Why I am posting the Board’s Minutes

March 8, 2010

Ken Terrinoni
County Administrator
Boone County Administration Campus
1212 Logan Avenue, Suite 102
Belvidere, IL 61008

Dear Mr. Terrinoni:

I understand that you are the freedom of information officer.  I have been unable to determine who was appointed the open meetings officer and therefore have made the assumption that you have been appointed to that post as well.

Back in early February 2010, I emailed the County Board Chairman, Robert Walberg, requesting that county board minutes be publish on the county’s web site.  To date I have heard nothing from him or the county board.  Based upon these facts I am contacted you today.  I respectfully request that you respond to this request within thirty days.

I request that the Boone County Board begin posting the minutes of its meetings on its website as prescribed by law.  I believe the appropriate legal citation is 5 Illinois Consolidated Statutes 120/2.06 b.  That citation is below, please note the underlining which I provided you.

(5ILCS120/2.06)
Sec.2.06.
Minutes.
(a) All public bodies shall keep written minutes of all their meetings, whether open or closed, and a verbatim record of all their closed meetings in the form of an audio or video recording. Minutes shall include, but need not be limited to:
(1) the date, time and place of the meeting;
(2) the members of the public body recorded as either present of absent and whether the members were physically present or present by means of video or audio conference; and
3) a summary of discussion on all matters proposed, deliberated, or decided, and a record of any votes taken.
(b) The minutes of meetings open to the public shall be available for public inspection within 7 days of the approval of such minutes by the public body. Beginning July 1, 2006, at the time it complies with the other requirements of this subsection, a public body that has a website that the full-time staff of the public body maintains shall post the minutes of a regular meeting of its governing body open to the public on the public body's website within 7 days of the approval of the minutes by the public body. Beginning July 1, 2006, any minutes of meetings open to the public posted on the public body's website shall remain posted on the website for at least 60 days after their initial posting.

I thank you in advance for your cooperation regarding this matter.

WILLIAM J. PYSSON
9592 Denver Drive
Belvidere, Il  61008
815 544 5115

CC:  Robert Walberg
         Marshall Newhouse
         Kathy Hardwig
         Daniel D. Anderson

This was Boone County’s answer. (Click on the photocopy to enlarge)  A website upgrade is happening, however it is questionable if voters will be given any minutes.  Neither the committee, the board nor its administrator indicate that they will comply with the law.

My answer was to take the law into my own hands—obtain the minutes and post them myself.