Update on No-bid Energy Contracts

I have recieved several of my FOIA requests back. So far, each taxing body has only sent me the contract with the consortium and no other bid documents. This is show there was no bid process or that the taxing body violated the Freedom of Information Act by not providing the documents requested. I have had conversation with several of these and they indicated verbally that there was not a bid process.

Dusring this process I have discovered a third energy consortium here in Illinois. This one is the NIMEC and taughts themselves as having over 100 members. Their website is under construction and only contact information is present.

I will be updating the list of known participants at the Illinois Energy Consortium information website shortly as well. As I have time, I will scan in the documents and link them as well. Below is the list of newly received participants:

• Fremont Public Library
• Milburn School Distict 24
• Park District of Highland Park
• Lake Villa School District 41
• Zion Park District
• Antioch High School District 117
• New Trier Township High School District 203
• Lake Villa District Library

The letter from New Trier was interesting in that it stated, “the IUPC Agreement is the same document you have already requested from other agencies in our cooperative.” Mr. Goers , the Associate Superintendent at New Trier is also an Executive Committe member of the IUPC.

Two of the taxing bodies are requiring that I fill out their FOIA request form before they provide the documents requested. They are the City of Highland Park and Libertyville Township. I will comply with both requests this time, but I will also enclose this excerpt from the Illinois Attorney General Website:

How must a public body comply with a request for public records? Every public body is required to permit inspection or, upon submission of a written request, to provide copies of any requested records that are subject to disclosure under the Act. When copies are requested, the public body may charge fees reasonably calculated to reimburse it for the actual cost of reproducing and certifying public records. These fees, however, cannot include any of the cost of searching for the requested records, and cannot exceed the cost of reproduction.

As you can see, a FOIA request is not required to be on a specific form. It is only required to be in writing, which is what I had done. I also suspect from teh fees I am being charged that most of these taxing bodies are overcharging for the actual cost of reproduction. I’ll have more in the coming days on how my district, Grayslake Elementary 46, and also Winthrop Harbor schools are doing exactly that.

To also update you on House Bill 261 and Senate Bill 48, the bills to eliminate bids on energy and other contracts, is moving along in the Senate but stalling in the House. This update is from a friend in Springfield.