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March 28, 2024

Clark County Park District settles FOIA suit –

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen

On February 9, 2015

CLARK CO., IL. (ECWd) –

The Clark County Park District, through Robbins Schwartz, attorney for the Park District Risk Management Association, PDRMA, has settled the Freedom of Information Act civil suit I filed when denied access to public records.

The suit filed in Clark County Circuit Court (here) alleged violations of FOIA in denial of certain financial records. I have received those public records and agreed to settle the suit, out of court, for the records and reimbursement of costs incurred by me in the amount of $188.25.

Makes me wonder why other public bodies don’t simply follow the law, or at least realize they need to, and what Arcola Township’s problem is to spend the money and time they are spending to fight production of public records (here).

To the people that say all we do is cost the public body money, I say all they had to do was provide the records they were mandated by law to provide.

[gview file=”https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Stip-Order-Kraft_001.pdf”]

[gview file=”https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/CCPD-Check.pdf”]

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7 Comments
  • Peggy Bailey
    Posted at 15:19h, 09 February

    I have found that when public bodies withhold information which should be accessible by FOIA or OMA they are hiding something. The same thing goes when they fail to put important information about a meeting in the minutes, they are trying to hide something. They all talk about transparency but they are never transparent. I wonder if there is any city, town, park district or any other municipality within this state that is open and honest. Thanks for what you are doing to try and keep them honest. Wish you were here – literally! We need some help also and I just keep running into road blocks as to where the help should come from. The AG, the State’s Attorney office, the State Police, etc. tell us either they don’t have the manpower or if they do they don’t have the money. How can you blow the whistle and to whom?

  • Michael Mastin
    Posted at 16:13h, 09 February

    Good job!

  • Civil Disobedience
    Posted at 16:35h, 09 February

    jmkraft,I’m willing to to bet you the Arcola Township has spent 10 times $188.25 in attorney fees keeping information from you.Several of us here in Arcola are looking foward to the day they explain to the taxpayers why they’ve been lied to,and answer for their Civil Disobedience.

    • jmkraft
      Posted at 21:00h, 09 February

      alot more than 10 times…

  • Chris M. Gaines
    Posted at 22:05h, 09 February

    NICE! Another win for We the People. Thank you goes to both John Kraft and Kirk Allen for your hard work without any personal compensation in standing up for We the People and through your persistent ongoing efforts in exposing this type of valuable information in your non profit organization called IllinoisLeaks.com successfully . Hopefully others who read this story will take notice of this win (agreement between both parties) and act accordingthroughout thin the Illinois laws finally without being sued to get them to comply to a simple FOIA request as required by Illinois law. Keep pushing back even harder now John and Kirk. Your persistence pays off obviously thank God.

    Please share more stories like this one at IllinoisLeaks.com because they obviously continue give me strength in my ongoing fight against public trust erosion and public corruption with our own public servants here in Coles County and inspire me personally to continue this fight I started over three years ago and helps fuel all our (We the People) desires to get more informed and get more involved and TAKE ACTION here in our community of Coles County and throughout OUR State of Illinois.

  • Dave L.
    Posted at 23:24h, 09 February

    Great job guys!!

  • Lake Lady
    Posted at 04:55h, 10 February

    It’s more like 100 times C.D.,and let’s not forget about those credit cards Deana used.That’s part of the bill the Arcola Township Board is running up on the taxpayer.

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