Campton Hills pays lawyers more than $36K for Village Hall probe

CAMPTON HILLS – Campton Hills paid a law firm more than $36,000 to conduct an internal investigation of Village Hall and then refused to provide the results of that probe by denying a Freedom of Information Act request.

The total cost was $36,076.40 for 168 hours and 20 minutes of work over 47 days in July and August, according to the invoices.

Because the Kane County Chronicle’s Freedom of Information Act request for documents was denied by the village of Campton Hills, the Chronicle has filed a request for review by the Public Access Counselor of the Illinois Attorney General.

In Illinois, all records in the custody or possession of a public body are presumed to be open to the public for inspection or copying upon written request. Public bodies can cite exemptions in the law to deny the release of a record, as Campton Hills did.

At the June 28 special meeting, the board voted unanimously to hire the law firm of Klein, Thorpe and Jenkins to perform “an internal investigation into matters at Village Hall,” according to the agenda and minutes.

The FOIA denial cites seven exemptions for refusing to release the report, including that it contains private information, it relates to preliminary drafts and that it contains “materials prepared or compiled by or for a public body in anticipation of a criminal, civil or administrative proceeding upon the request of an attorney advising the public body.”

The village provided the law firm’s invoices, as requested, but redacted portions related to what work was done, citing the same exemptions.

An invoice dated Aug. 18 states it is “For Legal Services Rendered through July 31, 2023, Employment Matters.”

A lawyer and a law clerk worked 88 hours over 23 days, from July 3 to July 31, for a total cost of $18,150 and a second lawyer billed for only 48 minutes, according to the invoice.

An invoice dated Sept. 15 states it is “For Legal Services Rendered through Aug. 31, Labor and Employment Matters.”

One lawyer and a law clerk worked for 80 hours and 20 minutes over 24 days, from Aug. 1 to Aug. 31, for a total cost of $17,926.40.

The lawyers were paid $225 an hour and the law clerk was paid $125 an hour, according to the invoices.

The village appears to have been in turmoil for some time this year:

• Police Chief Steven Millar has been on paid leave since July 6 amid an Illinois State Police investigation. Millar released a statement through his attorney: “Chief Millar is surprised and deeply disappointed with these unsubstantiated and politically motivated attempts to assassinate his character and impugn his integrity. He welcomes an investigation into his service as Campton Hills police chief and has fully cooperated with any and all requests for information. He expects to be fully cleared of any wrongdoing,” according to the statement.

According to an email from the Illinois State Police Public Information Office regarding the Millar probe, “The investigation is active and ongoing and no further information is available at this time.”

• On Sept. 5, the Village Board unanimously approved a $40,000 severance package for former building clerk Debra Lupie, seven months after she was fired. Lupie had told officials she could prove there was a toxic work environment at Village Hall and that she was wrongfully terminated.

• On Sept. 26, the Village Board voted unanimously not to renew the employment contract of village administrator Denise Burchard and to fire executive assistant Dorothea Stipetic.

Village President Barbara Wojnicki said she would not comment.