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March 28, 2024

Don Pearcy, Lerna Village President – Filed False Economic Interest Statements –

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen

On October 9, 2015

Lerna, IL. (ECWd) –
The excuses we hear every where we go are almost all the same, but I am starting to think there is a secret book of excuses out there some people are reading.
Several months ago during a Lerna village meeting I informed the Village President, Don Pearcy, that his Statements of Economic Interests were not truthful – as a matter of fact, they have contained false information for at least the past 5 years.
Everyone keeps telling me how much of a “nice guy” Pearcy is, and how he only wants to help out the residents of the village.
I would have believed that if he had filed a corrected Statement of Economic Interest when he was informed his was false. Now I believe it to be knowingly and willfully. So I will call it like it is.
The Illinois Governmental Ethics Act requires certain elected, appointed, and employed individuals to file an annual Statement of Economic Interest. It requires the person named to be truthful on the SEI – Don Pearcy was not truthful.
In the IGEA’s definitions, to further understand some terms unsed on the form, it defines “entity” as:

Sec. 1-111. "Person" or "entity" means an individual, proprietorship, partnership, association, trust, estate, business trust, group, or corporation, whether or not operated for profit, or a governmental agency, unit, or subdivision.

Item number 6 on the SEI Form asked to “List the name of any entity doing business with a unit of local government in relation to which the person us required to file from which an income of more than $1,200 was derived during the preceding calendar year…
Pearcy (the “entity”) should have written: “Don Pearcy, Lerna Maintenance Supervisor” – instead, he wrote “NONE”. Pearcy was the entity who derived income in excess of $1,200 and it was with the Village of Lerna, for which he was filing the SEI.
He is required to file under Section 4A-101(g) of the Act.
Section 4A-107 explains the Penalty of not filing, or filing a false or incomplete SEI – That Penalty is a Class A Misdemeanor, which carries a potential fine of up to $1000, imprisonment of up to 1 year, or both fine and imprisonment.
He was informed a couple months ago at a meeting, the former village attorney informed him, and yet he defies the law by letting the false document stand as though it is correct.
Is this the action of “a good person”…or is this the action of a person who finally got caught and is delaying the inevitable?
More on Pearcy in future articles, and reaches back more than 10 years…

Lerna-Mayor

Don Pearcy, Lerna Village President with a Conflict of Interest as Lerna Maintenance Supervisor and filer of  false Statements of Economic Interest


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8 Comments
  • Dave
    Posted at 16:46h, 09 October

    “I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.” – George Washington
    Being a moral and honest person doesn’t mean much to many anymore….

  • Jack Webb
    Posted at 17:53h, 09 October

    Nothing like giving credence to the term, “Rube.” Except that being a “rube” would imply that he didn’t know any better – he was ignorant. Your articles clearly outline what appears to be INTENT, so not only would accountability attach itself to him, but culpability appears to have also hung itself prominently around his neck. Lesson: If you’re going to pretend to be a rube, don’t create a paper trail proving otherwise. Also, don’t claim to speak to facts for an entity (I.M.L.) and assume those who have a desire to know won’t verify your words. Not too bright. Have you provided him the statutory cites for Official Misconduct and Perjury? I see a sunset quickly approaching – with no one riding the horse.

  • Warren J. Le Fever
    Posted at 20:02h, 09 October

    The real question is whether the authorities -law enforcement, prosecutors, etc. will do their job.

  • sandy gray
    Posted at 20:04h, 09 October

    What is wrong with these elected officials who think they have God given right to lie and cheat In order to hold office in our small communities. What ever happened to integrity and honesty.

  • Ed Roley
    Posted at 12:13h, 10 October

    Pearcy (the “entity”) should have written: “Don Pearcy, Lerna Maintenance Supervisor” – instead, he wrote “NONE”. Pearcy was the entity who derived income in excess of $1,200 and it was with the Village of Lerna, for which he was filing the SEI.
    Thank you sir for clearing up the correct way to fill out this form. The Village President, Village Attorney, nor any of the Board members have known how to properly fill this form out, therefore obviously it has not. This will be corrected and filed as soon as possible.

    • jmkraft
      Posted at 13:18h, 10 October

      I’ll believe it when I see it.

    • pgrussell
      Posted at 16:45h, 10 October

      ….and WHO is the Village Attorney?

      • jmkraft
        Posted at 16:55h, 10 October

        They don’t have one right now, she quit, presumably in disgust…

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