Springfield, Ill. (ECWd) - Last October, a complaint was filed with the Legislative Inspector General's office alleging that State Senator Michael Hastings had filed false Statements of Economic Interest forms (article here) on May 1 and November 25, 2019, May 27, 2020, April 26, 2021, and...
Piatt Co. (ECWd) - The Piatt County Board approved a settlement agreement with the former Emergency Management Director, Micheal Holmes. The agreement is a result of the federal lawsuit brought by Holmes for wrongful termination in 2021 after he raised issues with unallocated grant funds within...
ILLINOIS (ECWd) - House Bill 3571 passed both Houses this past week with Senate Floor Amendment 1. SA1 permits counties and municipalities to hire non-citizens as deputy sheriffs and police officers in the same manner as hiring U.S. citizens, as long as they are: "legally authorized under...
Thornton Twp, Ill. (ECWd) - We have received credible tips that four employees of Thornton Township were stopped yesterday while operating a Thornton Township vehicle during working hours. The vehicle was pulled over in Harvey, Illinois after a complaint was called in, where there was allegedly a...
Shelby Co. (ECWd) - The Herald & Review reporter, Taylor Vidmar, provided a report on May 12th, 2023, regarding the last Shelby County board meeting which contained numerous incorrect items. I reached out to her on May 13th, 2023, and ask if she had confirmed what...
WI. (ECWd) - Last weekend, American Watchdogs, Inc., held a training event in Menomonie, WI. It had a great turnout, thanks for attending. As promised, below are the documents we discussed: Workbook Open Meetings Law - annotated Public Records Law - annotated WI Dept of Justice webpage WI...
Franklin Co., Ill. (ECWd) - Last fall, an employee of Illinois Department of Transportation ("IDOT") District 9 filed a complaint with Illinois Occupational Health and Safety Administration ("IL-OSHA") alleging that IDOT was permitting an employee who had been diagnosed with Narcolepsy to operate IDOT heavy equipment...
Madison Co., Ill. (ECWd) - While Debbie Ming-Mendosa was the Madison County Clerk, she permitted the IBEW Union Local 749, Carpenters Local 664, and Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 553 to use public funds, property, and credit for nonpublic purposes, which appears to be in direct conflict...
Franklin Co., Ill. (ECWd) - During internal investigations in IDOT District 9, several issues were discovered, and discipline issued to workers. The original complaint included: Timecard abuse by one individual who routinely arrived late to work, falsified his timesheet, and management was aware of it and...
Mahomet, Ill. (ECWd) - During the May 1, 2023, meeting of the newly elected Sangamon Valley Public Water District board meeting, we discussed during public comment the issue of a lame-duck contract allegedly entered into between the outgoing appointed board and Veolia for the purpose of...
