Wapella Township, DeWitt Co. (ECWd) –
Ninety-seven 30 packs of Bud Light (nearly 2 per week for an entire year), a refrigerator to keep the beer cold, a Lazyboy recliner, and 90% ground beef to go with it.
Update: 7-24-2022 with Credit Card statements and receipts from January through November 2021 (HERE).
After receiving public records, the tip we received on former Wapella Township Road Commissioner Eldon Cusey’s illegal use of the township credit card for personal use was confirmed.
We understand Cusey resigned after township board members confronted him on the credit card charges exceeding $27,000. He provided restitution to the township on May 22, 2022.
We believe he should be referred to the State’s Attorney for prosecution.
According to the Township Clerk and FOIA Officer, the three documents mentioned below were compiled from credit card statements by the township to figure out how much Eldon Cusey owed the township and road district.
These credit card charges apparently started in 2019, when Cusey charged more than $3,700.00 for personal use, including garden hoses, paint, trash bags, Gatorade, storage totes, accent rugs, lumber, toilet paper, canning jars, RV antifreeze, ice, and dish soap, among other things.
It continued into 2020, when Cusey charged more than $6,575.00 for personal use, including a stud finder, food bags, soap, plumbing supplies, cocktail wienies, women’s flip flops, concrete hole saw, candy, men’s clothes, commercial shelving, electrical wiring supplies, utility cart, paint gun, digital weather center, and jelly jars, among other items.
He was “caught” in 2021, when he charged more than $16,900.00 for personal use, including a Lazy Boy recliner, 97 cases of Bud Light 30 packs, dog food, cat food, 57 live chickens, lumber, a heated chicken waterer, chicken feed, egg cooker, shower head, hot tub supplies, 2 truck batteries, paint hardener, chain saw chains, pork sausage, another truck battery he claimed was for a lawnmower, clothes, 90% ground beef, barrel pump, everything to plant his garden to include plants and seed, canning jars and lids, potting soil and mulch, livestock watering tank, bamboo torches, refrigerator, electric kitchen range plugs, and charcoal among many other items.
According to the available paper trail, Eldon Cusey provided a certified check to the township on May 22, 2022, in the amount of $27,253.00 to repay what he took from the taxpayers by using the road district credit card for personal use.
We find this type of abuse all too often and until these people start getting prosecuted, they will see no consequences for their actions, and will embolden others. He isn’t the first and won’t be the last.
7 Comments
Chad Coit
Posted at 20:05h, 23 JulyShould check out our twp. Ain’t shit . Half a million easy
John Kraft & Kirk Allen
Posted at 20:24h, 23 Julywhat township is that?
Greg G
Posted at 12:07h, 24 JulyStop making deals with these thieves! Let’s send a message and lock these people up!
So he paid the money back, He’s still a thief and criminal.
Is no one watching these credit cards purchases, Maybe an auditor?
NMWTLS
Posted at 22:34h, 24 JulySomething like this should never happen. Township trustees ARE the auditors. There seems to be misconception that Township Highway Commissioners can do whatever they please with their funds and the township trustees cannot say anything about how the Highway Commissioners spend their money. The trustees miss the point that they have an obligation to scrutinize all bills and credit card expenditures and to ask appropriate questions when necessary thus assuring that all money is spent within the budget and for the legitimate needs of the road district.
Brian Anderson
Posted at 14:35h, 25 JulyI agree with you 100%. I can’t tell you how many times I have been told that nothing can be done to an Illinois Road Commissioner if he has the money approved in his budget by the trustees and supervisor. I call BULLSHIT! If a road commissioner is doing illegal or unethical acts, they need to be held accountable by the trustees and the supervisor, the people who elected to represent the taxpayers.
Justice Seeker
Posted at 14:38h, 25 JulyThis is no different than Shelby county and the board with elected officials. Now the county wants to pay an auditor to do their job. Details have been brought to their attention and they chose to with off ore or cover it up. In that culture they will do the same thing to an auditor. More wasted taxpayer dollars. Until taxpayer rise up and demand accountability nothing will be done.
Brian K Anderson
Posted at 18:26h, 25 JulyMahomet Township recently engaged an accounting firm to take over their bookkeeping and bill paying duties. When the township supervisor discussed the matter during the April 2022 township open meeting, he described it as a “CYA” necessity. As a taxpayer, that gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling. Why do they need to “CYA”?