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March 28, 2024

Village of Lerna, Don Pearcy, and the Illinois Municipal League –

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen

On October 8, 2015

Lerna, IL. (ECWd) –
This is the third month we have attended the Village of Lerna monthly meeting of Trustees.
The first month I explained the conflict of interest between the Village President and his job as full-time Village Maintenance Supervisor. I also mentioned the conflict between a Village Trustee submitting invoices to the village for the village to pay her to mow the yards of repossessed houses.
The second meeting (Sep.) there was considerable discussion on the issue, and the village attorney even spoke up and said that she had told Pearcy a month ago that there was a conflict with those two positions. She resigned as village attorney a couple days later. The village is now without an attorney.
This week, Pearcy was absent, and the acting board president stated (see video below) that they had canceled their special meeting in Sep because Pearcy was ready to resign, but the Illinois Municipal League told him there wasn’t a conflict and there was no need for him to resign. So they canceled the special meeting.
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During public comment I let them know that they would never receive a letter from the IML stating what they just told the public, and I didn’t believe the IML would tell them that. I also said I would buy them dinner if they received a letter from the IML with that information on it.
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Yesterday I contacted a representative of the IML and asked for a comment on what they said to Don Pearcy. As I suspected, nothing of the sort was said to him, and below is their written comment:

For publication: “Without knowing the exact details about a situation, our policy is to refer municipal leaders to their city attorney and that was done in the case of Lerna.  We advise elected officials to be aware of both real and perceived conflicts of interest and to seek written legal opinions on any topic of concern, since local ordinances may apply and all of the facts are usually not shared over a phone call.”

BRAD COLE, Executive Director

Illinois Municipal League

They referred them (Don Pearcy) to their city attorney… Since their attorney already told them, in a public meeting, that it was a conflict of interest, no further discussion is needed. But I suspect they will continue to stall, and continue to spend village money on various attorney opinions, just to get the same answer. They will never find an attorney to sign his name to a document with the opinion stating that it is perfectly OK for a Village President also having the job of full-time Village Maintenance Supervisor. Never.

20151006_185629 (WinCE)

This is not Don Pearcy, but he still thinks he can keep people from recording meetings…

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4 Comments
  • Philo Beddoe
    Posted at 09:52h, 08 October

    Man, what a bunch of dumbasses.

  • Dave
    Posted at 11:10h, 08 October

    If its that hard for him to do the right thing and obey the law, there is something he’s hiding.

  • Warren J. Le Fever
    Posted at 08:58h, 09 October

    That answer by the Illinois Municipal League is why we have so much corruption in Illinois. The supposed oversight body interpreting rules and regulations for municipal governments in Illinois deliberately dodges attempts to correct wrongdoing. My personal experience is that the IML is basically useless when real help is needed. You have to get your own lawyer and NOT use a City Attorney.

    • jmkraft
      Posted at 09:12h, 09 October

      I agree in some circumstances, but when there is a question like the one in Lerna that is so obviously wrong (Mayor also the Maintenance Supervisor)m a person shouldn’t even have to consult any attorney. Resignation is the only option.

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