Wayne Co., Ill. (ECWd) –
The Illinois Attorney General issued an opinion stating that the Wayne County Housing Authority violated the Open Meetings Act (“OMA”) on August 20, 2025, when it prohibited Ms. Sue Ann Thomason and Ms. Cinnamon Willett from recording an open public meeting.
The Authority’s Executive Director prohibited both women from recording the meeting. They also alleged that the Board’s refusal to permit recording of the meeting chilled them from providing public comment at the meeting due to concerns that their comments would be misrepresented.
“Although the information provided to this office (AGs Office) concerning Ms. Thomason is somewhat conflicting, the November 19, 2025, response to Ms. Willett’s Request for Review does not dispute her allegation and appears to acknowledge that although recording previously has been discouraged, but the Board and the Executive Director now understand that members of the public have a right to record meetings subject to reasonable restrictions. Accordingly, this office concludes that the Board violated section 2.05 of OMA.”
We applaud these individuals for following through with a request for review of this OMA violation and recommend others do the same when their rights a violated in relation to Open Meetings and Public Records.
88760.88772 o 205 improper hoa
