Lake Co. official wants public to pay legal bills in convention dispute
Avon Township Assessor Rick Dishman wants taxpayers to cover more than $2,100 in legal fees related to his fight to attend a Miami convention on the public dime starting next week, roughly three months before he leaves office.
But Dishman's request fell flat at a meeting last week, as no one on the five-member Avon Township board made a motion to approve payment of the attorney bills. Dishman is not expected to attend the conference.
Dishman's $2,152.50 legal tab is related to his battle to attend the ProVal International Users Group meeting, Sept. 26 to Oct. 1, in Miami. Dishman ignored a township board demand in June to get refunds for everything connected to the excursion.
Dishman then hired Waukegan-based Diver, Grach, Quade and Masini to fight for his right to use public money to attend the event with assistant Penny Heckel. The law firm's bill is for about 12 hours of work from June 5 to July 23.
Attorney Gretchen Neddenriep said Dishman is entitled to have taxpayers pay his legal bills, based on an Illinois court ruling in another case. She said it's hoped her firm can settle the fee dispute with the township board.
"We don't work for free," Neddenriep said Tuesday. "We somehow have to make a living, too."
Township Supervisor Sam Yingling countered that public money doesn't have to pay for Dishman's lawyers in the convention controversy. He said the township would only have to pay if Dishman were sued in his elected capacity as assessor.
Meanwhile, Yingling reiterated that former township supervisor Shirley Christian improperly issued about $3,000 in checks for Dishman's planned South Beach trip because board permission was not granted. He said meeting minutes from April and May show the previous township board tabled a vote on the convention payments.
Yingling said he's obtained a $1,638 refund from Loews Miami Beach Hotel for two rooms reserved for Dishman and Heckel. However, he said he's been refused refunds for $478 spent on two airline tickets and $870 in ProVal convention fees. ProVal is a private organization involved with software for real-estate tax bills.
Dishman won't use the nonrefundable airline tickets to travel to Miami for personal pleasure, Neddenriep said. She said Dishman, who didn't return a message for comment Tuesday, likely would travel to represent Avon Township if he did not have to pay hotel expenses from his own pocket.
Not all of Dishman's requests have been denied by the township board since Yingling took over for Christian. Last month, a $300 advance was approved so his office could attend the Lake County Township Assessors Association's annual golf outing.
Dishman will step aside for Bryce Carus on Jan. 1. Yingling and three township trustees have said taxpayers would not benefit by Dishman going to Miami about 90 days before his departure.
Carus ran on a political slate headed by Yingling when he beat Dishman on April 7. Dishman was part of Christian's political team.
Avon Township includes all or part of Grayslake, Hainesville and the Round Lake area.