Coles Co. (ECWd) –
During our review of records from the East Oakland/Morgan Multi-Township pertaining to the Assessor Shirley Willison, who has never submitted a budget as required by law, which we covered in this article, we see that the board established additional compensation for themselves.
The compensation setting resolution indicates that the Multi-Township Board Chairman/Supervisor is to be paid $500.00 annually, and the board members and clerk $100.00 annually. We note the pay for the Multi-Township Assessor, Shirley Willison, increased from $15,000.00 to $19,000.00.
We ask, where in the law does it say Multi-Township Board members and the Clerk are to be compensated? We asked the Chairman the same basic question several days ago, and still no response.
The powers of the multi-township board outline very specific powers and duties, which are four things, emphasized in the law below.
“The powers and duties of a multi-township board of trustees or township board of trustees concerning property tax assessment administration shall be limited to the following: (1) levying taxes necessary to provide the funds required by the budget adopted for the township or multi-township assessor and certifying the levy to the county clerk, (2) determining and approving the budget of the assessor, (3) determining a salary for the assessor, and (4) setting the compensation of any assessor or temporarily appointed because the assessor is physically incapacitated, according to Section 60-5 of the Township Code. The levy shall not be included within any statutory limitation of rate or amount for other township purposes, but shall be in addition to that rate or amount. The board shall have no power to approve or disapprove personnel of the multi-township or township assessor. The treasurer of the multi-township board of trustees shall have the duties and responsibilities of the township supervisor in relation to the township assessor in the maintenance and disbursement of funds of the multi-township assessor.”
Why should they not get paid? Because no such compensation is mentioned in their powers and duties.
Part of their duties as a Township Supervisor and Clerk include being board members of the Multi-Township.
35 ILCS 200/2-20 The township supervisors and clerks of townships comprising a multi-township assessment district, and the township board of trustees in townships that are not a part of a multi-township assessment jurisdiction, shall, ex officio, constitute a multi-township or township board of trustees for their respective assessment jurisdictions.
While many will argue 60 ILCS 1/65-20(c) permits compensation for those offices, we ask one simple question. Is there an election of Multi-Township Officers? We have found no such election process in current law. If there was, then they could set compensation not to exceed $25.00 a day because the plain reading of the law states that pay may be established 150 days before the “ELECTION” of Multi-Township officers.
(60 ILCS 1/65-20)
Sec. 65-20. (c) At least 150 days before the election of multi-township officers, the multi-township board may establish additional pay of those board members for their services in an amount not to exceed $25 per day for each day of services.
Following the law appears to be a challenge for Ms. Boes. We wrote about her and other township officials’ illegal storage of personal property in the Township buildings in this article.
Now that this has been exposed, expect to see additional compensation set for the Supervisor and Clerk in their respective townships to cover the multi-township positions.
Voters in East Oakland Township, you get what you vote for.
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