ARCOLA, IL. (ECWd) –
In another of the many recent alleged violations of the Freedom Of Information Act, Arcola Township is facing its fifth civil suit for their failure to provide public records when requested.
This one is particularly special because it shows the arrogance of the township officials when it comes to complying with the law.
Kirk Allen, after attending the hearing on FOIA suit 2013-MR-53 and observing the township attorney, Mr. Mark T. Petty, inform the judge twice, in open court, that Kraft had filed 30 FOIA requests within a year, decided to verify that statement that everyone in the courtroom knew was an out-right lie.
Allen sent a request to Arcola Township for a copy of all the FOIA requests received (just the requests, not the responsive documents) in that time-frame and the answer was returned that there were no documents response to that question!
This is how Arcola Township has been answering requests for public records, by claiming everything is a question, and that they don’t have to answer questions. But that’s fine, their childish ways are coming at the expense of the taxpayers that put them in office.
Remember this at the next election, the township is purposely refusing to answer FOIA requests and willfully creating massive legal fees, all with your money. They will try to claim we ask for public records, but all they need to do is provide the requested records when asked and follow the law. Instead, you will pay more in legal bills this year than Deanna makes working in both the township and the fire department.
Let that sink in for awhile…then read this article again, and read these articles (here).
The original FOIA request and the answer to the request:
[gview file=”https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Kirk-Request-Answer.pdf” save=”1″]
.
10 Comments
Richey Rich
Posted at 11:52h, 07 AugustQueen bee is back early from vacation. Must have needed to get back in the office to get something for Corky. They can’t move until she tells them they can. I don’t think it would be to answer a FOIA request now would it? Time must have been running out and Bill couldn’t do it. Oh wait, they don’t have to answer a FOIA request!
Waiting
Posted at 16:11h, 05 AugustThe story has it Mr. Kraft you are going to get tired of all these delays and you will go away then the township can go back to the way it was. Most all in Arcola do not like to be made a mockery of so hang in there. There are just there few select that think they have done nothing wrong and when you can prove one thing those rats will jump ship. Although you have already showed the secretary was using taxpayer monies for vacation trips and some say a little of that is alright. Stupid is hard to fight.
gone too far
Posted at 09:23h, 04 AugustMr. Kraft, just curious. How many foias have you actually sent them in a year’s time?
jmkraft
Posted at 11:50h, 04 AugustYou should be able to submit a FOIA to figure out the answer to that.
Trojan Horse
Posted at 20:04h, 04 AugustThe Township will not answer a FOIA. You know that. GTF is out of luck.
Broom Corn Joni
Posted at 08:02h, 04 AugustDidn’t Bill say the Township’s never been questioned before?What makes you guys think you have a right to ask for any information from the Big 3(Deana,Mark,and Bill)?I’ii bet T.Horse is right,the entire board doesn’t have a clue.jmkraft talks of arrogance,I agree but,Mark and Deana have ruled from that Township Office so long they refuse to be answerable to anyone.I hope the court system will start to move on this matter,the taxpayers can’t afford these people hiding their actions anymore.
Trojan Horse
Posted at 18:59h, 03 AugustYou mean to tell me they can’t answer a simple FOIA! As you can see on the partial answers you got back Deana is the one that half answered your request. I am not convinced that the board really knows 100 % of what’s going on. I hope all of the dupped supporter’s are happy.
Lake lady
Posted at 15:44h, 03 AugustMark doesn’t use the backhoe he has now,anyway back to Petty lying about the number FOIA’s,what does that say about a board paying there attorney to lie to a judge?
gone too far
Posted at 12:26h, 03 AugustI’m confused! They continue to state they don’t have to answer questions, yet the only item on this foia request they did respond to is the QUESTION. Still not sure who that full-time township employee is, since they continue to claim she is part-time.
jmkraft
Posted at 12:49h, 03 AugustI think they throw darts at a spinning dart board with labels attached to figure out which FOIA denial to use each time. Right or wrong, they use what the dart sticks to.
All I can say is “elections have consequences” and these folks were elected to do what they are doing, spending tens of thousands on an attorney (by the time this is thru the courts) to try and avoid providing public records. They will eventually provide them, but it will cost each taxpayer in Arcola Township. The township will try to blame the requester, but all they have to do is copy a few pieces of paper and put them in the mail. These will turn out to be the single most costly items for the township for this and the next fiscal years – with nothing to show for the expense.
They could have bought a brand freaking new Case backhoe for what these FOIA suits are going to cost.
Let that sink in for awhile…