JOLIET — The Joliet City Council approved a resolution at Tuesday night’s meeting authorizing former felony forgery criminal defendant Lauren Staley Ferry to serve as one of four city staff who can sign checks, handle wire transfers, vouchers and warrants for the disbursement of city funds.
Joliet City Manager Beth Beatty, along with finance director Kevin Sing and newly promoted interim corporation counsel Todd Lenzie, are recommending Staley Ferry, who is now going by her new married name of Lauren O’Hara, to be authorized to sign checks, warrants, wire transfers and other financial instruments for the disbursement of city funds, according to city memos.
The Council resolution indicates that the following city staff will have such authorization: O’Hara, finance director Sing, assistant finance director Christine Chinderle and deputy city clerk Pauline Ames.
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In 2018, Joliet Patch reported that when Staley-Ferry was in her twenties, she was charged with a felony crime of forgery when she lived in Arizona. However, Staley-Ferry was able to avoid being prosecuted for the crime by leaving Arizona. She moved to Wisconsin before returning to her hometown of Joliet.
Her criminal case never went to trial in Arizona. Police accused her of forging a $500 check from her employer, Michael Hingston. The news of her forgery case came to light while she was a member of the Will County Board and running for election for the Will County Clerk in 2018.
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In November 2017, O’Hara issued a statement to Joliet Patch in connection with the forgery case, as it was becoming a major distraction during her 2018 election. In March 2018, the Arlington Heights Daily Herald did not endorse her candidacy, urging Will County Democrats to vote for fellow Democrat, Lockport Township Clerk Denise Mushro Rumchak. The voters of Will County went with O’Hara, who then won her general election and re-election in 2022.
“Over 15 years ago I faced what I believe to be an extreme situation with no way out,” she wrote Joliet Patch at the time. “I made a mistake that I am truly sorry for. When confronted then, I told the truth and did my best to rectify the situation. In the many years since then, I have continually worked to make up for my past and become a person people depend upon and trust.
“I understand many people face difficult situations and I take full responsibility for my poor decision. I have to live with the disappointment I have caused others and for that I am truly sorry …. I’m far from perfect but have used my past experiences to make positive changes in my life. Since then, I have continually worked to not let this incident define me, and to be an honorable person.”
On July 31, the city of Joliet announced that Will County Clerk Lauren Staley Ferry applied for and has accepted a job offer to become Joliet’s new City Clerk. According to the press release, Joliet City Manager Beth Beatty made the final decision to hire Staley Ferry.
Staley Ferry’s starting salary overseeing the city clerk’s staff at City Hall is $139,510.
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