Village Of Wheeling Threatens Legal Action Over Public Records Requests

WHEELING, IL — The Wheeling Board of Trustees has signed an open letter threatening legal action against a resident who has issued numerous public records requests and made allegations of wrongdoing that have led to policy changes in the northern suburb.

At a board meeting Monday, trustees unanimously agreed to draft the letter to respond to criticism from Wheeling resident Deborah L. Wilson. Wilson has been a frequent attendee to board meetings and has filed numerous requests for public records from the visit.

Wilson's questioning of taxpayer money by ousted Village President Dean Argiris led to a Daily Herald investigation, which later showed Argiris had used a village credit card repeatedly without disclosing a public purpose, had unrestricted use of a village vehicle and was months late in paying the village's utility bills.

And last month, the paper reported the Village of Wheeling updated its code following a decision by the Illinois Attorney General that it had violated the Open Meetings Act by preventing Wilson from speaking during public comment.

The board's letter said trustees "resolve to do all that we can to prevent her from having further impact on the Village's successful operations, including the use of any legal remedies available to us." The letter alleges that Wilson's emails and public records requests have cost the village $144,000 since October of last year. It said staff have spent 1,100 dealing with her emails and Freedom of Information Act Requests.

The letter said Wilson has a "personal vendetta" traced to an incident involving the Wheeling Police Department and her neighbor. It asked her to "end her efforts to selfishly squander Village resources," saying the village (which the letter said was "in the midst of the most prosperous era in its recent history") can not "afford to allow one individual to single-handedly hijack important financial resources."

Wheeling board members sharply criticized Wilson at this week's board meeting, including one who made a questionable constitutional argument.

"We all have the right to speak out mind, the First Amendment guarantees that," said Trustee Mary Krueger. "However, when that speech is continually based on wild conjecture, riddled with incorrect facts and delivered with hatred and vitriol, that right is relinquished."

Wilson asked to respond.

"Shut up," Trustee Ken Brady said, before urging the board to agree to endorse a letter that was eventually released Wednesday.

Wilson's most recent allegation against the Village of Wheeling concern the private real estate consulting business of its economic development director, as well as accusing the village attorney of misrepresenting the municipal code and the village manager of not properly investigating the chief of police after she filed a complaint.

Members of the Wheeling Board of Trustees did not respond to a request for comment about the letter.

Wheeling Village President Pat Horcher told the Daily Herald Thursday that Wilson's watchdog advocacy has exposed some issues, but they have already been corrected. He questioned her use of public records requests.

"Is there a smoking gun?" he asked.

Find the complete letter and video of the last Wheeling board meeting below:

(Discussion of the open letter begins around the 49:40 mark)

Top photo via Patch file.