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March 29, 2024

AG: Village of Bellmont Violated Open Meetings Law –

By John Kraft & Kirk Allen

On April 5, 2022

Bellmont, IL. (ECWd) –

“. . . the Public Access Bureau concludes that the Village of Bellmont (Village) Board of Trustees (Board) violated OMA in connection with its April 13, 2021, meeting.”

Jonathan King, a Bellmont resident, filed a Request for Review with the Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor complaining the village did not post an agenda 48 hours in advance of the meeting where resident could be notified of the upcoming meeting. King provided a sworn affidavit on the missing agenda.

Bellmont Mayor Gary Lance, who in 2020 confessed in Court to perjury to a Circuit Court Judge that he lied on a filing to obtain a protective order…because it was fun, filed a sworn affidavit claiming the meeting agenda was posted more than 48 hours in advance of the meeting.

From the AG: “Thus, the available information indicates that the agenda was not continuously available for the full 48-hour period prior to the April 13, 2021, meeting as is required under section 2.02(c) of OMA. Accordingly, this office concludes that the Board violated OMA.”

Read the AG’s determination below:

Bellmont oma

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1 Comment
  • Robert O Bogue
    Posted at 21:38h, 07 April

    Gary Lance, affectionally known as Boss Hog to some, is back in news. This time, its a OMA violation. Will he ever learn?
    You know what they say about pigs? You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig.
    Big note of appreciation to Johnathon King for taking the extra time and doing the right thing. We need more of that in our state.
    Sadly, our AG’s Office hasn’t learned the meaning of “timely fashion”. That too, is a situation that seems to apply: Justice delayed is justice denied. They’re better than in years past, but still lots of room for improvement.

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