Kerry Gifford | Edgar County Watchdogs
Kerry Gifford | Edgar County Watchdogs
What we consider a routine request for public records under the Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA), Kerry Gifford, the General Manager of the Sangamon Valley Public Water District (“SVPWD”) claimed providing names of the district employees and their compensation was a violation of his “civil liberties.”
He could not have been further from the truth, as public payroll and names of public employees are subject to the FOIA and disclosure does not infringe on any civil rights.
We are not the first to be denied these basic public records from this water district.
Incidentally, the water district board will become elected, instead of appointed, once today’s election is over. None of the current board members are on the ballot.
Below is the list of their six employees and their compensation packages which range from $26.00 – $30.00 per hour for hourly workers to a $120,000 annual salary for the General Manager. It should have been provided without us having to resort to threatening a FOIA lawsuit.
This is the same water district who thought it was OK to gift away thousands of public dollars to residents using gift cards. and used public resources for alleged electioneering purposes.
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