By: Diane Benjamin The Atlanta Public Library sent a notice to residents claiming none of the investigations found wrongdoing: The residents of Atlanta should read the heavily redacted FBI reports I obtained by FOIA for themselves. It’s really easy to insert Bill Thomas on many of the blank lines. The Library claims the FBI redacted […]
This is the link to the Edgar County Watchdogs story with video from the hearing held for the Atlanta Library petition challenges: Library challenges By: Diane Benjamin Frequently we all have to wonder if laws matter. This morning they did in Logan County. Six people who had filed petitions to run for the Atlanta Library […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Atlanta Public Library does not have a liquor license, but that didn’t stop them from buying MANY cases since 2014. Yes, your tax dollars paid for it since the cost was put on the Library credit card. In August an investigator from the Illinois Liquor Commission paid them a visit. The […]
Guest Writer We’ve shown you proof of how the trustees of the Atlanta Public Library District have been negligent in the maintenance of the library. In their love for their new building, Union Hall, they’ve also neglected the museum. A leak in the ceiling has left evidence of water damage to ceiling, wall and a photo […]
By: Diane Benjamin The library in Atlanta Il is in an adorable historic building: Keep in mind while looking at the pictures below, the Atlanta Library Board was about to pay a Board member $200,000 for a different building (they didn’t need) when citizen watchdogs stopped them. Meanwhile they are ignoring the condition of this […]
(Guest writer) Christine Thomas is the wife of the former treasurer, Bill Thomas, and the mother of the museum director, Rachel Neisler. Mrs. Thomas apparently thinks it’s OK to purchase books from Amazon on her daughter’s library paid credit card. The library’s PO Box is 568, but said books are sent to Rachel at PO Box 372. Is […]
Guest report: Atlanta Taxpayers saved $200,000! Why is that important – besides the obvious? Let’s take a look at their spending and loans over the last 10 years. . 6-28-08: Loan #32997. $100,000 Construction Expenses on Library Annex (Palm’s Grill and Atlanta Library Museum). Library board likes to tell everybody it was done with grants and donations, but they never […]
By: Diane Benjamin A new sign went up across the street from the Atlanta Public Library:
From the Edgar County Watchdogs: http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2018/06/illinois-sec-of-state-publishes-order-on-atlanta-library-district-atlanta-taxpayers-saved-200k/ Excerpts: Bottom line? The Secretary of State declined to make the Library repay the Live and Learn Grant, but it did acknowledge everything we wrote about the grant application and the process surrounding its receipt. Additionally, the Atlanta Public Library District taxpayers saved $200,000 during this process, and we […]
By: Diane Benjamin Previously I reported it appears the Palms Grill did not properly report sales to the State of Illinois and therefore underpaid Sales Tax: https://blnnews.com/2017/12/19/is-cash-missing-from-the-palms-grill/ I mentioned the next investigation had to be matching cash register receipts to bank deposits. The same person has done that: The previous story included September and October, […]
By: Diane Benjamin Atlanta Illinois Is cash missing or are Sales Taxes just underpaid? An investigation was done by an Atlanta resident based on information she received under the Freedom of Information Act. From April 2016 through October 2017 she found Cash Register Sales were higher by $36,646 than what was reported to the State […]
By: Diane Benjamin I could be talking about the Bloomington Library Board that thinks moving or adding on is the fiscally responsible thing to do when the only way to get more money for either project is debt and/or tax increases. It must be immaterial that tax receipts are dropping – progress to bankruptcy must […]
By: Diane Benjamin Today I received the documents showing Bill Thomas and his wife “gifting” Union Hall to the Atlanta Library. See them here: Union Hall Gift Deed There are a couple of problems though. The documents claim the address is 114 Arch Street, the Logan County Assessor’s office has it located at 120 Arch […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bill Thomas is the Treasurer for the Atlanta Il Public Library. He writes the checks and pays all the bills for the Library and the Palms Grill. He is also the guy who requested the $25,000 grant the State now wants back. https://blnnews.com/2017/11/17/atlanta-library-get-a-free-building/ On November 6th I sent a FOIA request for […]
By: Diane Benjamin See the meeting recap HERE Public comment is at the beginning. The Library Board accepting the “Gift Deed” is at 17:40 The two officers are shown at the end of the video. A Freedom of Information request has been filed for the deed and all documents involved.
By: Diane Benjamin Video here: https://blnnews.com/2017/11/17/video-atlanta-library-meeting-11-16-2017/ This meeting was rescheduled from last Thursday when the Agenda had not been posted as required under the Open Meetings Act. No one who spoke during Public Comment was excited about the “Donation of Union Hall” agenda item. The best comment was made by a gentleman who ended his remarks […]
HEREBy: Diane Benjamin The Library Tax information was compiled by an Atlanta resident. Logan County is a PTELL(Property Tax Extension Law Limit) county. That means that a maximum rate is set which limits the tax multiplier for the lifetime of the tax. The Taxing District is allowed to raise their Tax Levy a full 5% […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Freedom of Information Act clearly states the personal information can be redacted. Employees have a right to not have their Social Security thrown around the Internet! The Atlanta Public Library doesn’t understand that simple concept. The following was sent to a citizen who FOIA’d wages paid. That citizen partially redacted the […]
By: Diane Benjamin The dominoes are now starting to fall in Atlanta Il. On October 23rd the Illinois Secretary of State’s State Library General Counsel issued a letter to the Atlanta Public Library District which included an intent to recover grant funds under the Illinois Grant Funds Recovery Act (“IGFRA”), 30 ILCS 705. The demand letter cites […]
By: Diane Benjamin Logan County has more than it’s share of problems. I’ve written a few stories about the Atlanta Public Library: https://blnnews.com/2017/10/13/the-citizens-of-atlanta-saved-themselves-200000/ https://blnnews.com/2017/10/13/atlanta-library-makes-huge-oma-violation/ https://blnnews.com/2017/07/13/atlanta-more-small-town-shenanigans/ These stories barely touch the surface of the problems in not only Atlanta, but now Lincoln. All the controversy revolves around one guy: Bill Thomas. If the name sounds familiar, […]
By: Diane Benjamin The ONLY reason the Atlanta Public Library is no longer paying Bill Thomas $1000 per month for leasing his building is because citizens stood up and demanded answers! Bill wanted to sell his building to the library for $200,000. It is not assessed for tax purposes anywhere near that. From the June […]
By: Diane Benjamin Last night I made a road trip to Atlanta Il for their Library Board meeting. This is a Board under investigation for numerous items including grant fraud, improper disposable of cooking oil in a sewer, and failure to perform audits and report financial information to the Comptroller. The main offender is their […]
By: Diane Benjamin I heard some citizens of Atlanta Il have witnessed employees of the Palms Grill pouring grease down a drain behind the restaurant. The last time the Edgar County Watchdogs and I were in Atlanta, we decided to check it out. The smell emanating from the drain was the vilest stench I’ve ever […]
