By: Diane Benjamin
How often is Michele Anderson in her office? Nobody knows because she is rarely seen at the Government Center.
The McLean County Veterans Assistance Commission is established by law and not subject to the same policies and guidelines other County Departments are. The do have their own County website page: https://mcleancountyil.gov/98/Veterans-Assistance
The main purpose of this commission is to prevent Veteran homelessness and suicide. They are entitled to .02 out of every $100 of EAV. They never set their request that high. This year they requested $520,000. They have a board that meets to evaluate needs for assistance and requests. One other thing they do is fund the veterans treatment court as well as PTSD treatments not offered locally.
Michele Anderson spent the end of July until mid August blocking payments that were requested for past due rent, electric bills, and water bills. Local veterans on the edge came close to having utilities shut off and ending up homeless because she decided she was the arbiter of payments. She isn’t. The VAC Board approved the payments, she should have rubber stamped them.
Examples of communication I received by FOIA:
McFred is the County payment system. (Don’t ask me about that name!) The 1st email is from the County Treasurer at 4:01 pm. The second one shows Michele Anderson is still blocking payment at 6:24 pm.
There isn’t any more to this email.
This email lists bills Michele Anderson refused to pay twice putting veterans at risk having utilities shut off:
This email shows Michele Anderson was bypassed to get checks issued because this was an extreme emergency. Note it was sent to Anderson, but also County Legal and Administration – only because Michele Anderson didn’t do her job:
Michele email questioning payments she had no right to question because the Veterans Assistance Commission had approved payments – July 23rd:
Below is more Michele thinks she makes policy and refuses a brief meeting plus the response from the VAC chairman:
I could post more but this should be enough for this case:
Auditor Michele Anderson either hates veterans or is incompetent.
Either way, she needs to resign. Veterans deserve better.
The County could have forced her to quit months or years ago. Why haven’t they? https://blnnews.com/2026/01/05/why-a-surety-bond-matters-for-taxpayers-auditor-michele-anderson/
I opposed efforts to abolish McLean County’s elected auditor’s office. That was not an endorsement of Auditor Michelle L. Anderson, and it is not permission for how she has used that office.
Auditor Anderson has not returned my emails or phone calls when I raised concerns that affect taxpayers. She has been chronically absent from the duties of an elected public servant, including County Board committee meetings. That is not a scheduling issue. It is a pattern of disregard for the people she was elected to serve, and it has continued after she was confronted with it.
I also object to her selective approach to auditing. I have not been shown a consistent, fact-based standard for those choices.
What I will not ignore is this: she is holding financially hostage an organization that serves my fellow veterans, people who may already be at the worst point in their lives and who need help now. That is not something I can watch happen without getting the facts, consulting others who have been affected, and then deciding what corrective action is required.
From the information I have, Auditor Anderson is acting outside what the law actually authorizes. The auditor does not get to freeze appropriated aid. Under 55 ILCS 5/3-1005, her duty is to audit claims against the County and recommend to the County Board that they be paid or rejected. Under 55 ILCS 5/3-1005(e) and (g), she must report quarterly on the County’s financial operations and maintain a continuous internal audit. McLean County Board Rules assign oversight of the Auditor to the Finance Committee. None of that lets her withhold processing, skip meetings, or leave the public unable to reach an elected office during posted hours.
Those failures have already caused unnecessary harm. They are unethical. They may also be unlawful. Illinois’ official-misconduct statute, 720 ILCS 5/33-3(a)(1), covers a public officer who, in an official capacity, intentionally or recklessly fails to perform a mandatory duty required by law. Specific intent to cause harm is not required. Reckless failure of a duty the statute already imposes is enough for that charge to be in play.
I am not asking anyone to treat my word as the last word. I am asking for a complete factual record, consultation with those being harmed, and then corrective measures strong enough to stop this and put the office back inside the law that created it.
Just a word to taxpayers and citizens that have concerns/questions or written complaints. When you contact county , local or email there is a pattern of flagging people by so called systems and security and so rarely do complaints get read or heard by the intended admin or recipient.
You are then targetted and labeled a risk.
It’s a mess and we pay for this.
Ridiculous process and communication system.
Got proof?
I see a pattern with elected people in McLean county not showing up to work. We have another one that doesn`t show up to work as in the township supervisor
That sucks. Veterans are already hurting from the thousands of people, including lots of doctors, laid off by the VA under Trump. Thats already led to a huge wait time for veterans to see doctors and get help. They shouldnt be getting screwed at the County level, too.
Bureaucracy was laid off, not doctors. Trump prefers letting vets go to a local doctor instead of traveling to a VA. That’s bad?
The McLean County Board has rules in place to prevent these issues. It would appear the VAC is not aware of the rules in place to get payments processed in a timely manor.
In brief, under McLean County’s payment procedures:
Day 0 — VAC submits the voucher. Complete documentation and Superintendent approval should accompany it.
Within 5 business days — Auditor acts. The Auditor should either approve the voucher or return it for correction/clarification.
By 15 business days — unresolved-payment escalation. If the Auditor still hasn’t approved the claim, the department head forwards it to the appropriate oversight committee. The voucher should not simply remain indefinitely with the Auditor.
Emergency — don’t wait 5 or 15 days. For something such as an imminent utility shutoff or other immediate veteran need, VAC can invoke the emergency-payment procedure immediately. Documentation and the exigent circumstances go to the Auditor and Treasurer, and the Treasurer approves the emergency disbursement.
Yes, I used AI to learn about this process and it only took a few minutes. Perhaps the VAC should learn the rules and stop allowing the Auditors office to run interference in situations like this.
It should also be noted that a VAC purchasing card was approved by the McLean County Finance Committee on November 5, 2025 to handle emergency payments and other situations requiring immediate payment.
A little birdie told me she now refuses to process VAC bills. The treasurer will handle them.