Western Springs Less Open With Meeting Info

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL — Most area towns provide the packets of information that their elected representatives receive before meetings. They are posted online and include the proposals, resolutions, ordinances and other information that officials consider before voting.

But Western Springs does not provide this information to the public before its board meetings. Patch checked whether six other nearby suburbs post this information online before meetings. All do. They are Hinsdale, La Grange, Clarendon Hills, Burr Ridge, Darien and Elmhurst.

During public input at this week's village board meeting, a resident said he tried to get a proposed resolution calling for the state to return regulatory authority over 5G antennas to municipalities, a hot issue in Western Springs and nearby suburbs. The man said he was told a draft would not be given before the meeting and that he could only see it after action was taken.

"This is my first sort of experience with Western Springs, and I can tell you in Burr Ridge, they post the meeting packets," he said. That way, the public can provide input on issues before votes, he said.

"I request the board direct its attorney, (Michael) Jurusik, or staff to put the meeting packets that trustees get on the village's site when the agenda is posted, so we don't constantly have to submit FOIAs for things like that," the man said, referring to the acronym for Freedom of Information Act requests.

Village officials did not respond to his request at the meeting.