East Central Reporter

Madison County, Illinois—The Illinois Attorney General has ruled that the Agency for Community Transit (ACT) is a public body and must comply with the Open Meetings Act (OMA). This decision concludes a five-year effort led by Robert E. Dorman, who filed a complaint in December 2019. Dorman is one of the founders of the Madison County Public Corruption Task Force, a nonprofit organization focused on political policy activism.

Dorman expressed satisfaction with the outcome: "This decision is a victory for transparency and accountability," he said. He recalled alerting county board members about issues within the Madison County Transit (MCT) District during his tenure as IT Director for Madison County from 2016 to 2020. Dorman highlighted previous concerns, such as "County Board member Mike Walters being a paid lobbyist by MCT." While this situation was addressed, Dorman noted that Walters received a raise and was reassigned to another position.

The MCT Board of Directors is appointed by the Madison County Board, with Chris Guy currently serving as both a county board member and an MCT board member. In June 2023, Dorman presented his concerns to the county board regarding ACT and MCT District operations. He pointed out that "the MCT Board entered into a fifteen-year, no-bid contract with the Agency for Community Transit," which he argued violated legal standards.

Dorman also raised issues regarding Ron Jedda's dual roles: "Ron Jedda’s appointment at MCT has expired, yet he continues to hold the position of Chairman of the MCT board while also serving as Vice President of ACT." Dorman emphasized that ACT benefited from the no-bid contract, which allowed Jedda to award himself effectively.

Further details are available on MCPCTF.org.