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.
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