firefighters spent part of the day destroying a rectangular pool house on Welch's property, Comein said. The firefighters were there as part of a training project to learn how to use axes and tear apart construction materials, she said.

At the time, there were firetrucks with flashing lights outside Welch's house and fire hoses and equipment scattered on his property, she said. The scene attracted a lot of attention and drew questions from neighbors and other onlookers who thought there was a real emergency.

"Even myself, I was startled when I first saw it," Comein said. She was driving home when she passed the project and learned more about it, she said.

"We have a lot of young firefighters. They don't have a training facility in Country Club Hills yet," she said.

But this week, the state's attorney's office reached out to Welch and other officials from the Fire Department to find out more, Comein said.

It is unethical for a public official to order private work done by staff paid with public funds.

"In retrospect, it probably wasn't the best idea," Comein said. "He was not defrauding or hiding. He told the aldermen and administrative staff he would be doing this."

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