Park District Chairman Joe Ewing Refuses to Appoint Ethics Commission –

Clark Co., IL. (ECWd) –
More than six weeks ago, an Ethics Complaint was filed with the Clark County Park District naming several Commissioners within the Complaint, including Joe Ewing, Terry Step, Ron Stone, former Commissioner Larry Yargus, and Executive Director Charity Murphy.
Since that time, there has been nothing mentioned, except during a public meeting where Ewing said he had there people he was going to appoint – but never mentioned their names and did not appoint them. The Board did appoint attorney Lorna Geiler as the Ethics Officer for the district.
Ewing’s lack of action on the appointments, simply equates to him refusing to comply with the law…again.
Joe Ewing, read about him here: https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2015/05/clark-county-park-district-joe-ewing-his-forged-petitions-gains-him-board-chairmanship/ ,  has apparently been busy stalling the appointment of the Ethics Commission, even though their own policy manual requires the commission and states they are to serve for two years.

I sent his an email yesterday with several questions, that have yet to be answered:

-When are you going to appoint the Ethics Commission members?

-Do you think it is not a conflict of interest to pick the Ethics Commission members and the Ethics Attorney when you and others are named in the Ethics Complaint?

-When is the first meeting of the ethics commission?

-What is taking so long for this process to get started?

-Will you ever consider resigning your office due to the fraudulent ballot / petitions?

-Will you ever consider punitive actions against Charity for her knowledge of the fraudulent petitions and certification of ballot?

Maybe he thinks if he simply doesn’t appoint the commission the complaint goes away?
Highly unlikely, since the appointment of the ethics commission is a non-discretionary duty, and as such, Ms. Thomas has sent Ewing a demand for performance of a non-discretionary duty – to appoint the commission.
This “demand for performance” is a requirement prior to filing a writ of mandamus – he must be provided the opportunity to comply with the law – if he refuses, a writ will be filed in the Clark County Circuit Court.