Is this what we get for $1500 ?

The following are two more Open Meetings Act Requests for Review sent to the Illinois Attorney

General’s office this month. I will post updates as they are received.

  The first was an Aug 16th meeting in which a committee of two, appointed by the ETSB chairman,

held a meeting without posting official notice and without posting an agenda.

The second one was a meeting on Oct 17th. It was held at the Ambulance Services building.

The 911 board was present, the meeting was posted, but there was no agenda posted. The

Illinois Open Meetings Act specifically requires that all meetings be posted and an agenda

posted at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.

“Meeting” is defined as “any gathering of a majority of a quorum of the members of a

public body held for the purpose of discussing public business.” 5 ILCS 120/1.02. “Public

body” is defined to include “all legislative, executive, administrative or advisory bodies

of the state, counties, townships, cities, villages, incorporated towns, school districts

and all other municipal corporations, boards, bureaus, committees or commissions of this

State, and any subsidiary bodies of any of the foregoing including but not

limited to committees and subcommittees …” 5 ILCS 120/1.02.

Enforcement:

“Where the provisions of this Act are not complied with, or where there is probable cause to

believe that the provisions of this Act will not be complied with, any person, including the

State’s Attorney of the county  in which such noncompliance may occur, may bring a civil

action in the circuit court for the judicial circuit in which the alleged noncompliance has

occurred or is about to occur, or in which the affected public body has its principal office,

prior to or within 60 days of the meeting alleged to be in violation of this Act or, if

facts concerning the meeting are not discovered within the 60-day period, within 60 days

of the discovery of a violation by the State’s Attorney.” 5 ILCS 120/3. Violation of the

Act is a criminal offense, a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $1500

and imprisonment for up to 30 days. 5 ILCS 120/4.

Click on pictures to enlarge: