CHICAGO — City officials said Friday they will seek $500 fines against the sons of two top union officials who are accused of lying on their job applications to become building inspectors.
Both Kevin Sexton, 23, and Andy Ryan, 19, quit this week after questions were raised about their qualifications for the $49,548-a-year post. Ryan, for instance, would have had to have started his union apprenticeship program at age 13.
Building Commissioner Stan Kaderbek denied that politics or nepotism played any role in the hirings, although Carpenters Local 13, where Ryan’s father is the secretary-treasurer and Sexton’s father is president, is a supporter of Mayor Richard Daley.
“What we failed to do was to go and chase down their work records and verify their employment. That’s the thing we should have done,” Kaderbek said at a City Hall news conference. “It’s my fault we didn’t do it and I’m going to make sure it never happens again.”
The resumes of 14 other recently hired building inspectors are currently being reviewed for inaccuracies, Kaderbek said.
But he said his department would not be reviewing the backgrounds of the rest of the city’s 175 building inspectors. Those inspectors all have on-the-job experience, and their performance counts for more than educational background or past work experience, Kaderbek said.
A message left at union headquarters seeking comment from Ryan, Sexton and union officials was not immediately returned Friday.
Ryan and Sexton have each been issued a citation, alleging they broke the city’s personnel code by falsifying a city job application. Their cases will be heard by an administrative law officer at a yet-to-be scheduled hearing.
City corporation counsel Mara Georges said the $500 fine is the maximum penalty.
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