East Central Reporter

Carlinville Treasurer Jodi Reichmann and a government oversight group have been engaging in an online war of words over the group's accusation that “something bad has been happening with the city financials.” 

In its original story, the Edgar County Watchdogs posted on their lllinois Leaks website that it appeared that Carlinville Mayor Deanna Demuzio was concealing credit card bills, as evidenced by the denial of the group's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for six months' worth of credit/debit card charges made by the city.

Reichmann responded in the comments section of the web page.

“It was brought to my attention yesterday of your recent FB post expressing your concern and 'firm opinion' that 'something bad has been happening with the city financials,' and specifically that Mayor Demuzio is hiding credit card bills," she wrote. "Well now, Mr. Edgar County Watchdog, you are infringing on my reputation as the Treasurer of Carlinville."

Reichmann's also said that it was her responsibility, not Demuzio's, to take care of the monthly paying of bills.

"Every credit card bill is gone over ITEM BY ITEM with corresponding receipts attached that have been turned in during the month," she posted. "So let me assure you again, there is not one credit card bill missing from its appropriate file folder, ALL are present and accounted for."

Several days later, the watchdog group argued that it didn't specifically mention Reichmann or her office in the original article, and asked why, if the records exist, they were not sent after the FOIA request.

"Thanks – so it is all right there, filed away as required," the ECW said. "Why not send a copy to me as I requested in the FOIA request over a month ago? Were you told not to provide them? By whom? If you were told to not provide them, then you are the person withholding those records from the public.  The bottom line is the records are in your possession and the city needs to provide them as required by law."

According to the response, the request for credit/debit card records was denied after it was deemed to be "for commercial purposes" and the specific request was "unduly burdensome."