Who watches the money in Arlington Heights?

Twice a month the Arlington Heights Village Board approves without comment the payment of bills usually totaling between $1 million and $2 million.

Is anyone paying attention to how all this money is spent? You bet, says Village President Arlene Mulder.

Mulder, who is known for putting a lot of time into this part-time job, said she reads every line in the thick pack of paper that lists all the money the village is spending. And she knows at least some of the village trustees are just as diligent.

When Mulder or any of the trustees sees something they don’t understand or find questionable, they contact Village Manager Bill Dixon, who in turn might have to check with a department head.

And yes, the warrants or list of bills is public information, and residents can visit village hall and plow through them, too.