Kendall County Ethics Commission Tosses Complaints Lodged Against Officials

The Kendall County Ethics Commission dismissed multiple complaints filed by local activist Todd Milliron, saying they included no instances of any actual violations and that one of them was frivolous.

Milliron claimed that Kendall County Coroner Ken Toftoy and Kendall County Board Member Matthew Prochaska tried to target him regarding Oswego Twp. Road Commissioner Gary Grosskopf.

Complaints regarding Toftoy giving a deputy coroner’s badge for future political favors, Toftoy and Kendall County State’s Attorney Eric Weis trying to get Deputy Coroner Jacquie Purcell fired and Toftoy receiving gifts in exchange for giving a coroner’s badge to an Illinois lobbyist were also filed.

Toftoy’s lawyer, Peter Wilson, said “the complaints didn’t meet the criteria to be sufficient,” according to a report from Kendall County Now.

Attorney James Groat, who acted as hearing officer during Tuesday’s hearing, said Milliron didn’t include the actual violations in the complaint.

"You're held to the same standards as everybody else, and ... to have a valid complaint, you have to state a violation of the ordinance," Groat said, according to Kendall County Now. "Show me where you've stated a violation of the ordinance in complaint number one. Tell me what paragraph has been violated."

Milliron could have been fined up to $5,000 for filing a frivolous complaint, but was spared the sanction.

"The Kendall Ethics Commission found there was not enough admissible evidence to move forward, The Kendall Ethics Ordinance as it is presently written is not designed for regular citizens. It is currently written to favor institutional players and legal professionals," Milliron said in a statement to Patch. "One should not
have to hire a lawyer. I believe I was targeted, last night there was nothing I could do about it, still I had the moral courage to try."

More via Kendall County Now...