ARCOLA, IL. (ECWd) –
This was forwarded to me from Bloomington, Illinois and is Arcola Township’s response to copies of all legal invoices for 2013 and 2014.
Here is what I found:
Total amount invoiced was $11,273.85
The overwhelming majority was for fighting against Freedom of Information Act requests.
Residents of Arcola Township should call their township officials and tell them they appreciate their efforts at keeping public records secret – but rest assured, it won’t last forever.
The really sad part of this is that the Township could have simply provided what was requested, and provided it to the person that requested it. Simple moves like that could have saved the Township over $10,000.00.
But what do they do instead? They lie to Chapin Rose (HERE), lie to Judge Lincoln (HERE), lie to Judge Broch (HERE), then they continue to fight it in court, and they also help push a failed attempt at changing the FOIA law, to somehow try and make FOIA requesters pay for the public records by adding a “voluminous requester” provision in it…and even though the legislature passed the amendment to FOIA, it failed because the same people exempted under “recurrent requester” are likewise exempted under “voluminous requester” – which happens to be us and other news media organizations.
That amendment put the screws to you, the typical citizen requesting public records, and you will pay dearly for them if you ask for too many.
[gview file=”https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/ArcolaAttyInvoices.pdf”]
