CARLINVILLE, IL. (ECWd) –
Mayor Demuzio and the City of Carlinville must enjoy spending hard-earned taxpayer dollars keeping public records from the public. I estimate the first denied FOIA request has already cost Carlinville taxpayers more than $1,000.00 – and that was prior to the city attorney doing any work related to the lawsuit. Now, in addition to the lawsuit, there are three complaints with the AG-PAC that the city must answer to.
We have already written about the lawsuit filed to gain access to those records, and the following denial of another request for records that the Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor is looking into.
Now there are two more requests for public records that have been denied by the city.
One Freedom Of Information Act request was sent on March 18, 2017, and another on March 20, 2017.
Interestingly, Carlinville City Treasurer Jodi Reichman complained about a previous article that I had not allowed enough time to pass before writing the article (talking about the March 18th request) leading readers to believe I should have waited for the records before writing the article. She misunderstood which FOIA request that article was written about.
The mandated response time has now passed on the FOIA request she thought I was previously writing about – and no records were provided. It has also passed on a request sent two days later.
Public bodies have five working days after receipt of a FOIA request to respond to it. Carlinville has failed in that mandatory duty – for each and every FOIA request I have sent them.
What are they trying to hide that they so willingly breaking the law to keep public records from being discovered?
I requested simple things, that according to the Treasurer are right there in their file waiting to be looked at. Things like credit card and cell phone statements, and proof of required open meetings and public records training. In the second request, I asked for any agreements and contract between the city and Blackburn College.
Why all the secrecy? What is being purchased and what agreements does the city have with the college? Have the elected officials completed their required training? Why hide?
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1 Comment
Christine M Trzos
Posted at 10:33h, 28 MarchTe Demuzio dynasty has NEVER questioned and you sir, have challenged the un-challeneged! I applaud your efforts. But the decades of rule by this family (with their heavy weight friends in Springfield) will delay any of your efforts until her mayoral election is over. Most people have no idea how much money this candidate spent ($3,000,000) on her bid to regain her senate seat. An incredible sum for such a ‘meager’ paying office, you might say. So, what is the pitiful sum she is willing to spend (of the tax payers money) on a cover-up of her expenditures as mayor of Carlinville! God bless you and God help Carlinville!