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November 22, 2024

Arcola Township’s $11,273.85 in legal bills –

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen

On April 12, 2015

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”]

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16 Comments
  • offended
    Posted at 21:08h, 19 June

    Oh my gosh! Charity Murphy from Clark Co. Park District and Deana Shields sound like the same person!!

  • Trojan Horse
    Posted at 10:46h, 20 May

    Did this die on the vine? I hope not.

    • jmkraft
      Posted at 12:54h, 20 May

      It’s still alive…

  • Page 7
    Posted at 07:04h, 17 April

    After rerading the annual treasurer’s report from the Arcola Township I saw Vendor- Expense Under $2500.00 Totals $43,022.83,is that where they are hiding Deana’s gas money now?

  • Country Boy
    Posted at 17:13h, 16 April

    Read page 7 of the paper and see where Mark has $263,488.23 in the General Road Fund,$52,000.00 more than it started out with.Mark would please spend more time in the country working on the roads instead of up town “working” at the office.

  • Hot off the Press
    Posted at 17:32h, 15 April

    Latest Record-Herald hits the news stands and everybody needs to read Page 7,more later.

  • Hey Now
    Posted at 20:24h, 14 April

    Remember back to the cacus and the election sick of it all,well some of the citizens of Arcola tried to make a change but lost because of so called state mandated forms and the use of the township office for druming up votes.Remember Deana being over heard at the Chesterville Cafe saying after the election it will all go away?Well it has not gone away and you are right there needs to be an audit,it has taken a long time to get this far,but Deana’s,Mark’s,Bill’s,Corky’s,and the rest of the board’s time is running out.When the Dogs finally win and they will,people will see just how bad it all was!

  • Sick of it all....
    Posted at 13:38h, 14 April

    Can the people of Arcola get some type of petition going to request that an audit be done… a very detailed audit? Could it be put on the ballot to ask for an audit? There has to be something the people can do to get to the bottom of the criminal activities that have been ongoing in Arcola…… obviously the Board, etc. aren’t going to offer up the details on their criminal activities. But the people should be able to do something…

  • backbencher
    Posted at 07:45h, 14 April

    Corky is known far and wide in Arcola as being thrifty,frugal,close with a dollar,or heck just plain tight.But when it comes to spending your money (tax money) the sky is the limit.$10,000.00 and still counting,just think of the legacy you are leaving Corky,one to be real proud of ins’t it Corky?P.S. don’t forget to tell the grandkids just what you’ve done for Arcola!

  • Must b kidding
    Posted at 04:54h, 14 April

    You must be kidding Enough if you think Corky can put a stop to the lawsuits,because if he did he would have to do his job and chair the board he was elected to preside over.Corky is more than content to sit back and collect his $8000.00 and be told to shutup and sit down.

  • Enough is Enough
    Posted at 17:50h, 13 April

    My goodness is all so blind in all of these bills from Mark Petty.The response are to Bill Coombe the clerk or to Deana Shields the part time secretary why would not these responses be to Corky Clark the township supervisor. is it the first two that is trying to hide things and Corky is not being informed. or is it Bill Coombe protecting the secretary and I ask everyone if it was Bill Coombe s $11,000. he was spending would he that protective. I think not but maybe it is time that they are told their defense fund has been shut off. If you are not doing anything wrong then show the receipts and you wont have to use Petty for any more defense. I am sure he is not going to like that very much losing $200.00 per hour to go to court. Corky Clark what do you think? Please put a stop to this game your people are playing!

  • foiafactor
    Posted at 09:55h, 13 April

    #Arcola Township’s $11,273.85 (in mostly #FOIA defense) legal bills – | #Illinois Leaks http://t.co/CKzoXpdOlS

  • High Rider
    Posted at 08:09h, 13 April

    Who has time to work on roads when your buying votes doing favors for everybody.Downtown people see Marks truck up at the office everyday Deana works,and apparently it’s not because they are answering FOIA’s.I hope those of you that blindly support Mark,Deana,Bill,Corky,and the Board will do some soul searching and ask yourself “Is it worth $10.000.00 of TAXPAYERS MONEY to cover their ass?”.I’m sick and tired of people bitching about how much this or that costs here in town,but won’t say a word a taxing body spending $10,000.00 disobeying the law.What a pathic show of leadership being coming out of the Arcola Township Office!U.T. is spot on Corky Clark,you should hang your head in shame!

  • Disgusted resident
    Posted at 06:42h, 13 April

    Has anyone noticed that the roads that the township is supposed to be maintaining are in desperate need of repairs? I guess that lying to everyone and paying a lawyer to stall and try to get the court cases dismissed is more important to them. It makes me sick to my stomach to see this needless waste of money when there are so many more important things that they could be worrying about.
    Here is a little advice to those at the township. If you are innocent of wrongdoing, just show the proof. That is all that anyone is asking. None of this would be happening if you would have just complied with the FOIA request the FIRST time.

  • Unhappy Taxpayer
    Posted at 05:01h, 13 April

    Over $10,000.oo spent to lie to the Taxpayers in Arcola Township!Corky Clark you should be ashamed of yourself and the board you preside over,spending tax money just to keep whats really been going on in that office for way to long from the public.Fighting this long and spending that kind of money,it must be pretty bad.

  • ECWDogs
    Posted at 21:37h, 12 April

    Arcola Township’s $11,273.85 in legal bills – http://t.co/YjqU36qOVu

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