Peoria Standard

At a meeting earlier this month of the Carlinville City Council, city leaders responded to the decision by the Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor that the city had violated the Open Meetings Act at a Regional Water Concept meeting.

In a video of the Nov. 6 meeting, Attorney Rick Bertinelli said he did not agree with the interpretation of the ruling, but said a notice of every meeting would be posted so that the city would be abiding by the Open Meetings Act, a posting on the Edgar County Watchdogs' website said.

“It’s done, whether we agree with it or not,” Bertinelli said in the video. “The Attorney General’s Office, whoever they’ve got working up there at minimum wage in that office that renders these opinions, that’s their opinion and they told us what to do to remedy the situation.”

Bertinelli said the Attorney General’s Office told the city to publish the minutes from the meeting. Bertinelli said the city would publish the minutes after they were approved.

The Regional Water Concept meeting in question occurred on Sept. 25 at the Jersey County Rural Water Company office, the Edgar County Watchdogs' posting said.

The article said the infraction occurred at the meeting when a majority of a quorum of the council discussed public business. The members involved were Aldermen Cindy Campbell and Beth Toon and Mayor Deanna Demuzio.