LAHARPE, IL. (ECWd) –
On September 26, 2016, the City of LaHarpe decided it would go to closed session to discuss whether or not to send the City Mayor a water bill or to choose not to charge him for it. None of which they have the statutory power to decide, however, they are upset it keeps being brought up at “their” open public meetings, so decided to deal with it in closed session.
The problem is, discussions of this nature cannot occur in closed session, and must be discussed in open session where the public can hear their deliberations.
Video of this portion of the meeting:
It appears from this video that each and every elected official at the table could be guilty of a Class C Misdemeanor for violations of the Open Meetings Act.
It also appears the City needs a new attorney, one that will keep them in compliance with the law instead of assisting them in violating the law.
Atty: “I have to do what the board tells me to do”
ECWd: “Wrong answer”
Her comments are the weakest excuse to hold a secret meeting I have ever heard.
Consider this a demand to the City of LaHarpe to release all audio recordings of this illegal closed session.
Citizens of LaHarpe deserve better than this.
Below is the complaint about violation of the Open Meetings Act sent to the Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor:
[documentcloud url=”http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3117887-OMA-Request-for-Review-LaHarpe-IL1.html”]
