Ringwood Pays BGA $2,500 for Tardy FOIA Reply

Apparently Illinois Leaks (published by the Edgar County Watchdogs) and The First Electric Newspaper are not the only Freedom of Information requesters to go to court to enforce that tranparency law.

The Better Government Association filed suit against the Village of Ringwood after a request for salaries if its employees was not answered.

On the day a default judgment was to be entered in Judge Mike Chmiel’s courtroom, Attorney Joe Gottemoller, who had represented the Village in the past, was in the courtroom when the case was called.

When no one stepped up the represent the village, he volunteered, got a continuance and negotiated a settlement.

Originally, attorneys for the BGA requested $5,000, then upped the anti to $7,500.

Gottemoller and the BGA’s law firm, Loevy & Loevy, represented by attorney Merrick Wayne, finally agreed upon a settlement of $2,500 and provided the salary information for thr three paid village employees.

According to John Chase of the BGA, the entire amount went to the law firm.

The elected officials are unpaid.

The check is below:

For those who want an FOI attorney, note his name, phone number and email address below:

More details can be gleaned from Gottemoller’s $464 legal fees:


Comments

Ringwood Pays BGA $2,500 for Tardy FOIA Reply — 2 Comments

  1. Rick Mack, the patronage Metra Hack!

    Jeff ‘Road Rage’ Ladd’s little buddy when he was on Metra.

    Think I’ll send some more FOIA requests to the Ringwood fools.

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