Roc, Lee Van Guilder head to court April 18

by Carol Henrichs

Rocquin and Lee Van Guilder, of Indiana, are scheduled to appear in room 304 of the Will County Circuit Court Wednesday, April 18 to answer charges of criminal damage to property and criminal trespass to real property.

Charges were filed against the pair on Monday, March 19 by Will County States Attorney James Glasgow stemming from a Dec. 1, 2006 incident involving an alleged order given to drive heavy equipment across the Will Township property of Mark Baugh.

The equipment was enroute to the demolition site of several state-owned properties to be cleared in the footprint of the proposed Peotone Airport. A permit for Will Township Highway Commissioner Bruce Hamann who was concerned with the weight of the equipment and the condition of the roadways in general and one specific culvert had denied access in particular, since there had been prolonged rain in the area.

Roc Van Guilder is the Vice President of Hanson Professional Services. His son Lee is his employee.

The elder Van Guilder has been involved in the proposed airport proposal almost since the study process began in the late 1980’s. Van Guilder had been the project manager for TAMS, the sole airport consultant for the State of Illinois responsible for numerous reports to justify the building of a new airport in the Chicagoland area.

Van Guilder worked closely for years with former Transportation Secretary Kirk Brown, while in TAMS’ employ. In 1991, Van Guilder was named Vice President.

In March of 2001, Brown advertised for a consultant to handle land acquisition for the proposed South Suburban Airport.

Four months later, in July 2001, Hanson Engineers Inc. of Springfield, Illinois was selected to manage the acquisition of nearly 4,200 acres of land for the South Suburban inaugural airport in Will County.

In July 2002, Van Guilder was hired by Hanson Professional Services as property maintenance coordinator for the proposed South Suburban Airport.

In January, 2003, Kirk Brown left the Illinois Department of Transportation and was hired by Hanson Professional Services where he is today, listed as a partner.

Glasgow had originally decided not to charge the two, believing there was insufficient evidence. But on a second trip to the scene, largely at the urging of Will County Board Member John Anderson, Glasgow met with witnesses and reviewing the findings. It was then that he decided to file charges.