ARCOLA, IL. (ECWd) –
UPDATE: 5-23-2014 Summons was served.
Arcola Township, under the leadership of William Coombe and others, is facing a THIRD Freedom Of Information Act civil suit in Douglas County. Suit number 2014-MR-17 (HERE).
In this suit, I allege the township denied a FOIA request sent to them on April 25, 2014. They have never answered the request for records, and subsequently that non-answer constitutes a denial of a FOIA request in accordance with the Illinois Freedom Of Information Act.
Two previous FOIA suits (2013-MR-53 and 2014-MR-16) are still ongoing at this time.
This is simply another chapter in the effort to get Arcola Township to provide public records when requested to do so. It is the law, and they have been violating this law for well over a year as of the writing of this article. This township has certainly been the most secretive, obstructing public body I have ever come across – but I do not give up and they will be forced to comply with the law. I find it hard to believe the taxpayers in this township are condoning this, and I urge each and every one of you to contact your township trustees, clerk, and supervisor and tell them how you feel about the way your tax money is being spent.
A copy of the suit can be viewed below.
[gview file=”https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/arcola2014mr17.pdf” save=”1″]
6 Comments
Lake Lady
Posted at 19:21h, 29 MayGood news Arcola Taxpayers just read where Judge Lincoln ruled to deny the Township’s motion to dismiss.Joey why don’t you ask Mark,Deana,and Bill what you are going to do now,keep throwing money at Mark Petty?Keep going ECWD,the footsteps the Township hears over their shoulder belongs to you guys.
jmkraft
Posted at 19:27h, 29 MayThanks for the heads-up!
Sleep Well
Posted at 09:59h, 23 MayFor simple records like gas receipts and checks written this bunch at the township must have a lot to hide. Now we know Bill Coombe is an overly educated whatever but surely he is smart enough to know he is not going to get by with this. Now the crowd he commands at the coffee shop of a morning where they have 3 board members and a road commissioner can be the only people that they have convinced that these guys from Paris are picking on them. They do not really realize that these are there tax dollars these idiots are spending to keep them from seeing how they are spending there tax dollars. So keep up the lies as long as your conscience will allow, your reputation has already taken the hit, the judge will give you the rest. Those guys at the coffee shop will back you up completely
who are you kidding
Posted at 08:37h, 23 MayIt seems everyone is speechless!!!!
average taxpayer
Posted at 16:36h, 22 MayEven the average taxpayer has credit card and cell phone bills within arms reach at home.Bill Coombe I’ll bet you don’t write a check without an invoice or bill received from the vendor and if asked during an audit to produce a valid bill matching the check number,you could do so.With that said,as FOIA Officer for Arcola Township,why can’t you produce the information asked for in the Foia’s you are fighting in court?You don’t conduct your farming operation in this manner, do you?
Skin in the Game
Posted at 19:31h, 21 MayHow hard would Bill Coombe fight these lawsuits if he personally had to fight these lawsuits with his OWN MONEY?So far the taxpayers are footing the bill,seems to me if a person had some skin in the game and not spending taxpayer money things would be different!