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An Illinois Attorney General office’s response to School Board member Scott O’Connell appears to indicate O’Connell was seeking opinions about potential school district matters.
On Feb. 18, O’Connell said he filled out a form letter on the Attorney General’s Web site asking if the office has any information or if anyone has ever written them about state School Code articles involving working cash funds and inter-fund transfers of money.
“I’m doing homework,” O’Connell said. “I’m doing research. I wanted to see if anyone has questioned how things are handled. This isn’t about the letter. This is about trying to discredit me.”
O’Connell said the Attorney General did not have any information to provide on the matters. If the office was able to produce information, O’Connell said he would have shared those documents with the rest of the Downers Grove Grade School District 58 Board of Education.
The Downers Grove Reporter was given a copy of the Attorney General’s response, dated Dec. 17. In the document, O’Connell appears to have requested the Attorney General’s advice on matters in the state’s School Code regarding working cash funds, levy and inter-fund transfers.
A Freedom of Information Act request submitted by the Downers Grove Reporter still is pending.
District 58 board member Marshall Schmitt said Tuesday, Feb. 24, he received a FOIA response back Monday, Feb. 23, from the Attorney General containing an e-mail from O’Connell requesting the opinions and the office’s response.
Not speaking on behalf of the School Board, Schmitt said it is important for this situation to be sorted out so the public does not get any wrong impressions.
“This is an issue (O’Connell) has raised publicly. The working cash fund and what the obligations are of the district in handling the working cash fund. His interpretation of the statute is transfers that have been made in and out of the working cash fund are not appropriate,” Schmitt said. “They have been approved by the auditor and are consistent with the practice of other districts. My biggest concern is to not create a false impression on the public that the district is misusing funds because it isn’t.”
The Attorney General’s office responded that they found no opinions on the matter.
An Illinois Attorney General office’s response to School Board member Scott O’Connell appears to indicate O’Connell was seeking opinions about potential school district matters.
On Feb. 18, O’Connell said he filled out a form letter on the Attorney General’s Web site asking if the office has any information or if anyone has ever written them about state School Code articles involving working cash funds and inter-fund transfers of money.
“I’m doing homework,” O’Connell said. “I’m doing research. I wanted to see if anyone has questioned how things are handled. This isn’t about the letter. This is about trying to discredit me.”
O’Connell said the Attorney General did not have any information to provide on the matters. If the office was able to produce information, O’Connell said he would have shared those documents with the rest of the Downers Grove Grade School District 58 Board of Education.
The Downers Grove Reporter was given a copy of the Attorney General’s response, dated Dec. 17. In the document, O’Connell appears to have requested the Attorney General’s advice on matters in the state’s School Code regarding working cash funds, levy and inter-fund transfers.
A Freedom of Information Act request submitted by the Downers Grove Reporter still is pending.
District 58 board member Marshall Schmitt said Tuesday, Feb. 24, he received a FOIA response back Monday, Feb. 23, from the Attorney General containing an e-mail from O’Connell requesting the opinions and the office’s response.
Not speaking on behalf of the School Board, Schmitt said it is important for this situation to be sorted out so the public does not get any wrong impressions.
“This is an issue (O’Connell) has raised publicly. The working cash fund and what the obligations are of the district in handling the working cash fund. His interpretation of the statute is transfers that have been made in and out of the working cash fund are not appropriate,” Schmitt said. “They have been approved by the auditor and are consistent with the practice of other districts. My biggest concern is to not create a false impression on the public that the district is misusing funds because it isn’t.”
The Attorney General’s office responded that they found no opinions on the matter.
