TRAVELGATE: ATTORNEY GENERAL DEMANDS VILLAGE CLERK RELEASE ALL RECORDS

VILLAGE CLERK DEBBIE WILLIAMS

By Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE | After a 7 month battle with the Village and their attorneys, the Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office has finally determined that the Village  possessed records responsive to our Freedom of Information Act request from July, 2013.  “The vindication by the Illinois Attorney General shows that this Village Clerk and this Mayor have been anything but open, honest, transparent or accountable to the people” Joseph Wiszowaty states. 

 

Debbie Williams contended during the July 23, 2013 Village Board meeting that her trip to Washington DC to attend the Building One America Summit was a “personal trip” then contradicted herself during the meeting stating she was “representing the people of Sauk Village”.  The Attorney General’s office agreed, this trip was in her capacity as “Village Clerk” and her daughter Rosie Williams' as Village Trustee.  Another attendee, Patricia Couch also attended the conference.  Couch served on the Village’s Ordinance Committee and is also a Village vendor.  Couch has subsequently been named to the Police Pension Board.

 The Attorney General issued a 6 page response  that determined the Village Clerk Debbie Williams and her daughter Rosie Williams’ trip to Washington D.C. was “official village business”.  The letter also determines that “the Village of Sauk Village, including the Village Clerk, are subject to public records under FOIA.  This office furthers concludes that the Village did not conduct a reasonable search for those records” the Attorney General stated.

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The Attorney General in their determination stated ”the Village Clerk’s records and any other records in possession of the Village concerning the summit – including records related to the funding of the trip – are “public records” under the definition of that term in section 2(c) of FOIA” the Attorney General stated.

 

VILLAGE CLERK DEBBIE WILLIAMS AND DAUGHTER
VILLAGE TRUSTEE ROSIE WILLIAMS

“This office twice asked the Village to describe the measures it took to search for responsive records, and the only substantive information provided was that the mayor indicated that the Village does not possess any responsive records, that the Village Clerk was not required to submit documentation concerning the trip, and that the records department reported that it does not possess records of the Village Clerk’s travel expenses, itinerary, or schedule” the Attorney General states in their determination.  The Attorney General also determined that the Village has not demonstrated that it searched any recordkeeping systems likely to contain responsive records such as the Village Clerk’s e-mail account or paper correspondence.

“The Village Clerk publicly stated that she submitted a draft of her presentation to other Village officials, yet the Village’s response to this office did not account for that draft or communications related to the draft.  Likewise, it is unclear whether the Village possesses the invitation that it acknowledges that the Village Clerk received for the summit” The Attorney General states.

The Village Attorneys billed 5.5 hours for legal fees for an “investigation” it launched into the Travelgate scandal.  The Village in their response to the FOIA requested provided a 1 page spreadsheet for their legal fees.  The Attorney General states “it also appears likely that the investigation generated records that the Village has neither provided to Mr. Wiszowaty nor denied in accordance with section 9(a) of FOIA.”  The determination goes on to state that any investigation that the Village’s attorney conducted are “public records” under the Act.

 

The Attorney General in their determination states “The Village has not demonstrated that it conducted a reasonable search for responsive records, and the available information strongly suggests that such records may be in the Village’s possession.  Accordingly, this office directs the Village to search all recordkeeping systems – including the Village Clerk’s records – that are likely to contain responsive information concerning the summit and to provide those records to Mr. Wiszowaty”.

 

It still has not been determined how much money was raised during Debbie and Rosie Williams fundraising efforts to fund the trip to the Building One America Summit in July, 2013, but we are continuing to press this issue to determine how much money was raised, from who, and how much the total expenses were for this “official village business”.   

“I will not let up on this until we have all the answers.  Debbie Williams, Rosie Williams and David Hanks  are not above the law and are subject to the same rules and laws we all must follow” Wiszowaty states.  “Residents must remain vigilant and must hold their elected officials accountable.  This is taxpayer money, these are vendors for the taxpayers, this is not the personal piggy bank for government officials and vendors should not be shaken down or hit up for ‘donations’ which smells of impropriety for those who sit in positions of authority.  It gives a bad perception of Sauk Village when vendors are routinely asked to “donate” for whatever causes and reeks of pay to play politics” Wiszowaty states.