The subject of this story is also the President of the McLean County Mayors Association. I hope he isn’t providing any advice to the other mayors.
By: Diane Benjamin
Corruption in small towns rivals any found in large cities. Dixon only had 15,000+ people and got taken for $50 Million by a trusted “public servant”.
I’ve written extensively about Stanford – they will NEVER have enough money to build a water/sewage treatment plant charging you $5 a month. Are you sure the money they have collected is safely locked in a bank account? The first time I FOIA’d it the money was missing. In addition, I know there is an investigation of at least one “public servant”.
The latest town to skirt the law is Danvers. Nobody currently in government or the media turned them in, a private citizens paying attention read the law himself. He knew enough to contact people who could translate and interpret it for him. Evidently the lawyer Danvers pays for legal advice needs to brush up on the Municipal Code. That would be Dawn Wall.
Here’s the story:
The Mayor, Tom Caisely (son of retired Judge and County Board member Caisley), decided he need paid for miscellaneous “meetings”. Some estimates are he requested payment and received it for over 100 of these “meetings”. Unfortunately, state law says his salary must be set 180 days before he takes office and it can not be changed while he is in office. Requesting that additional money violates the law. Caisely has just started his second 4 years and the board just passed a new ordinance attempting to make the extra money legal. It doesn’t.
John Kraft, of Edgar County Watchdogs, sent the following to Dawn Wall:
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Subject: Brief description of your legal issue: I am sure you are aware that compensation for elected officials must be set at least 180 days prior to their term of office. This Ordinance was not set at least 180 days prior to any sitting elected official’s current term of office. Additionally, just because something has been done in the past, does not make it legal if it already violated the law. The previous compensation resolution for the Village President was $1900 per year. That is all he can receive for his services no matter what any other later Ordinance or village policy may state, and no matter how many hours he puts in working on village property. This Ordinance references the village president and trustees performing work and submitting for payment of work in excess of 4 hours. This violates the Public Officer Prohibited Activities Act . Their compensation does not include getting paid by the hour, it only provides for compensation either as an annual salary (president) or per meeting (trustees). I am asking that you please review the Illinois Municipal Code, the Public Officer Prohibited Activities Act, the Constitution, and case law, and then advise this public body to follow the law as it pertains to receipt of compensation and being financial interested in work performed for the village. This Ordinance should be immediately repealed as it violates the law. – Compensation of elected officials must be set at least 180 days prior to their term of office Thanks for your consideration, ____________________________________________________________________________ |
Now we wait for compliance or the need for further action!
Maybe Tom can check with his dad too.
It’s been said by others before, I’ll say it again. The Hales and Renner regime are making the Tom Hamilton era look like child’s play.