DeKalb County, library reach agreement on Open Meetings Violation | Daily Chronicle

The DeKalb County State's Attorney and the DeKalb Public Library reached an agreement in court today resolving a violation of the Open Meetings Act by the library board in May.

Under the terms of the agreement, the library is ordered to abide by the Open Meetings Act in the future, conduct periodic training for staff and trustees in the requirements of the act, and make the minutes of the board's closed session of May 12 public within three days.

board agrees that going into closed session without publicly citing the reason for closing the meeting was a violation of the act.

Click on the following for more details:  County, library reach agreement on Open Meetings Violation | Daily Chronicle

For more background on this case go to:  http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2010/07/state-attorney-sending-inquiry-to.html

The following FOIA letter of July 13 [http://dekalbcountyonline.com/2010/07/13/library-purchases-dekalb-clinic-building/] started the case:

DeKalb Public Library
309 Oak Street
DeKalb, Illinois 60115-3369
815-756-9568

Attn Dee Coover:

Pursuant to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, I request access to and copies of:

1) All public notices as required by 5 ILCS 120/2.02(a) and 5 ILCS 120/2.02(b) including copies of advertisements/announcements placed in the newspaper of general circulation (5 ILCS 120/2.03) for the following Special Meetings which were held in Closed Session: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2008; FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2008; SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 2008; FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2008; FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2008; SATURDAY, JULY 26, 2008; WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2008; WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2009; WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2010; and WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2010.

2) Minutes and correspondence in fulfillment of 5 ILCS 120/2.06 (d) “Each public body shall periodically, but no less than semi‑annually, meet to review minutes of all closed meetings. At such meetings a determination shall be made, and reported in an open session that (1) the need for confidentiality still exists as to all or part of those minutes or (2) that the minutes or portions thereof no longer require confidential treatment and are available for public inspection.”

3) The “Letter of Intent” approved during closed session at the Special Meeting of the Board of Directors held on Wednesday, November 18, 2009 under Agenda item 3.

Pursuant to 5 ILCS 140/6 I formally ask that all fees be waived as the purpose of this request is in the public interest.

If my request is denied in whole or part, I ask that you justify all deletions by reference to specific exemptions of the act.

Thank you for your assistance.

Sincerely,

Mac McIntyre
Publisher/Editor
DeKalb County Online