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March 19, 2024

Pecatonica Township critic taken away in the dark of night for attending meeting

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen

On October 19, 2019

Winnebago Co. (ECWd) –

Pecatonica Township officials must think they live in N. Korea or China, or somewhere else that rules with an iron fist without the rule of law.

At the Pecatonica Township meeting held Oct 15, 2019, the Board Chairman decided it was a good idea to have a local critic arrested for criminal trespass for her attempt at attending this public meeting. This isn’t their first time using police to remove meeting attendees.

According to Hamilton, she simply walked in and sat down in chairs available for the public. The Supervisor then left the room and shortly thereafter a police officer showed up and arrested her for criminal trespass.

She was taken away in the dark of night. They didn’t even give the elementary courtesy of asking her to leave.

This is unacceptable for a township government, or any government.

More on this subject will be forthcoming after we obtain the meeting video.

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57 Comments
  • jannie
    Posted at 21:11h, 19 October

    This makes me wonder “what does the Pecatonia Township have to hide?” My take on “public meetings” is that they are duh…. “public”. We don’t know if the person was disruptive, swearing, etc without any minutes or video. The normal procedure, if that were the case, is to ask the person to leave. It’ll be interesting to hear more.

    • Jennifer Johnson
      Posted at 23:17h, 19 October

      There is nothing to hide. Are you a resident of the township? Go to the meetings and you will see that Rogene Hamilton has cost the taxpayers THOUSANDS of dollars in foia requests when she or her sister or a local attorney that she is friends with have vieo/audiotapes almost every meeting. This person has repeatedly been disruptive at the meetings, speaking out of turn( not recognized by the chair, Robert’s Rules) yelled during meetings and has been asked repeatedly to stop or she will be asked to be removed. This last meeting she came in and sat down and didn’t say anything, yeah she had been served with a resolution to be banned for 3 months of meetings. Did she also tell the watchdog group that her husband is the TAX ASSESSOR? She has gone to everyone she could to get the Supervisor in trouble, and legally he has been shown repeatedly that he has done nothing wrong. The State’s legal oversight commission is very well aware of Rogene Hamilton and this onslaught of hers for the last 3 years. If the Township Supervisor would of been removed.

      • jmkraft
        Posted at 12:17h, 20 October

        How can videotaping meetings cost thousands in FOIA requests? What “state legal oversight commission” are you talking about (there is no such thing)?

  • Roger
    Posted at 21:48h, 19 October

    She was “banned”, by royal proclamation by the board (2 no and 2 yes votes) for criticism, from the next 3 meetings and sat out the 1st of the 3. The township supervisor, Musso, is the one that needs to go to the re-education camp. Wonder if he is still fighting to kick the Assessor out of his office so the supervisor won’t be disturbed by the Assessor doing actual work in the next room. Kicking him out will cost the taxpayers a lot in rent.

    • Jennifer Johnson
      Posted at 23:08h, 19 October

      You want facts you should be there at the meetings and not promoting hearsay. This watchdog group failed at properly writing a story about this and don’t have all the facts, or neglected to print them as it would show how ignorant their comment of a so called article is.

      • jmkraft
        Posted at 05:56h, 20 October

        Well Jennifer, Don, Lyn, or whatever other name you use from the same ip address, what about this article is inaccurate? Was she removed by the police? Was she taken away? Was is dark outside? Did the Supervisor ask the police to remove her? I think you will answer “yes” to all those question…

        • Jennifer Johnson
          Posted at 10:22h, 20 October

          So how can my response still be awaiting approval, yet this guy is calling me out and slandering myself along with other as using the same ip address, FYI.

          • jmkraft
            Posted at 12:11h, 20 October

            Truth is not slander. Three different usernames used the same IP address.

        • Jennifer Johnson
          Posted at 12:24h, 20 October

          Cannot use the same ip address when there are different people using different devices in their own homes.

          • jmkraft
            Posted at 12:26h, 20 October

            Yes, you can.

          • Frank Rizzo
            Posted at 18:29h, 21 October

            All three are commenting on the same post?

            Cannot use the same ip address when there are different people using different devices in their own homes./i>

            I SHOULDA THOUGHT OF THIS FIRST!

            BUT BACK IN THE DAY THERE WASN’T EVEN AN INTERNET THO

            NOT IN PHLLY ANYWAY!

          • Will
            Posted at 02:30h, 22 October

            If you’re all running off your wifi you all have the same IP address. Unless you have a VPN on each device which it doesn’t sound like you’re smart enough to set up anyway.

    • Jennifer Johnson
      Posted at 10:20h, 20 October

      Tou really don’t know the facts and I think as she has wasted THOUSANDS of taxpayer’s dollars and has been proven the lies she has spread and interruptions at these meetings and being out of order with these shows she is not there for the tax payer she is self serving to try and destroy a person.

      • jmkraft
        Posted at 12:13h, 20 October

        What “thousands” has she wasted? What “proven lies” has she spread? Which meetings did she interrupt?

  • Don Sandell D.C.
    Posted at 22:22h, 19 October

    Nothing exciting to see here.

  • Lynn Boomer
    Posted at 23:17h, 19 October

    This post is completely inaccurate and obviously printed without actually checking the laws governing board meetings. The person involved has been removed before for being disruptive and refusing to follow the laws. She has openly taunted the police to arrest her in the past. She has been legally banned from meetings for 3 months and knew she would be arrested if she attended. Other boards have legally banned people for being disruptive and refusing to follow rules of order from the board chair. If you’re going to present things as being news or even being true maybe you should do a little research first or label yourself as ‘spreading opinions with very little basis in fact’.

    • jmkraft
      Posted at 12:15h, 20 October

      What about this post is “completely inaccurate” ? What laws governing board meetings should we check other than the Open Meetings Act and the Township Code? When was she “legally banned” from attending meetings? Which other boards have legally banned people from attending meetings? Why haven’t you answered these simple questions?

      • Lynn Boomer
        Posted at 09:56h, 22 October

        As far as what laws/(rules) governing board meetings try this.

        “Roberts Rules of order Chapter 15 Discipline : Removing an Offender from the Assembly Hall

        Anyone attending a meeting can be removed from the assembly hall. The chair has the power to remove a nonmember at any time during a meeting, and this person has no right to appeal the chair’s decision. (However, a member can make an appeal on behalf of the nonmember.) An assembly vote is required to remove a member from the hall.

        If a person is asked to leave the assembly and refuses, the chair should take the steps necessary to see that order is enforced. The chair must carefully appraise the situation and act wisely. The chair can either appoint a committee to escort the person to the door or ask the sergeant-at-arms to remove the person. (The sergeant-at-arms is the person who acts as a doorkeeper, maintains order at the direction of the presiding officer, and is responsible for the comfort of the assembly.) Those escorting someone to the door must be careful how much force they use, because they can be liable for damages or be sued. If those appointed to escort the person to the door can’t persuade the person to leave, they should call the police. However, the police may not want to get involved unless the organization is willing to press charges.”
        (Copied from Roberts Rules of Order)

        A simple Google search of law sites will explain that Roberts Rules of Order are legally binding when “formally adopted by an entity”. This board did formally adopt Roberts Rules of Order a long time ago.

        I also found other legal opinions that give the chair only 2 options with a non compliant subject, either have the Offender removed from the meeting or adjourn the meeting and reschedule.

        As you can see an ordinance was not even needed but was enacted to further clarify legal authority. The board appears to have followed every rule.

        As far as your issue with IP address if others have mediacom, as I do, it might show the mediacom server addess as Jennifer Johnson and I are not even in the same neighborhood and definitely not the same wi-fi.

        • jmkraft
          Posted at 11:00h, 23 October

          State law trumps any Robert’s Rules that conflict with state law.

  • Jennifer Johnson
    Posted at 23:19h, 19 October

    Leave a witty comment….seriously, so this is a trash site and not about facts.

    • jmkraft
      Posted at 05:58h, 20 October

      What about the article was not factual?

  • Kathy Sands
    Posted at 09:22h, 20 October

    Reporters should have followed that deal right out of the room. Ask questions, take pictures.

    • Jennifer Johnson
      Posted at 12:22h, 20 October

      What reporters? There were none.

  • Jennifer Johnson
    Posted at 10:17h, 20 October

    jmkraft, first of all to accuse all of us from using the same ip address is ignorance. And the full story is out there. Guess you’re too busy making hypothetical, whataboutisms and ignoring the true facts.

    • jmkraft
      Posted at 12:10h, 20 October

      The true fact is all of those mentioned (Jennifer, Don, and Lynn) used the same IP address.

      • Lynn Boomer
        Posted at 10:36h, 22 October

        The Mediacom server address for this area of the country, not individual wi-fi’s or computers.

  • Jennifer Johnson
    Posted at 12:17h, 20 October

    Absolutely correct Lynn!!!

    • jmkraft
      Posted at 12:18h, 20 October

      Nice job answering yourself

      • Jennifer Johnson
        Posted at 12:22h, 20 October

        Responding to you ignorant and inaccurate comment.

        • jmkraft
          Posted at 12:23h, 20 October

          What was ignorant and inaccurate about it?

  • Jennifer Johnson
    Posted at 12:21h, 20 October

    She is requesting foia request even with being the one video recording each meeting…ever hear of the attorney general’s office? Legal oversight….

    • jmkraft
      Posted at 12:22h, 20 October

      The Attorney General’s Office is not a “legal oversight commission”

  • Jennifer Johnson
    Posted at 12:29h, 20 October

    Well that’s just great if we all use the same ip address as we all live in the township and know the true facts and not the inept coverage that is full of false and misleading inaccuracies.

    • jmkraft
      Posted at 12:34h, 20 October

      Nobody said everyone in the same township used the same IP address.
      Please specify which “false and misleading inaccuracies” are in the article?

  • Jennifer Johnson
    Posted at 12:32h, 20 October

    Funny as the states attorneys office is not a legal oversight commission. I don’t believe you…. now let’s get back to the THOUSANDS of dollars this person has cost the township residents and using her husband’s office as the local tax assessor for her own personal vendetta.

    • jmkraft
      Posted at 12:35h, 20 October

      Nobody mentioned the states attorneys office. Believe what you want. Why don’t you email the Attorney General Office and ask if they are a “legal oversight commission”?
      What thousands of dollars were spent answering FOIAs?

      • Jennifer Johnson
        Posted at 12:46h, 20 October

        You asked for information and I gave it to you, ask Hamilton why she keeps reaching out to them when she tries to find Township Supervior in trouble and she keeps getting rejected as she doesn’t get the response she wants and then lashes out like you are here.

        • jmkraft
          Posted at 12:52h, 20 October

          it appears you are the one lashing out

  • Jennifer Johnson
    Posted at 12:44h, 20 October

    Why don’t you go and investigate the facts yourself, obviously you’re too obtuse in getting the facts. Rogene Hamilton and her crew have added you to their bucket of let’s get some more people to believe our lies and try to destroy a person. If you’re a watchdog group you really suck at it.

    • jmkraft
      Posted at 12:51h, 20 October

      LOL.
      You still haven’t answered which other boards have legally banned people from meetings…

  • Jennifer Johnson
    Posted at 12:56h, 20 October

    I never stated other boards did this. So you obviously cannot even keep it straight of whom you’re communicating with .

  • Jennifer Johnson
    Posted at 12:58h, 20 October

    I am not lashing out. I stated true facts, again obviously you’re not any kind of reputable watchdog organization or news source.

    • jmkraft
      Posted at 13:00h, 20 October

      no, you made generalizations without proof

  • Jennifer Johnson
    Posted at 13:01h, 20 October

    Your own comment negates the ip address issue. If your a watchdog investigate, get the true facts, or sit here and try to twist what really is happening. FYI, screen shots don’t lie.

    • jmkraft
      Posted at 13:01h, 20 October

      I know, and I have the screenshots.

  • Cindy
    Posted at 02:08h, 21 October

    I wasn’t much interested in this story until I saw forty comments! Wow! Must be some hot-button issue. Little did I know it was just one sputtering miss-spelling person that has some grudge. Why do you bother replying to that? Public meetings are for the public. Who do these township people think they are representing? How dare they presume to be the arbiters of who gets to say what and when! No first amendment here. That amendment doesn’t say anything about morons not being allowed. (Which is probably why the dogs let this person take over their comments section.)

  • Jennifer Johnson
    Posted at 12:38h, 21 October

    Awe…look at you go. Freedom of speech needs to be looked at, not freedom to choose what they want and obviously plenty others have posted they disagree with this person and her habitual antics. But yes, somebody who has nothing to do with this come in and comment to fuel drama.

    • Chuck
      Posted at 13:38h, 22 October

      Fuel Drama! I think that’s covered in our First Amendment Freedom of Speech as long as it’s peaceful as this person was! So why isn’t race-hustlers that stir up riots that brings destruction to cities and other individuals like Barack Hussein Obama, Cory Booker, Maxine Waters, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and Nancy Pelosi not arrested for their un-peaceful Dram???

  • Aaron
    Posted at 20:52h, 21 October

    Where there is smoke, there is fire.

    • Jennifer Johnson
      Posted at 11:25h, 22 October

      Are you there? Do you know all the details? Nope so up in flames goes your comment.

  • Lynn Boomer
    Posted at 10:26h, 22 October

    I don’t know if you’re blocking my answers to your questions or what, but I’ve answered all your questions and don’t see them post here. Let’s try again . As far as what laws/(rules) governing board meetings try:

    Robert’s Rules of Order Chapter 15 Discipline

    “Removing an Offender from the Assembly Hall

    Anyone attending a meeting can be removed from the assembly hall. The chair has the power to remove a nonmember at any time during a meeting, and this person has no right to appeal the chair’s decision. (However, a member can make an appeal on behalf of the nonmember.) An assembly vote is required to remove a member from the hall.

    If a person is asked to leave the assembly and refuses, the chair should take the steps necessary to see that order is enforced. The chair must carefully appraise the situation and act wisely. The chair can either appoint a committee to escort the person to the door or ask the sergeant-at-arms to remove the person. (The sergeant-at-arms is the person who acts as a doorkeeper, maintains order at the direction of the presiding officer, and is responsible for the comfort of the assembly.) Those escorting someone to the door must be careful how much force they use, because they can be liable for damages or be sued. If those appointed to escort the person to the door can’t persuade the person to leave, they should call the police. However, the police may not want to get involved unless the organization is willing to press charges.”
    (Copied from Robert’s Rules of order)

    Just an FYI Jim Anderson, a member of the board, did enter an appeal on behalf of this person at the time and was out voted.

    A simple search of legal sites shows that Robert’s Rules of Order are legally binding if “formally adopted by the entity”. This board has used Robert’s Rules of Order for a long time.

    As far as IP address issue we are not even in the same neighborhood and definitely not the same wi-fi but if they too have mediacom you might be reading IP address of Mediacom server.

    • jmkraft
      Posted at 11:00h, 23 October

      State law trumps any Robert’s Rules that conflict with state law.

  • Jennifer Johnson
    Posted at 11:24h, 22 October

    Will, do glad you want to do nothing. So you just prove that nobody on here is actually worried about the facts and the other gentleman is not to swift on thinking that those responding are from the township that all of you are talking about. So there is more than one person ignorant on how an ip address works.

  • Jennifer Johnson
    Posted at 14:58h, 22 October

    Cindy, along with yourself there are nothing but a bunch of buffoons who do nothing but be a keyboard warrior. I almost feel sorry for you that your life is so miserable. Great watchdog group again, not.

  • Jennifer Johnson
    Posted at 12:33h, 23 October

    As stated before, she was already banned for 3 months when she walked in to this meeting and was legally removed due to the resolution the board passed and the officers escorted her out. She knew she would be as she was in violation. Her husband, the tax assessor knew she was going to do this, so the tax assessor knew that she was once again going to disrupt a township meeting. As far as the other people you stated in your comment have nothing to do with this.

    • jmkraft
      Posted at 12:37h, 23 October

      A Township does not possess the statutory power to ban anyone from a meeting (a right granted to individuals by the Legislature) without going thru the Courts to obtain a restraining order signed by a Judge. Whether she was legally removed or not will be up to the Courts to decide.

  • TJ Long
    Posted at 12:59h, 05 November

    Thanks for putting out information on what is really going on in Pecatonica. Have been friends with people there for almost a lifetime and have gotten an earful . Alot of people don’t respond cause this Johnson gal and her family and pals like to do what she is doing here trying to browbeat anyone who disagrees with them or speaks out . Did you know this Johnson gal is a member of the Pecatonica Village board and she should know better. and according to my buds she doesn’t even go to the Township meetings because they are on the same night so how would she know except her, the Mayor and Musso, are buds. Someone passed one of those FOIA around town they did on Village and questionable spending by Mayor and then Village changed its credit card use. She was the one trying to fine people like an elderly woman in town and others for having flowers and plants too tall and for snowshoveling. People in Pec are sick of how our town is looking because of them. Wouldn’t believe anything those people say, There is something wrong when people ask questions and they are treated badly and cant get answers. Maybe you should ask if she was there. The other gal is the mother of one of the trustees Boomer and that Don is a bud of Musso, just so you know. As my buds tell it 2 members of the Township try to fight it but the other 3 are in thick.
    https://www.wifr.com/content/news/Debate-grows-over-planting-ordinance-507007481.html

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