Board member urges state's attorney review of donations tied to appointments; chair denies wrongdoing
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Summary
During new business, board member Eric Foster asked the state's attorney to advise on initiating an investigation into apparent correlations between Chairman Kurt Prenzlers campaign donor list and county appointments and contract awards; Prenzler denied the allegations and asked complainants to file written statements.
Board member Eric Foster raised allegations during the Oct. 19 meeting that he said showed a pattern of campaign donations correlating with appointments and contracting decisions tied to Chairman Kurt Prenzler. Foster told the board he had collected accounts from multiple people and asked the state's attorney to advise on whether a formal investigation was warranted.
Foster cited conversations and reported instances in which donors and appointees were appointed or received county business in the same timeframe, and said some potential witnesses are willing to sign affidavits. “I am directing or asking the state's attorney to advise this board of what we need to do to begin an investigation,” Foster said during the meeting.
Chairman Prenzler responded that he did not discuss donations in the way described and encouraged complainants to file written, verifiable complaints. “I don't make conversations like that,” Prenzler said. He also said that anyone making claims should put them in writing so they can be properly considered.
County legal counsel said the board had asked earlier about a separate question on compatibility of office and provided an Attorney General opinion stating a person may hold a county position and serve as a state legislator in certain circumstances; counsel said that opinion is not statutory and there was no controlling case law presented at the meeting.
The transcript does not show a formal referral of the matter to law enforcement or a formal complaint filed during the session; Foster said he would pursue affidavits and that members had received similar accounts. The request at the meeting was procedural: Foster asked the state's attorney to advise the board on the next steps to start an investigation, and Prenzler asked for written complaints from any alleged witnesses.
Provenance: Transcript of Madison County Board recessed session, Oct. 19, 2022 (new business discussion between Eric Foster and Chairman Kurt Prenzler).