Village board faces forensic audit after officials cite $13.1 million irregularity; FOIA delays and code-enforcement practices draw concerns

During the June 11 gathering, a board member asked about a reported $13.1 million discrepancy in the village budget. Officials said a forensic financial audit is in progress to determine what happened.

"We had a manager and other staff that were negligent in their duties," an official said, describing problems that led the board to order a forensic review. The board said employees had trouble obtaining prescription or medical payments and other employee-related problems prompted the audit; officials stressed the inquiry is ongoing and that the finance director is the staff lead on the matter.

The budget news came amid resident complaints about delays in responses to public-records requests. One resident said they were told a FOIA request would be fulfilled in two days but the request remained outstanding; board leaders described a high volume of requests, staffing limits and a legal review process that can require redactions or extended time frames. Officials urged residents to make requests precise and said some FOIA responses require legal vetting when executive-session material or personally identifiable information is involved.

Residents also questioned recent adjudication and code-enforcement outcomes. One attendee said code enforcers attempted to levy a $750 fine and told residents the village would refund the amount upon compliance; the village prosecutor advised against that refund approach in the cited case, and the board said enforcement should be educational rather than punitive.

Why it matters: A multi-million-dollar budget irregularity and delayed public-records responses carry direct implications for municipal transparency, service delivery and near-term budgeting. The board said it will pursue revenue and budget cuts while the audit continues.

Next steps: Officials said the forensic audit will continue, the finance director will report additional findings as available, and the village will provide guidance on public-records processes and code-enforcement adjudication outcomes when legally permitted.