By: Diane Benjamin
I’ve written a long list of articles concerning the Village of Stanford and the Allin Township Fire Protection District.
Just for the record, Sheriff Sandage isn’t investigating and State’s Attorney Jason Chambers isn’t prosecuting anything I’ve written about.
They probably won’t care about the Allin Township Fire Protection Trustees appointing an illegal FOIA officer either: ATFD Meeting Minutes 101415-2
Maybe the bar association will care.
Most people expect lawyers to know the law, McGrath evidently has never read the FOIA law – unless he is looking for a way hide documents:
(5 ILCS 140/3.5)
Sec. 3.5. Freedom of Information officers.
(a) Each public body shall designate one or more officials or employees to act as its Freedom of Information officer or officers.
A lawyer is a contractor and making them a FOIA officer provides him with EXCLUSIVE access to records which is a violation, thus a contractor to the public body cannot be the FOIA officer!
McGrath probably really enjoys billing for his services: McGrath Statement Rev. Oct. 15
I hear owners of vehicles in Stanford without current tags are getting ticketed. I think the ordinance applies to trailers too. Is this the mayor’s house? The pic shows three boats on trailers. The third one is on the far right. I wonder if they all have current tags? Somebody want to drop by and check?
It’s way past time for citizens to demand explanations and resignations!
If you missed any stories – here’s the list of most of them:
Did the Fire District Trustees illegally back date an ordinance:
http://blnnews.com/2015/08/11/more-that-stanford-needs-to-explain/
Fire District Trustees vote themselves illegal raises:
http://blnnews.com/2015/08/13/stanford-more-problems/
The $5 you pay a month for future sewage plants isn’t secure:
http://blnnews.com/2015/08/15/stanford-games-with-your-money/
Citizens now pay at least double for police:
http://blnnews.com/2015/08/10/stanford-please-explain-this/
No bid contract handed to Board member’s employer:
http://blnnews.com/2015/08/14/stanford-again-more-shenanigans/
Police drive outside the district to buy gas:
http://blnnews.com/2015/10/28/stanford-do-you-ever-get-mad/
Employee W-2 doesn’t match what was reported to the State:
http://blnnews.com/2015/07/26/prosecuting-what/
Illegal meeting agenda:
http://blnnews.com/2015/10/12/sill-not-legal-allin-township-fire-agenda/
Nobody seems to care unless they get government handouts.
These stories read like a witch hunt, and Ms. Benjamin appears to be out to get someone. Her stories are not factual. Here is an example from this latest story. 65 ILCS 5/3.1-30-5(5) allows municipalities to appoint municipal attorneys as officers. As officers, they are officials and are eligible to be FOIA officers. Any official that is appointed is going to have exclusive access to municipal records, so her argument, and the entire basis for the story, is false. Her earlier stories were just as bad. She has no understanding of law or municipal government (or finance) but she wonders why nobody cares. Well they don’t care because there is nothing to care about.
I’m checking with my source – that’s all you’ve got? Why are they paying a lawyer over $150 per hour to hide documents that legally belong to the citizens?
Is this you? Sounds just like a member of ICMA! https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-lynch-mpa-icma-cm-65b17147
Yes, that’s me. Which means you used my private information that I was required to use to post here to do background research on me. Not exactly ethical, but it’s OK. I am a credentialed manager with a Masters degree in Public Administration. What are your credential to talk about government management? Maybe you should educate yourself before you go off making claims that make you look silly.
Isn’t your town about 300 people? How much do you get paid in that tiny town. In case you missed it – I’m an ISU graduate with a degree in accounting – and I passed the CPA exam. Obviously I have no clue what I’m talking about!
Private information – posting on my site where an email address is required? Not so bright dude.
Please itemize which documents are being hidden? I own property in Stanford and would like to know more.
Another post later today or tomorrow. stay tuned.
You got the population 1/2 right. About like your stories. Not so good math for a CPA.
An opinion of a guy in Alaska managing a small town that probably doesn’t need managing, not carry much weight with me. You still didn’t mention what your salary is, no surprise.
I thought you meant Stanford population of 300 where I own property and plan to retire. Yes I work in Whittier, Alaska, population 220. If you check our Chamber website you’ll find we have a transient tourist population of about 700,000 people per year. I make $95,000 per year. Our City has an annual budget with all funds of about $12,000,000 and reserves of around $7,000,000. Why does any of that matter to the inaccuracies of your stories, other than it shows you like to make personal attacks? Whittier is a very well managed City. People here work together to make our community a better place for all, rather than spending our time on witch hunts and personal attacks. You ask me a lot of irrelevant questions about myself and Alaska, but the ultimate question that you haven’t answered is: What is your agenda and who exactly are you after? Why the witch hunt?
You obviously haven’t read the other stories. I’m not hearing facts, just your opinion. Your reserves are more than half of the total budget? That qualifies as theft.
It represents good management and planning. Any City without a 6 month reserve is not financially sound. Once again your lack of finance management knowledge shows.
In the leftist world that is true. in the real world it’s taking hard earned money from the people who earned it.
No, I am extremely conservative. I see people like you, with a nearly complete lack of understanding, to be liberal leftists who have no regard for others. You are costing the taxpayers untold sums of money by making ridiculous claims that our government officials have to respond to (and yes, are forced to pay an attorney to deal with). I am a taxpayer in Stanford and YOU ARE NOT. It is MY money you are wasting, so stop it. If you buy property in Stanford, and become a taxpayer there then you might have standing to talk about it.
Not very busy up there today? I still hear nothing specific from you and you obviously haven’t read all the stories. The people costing you money are the ones running the place.
I’ve actually read every one of your “stories.” I’ve been reading a little background on you, too. You are truly pathetic. You claim to be conservative, but you are wasting our taxpayer dollars like Obama. No one cares? Do you ever wonder why? I’m sure you think it is because you are right and everyone else is wrong. Well, I hope you have fun in your little dreamworld. You certainly are not worth any more of my time.
Obviously you missed the one about them paying twice as much for police now. You might like to know the car got totaled last night. Add that one to your tab.
Just to remind everyone the McLean County States Attorney is up for reelection and I Emailed I regret deeply attempting to get Renner elected and he must know I will not make that mistake again. If he or the mayor do not keep their oath, I will vote for Donald Duck.An individual can obey tyranny or follow their oath, they can not do both.