LaSalle City Council Violating Open Meetings Act with Falsified Agendas and Censored Minutes
LaSalle City Council Violating Open Meetings Act with Falsified Agendas and Censored Minutes
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By Jamie Hicks | Hicks News | August 3, 2025
The City of LaSalle has been systematically violating the Illinois Open Meetings Act (OMA) by concealing deliberations, falsifying meeting minutes, and issuing vague agendas that strip the public of their right to meaningful participation.
And they’ve been doing it in plain sight.
Under 5 ILCS 120/2.02(a) and 2.06(a) of the Illinois Open Meetings Act:
Agendas must set forth the general subject matter of any final action in advance.
Minutes must include “a summary of discussion on all matters proposed, deliberated, or decided”—not just the votes or outcomes.
Public bodies must operate in a manner that allows the public to “witness deliberation, discussion, and decision-making”—not receive pre-scripted outcomes.
The Illinois Attorney General’s PAC (Public Access Counselor) has repeatedly stated:
“Omitting the substance of deliberation from minutes is a violation of Section 2.06(a).” (PAC 20-011, 21-007, 23-012)
THE VIOLATIONS: City of LaSalle’s Pattern of Deception
THE VIOLATIONS: City of LaSalle’s Pattern of Deception
Hicks News reviewed the June 23, 2025 City Council meeting, comparing the official minutes (posted online) to the actual video and transcript of the meeting. The findings are clear and damning:
Deliberations by aldermen and the mayor are entirely omitted—even when major city expenditures and contracts were debated.
Public questions raised during the meeting were not included in the minutes, despite the discussion having direct bearing on the matters voted on.
Agenda items were deliberately vague, including terms like “legal matters” or “communications,” without identifying the subject—violating 5 ILCS 120/2.02(a).
These aren’t clerical errors. They’re a coordinated pattern of procedural censorship—intended to avoid public scrutiny, suppress dissent, and create a false official record.
8-4-2025 request for review for 6-23-25 OMA.pdfJamie Hicks file Open Meeting Act violations
EXHIBIT F 8-15-2024 new ORDIANCE .pdfCity Of LaSalle Public comment ordiordinance.
🎙️ PUBLIC COMMENT IS A SHAM
🎙️ PUBLIC COMMENT IS A SHAM
City ordinance restricts public comment to three minutes at the very start of the meeting, before the public even knows what will be discussed. There’s no opportunity to speak after presentations or ask questions about final actions. This structure violates the OMA’s spirit—the public is locked out of real-time participation.
As one resident put it:
“It’s like asking us to comment on a book before they even hand it to us. They know we can’t respond—by design.”
By issuing whitewashed minutes that omit public comment responses, aldermanic disagreements, and policy debates, the City is:
Creating an official record that contradicts reality
Violating legal obligations under 5 ILCS 120/2.06(a)
Obstructing access to government deliberation—a First Amendment issue under federal law
This isn’t just about paperwork. These OMA violations shield misconduct, illegal expenditures, and retaliatory policies from public view. In the case of the Workplace Violence Protection Act petition and the involvement of outside law firm Klein, Thorpe & Jenkins, LaSalle residents were never told who approved it, how much it cost, or what it was for—until after action was already taken.
COMPLAINTS COMING
COMPLAINTS COMING
A formal OMA complaint was filed with the Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor on August 3, 2025, documenting these violations with transcripts, exhibits, and side-by-side comparisons. Hicks News will publish that filing in full in our next release.
Residents deserve more than scripted theater. They deserve truth, transparency, and a seat at the table—not filtered minutes and gag-ordered comment sessions.
The City of LaSalle may think its paper trail is clean.
But the video doesn’t lie.
And neither do we.
Stay tuned for Part 2: "How LaSalle Uses 'Legal Matters' to Hide the Truth from You."
https://www.youtube.com/live/rFN77kXoxKU?si=0vOr0lyiEzOMNtjX
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