State: Hand over supply receipts

All Liz Chaplin wanted to know was what kinds of office supplies the DuPage Water Commission was buying for thousands of dollars each month.

As a commission board member she believed she had the right to know. When she was told she'd have to come by the water commission offices during business hours to review the receipts instead of being provided itemized reports, she got concerned -- and she contacted the office of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.

"When I asked for that information during a board meeting, and nobody could provide an answer, it's troubling that no one knows what we're spending money on," she said. "They told me they couldn't give me those receipts because there are too many of them."

Madigan's office last week ordered the staff to provide the requested information within seven working days. The deadline is June 2.

The water commission employs 36 people, about 10 of whom work in the agency's Elmhurst office. It oversees distribution of Lake Michigan water supplies to much of the county.

Commission Chairman Louis Rathje said Chaplin's original request for itemized reports on a variety of topics was "too voluminous," but he anticipated the data on office supplies to be ready by Friday. He said the commission wasn't trying to hide anything.

"We never said, 'You can never have this,'" he said. "My stance is I'd like her to figure out exactly what she wants."

Rathje said he even offered to open the commission offices on Saturday for her to come in to go over the information because her work schedule prevented her from coming in during the work week.

But that wasn't sufficient, Madigan's office said.

"Ms. Chaplin, as a public official, has a right to access all documents and information necessary to the proper performance of her duties as a water commissioner," wrote assistant public access counselor Amanda Lundeen. "(She) is entitled to receive copies of the documents she has requested."

Chaplin said the commission spent $1,700 on office supplies in February, nearly $5,000 in March and $2,250 in April.

"If they truly don't know what they're spending the money on, that's troubling," she said.

Rathje said the staff knows where the money went, but because there are multiple vendors, it takes time to compile the receipts. Plus, he said Chaplin initially requested detailed accounting for printing, postage, professional dues, uniforms and other items besides the office supply data.

The commission delivered lists of check numbers and amounts for "office supplies" for March and April in mid-May, but Chaplin said it wasn't detailed enough.

In most instances the invoice simply referred to office supplies being purchased for a certain amount from Quill Corporation. Occasionally, it was a little more detailed; the list shows the commission paid $684 for coffee and supplies to Aramark for the two months. Storage cabinets were bought for $1,013 from Villa Park Office Equipment in March.

Rathje said this is the first time anyone's requested itemized spending reports for office equipment and the spending has never been questioned before.

"This office is a well-run organization, number one," he said. "And secondly, we have an audit done every year."

Fellow board member Allan Poole said his interest was piqued when Chaplin requested the information as well.

"It does seem high," he said. "Now that she's brought it up, I'm kind of interested, too."