Mercer residents seek answers to city actions
By Allan Tinker
BHG News
After several requests for information, posting of meeting times and publication of meeting minutes and financial reports, ten residents of Mercer requested an opinion and guidance from McLean County State’s Attorney Ladd Erickson in October.
Questions included payment for a new sewer and water connection on a motion from the council member that was directly affected by the action.
Another question was an adjustment for a $406.60 amount that the city auditor could not account for and for which the council and the mayor approved an adjustment. Two payments to the city auditor that totaled $1,467.29 when the position’s salary is only $1,-000 per month was also questioned.
Another question was to the missing information on when authorized and when paid wage amounts for the council, mayor and auditor along with the other bills are to be paid.
Regular monthly minutes published in the official newspaper for the city were also missing for several months. Since the letter was written, the minutes have been published. One of the concerns of the missing minutes was that the sewer and water line issue would have been addressed in these minute’s time frame.
