UPDATE: 11/4/22
Decatur Public Schools have released audio recordings of closed session meetings where board members are deemed to have violated the Open Meetings Act. The Illinois Attorney General ordered DPS61 to release audio and meeting minutes from 16 closed sessions.
Click here to listen to the audio.
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DECATUR, Ill. (WAND)- The Illinois Attorney General is ordering DPS61 to release audio recordings and minutes from 16 closed board session meetings.
A concerned citizen requested the Public Access Bureau, of the Attorney General's Office, review the Decatur School Board's discussions about building a new school using federal pandemic relief funds.
The probe found the board began discussing the new school in October of 2021, but did not mention the idea in open session until June of 2022.
DPS61 argued it was able to discuss these issues in closed session because of exemptions that allow a public body to debate purchasing real estate. However, the Public Access Bureau found the board discussed the possible consequences of building a new school, strategized how to use COVID-19 funds for construction and debated how they could amend state law to avoid a referendum vote.
The Attorney General's Office is now directing DPS61 to release audio recordings and meeting minutes from the 16 mettings where improper discussions were happening.
You can read the entire AG report here:
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