June 15th Robert Hanlan, Algonquin Township Road Commissioner Andrew Gasser’s attorney, filed an amendment to his suit against Township Clerk Karin Lukasik, plus for Road Commissioner Bob Miller and his wife Anna May Miller.

This was the source of the following articles last week:

• Algonquin Township Road District Pays for Two American Airline Tickets to New Orleans
• Women’s Clothing Paid for by Algonquin Township Road Commissioner Bob Miller’s Office Credit Card
• Algonquin Township Road District Credit Card Pays $289 for Meals at Hooters in Brookfield, Wisconsin

The documents (and more) were contained in appendices to the amended motion asking for “an accounting as well as conjunctive relief.”

The suit points out that Gasser found no electronic documents, “not a single e-mail…no expense records associated with Miller’s use of credit cards,” when he took office May 15th, “despite Miller having served over twenty years” as Road Commissioner.

Gasser has asked Miller for the documents, but they have not been provided.

There are no records of correspondence between Miller and Local 150 of the Operating Engineers, it is noted.

Grievances were filed against Gasser by Local 150 after Gasser took office.

The motion further reveals that Gasser had someone copy the disks before accessing them.

(Friday attorney Joe Gottemoller hire someone to copy the disks as well, at the direction of Judge Caldwell.)

The anonymo us mailing of credit card and other records Gasser received via the U.S.Post Office on May 30th is described, including

• credit card statements
• “numerous purchases of women’s clothing (including skirts, purses/handbags/totes, blouses and non-uniform outfits) from various on-line retailers including, but not limited to, Prada, Lands’ End, Levenger, and Orvis”

The exhibits “link specific charges to specific items of women’s clothing based on UPC codes and item numbers.”

The exhibits include Disneyland tickets (previously published on McHenry County Blog discovered through a Freedom of Information request), plus detailed descriptions of the women’s clothing purchased.

Each paragraph describing clothing ends with a statement saying something to the effect that Gasser conducted “a diligent search of the premises of Algonquin Township” and was not found.

Neither was it in the inventory delivered by Miller to Gasser when Miller left office.

With regard to the Hooters credit card charge, Hanlon writes, “Plaintiff is unaware of any public use associated with the purchases at Hooters restaurant.”

At issue also is an Apple IPad Air 2 Smart Case.

Although an email confirmation was sent to Bob Miller, it was not on the inventory list or found at the office.  Nether was an Apple IPad Air 2.

With regard to the airline tickets to New Orleans, Hanlon writes that they were for Rebecca Lee (Miller’s daughter) and “upon information and belief…the granddaughter of Robert and Anna May Miller.”

Continuing, “Plaintiff is unaware of any employment identifying Rebecca Lee or her minor child as employees of Algonquin Township,” adding that the expenditures was “of no public purpose.”

One paragraph is dedicated to Bob Miller’s using a private email account to conduct public business.

The next says that Anna May Miller did the same.

Another item brought up was credit card use to buy gift cards.

The contention is made that was to allow “bonuses” to be paid employees beyond their salaries.

Then follows these sentences about the inappropriateness of using public money for personal purposes and the allegation that Bob Miller has been doing so for years:

“Preserving the records of Miller’s and Anna May Miller’s e-mails may aid in the investigation and identification of potential criminal conduct (I.e. misuse of government money),” the complaint continues.

The motion describes Miller’s actions as “a breach of the public trust,” but notes that “at present, it is unknown to what extent the conduct referenced herein has taken place. Moreover, the authenticity of the documents delivered is currently being examined.”

Reasons for issuance of an injunction prohibiting Lukasik and the Millers is then given, including pointing out why the Miller’s emails are “public records.”

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Algonquin Township Trustee Rachael Lawrence has posted the entire court filing here.