CARLINVILLE, IL. (ECWd) –
Jodi Reichmann, Treasurer of Carlinville, IL. posted a comment (presumably during work hours since we show it recieved at 10:30 am) on a previous article, Carlinville’s Mayor Deanna Demuzio hiding credit card statements from the public. The comment was full of false statements, which we will discuss within this article.
It was brought to my attention yesterday of your recent FB post expressing your concern and “firm opinion” that “something bad has been happening with the city financials”, and specifically that Mayor Demuzio is hiding credit card bills. Well now, Mr. Edgar County Watchdog, you are infringing on my reputation as the Treasurer of Carlinville.
It is my firm opinion (which everyone is entitled to), based on reviewing past audit reports on file with the Illinois Comptroller’s Office and the FACT that Mayor Demuzio, thru the attorney, is hiding those public records from the public – which includes me – as evidenced in the letter from the attorney attached within the article.
Well now, Mr. Edgar County Watchdog, you are infringing on my reputation as the Treasurer of Carlinville.
That is your opinion, but neither your name nor office came up in the discussion, and it does not change the fact that the credit card statements are being withheld from the public.
Mayor Demuzio has nothing to do with the monthly payment of bills, that is MY job. Every credit card bill is gone over ITEM BY ITEM with corresponding receipts attached that have been turned in during the month.The mayor is the least user of the general fund credit card, and except for the annual allotment of the mayor buying candy to be thrown out during our Halloween parade, I really don’t know when the mayor has last used the credit card. And before you jump on your FB page and quickly write another article about the mayor spending taxpayers money on candy, the candy purchase is approved every year by the city council.
Again, this never came up in the article, it doesn’t change the fact that the records are being withheld from the public, and just because something may be approved by the city council does not make it a legal purchase. We don’t write articles on FB.
So let me assure you again, there is not one credit card bill missing from its appropriate file folder, ALL are present and accounted for. Also, just for total clarification, the credit card bills, along with every other bill the city pays, are gone over every month by the city council. If they have a question about a charge, they can ask, although with receipts being attached, the charges are usually pretty much self-explanatory.
Thanks – so it is all right there, filed away as required. Why not send a copy to me as I requested in the FOIA request over a month ago? Were you told not to provide them? By whom? If you were told to not provide them, then you are the person withholding those records from the public. The bottom line is the records are in your possession and the city needs to provide them as required by law.
Considering you sent the FOIA request for these credit card statements on Saturday, March 18 and the day you jumped on FB to give your “firm opinion” on the hiding of credit card statements was March 21, you are not even giving the allowed 5 business days for your FOIA to be answered and proof that your “firm opinion” is totally and absurdly ridiculous.
Actually, the FOIA request was sent on February 15, 2017, at 9:58 A.M. – not March 28 as you claimed. Also, it took 21 days for a response telling me they decided to hide the records. Yes – more proof that my “firm opinion” is totally and absolutely justified as an opinion.
Again, your statement is accusing me of wrong doing, and I will not be accused of something that is simply not true, just so publications like yours can continue to stir the pot and keep you working for another day. Jody Reichmann, Treasurer City of Carlinville
The article never accused you of anything. Are you feeling guilty about something? As far as working for another day, we don’t get paid to do this as we are a non-profit so such an assumption would also be incorrect.
Before writing this article, I called and talked to Ms. Reichmann to explain the actual true date of the FOIA request, she said “I don’t care when you sent it“ – which should give the citizens of Carlinville another indication of how the city is being run and its total disregard for the law, the Freedom of Information Act.
[gview file=”https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Carlinville-Feb-15-FOIA.pdf”]
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6 Comments
M. Black
Posted at 08:51h, 26 MarchJust another case where law enforcement needs to get involved. Why? Because this is Illinois and it has the reputation as the most corrupt state in the nation.
So I’m curious. Are the two parties mentioned in this article related? So, Is it not every ones job in a small community to be truthful, thus transparent? So, as I recall, the mayor at a point in time was
An elected official in Sprimgfield and close friends of Mike Madigan. Would that connection impact how city government is run in Carlinville? Well, maybe because I can’t imagine Carlinville spending so much time tied up in diversion when being transparent is so simple.
Get the states attorney to review Carlinville’s spending line by line, penny by penny. The general public is waiting.
Deborah Wilson
Posted at 10:15h, 25 MarchWhat did you see in the audit reports that made you think they were hiding credit card statements?
Deborah Wilson
Posted at 10:14h, 25 MarchWhat was it in the audit reports that gave you the impression that they were hiding credit card statements from you when you asked for them in your foia?
G. Barraclough
Posted at 18:02h, 24 MarchMayor Demuzio has nothing to do with the monthly payment of bills, that is MY job. Every credit card bill is gone over ITEM BY ITEM with corresponding receipts attached that have been turned in during the month.The mayor is the least user of the general fund credit card, and except for the annual allotment of the mayor buying candy to be thrown out during our Halloween parade, I really don’t know when the mayor has last used the credit card. And before you jump on your FB page and quickly write another article about the mayor spending taxpayers money on candy, the candy purchase is approved every year by the city council.
This is really rich. Where to begin? I haven’t laughed so hard since the April, 2016 debut of Roxana Agler’s, almost iconic, proclamation of “…and took it like a man.” See: http://3.133.133.226/2016/04/d-142-forest-ridge-school-board-member-roxana-aglers-email-you-stuck-a-rod-up-my-as-and-i-took-it-like-a-man/
This is classic straw man and diversionary tactics. In the first part of the paragraph Treasurer Reichmann claims her job is payment of bills and going over credit card bills and receipts. To demonstrate she is a paradigm of fiscal stewardship, it is revealed there is item by item processing. Wow! Who knew? But after this big setup Reichmann admits she does not know when the mayor has last used the credit card. Well then, if you are the city treasurer and don’t know, could you please tell us who would know.
Which is all nonsense anyway because this is all diversionary tactics, using the very popular straw man and knock him down method. All to create justification for not releasing all bills, statements and credit card receipts for the public to see. We’re the adults here, we have all the records and everything is being done correctly. You little civilians just trust us on this.
Oh, and by the way Treasurer Reichmann, it is very doubtful John Kraft infringed on your reputation as treasurer. He might have impugned your reputation but even that is unlikely since your name was never mentioned. Could it be Mr. Conscience is impugning your reputation?
And by the way, part 2. Just because the city council has approved city purchase of candy does not necessarily mean it is legal. Was the candy put out for bid? Was the candy vendor related or connected to any city officials?
G. Barraclough
Posted at 18:02h, 24 MarchMayor Demuzio has nothing to do with the monthly payment of bills, that is MY job. Every credit card bill is gone over ITEM BY ITEM with corresponding receipts attached that have been turned in during the month.The mayor is the least user of the general fund credit card, and except for the annual allotment of the mayor buying candy to be thrown out during our Halloween parade, I really don’t know when the mayor has last used the credit card. And before you jump on your FB page and quickly write another article about the mayor spending taxpayers money on candy, the candy purchase is approved every year by the city council.
This is really rich. Where to begin? I haven’t laughed so hard since the April, 2016 debut of Roxana Agler’s, almost iconic, proclamation of “…and took it like a man.” See: http://3.133.133.226/2016/04/d-142-forest-ridge-school-board-member-roxana-aglers-email-you-stuck-a-rod-up-my-as-and-i-took-it-like-a-man/
This is classic straw man and diversionary tactics. In the first part of the paragraph Treasurer Reichmann claims her job is payment of bills and going over credit card bills and receipts. To demonstrate she is a paradigm of fiscal stewardship, it is revealed there is item by item processing. Wow! Who knew? But after this big setup Reichmann admits she does not know when the mayor has last used the credit card. Well then, if you are the city treasurer and don’t know, could you please tell us who would know.
Which is all nonsense anyway because this is all diversionary tactics, using the very popular straw man and knock him down method. All to create justification for not releasing all bills, statements and credit card receipts for the public to see. We’re the adults here, we have all the records and everything is being done correctly. You little civilians just trust us on this.
Oh, and by the way Treasurer Reichmann, it is very doubtful John Kraft infringed on your reputation as treasurer. He might have impugned your reputation but even that is unlikely since your name was never mentioned. Could it be Mr. Conscience is impugning your reputation?
And by the way, part 2. Just because the city council has approved city purchase of candy does not necessarily mean it is legal. Was the candy put out for bid? Was the candy vendor related or connected to any city officials?
Christine M Trzos
Posted at 16:20h, 24 MarchLooks like the political games are just as bad in Carlinville as they are in Chicago. This is what happens when the citizens become lemmings and keep the same system of politics (Democrats) in place for generations expecting a change from the same players. The result, unfortunately is corruption…..