Will Co. (ECWd) –
After exposing what we consider an illegal contract Lincoln-Way School District 210 School board has with Nancy’s Day Care in this article, I received a response to a question that now proves Ron Sawin violated FOIA by failing to provide the records requested.
In this case, it may bring even more problems to the district and clearly validates the School Board has been asleep at the wheel, as if we didn’t already know that.
My FOIA outlined in the above article was very specific. There is no confusion of how I worded it or anything else that could be confusing to a so called educated educator.
- Copy of names of all persons currently leasing, renting, or using public facilities for private purpose.
Does ANYONE not understand that request? The response I got in the FOIA only directed me to the bottom of the Nancy’s Day Care contract for the names of the persons leasing, renting or using public facilities for private purpose.
To the those unfamiliar with the games these school administrators are playing with the general public, you would think the FOIA was complete and all they were leasing out was space for the Day Care.
WRONG!
Sadly for Sawin, the response he provided violated FOIA as he did not disclose yet another clear problem for this School District.
I tend to apply that principal of never asking a question you don’t know the answer to. In this case, I knew the district had a home on their property that was being lived in by David Earnst, the Head Football Coach for Lincoln-Way West, and the school also has farm ground leased. Neither of those key facts were disclosed in my FOIA, thus a clear FOIA violation by Ron Sawin.
Was Sawin’s failure to comply with FOIA intentional and willful? I suspect so based on the response I got after questioning his FOIA response.
Question: “You have not provided the name of the person living in a home owned by the District? Any reason for that?”
Sawin Response: “I have attached the agricultural leases for our vacant property. The individual renting the house adjacent to Lincoln-Way West is David Ernst; there is no formal agreement for that property – it is rented on a month-to-month basis.” Ron
So now after being called out for not providing the very information I asked for he gives me the name of the person living in the home on District 210 Property and also provided the Agriculture Agreements.
And once again, for those that think those exposing these illegal actions are just trying to destroy the school please know you are wrong! We simply want the law followed. Seriously, how hard is it to follow FOIA? This guy should resign if he is not capable of compliance of the most basic of laws he is bound by.
I have FOIA’d additional information on the home rental and agriculture leases and will update when that information is received. It will be interesting to see if any of these rentals and leases have board approval.
[gview file=”https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Ag-Leases.pdf”]
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