DECATUR, Ill (WAND) – Following a request for review of executive session meetings held by the Decatur Public School Board, the Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access Office has launched an official investigation into the meetings.
The request for review to the Attorney General’s Office was submitted by WAND News following community concerns the board may be making decisions and acting in closed session. The concern was raised following an email thread was provided to WAND News where school board president Beth Nolan wrote the board “unanimously approved” a $30,000 bonus for Assistant Superintendent Jeffrey Dase in closed session and requested it be paid out weeks before the item was on the board agenda, and before it was ultimately voted down in public session.
In an e-mail to Nolan, the Public Access Bureau “determined that further action is warranted as to any Board meetings held within the 60 days prior” to the request submitted by WAND News.
According to the letter sent to Decatur Public Schools, the Public Access Office is requesting the “Board provide this office with copies of its closes session verbatim recordings and closed session minutes for any and all of its meeting held within the 60 days.” That would include the meeting Nolan referenced the “unanimous decision”.
The Decatur Public School District has seven business days to respond to the Public Access Office’s request.
In a request for comment, the Decatur Public School Board Chief Communications Officer, Denise Swarthout says "Decatur Public Schools and the DPS Board of Education will be fully cooperative with any inquiry from the Attorney General's office regarding these allegations from WAND News. The Board's attorney was present for all closed executive session meetings."
