Poll: What Should Be Done About Kendall County Board Meeting Pay?

Kendall County State's Attorney Eric Weis has suggested hiring an independent auditor to review the 10 county board members' meeting payments.

Weis estimated an outside audit of the meeting payments over the past three years would cost $5,000 to $10,000. The forensic auditor could review meeting minutes and payments and provide the type of information necessary for a criminal investigation.

Weis' recommendation came at Thursday's Committee of the Whole meeting, but the matter was not discussed at Tuesday's County Board meeting. Board Chairman John Purcell said it would be discussed "soon."

The issue arose after Finance Committee chair Anne Vickery questioned several payments County Board member Dan Koukol requested - and received - for attending county meetings and economic development events.

Recent Kendall County Board candidate Todd Milliron suggested a criminal investigation when he presented to Weis last month. Vickery has said the $85 daily meeting pay for about 50 meetings since he took office in December 2010.

Koukol, who chairs the board’s Economic Development Committee, has said Purcell for attending economic development functions. Koukol also offered to reimburse the county on the spot when the matter was discussed at the April 12 Finance Committee meeting; Vickery told him she’d like to review the issue with him and the county auditor instead.

Both Vickery, a board member of 14 years, and Milliron, a frequent board critic and watchdog, unsuccessfully sought Republican nominations for county board seats in March.

Editor's note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated Weis suggested an audit of Koukol's pay, rather than the entire board's pay. Patch regrets the error.