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April 19, 2024

AG: Pecatonica Township improperly restricted public comment, failed to place item on Agenda –

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen

On November 10, 2019

PECATONICA TWP (ECWd) –

This is one of four documented violations (so far) of the Open Meetings Act by Pecatonica Township within the past 2 years.

Maybe they need additional remedial training on open meetings?

This AG determination stems from a township meeting held on June 20, 2017, where Supervisor Musso shut down the public comment of Rogene Hamilton, violating their alleged policy of providing 5 minutes per person to speak, and by failing to provide adequate notice of an appointment to Township Attorney.

At the June 20 meeting, Hamilton was given the floor during public comment, and when she inferred misconduct by Supervisor Musso, she was ruled out of order and prohibited from continuing to speak. The Attorney General determined the Board violated Section 2.06(g) of the Open Meetings Act.

Additionally, the Attorney General determined the Board violated Section 2.02(c) of the Open Meetings Act by failing to properly place the retention of Attorney Nelson as the Township’s Attorney on the meeting Agenda.

Read the determination below (or click here):

48463 final determination

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1 Comment
  • Roger
    Posted at 14:01h, 10 November

    I may be wrong but those stern taps with a foam pool noodle on the wrist by the AG for the multiple Open Meetings Act violations don’t seem to be working.

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