By: Diane Benjamin
Evidently the Downs Liquor Commission doesn’t meet very often. See the reports on the Downs website here: http://www.villageofdowns.org/liquor-commission-documents.htm
The minutes from the April 2016 meeting won’t be approved until they meet again. The agenda lists renewal of the Adkissons Liquor License. There is NO discussion on the agenda pertaining to their violations of the liquor code. There is also no discussion of changing the City Code to permit imposing fines for violations or revoking liquor licenses for violators.
The March 2015 approval of Adkissons liquor license was similar, but it included discussion of open containers outside. Nothing was mentioned about continual violations of the liquor code or changing the law.
If you missed the report from the Leroy-Farmer City Press about the contentions meeting:
James claims he has asked the Board for ordinance changes without response. Changes to the Liquor Code should have come from the Liquor Commission that he controls. Obviously he has not proposed any changes in 2015 or 2016.
James also claimed the quarterly liquor reports are “proprietary information” about the profits and losses of local businesses. NO they aren’t. They are public records required by law and should have been provided to anyone who asked for them. Gross sales are listed, nothing about profits and losses.
One more correction: I met Mary Goveia when I helped run the chess club at Tri-Valley and taught several of her children. The article states I am an “admitted friend”, I’m not sure where that came from. I quit coaching when my kids aged out of the program in the 1990’s. I don’t remember any discussions since with Mary until the issue of James hiding the Liquor Commission reports arose. She asked for my help because I have a reputation of obtaining information government is hiding.
One more problem Mayor:
See this link: http://www.villageofdowns.org/village-budget.htm
There is NO current financial information on the website!
The last monthly financial report is June 2015.
The 2015 Audit Report hasn’t been posted.
- Liquor Commission reports were hidden
- Financial information is hidden
- Audit information is hidden
Transparency is the only way to assure taxpayers their money isn’t being wasted, stolen, or misused. The law requires at least posting audit information:
Public Act 98-0738 (effective January 1, 2015)
Sec. 8-8-10.5. Audit report disclosure. Each fiscal year, within 60 days of the close of an audit under this Act, the auditor conducting the audit of all of the funds and accounts of a municipality shall do each of the following:
(1) Provide a copy of any management letter and a copy of any audited financial statements to each member of the municipality’s corporate authorities. If the municipality maintains an Internet website, the corporate authorities shall post this information to its website.
(2) Present the information from the audit to the municipality’s corporate authorities either in person or by a live phone or web connection during a public meeting.
Downs has NO transparency.
Keep in mind what happened in Dixon Illinois when it didn’t exist there.
Wow, you really don’t have anything better to do than stir up crap, do you? Sheesh. Get a real job, already.
I have one. Holding government accountable is the job of every citizens. Obviously you aren’t one of those who care. Good thing you live in Illinois!
If someone asks for help, the proper thing to do is give them help. Mary asked for help and received it. It is not a bad thing for the rest of us to know how elected officials are behaving in regrard to their official business.
Hell, I don’t even have time to deal this nonsense (nor do I know why I’m even debating with someone 1000 miles away in Central Illinois). However, your posts and blog are pretty widely ridiculed… How do you think I found you to begin with? You pretty much, my dear Diane, are a crack job. Crazy. Have some screws loose. No concrete facts. Just suppositions. Just guesses relating to facts. You get involved with people in communities outside of your humble village of Ellsworth, IL, and you really have no business doing so (nor knowledge of what goes on in those communities.)
You gotta remember the Internet is wide open. We see all. And, we are laughing at you.
Hope you have a super day. I won’t be back. My friends might, though, to comment on your esteemed blog.
Thanks. As you can see I don’t ban comments from people who idolize government. I like showing they don’t live in the real world where paying taxes hurts, and it hurts even more to realize you’ve been lied to.
Good question! 1000 miles away? Why are you conversing on local government here?
English only! Diane
Note to commenter: English only!