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Trustees press for clearer handling of Bria building bills and FOIA requests
Summary
At the June 30 Committee as a Whole meeting, trustees asked that Village Administrator Terry handle bills and scheduling tied to the Bria building and raised concerns about FOIA handling and contractor documentation, including whether contractor Brian Thomson pays prevailing wages.
Mayor Mike Smallwood and members of the Smithton Committee as a Whole pressed for clearer staff handling of bills and public‑records requests tied to the Bria building project.
Trustee Todd Reyling said there are “many bills from Terry regarding Bria business and scheduling” and said those tasks should be handled by Village Administrator Terry. Mayor Mike Smallwood said he prefers Terry manage those matters because a large FOIA request concerns the Bria contract and the village’s FOIA officer typically handles requests unless litigation is anticipated.
Several trustees said Terry has been copied into emails and involved in ordinance issues in ways they view as unnecessary and costly. “Some board members feel like Terry is being pulled in on emails unnecessarily and involved in ordinance issues, and it is wasting taxpayer money,” the minutes say.
Trustee Todd Reyling also asked whether contractor Brian Thomson pays prevailing wages, noting the village’s files contain no payroll paperwork for him. Trustee Jim Elbe asked staff to obtain lien waivers before making payments to Aaron and Brian to reduce the risk that unpaid subcontractors or suppliers could place claims on village funds.
Mayor Smallwood said he would speak with George about the concerns but reiterated his view that Terry should be involved in contracting issues. Trustees said engineering fees will be discussed at a future meeting.
The board did not take a formal vote on contracting changes or retention of additional records at the June 30 meeting. Staff follow‑up and any procurement or payment changes were scheduled for later consideration.
