A former Milton Township supervisor, John Monino, is under scrutiny after videos surfaced in which he discussed an unlawful contract that allowed the township to issue traffic tickets. The contract, previously reported on by Edgar County Watchdogs, Inc., was signed during Monino’s tenure and has since been declared invalid.
The township later posted a “Scam Warning” on its website, suggesting that the ticketing arrangement was fraudulent. However, critics argue that the term “scam” mischaracterizes the situation. Instead, they contend the contract was an improper action taken by township officials and not an external fraud scheme. Observers say township leaders could have more directly informed residents that the contract was not valid and instructed them to disregard any related citations.
In a series of recorded conversations, Monino can be heard discussing details of the contract and organizing meetings with local municipalities to explore similar agreements. In one video, Monino says: “Pat Bonds said it looks pretty solid,” referring to legal advice he claimed to have received about the legitimacy of the contract.
Commentators point out that in Illinois, police officers and mayors do not answer to township supervisors. Townships are separate governmental entities without authority over police departments or law enforcement personnel.
Questions remain about whether Monino accurately represented legal counsel when he referenced their township attorney’s opinion on the matter or if he exaggerated for other reasons. The first video shows Monino arranging a meeting with Pat Bond regarding the contract’s legality. A second video depicts him discussing access to license plate information with a private detective and promising assistance with state contracting systems through programs like tips-usa.
The third video features Monino stating: “Pat Bonds said it looks pretty solid” at approximately 1:33 into the recording.
