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Madison County board asks for legal, audit review after Recorder signed media‑conversion contracts
Summary
Board members raised concerns that Recorder Amy Meyer signed two media‑conversion contracts with Fidlar on Oct. 2 totaling about $469,000 without prior committee approval; Meyer said she acted 'in good faith' to secure CARES Act reimbursement and paused further work while seeking renegotiation.
MADISON COUNTY, Ill. — Madison County board members asked the county’s legal and audit offices to review two media‑conversion contracts signed by the Recorder’s Office after questions about process and funding surfaced at the Oct. 21 board meeting.
Board member Phil Chapman told the board that Fidlar had identified two agreements called "Madison County Media Conversion Agreements" and that the Recorder’s Office had provided invoices for $45,336 and $64,508. Chapman said it "appears that we have committed $181,347.00 in one contract and $258,328.00 in another," a total he described in the meeting as roughly $469,000, and he asked whether the Recorder had followed procurement and committee‑approval procedures.
Recorder Amy M. Meyer defended her decision, saying she "did sign off on two contracts. I signed off in good faith." Meyer told the board the office had relied on Fidlar because the county’s land‑record subscription runs on that vendor’s system and staff believed sole‑source work was required to upload older vault records. She said the office sought CARES Act reimbursement for the work and that, after checking with the vendor, "we have stopped work with Fidlar" pending renegotiation and review.
The board pressed for an independent review. Madison County legal counsel declined to give an immediate legal opinion at the meeting, saying he needed more material; Auditor Rick Faccin said the auditor would notify committee leadership and would flag any invoices received. Several members said any further payments should be held until the county attorney and auditor complete their review.
Why it matters: The contracts would be paid from the Recorder’s automation account, a fund the board has previously overseen for technology and indexing projects. Board members said the combination of a substantial commitment, questions about whether the transaction followed the county’s purchasing policy, and the approaching transfer of responsibility to the incoming County Clerk/Recorder warranted an expedited review.
What happened in the meeting: After a prolonged exchange among board members, Recorder Meyer and legal counsel, the board did not vote on the contracts. Multiple members urged that the Tax Cycle and Finance committees examine the matter at a forthcoming meeting and asked the State’s Attorney’s Office and Auditor to provide formal findings. The board recessed the meeting; its next regular session was scheduled for Nov. 18.
The Recorder’s Office said it would provide fund balances and contract documents for review. The board’s request for an outside or neutral investigation was also raised by members concerned about transparency and consistent application of procurement rules.
