East Central Reporter

The Edgar County Watchdogs are threatening legal action against Shelby County for unlawful spending, an Illinois State Police investigation, and a possible illegally closed meeting.

WAND 17 reported that if the Shelby County Board of Supervisors doesn't provide audio proof of a closed meeting, the Watchdogs plan to file a lawsuit against the board. In the meeting, the Watchdogs claim discussion was held on items not exempted by the Illinois Open Meetings Act. 

“There was five maybe six minutes of actual legal discussion in closed session,” Kirk Allen with the Watchdogs told WAND 17. “We’ll file a lawsuit under the Open Meeting Act and have the forced release of that audio.”

This wouldn't be the only lawsuit the Shelby County Board would be facing, according to WAND 17. 

The board is currently facing a lawsuit involving past legal fees that were due to a lawyer in Decatur. The lawyer claims he gave legal services to the Shelby County States Attorney and sued the board for approximately $15,000 in fees that weren't paid to him. The county treasurer isn't paying the lawyer, claiming the counsel was never authorized under county law. 

The Shelby County Board is also facing a lawsuit from Mark Bennett, a county resident and taxpayer, who disputes whether the county should be paying for outside counsel or not. 

“To me it’s a waste of taxpayer money,” Bennett told WAND 17.  “It’s my belief that the board didn’t have the authority to hire outside counsel.”

During a county board meeting, board member Earl Baker said Chairman Bruce Cannon has been spending authorized money and wants to remove him from his position, according to WAND 17. 

“I’d like to make a motion that you be removed from office,” Baker told Cannon at the board meeting. “A payroll of $500,000 we don’t know where’s it’s at yet.  And then when our treasurer starts talking you sit there and roll your eyes.”

Other board members reportedly were in support of Baker.