Evanston police are investigating a death threat that former City Clerk Rodney Greene said he received on his cell phone on May 30.
During the public comment portion of the June 10 City Council meeting, Mr. Greene referred to his comments at the previous meeting. At that meeting, on May 28, he said he did not believe the City Clerk’s office should have sole responsibility in handling Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
At the June 10 meeting, he reiterated his position and said, “There has never been – at least I know since I was Clerk – an opportunity where the Clerk alone was the number-one 100% person who takes care of all FOIAs. The Clerk’s office in other municipalities does not have the last say-so.”
Mr. Greene then said that, after he left that May 28 meeting, “someone” had confronted him and accused him of being “bitter” and “mad” because he had lost the election to Devon Reid, the present City Clerk.
“I said, ‘No, that’s not it,’” Mr. Greene told the Council members. “But Thursday [May 30] I received a call on my cell phone telling me not to come back to Council meetings, and if I spoke of Devon Reid again, my life is in danger. So I don’t know what’s going on.”
He then added, “I just want to let you know that I’m not afraid of anybody in this town, but if you’re man enough to call me on my cell phone, you should be man enough to say it to my face and let me know who you are.”
Because the number of the caller was blocked, police are having difficulty tracing the call, Mr. Greene told the RoundTable. He said police are keeping a watch on his home but that he is not changing his routines or activities.
Evanston Police Commander Ryan Glew told the RoundTable, the police are investigating the matter and hope to have further information next week.