Lemont Village Board Violated Open Meetings Act: Attorney General

Lemont Mayor Brian Reaves and the Lemont Village Board violated the Open Meetings Act in an April board meeting, by requiring a commenter to provide her full home address, the Illinois Attorney General’s office concluded.

Janet Hughes filed a complaint against the Village after her public comment during the April 14 meeting. In a video of the meeting, Reaves can be heard insisting that Hughes provide her full home address prior to commenting.

In its decision, the attorney general’s office detailed that the board is permitted to establish such a rule for the public comment portion of a meeting, but that the board faltered in not establishing or recording that rule prior to the public comment session. Any such rule would also be in violation of the Open Meetings Act, which prohibits rules that are “not reasonably related to providing meeting order or decorum, or ensuring that other speakers have the opportunity to address the public body.”

During a Sept. 8 board meeting, Reaves stated that though he did not agree with the ruling, the board will follow the attorney general’s ruling and adjust its procedures accordingly.