One man said to hold two jobs in local government while also being an elected official is under fire from a government oversight group that says he is being paid triple what his colleagues earn.
The Edgar County Watchdogs (ECW) said Shelbyville Township Trustee Homer Walden’s case is unusual.
“We rarely see a situation like this … where an elected official decides to work for the public body that he is elected to govern,” the group said on its Illinois Leaks website. “Doing so is a felony in this state.”
According to the ECW, Shelbyville Township’s attorney (identified as Jack Kiley on the government website) responded to queries about Walden’s apparent triple status by saying Walden not only sat on the board but also served as janitor.
Additionally, according to communication received by the ECW, “he also man’s [sic] the office three days a week.”
Alleging that Walden has been compensated $7,638 annually for performing extra work for the township, the ECW said the arrangement is in violation of the Public Officer and Employee Prohibited Activities Act.
The ECW cited Illinois statute 50 ILCS 105/3, which says that no one holding an elected or appointed office in Illinois can be “financially interested … in any contract or the performance of any work in the making or letting of which such officer may be called upon to act or vote.”
In other words, no double dipping, ECW explained — or triple dipping, in this case.
Moreover, the law reads, any office holder who violates the statute is guilty of a Class 4 felony and must vacate their position.
The ECW argued that taxpayer money cannot be spent to enrich elected trustees, “no matter now nice this bunch of guys are."
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