ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL: HOLCOMB AND HOUSING COMMISSION VIOLATE LAW

Pictured LtoR: Housing Commissioners Heidi Parker, Gary
Holcomb and Sharon Nowak

By Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE |  The Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office has issued a determination that the Sauk Village Housing Commission “violated the OMA (Open Meetings Act) by failing to record its closed meeting held on September 28, 2014, and by having improper discussions and taking final action during the closed session”. 

In a three-page determination the Attorney General’s office stated that Chairman Gary Holcomb and his Housing Commissioners violated the Open Meetings Act because they did not record their closed session meeting as required by law, they discussed “contract matters and housing reports” and Holcomb’s response to the Attorney General did not assert any specific exemptions claimed.  The violation of the law also is cited by the Attorney General’s office because it was noted in the Commission’s minutes that “final action by voting on several matters during the closed meeting” took place.  “These votes violated (the act)… which expressly provides that ‘no final action may be taken at a closed meeting’” the determination states.

Holcomb is a candidate for Village Trustee in the April election also came under intense criticism as he published a photo of a resident’s state identification and her son’s Social Security Card and number on social media pages he controls following the cleanup of an abandoned house in 2014.

It has not yet been determined if any fines will be assessed to the Commissioners for the Violation, the Act does provide for individual fines.  The Sauk Villager News will ask that fines be assessed as required under the Act.