East Central Reporter

Mattoon School District #2 Board Member John Hedges is under scrutiny for filing three false Statements of Economic Interest (SEI) forms over the past two years. These forms are required for certain elected and appointed officials in Illinois, including school board members.

In his 2023 SEI, Hedges stated he had no employment with any government unit in the previous year. However, records from the ILETSB police officer search show that he has been employed as a Mattoon Police Officer since March 24, 2005, and remains active. The city of Mattoon qualifies as a government unit.

The Facebook page "John Hedges for Mattoon School Board" also confirms his employment with the Mattoon Police Department starting in 2005. Hedges signed this SEI on March 14, 2023, asserting it was a true statement of his economic interests as mandated by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. The Act specifies penalties for willfully filing false or incomplete statements, which include fines up to $2,500 or imprisonment up to one year.

Hedges's SEIs filed in April and November 2024 similarly misrepresent his employment status. Efforts to contact him through the Mattoon Police Department have not been successful as of this publication date.