East Central Reporter

The Village of Poplar Grove, Illinois, has received a preliminary report from a forensic audit examining credit card expenditures between 2019 and 2023. The audit was conducted during the terms of Owen Costanza, who served as village president until 2021, and Don Sattler, who assumed the role after Costanza lost the election.

The report highlights several issues with village spending practices. It notes numerous purchases for employee take-out meals that were not pre-approved by the board as required. Additionally, it points out that the village's purchase, travel, and procurement policies do not comply with state statutes. Furthermore, soliciting donations from village vendors is identified as a violation of state law under the Gift Ban Act.

While not explicitly mentioned in the report's findings, it was noted that alcohol was purchased for personal consumption at restaurants using village credit cards. These unauthorized purchases included martinis, vodka, mixed drinks, and wine.

Another significant finding in the audit is the approval of a $1.131 million contract without competitive bidding or obtaining the necessary two-thirds vote from the village board.