McClean County authority claims Open Meetings Act violations

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (AP) - The McClean County State's Attorney has requested the Illinois attorney general's office investigate alleged violations of the state's open meetings law by county health officials.

The (Bloomington) Pantagraph reported Sunday (http://bit.ly/1tq2KtT ) that McLean County State's Attorney Jason Chambers sent a letter dated May 20 with the request to Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office. The newspaper cites records it obtained through a Freedom of Information request.

Chambers raised questions about conducting public business behind closed doors in thousands of pages of emails between Health Department Administrator Walt Howe and three officers of the county Board of Health.

Howe tells the newspaper he believes they never acted knowingly in violation of the Open Meetings Act, but admits an error in transparency.

Howe says he'll talk to board officials about retirement plans.

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Information from: The Pantagraph, http://www.pantagraph.com