Shelby Co., Ill. (ECWd) –
On January 17, 2025, we sent the Illinois Attorney General’s Opinions Bureau additional information for them to consider when rendering an opinion on Shelby County State’s Attorney Woolery’s request for an opinion on whether there is an impermissible conflict for a County Board Member also acting as Dive Team Commander (County Department Head).
We also sent a copy to Shelby County State’s Attorney Woolery.
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Here is the text of the email (the pdf attached to this email will be discussed below):
“Please forward this communication to the attorney(s) working on the opinion requested from Shelby County State’s Attorney Ruth Woolery dated October 10, 2024, and received in your office on October 24, 2024, related to county board member also serving as dive team commander.
The attached pdf contains additional information not provided, and most likely not supplemented, to her original request for an opinion.
My interest is only that the Opinions Bureau have all the information necessary for it to issue an appropriate opinion.”
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State’s Attorney Woolery’s request to the AG dated October 10, 2025, reads as follows:
“Question: Is it a conflict of interest for the commander of a volunteer dive rescue team, under the oversight of the county board public safety committee, to also be an elected member of the county board, if that individual does not serve on the public safety committee?
On July 18, 2023, the Shelby County Board passed Resolution No. 23-30 establishing the Shelby County Dive Rescue Team. This Resolution was later superseded by Resolution No. 24-13, which was approved and adopted on February 8, 2024. A copy of said Resolution is enclosed herewith. On April 11, 2024, Austin Pritchard was reinstated as commander of the Shelby County Dive Team under its new organization. Mr. Pritchard is running unopposed for a seat on the County Board in the upcoming election. Is there an inherent conflict of interest in serving as both the commander of the volunteer Shelby County Dive Team and as a member of the Shelby County Board?“
We believe this request for an opinion should have been updated to show that actual truth on the ground as it relates to county board member Austin Prichard, his duties as a Shelby County “Department Head” and Dive Team Commander, and his duties as county board member and his appointments to various committees.
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The information we sent the AG’s Opinions Bureau adds the real-world information to what we consider information lacking, or a lack of update, from what was provided by Woolery:
It has come to our attention that the Shelby County State’s Attorney has requested an opinion on whether there is an impermissible conflict with a Shelby County Board member also serving as the Shelby County Dive Team Commander.
Here is additional general information that might be of interest prior to issuing an opinion:
– Austin Prichard was appointed by the Shelby County Board as Shelby County Dive Team Commander (Department Head) in April 2024.
– Austin Prichard was elected to and took office as a Shelby County Board Member on December 3, 2024.
– Austin Prichard was also appointed as a member of the County Board Budget, Audit, and Legislative Committee – there is currently a “draft” forensic audit of the dive team which this committee and the county board have not discussed yet. Prichard is in the position as a County Board Member on this Committee to review and recommend approval of a forensic audit of his position as Department Head and Dive Team Commander which may be critical of his spending and record-keeping.
– On December 5, 2024, during a Shelby County Public Safety Committee meeting, Austin Prichard, acting in his capacity as Dive Team Commander, was present and advocated for approximately 36 minutes for public funds being spent on the dive team. See Shelby County committee video at approximately the 1:20:42 mark here:
https://www.youtube.com/live/WtAURgXQKrA?si=7S07PTTTSPLo380j
– The bids for a new truck and other items for the Dive Team indicated that Austin Prichard was the point of contact, as the dive team commander.
– December 12, 2024, Austin Prichard, in his capacity as Shelby County Board member voted “present” on the questions of the purchase of equipment for the dive team, of which Prichard is also the appointed Department Head and Commander. See Shelby County board video at the 38:20 mark where the Motions are read and discussed, and at approximately the 41:31 mark where the roll-call vote was taken and Prichard voted “present”: https://www.youtube.com/live/IJwUKF45cLI?si=mn4c1gDYUko6mMLY
– December 19, 2024, Austin Prichard voted in his capacity as county board member to approve the tax levy, which included funds for the Dive Team, of which he is also the department head. See the vote at approximately the 1:04:23 mark in the Shelby County Special Board Meeting video: December 19, 2024 Shelby County Special Board Meeting.
According to the resolution establishing the Shelby County Dive Team:
– County Board approves the Dive Team policies and procedures.
– Dive Team Commander is appointed by the County Board.
– County Board can suspend the Dive Team Commander and will determine the direction and outcome of any suspensions of the Dive Team Commander.
– Dive Team Commander helps establish the polices and procedures of the Dive Team, then the County Board votes on those policies and procedures
– County Board, or through its Public Safety Committee (committees are not statutorily permitted to act on behalf of the entire board), approves a proposed annual training schedule and any changes for the Dive Team as presented by the Dive Team Commander
– County Board may vote to suspend the operations of the Dive Team.
– Included a pay provision that each member of the Dive Team “will” receive – $20 per callout and $10 per training exercise.
– Dive Team Commander submits the Dive Team budget to the County Board.
– All of the above items will place Austin Prichard, in his capacity as County Board Member, in the position to be called upon to vote on issues concerning his other position as Department Head and Dive Team Commander – where he cannot possibly represent both entities with undivided loyalty to both.
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While we do not expect the AG’s Opinions Bureau to take our word for it, we do expect them to research the issues we presented, ask Shelby County for more information, and render the appropriate opinion on the question of the impermissible conflict of interest.
8 Comments
Liberty
Posted at 12:41h, 27 JanuaryResolution 2024-37 would replace the resolution you have quoted in your article. Have you sent a corrected inquiry to the AG? Facts do matter and from one resolution to the next a fine detail of not getting paid for calls was removed from the resolution. It took me all of five seconds to remember that from the last article written. Why would you not try to be as factual as possible if you are going to ask the AG anything.
John Kraft & Kirk Allen
Posted at 14:44h, 27 Januarywe were providing information based on what the State’s Attorney provided to the AG
Liberty
Posted at 14:51h, 27 Januaryso you “doubled down” on what she already sent?
Dr. Watson
Posted at 17:31h, 27 JanuaryThe ECWd’s are informing, not inquiring. Your bias continues to ring loud and true.
With that, congratulations on your outstanding notation of SA Woolery’s self-centered letter/request to the Illinois Attorney General Opinions Bureau. Now hurry up and write her to inform her your grief! Feel free to courtesy copy the Opinions Bureau as well!
Liberty
Posted at 10:09h, 28 JanuaryWhat Bias? I asked a simple question as to why they would send the same documents that she sent. There was prior questions as to the correct resolution previous to this article, so why not correct to that resolution and give the full picture. Talk bias…..
Dr. Watson
Posted at 14:25h, 28 JanuaryA symptom of confirmation bias includes the inability to listen to the other side, which is far and away from contrarianism or being skeptical.
Here, instead of comprehending the article’s conclusion: “While we do not expect the AG’s Opinions Bureau to take our word for it, we do expect them to research the issues we presented, ask Shelby County for more information, and render the appropriate opinion on the question of the impermissible conflict of interest, which is very clearly not an inquiry, ” “Have you sent a corrected inquiry to the AG?” Then, upon receipt of an answer, you go further to questioning.
Its apparent your “view” will keep you from accessing certain information. However, please do inquire within SA Woolery’s office for the correction you perceive needed. That’ll be grand!
Sue Burgess
Posted at 20:04h, 26 JanuaryI am very interested in knowing what the AG response will be.
Justice Seeker
Posted at 17:18h, 26 JanuaryIf the honorable (or not so honorable) Ruth Woolery was interested in the rule of law and serving those she was elected to serve she would have included relevant information. The fact that she states that the Public Safety Committee oversees the Dive team is just one form of manipulation to get the desired outcome that your handlers would want. The current state’s attorney Shelby county cannot hide her politically motivated misconduct.