Efforts by the Lisle Township Board to pressure Supervisor Diane Hewitt to give up her elected poistion failed earlier this month despite her conviction on a second drunken driving charge and testing positive for THC and amphetamines prior to her sentencing.
The board, which represents a large part of Naperville, could not muster the votes needed May 8 to pass a non-binding no-confidence vote calling for Hewitt to resign immediately one week after she was ordered to serve 24 months of probation. During those two years, she is prohibited from consuming cannabis, alcohol or non-prescribed medication.
Any failure of those terms could land Hewitt in jail.
Hewitt was arrested Nov. 1, 2023, and charged with misdemeanor driving under the influence of alcohol following a traffic stop made by the Warrenville Police Department.
The police report, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, says Hewitt’s car was seen weaving on Butterfield road near Madison Street and striking a curb. When police arrived, they found the vehicle parked on the shoulder with a shredded tire and what appeared to be vomit on the outside of the driver’s side door, the report said.
Hewitt was described as having slurred speech and smelling of alcohol, an empty wine bottle found in her purse, according to the report. She failed two field sobriety tests.
Hewitt reportedly told police following her arrest she had been at a work event earlier in the evening and had consumed one glass of wine, the report said. She did not believe she was intoxicated, she told police.
It took six months for the case to work its way through the DuPage County court system, with Hewitt eventually pleading guilty to DUI.
Trustees brought her conviction up during their May 8 meeting at which the no-confidence vote was debated. Hewitt would not discuss the issue, saying it was “not a part of township business,” and stressing that she had no plan to resign, according to a video recording of the meeting.
“You all don’t have any right to bring, frankly, any actions on this,” she said.
Both Hewitt and her attorney denied requests for comment.
In a phone call, board Trustee Autumn Geist — one of two who voted in favor of the no-confidence motion — said she has been disappointed by the supervisor’s behavior and actions.
“With all of the initiatives for having a safer community, it concerns me that DUI continues to be something that we don’t take as seriously as we should,” Geist said. “We should feel comfortable driving to and from work safely. We should trust that our teenagers are comfortable driving to and from their sports and activities safely.”
However, fellow Trustee Barry Robinson, speaking by phone this week, said that while he recognized the “personal concerns that people had with the supervisor,” there was nothing in the resolution that convinced him there was a need for a no-confidence vote and he’d prefer keeping his focus on “what’s important to the township.”
“Things that the supervisor had done, actions she had taken — in my estimation — had been dealt with through the legal system and had not reflected on her ability to continue to operate as the supervisor,” he said.
In a written statement, township Clerk Debbie Pawlowicz expressed concerns over where Hewitt’s sentence leaves the board and the residents they serve.
“In light of the court order, it is imperative that we prepare for the likelihood that Supervisor Hewitt will be in jail,” Pawlowicz wrote. “With full empathy to all involved, our primary responsibility lies with the residents, ensuring the smooth and efficient operations of the township. As the board, we need to be clear on the impact of her absence and implement any necessary adjustments to our daily operations.”
Hewitt’s sentence called for her to serve 30 days in the DuPage County jail, but she will not be required to serve it as long as she does not violate the terms of her probation, according to a spokesperson for the State’s Attorney’s Office.
Hewitt also was ordered to pay $2,500 in fees and assessments, complete 240 hours of community service, attend a “Victim Impact Panel” and submit to counseling.
The frequency of the court-mandated counseling and how often she would be subject to drug testing depends on evaluations conducted by the DuPage County probation office.
Prior to her sentencing, Hewitt provided a urine sample April 10 that tested positive for THC and amphetamines. She will receive Level II Significant Risk DUI counseling, which requires a minimum 10 hours of DUI risk education and at least 20 hours of alcohol, drug and substance abuse outpatient treatment/counseling.
Court records indicate Hewitt previously pleaded guilty to DUI in 2003 and that she successfully completed her sentence, which included counseling and fines, in 2005.
Hewitt was elected Lisle Township supervisor in April 2021.
This month’s attempted no-confidence is not the first time township trustees have tried to take action against Hewitt. In August 2023, months before Hewitt’s arrest, the board passed a no-confidence based on a variety of allegations, including mismanagement and making decisions without board approval.
Robinson said he voted in favor of that action, saying that it was warranted and an “effective way for us to get change made in the way the township was being operated.”
The turmoil amongst the elected township officials has resulted in residents repeatedly attending meetings to urge them to resolve their conflicts so they could better focus on township business, a video recording of the meeting shows.