Peoria Standard

The Illinois Attorney General’s public access counselor recently determined that the city of Carlinville violated the Open Meetings Act at a meeting with the Jersey County Rural Water Company and Fosterburg Water District, according to a report from the Edgar County Watchdogs.

Watchdogs co-founder John Kraft filed a complaint with the public access counselor about the Sept. 25 meeting, alleging the meeting was subject to Open Meetings Act requirements because a majority of a quorum was present and discussing public business. 

The meeting, held to discuss the Regional Water Concept, included Alderman Cindy Campbell, who was the city’s appointed representative to discuss the concept, according to the watchdog group. Alderman Beth Toon was also at the meeting and contributed to discussions. Mayor Deanna Demuzio joined the meeting, and when she entered discussions, the meeting achieved a majority of a quorum, which automatically makes the meeting subject to Open Meetings Act requirements, the group argued.

Kraft raised the issue with the public access counselor, and the city’s attorney responded to suggest that there was no violation of the act. The public access counselor sided with the Watchdogs, determining that the city should have issued a notice and agenda for the meeting, the group said. The public access counselor has requested that the city make the meeting minutes available to the public.