ONARGA, IL. (ECWd) –
John Bank, who has been President of the Onarga Community Library District Board of Trustees for the past 17 years, sent a response to an email I CC’d the library on, where I filed a request for review with the Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor on the library’s failure to properly post agendas.
Bank’s response was that since the library is not open 24 hours a day, it’s not their fault people cannot read the agenda.
It is their fault, they never properly posted it.
He points to the last sentence in Section 2.02(c) of the Open Meetings Act, which states (emphasis ours):
“If a notice or agenda is not continuously available for the full 48-hour period due to actions outside of the control of the public body, then that lack of availability does not invalidate any meeting or action taken at a meeting.”
Great point, but no cigar…
If he had bothered to actually read that sentence, and understood what it said, he would know that the hours the library is closed are actions within the control of that public body.
This sentence does not absolve the library of properly posting an agenda where it is continuously available for the entire 48-hour period before a meeting.
They certainly have no problems posting other notices and letters on the front doors of the library building, taping an agenda there should not be a problem…unless they simply don’t want people knowing about library board meetings.
Frankly, I can’t believe he signed his name to such a miserable excuse.
John Kraft response 5-15-19 page 1
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11 Comments
Chubby tuna
Posted at 15:21h, 20 MayWhy are some post put up and some held back are u picking and choosing
jmkraft
Posted at 15:26h, 20 MayWe post them as we write them.
Supersausage
Posted at 15:19h, 20 MayU need to aim higher go after Trump dont see anything about that horror
jmkraft
Posted at 15:26h, 20 MayWe concentrate on local governments. FYI: Changing your user name doesn’t work, your IP address remains the same as your other two comments.
Biggy smalls
Posted at 15:16h, 20 MayFrankly i cant believe ur so worried about this what brought this great travesty to ur attention
jmkraft
Posted at 15:24h, 20 MayWait for what is coming next…
Doris Hubner
Posted at 10:25h, 17 MayResponse to Dave: This board has been advised multiple times with regards to the posting requirements but is not interested in following the law. Response to Jannie: Your comment about not having much faith in the board is understood and I would encourage you to sit in on a future meeting.
jannie
Posted at 08:42h, 17 MayNormally the leader would have made the agenda ahead of time anyway – I don’t understand why they seem to refuse to do this. Perhaps they really don’t have agenda’s and it’s just a free for all discussion. Doesn’t give me much faith in the Library Board.
Michael Hagberg
Posted at 21:35h, 16 MayTypo? “for the full 480hour period ” maybe you mean “for the full 48 hour period “
jmkraft
Posted at 21:39h, 16 Mayyep. was supposed to be a dash…
Dave
Posted at 20:29h, 16 MayWhy is obeying the law so difficult for some people