Algonquin Township Road District – Bob Miller – Phone Gate

McHenry Co. (ECWd) –

It appears from the records, the former Algonquin Township Road District Highway Commissioner Bob Miller was a busy man just prior to departing office. Records reflect there was a flurry of township road district cell phone transfers and phone purchases.

It appears at least 12 phone numbers were transferred from their public billing to private billing and at least two new phones purchased before Miller departed.  We understand that missing phones are part of the claims in the Road District suit against Miller and it appears the documents we have obtained confirm phone purchases and numerous phone number transfers took place right before his leaving office.

It appears to have started with the conversion of his Road District phone to a personal account as outlined in this email communication with Verizon.

• March 17, 2017, phone number 847 343 8732 for Ryon Greene had billing responsibility transferred.
• March 18, 2017, phone number 847 878 1613 was transferred to a personal account for Anna May Miller –confirmation on the Anna May Miller transfer reflects three lines was part of that transfer but does not show what the other two numbers were. 
• March 20, 2017, phone number 847 875 4649 was transferred to a personal account.
• March 20, 2017, phone number 224 407 7158 was transferred to a personal account.
• March 21, 2017, phone number 847 707 0362 for Kevin Fitzgerald had billing responsibility transferred.
• March 21, 2017, phone number 847 971 8756 for Dylon Stern had billing responsibility transferred.
• March 22, 2017, phone number 224 239 7852 for Bob Miller had billing responsibility transferred and it is not the same phone number as the one purchased in April. (see below)
• April 17, 2017, phone number 847 875 0548 was transferred to a personal account. 
• April 17, 2017, phone number 847 343 3892 for Derek Lee has billing responsibility transferred.
• April 27, 2017, phone number 847 344 6805 for Daniel Neumann has billing responsibility transferred.
• April 19, 2017, Miller purchased a phone for “Doug”, who we understand was the same person that recieved the watch just a few weeks later as a retirement gift. That phone was recieved just days before leaving employment with the Township and we understand it has not been found with any of the Township Road District property.
• April 24, 2017, three weeks before leaving office,  Miller purchases a new S8 Galaxy phone with extras totaling $372.48 in the name of the Road District.
• April 27, 2017, phone number 847 344 6805 for Daniel Neumann has billing responsibility transferred.
• April 28, 2017, seventeen days before leaving office, Miller purchases a new S7 Galaxy phone in the name of the Road District.
• May 3, 2017, phone number 847 343 2931 for Andrew Rosencrans has billing responsibility transferred.

What happens during the last Township meeting where Miller was still the Highway Commissioner?

Trustee Shea led the charge in a yes vote to approve a Verizon bill that was not part of the bills in the board packet nor on the agenda totaling $772.09.  Considering it was not on the agenda nor in the board packet with the other bills, it appears Trustee Shea was a party to violating the Open Meetings Act by approving items that were not properly noticed to the public.  Considering all of the phone purchases and transfers above, it appears this bill was submitted as to avoid it from being placed on the agenda properly and dealt with by the newly elected Highway Commissioner.  Download the minutes at this link.

A note of interest, part of our FOIA lawsuit deals with Verizon phone records that were not provided.

Questions for the authorities investigating this matter, which were not part of the prior investigation report from the State’s Attorney:

• Why are new phones being purchased for people that are leaving?
• Where are the purchased phones?
• Were all of these publicly paid for phones and numbers?
• Is it legal to convert public property to personal property?

Stay tuned for additional exposure to how a public sector employee can go on a vacation cruise right before leaving employment and still get paid 80 hrs of regular time and 9 hours of overtime while vacationing!

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