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March 28, 2024

Video – Adonna Bennett’s Embarrassing Display during County Board Meeting…

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen

On May 8, 2013

EDGAR CO. (ECWd) –

What an embarrassment she is to herself and to the elected officials of Edgar County. The display of self-promotion and the praising of Chris Patrick, who like her, have a very personal agenda in the affairs of the Edgar County Airport, drives home the fact that these people will do anything to protect their little “kingdom” that “worked so well” the past 25 years.

In fact, it worked so well they had secret bank accounts, secret donations, put CDs in their own personal names, secret loans from banking institutions, illegal meetings, secret ballots, employees running MLM businesses out there (and still are), nepotism in the hiring process, and (still) continuing FOIA violations. If only all public bodies could work so efficiently.  This has absolutely nothing to do with what is good for the County, it has everything to do with what is good for Chris.

If this is not a call to action for those of us that believe in the rights of the public, I don’t know what is. More amazing is that the chairman, Mr. “I need more space for my Beaver” himself, allowed this to continue with the berating and outright lies spewing out of her pie-hole. A public official, which is what she was acting as according to the agenda, should immediately be censured for these types of actions.

Providing testimony full of lies and fabrications – including pictures (we have a FOIA request in for those) of what appears to be RSB work areas, while at the same time allowing Jimmy Wells to keep a work and storage area that violates almost every safety, environmental, and OSHA regulation published, is more proof of the constantly changing story line as to why they want RSB removed from the airport. Now THAT is a real liability to the county. Pictures of Jimmy’s (the Edgar County Airport) area of responsibility are below. If cleanliness was such an issue, you would think they would take care of their own area prior to jumping on other people for their areas, AND it would have been brought up long ago.

Their story line changes so many times that they can’t even remember what they lied about the last time they opened their mouths to speak. It is clearer now, more than ever before, that Adonna Bennett, Chris Patrick, Ben Jenness, Glen Hutching, and Mike Heltsley are all in this together, and most likely will try to circumvent RSB signing the lease once it is finished and approved.

I urge you to go back through the county board and airport board articles since the first of Dec 2012 and listen to the audio or watch the videos again – it will refresh in your mind as to what has happened since the end of November – you will hear for yourselves the changing story lines as the weeks go by – all because Chris has not gotten his way with “his” airport.

 “We Have No Respect For Each Other”

At 1:42 in the video Adonna Bennett, the illegally appointed advisory board member, says this county board has no respect for each other. I think that is “code” for “you should always vote for what the chairman wants.” Any disagreement is labeled as disrespect, right and wrong do not matter – just do what Chris wants you to do.

“Stand Alone Ambulance Service”

After that, she touted her accomplishments again and even acted like she was proud of what happened to the ambulance service. The same one that had several board members resign in absolute disgust over how political the situation had become – we have those resignations, it might take me a few days to find them. They are the ones that hired Burgin, who drove it into the ground so he could “purchase” it without paying anything on the sales contract, and to this day, nobody on the county board will seek to recover that $100,000 owed to the county. The 10 year statute of limitation on that “contract’ expires September 30, 2013.

“They don’t have a clue”

At 2:02 in the video, after her rant about this board doesn’t respect each other, she states that she is most surprised with Dan Bruner, Jeff Voigt, and Karl Farnham being on the airport advisory board, because none of them have a clue as to how the airport should be managed or how it grew in the past – “code” for “they won’t follow me blindly or show me any respect.” I hope she’s not a leading example of how to show respect with that statement – how much more disrespectful can you get with a fellow board member? I guess you think they will show you more respect now at the airport board meetings after that statement – what a joke you are! Wait! There is still the pesky little Illinois Attorney General opinion headed this way on that secret ballot, and it should arrive no later than Monday, May 13, 2013… I don’t know what it will say, but I can make a pretty good guess…

 Adonna – since YOU know everything about how the airport is run, WHAT STATUTE ARE THEY OPERATING UNDER? It’s a simple question, please answer it! Chris Patrick doesn’t know the answer, even after spending TWENTY-FIVE YEARS on that advisory board, neither do Glen, Jimmy, Lisa, or YOU!

Then she states the contract isn’t finished yet, but fails to mention that Ben Jenness, Mike Heltsley and Jimmy Wells were doing everything in their power to stall the process so that it would not get finished in time – all at the direction of Chris Patrick, so he could try what failed miserably at the April county board meeting.

 The Next Story Lie, Oops, I Meant to say Story Line

Just prior to 4:01 in the video, she starts setting up the next lie, I mean line, they are going to try since the rest of them have failed. She reads off a list of names of people that have donated money to assist the airport – then immediately start attacking Rusty and RSB like a rabid dog. Our previous articles have covered everything she mentioned, disproved most of it, and revealed that the airport manager was the root cause of others. When she talked about RSB, she failed to mention that all of those issues have been taken care of, or never were an issue. It was just another way for her and Chris to justify their own wrong-doing.

What is the next story-line? Simple – They are setting up the stage to state that nobody will donate anymore because RSB is still at the airport. My thoughts, if this does in fact become their next line, are that if you base your donations on who gets a contract, it is not a donation but intead is a bribe. Your money is not needed if you are holding someone or something for ransom. Good riddance and take your bribe money with you!

 “Occupying Space Not On A Lease”

At 5:46 in the video, she talks about RSB taking space without paying rent, even though that space was part of the original agreement. What she FAILED to mention is:

– The space Jimmy took up for years with his own personal plane and other trash without paying rent.

– The truck that was in the hangar and later moved to the barn that was not paying rent.

– She didn’t mention the barn where straw and a hay wagon are still stored rent free with no lease because the previous lease expired in April of 2012.

– She didn’t even mention the fact that the advisory board, and her most respected man Chris Patrick was on it for 25 years, FAILED to pay property taxes on the leased farm ground – this failure started at the airport’s inception and continued for more than 30 years until WE pointed it out last year.

– She failed to mention the Airport Booster Club, who has been operating and accepting donations illegally since they had their registration revoked by the Illinois Secretary of State in 1989!

Yeah, that is how efficiently this airport has been operating when there is no one watching.

So is this really about a 5 foot by 12 foot dinky office? Or is it another fabrication in an attempt to justify what they have been trying to do.

Then she mentions the airplanes and t-hangar. Pretty convenient to talk about RSBs t-hanger, but no mention of the other t-hangar spaces, the barns, and the space in the main hangar that Jimmy and the County are responsible for – and what might be in them.

I’m tired of typing, here is the video of this embarrassment to Edgar County or you can watch it below:

These pictures are of Jimmy Wells’ area of responsibility in the Airport. When we get the ones Adonna took, we will do a side-by-side comparison.

 

 

Bennett

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14 Comments
  • Joe Frigge
    Posted at 04:43h, 09 May

    What do we have to do to Clean House.From Isaf on down?????

  • Joe Frigge
    Posted at 05:39h, 09 May

    Joe Frigge liked this on Facebook.

  • Wow
    Posted at 06:41h, 09 May

    Why did she get more then 5 minutes? I wonder if this was set up by Chris Patrick? I don’t think we will have to worry about her much longer, will we John!?!?

    • jmkraft
      Posted at 07:03h, 09 May

      She was on the agenda, and not during public session. That’s the reason for more than 5 minutes. We’ll just have to wait and see what the AG says about whether she is on the board or not – of course they could just revote her in again for the recommendation for the vacant seat…

  • Darlene Justice
    Posted at 07:39h, 09 May

    Darlene Justice liked this on Facebook.

  • Blake Stiff
    Posted at 07:39h, 09 May

    Blake Stiff liked this on Facebook.

  • Angela Mason
    Posted at 08:37h, 09 May

    Good job guys…I see they’re going everything they can to undo your hard work. Keep at it…you will prevail.

  • Angela Mason
    Posted at 08:39h, 09 May

    Angela Mason liked this on Facebook.

  • Del
    Posted at 10:53h, 09 May

    Adonna is a classic example of “policy and procedures” for Edgar County politics. And for the very few who think Edgar County is their private little kingdom. Entitled to what they want and “how dare” you think otherwise. I was one who sat through that pathetic little speech of Adonna’s yesterday, and no – I will not listen to it again. If I remember correctly – at one point she actually said “how dare you”.
    Giving us her family history, assuming that it is true, how embarrassing for them. Her using their good name to support herself and someone like Patrick and his cronies.
    Watchdogs – I have learned something about Patrick. When he is sitting ramrod straight, chest puffed out and leaning into the audience – he really is up to no good. Kinda like that 4 year old throwing a temper tantrum and holding his breath till he turns blue.
    Accounting 101 – if you have a good product and things go bad- you have to look at management.
    Edgar County is a good product – we expect our elected officials to be honest, open and direct. Not to lie cheat or steal. We expect you to be humble and to serve for benefit of our County
    If you do not comply – you probably should be seeking employment elsewhere. Because – thanks to “Watchdogs” we are coming together as a community.

  • Sandy Richey Hissem
    Posted at 11:54h, 09 May

    Sandy Richey Hissem liked this on Facebook.

  • CONCERNED CITIZEN
    Posted at 12:59h, 09 May

    Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois go to “Ethics Inquiry Program” i believe that if the people of Edgar County start filling out the free downloadable forms and report the States Attorney for not doing his job by filing criminal charges against Edgar County Board for blatantly stealing your tax dollars and doing as they see fit! You must start with the person who isn’t doing his job protecting you!!!!!!!!!!

  • old
    Posted at 15:44h, 09 May

    What a piece of work, Adonna you wouldn’t yell the truth if your life depended on it. You have made the statement to several people that you will lie to get what you want and youdon’t care who you hurt. Better look into your own business and not try to run the county. Don’t you people understand, Patrick, Heltsley, Wells, Bennett etc. We don’t want you telling us what to do and acting like you can do whatever you want and we will let you. WD help us start a petition to get these people off the board and Isaf out of office. AB no one really gives a shit who your daddy was or your stepdad either. You are NO better than anyone else, your poop stinks like ours and I’d bet you put your pants on one leg at time just like the rest of us.

  • Dennis Cary
    Posted at 19:24h, 09 May

    Dennis Cary liked this on Facebook.

  • Edgar County Airport Shareholder
    Posted at 22:25h, 09 May

    As a taxpayer of Edgar County I am a shareholder in the Edgar County Airport. I resent Ms. Bennett’s implication that because her family and the Zimmerly Ready Mix Company and others made donations to the airport they somehow have more of an interest in the airport than the “rest of us shareholders”. If the airport didn’t receive “our tax money” you would have a right to control the operation. Maybe those of you who think the airport is “just for us” should pay the citizens of this county the cost of the land, the buildings, the runways, the wages, the utilities, etc. that have supported the airport since its establishment. The county could then move forward to build a “county airport”.
    You owe the residents of this county honest answers. Ms. Bennett, you did a poor job of reading Chris Patrick’s half-truths. Didn’t anyone ever tell you to “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth”? How dare you be critical of an honest, hard-working young man like Rusty Bogue. This community should be working to try to help support any young entrepreneur who tries to bring an honest business to this community. These young people are the future of this community. We have far too many people in this community living in poverty and not willing to work, not to mention those trying to survive through dealing drugs to support their own habit. As far as RSB’s use of a security camera I would think any insurance company would encourage any measure that might protect a business. Mr. Bogue sounds like a smart young man to me. I can’t believe you think how much money RSB makes in his operation is any of your business. He is leasing space from you. You, the advisory commmitte, Mr. Patrick, or Mr. Wells are not stockholders in RSB Aviation. As for Mr. Wells he is a perfect example of a “terrible businessman”! He bankrupted the family business his father started. It’s no wonder he can’t keep track of donations to the airport. Reliable sources do say he does have a special skill for seeking donations from the elderly. He has a house, a plane, and collector cars to prove it. G.H. and M.L.W. watch out! was even tempted to give to his “King’s Messenger Trust” after listening to Carrie Underwood and Vince Gill sing Christian music but Mr. Well’s website has disappeared. Does anyone have the address? If I remember correctly it was P.O. Box 109, Chrisman, IL.

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