Following a near three hour executive session Thursday, the Madison County Board voted overwhelmingly, 26-1, to fire county administrator Doug Hulme and IT director Rob Dorman.
The "no" vote was cast by Don Moore, Republican from Troy. Board chairman Kurt Prenzler also cast a no vote for his top aides, but his vote only counts when there is a tie.
Hulme said in a statement:
"Please do not confuse the actions by the county board with any legal actions against me. The county board is a political body and their choice to terminate me was a political decision.
"The legal battle over the investigation I have already won and have been cleared by the Attorney General of the State of Illinois."
Hulme stated that the county board is being pushed by Sheriff John Lakin and State's Attorney Tom Gibbons "to save face on a failed 2 year investigation made to hurt Chairman Kurt Prenzler and his re-election."
His complete statement can be read here.
Dorman said in a statement that he disagreed with the decision and expects to be appealing it.
After Thursday's vote was taken, Gibbons introduced resolutions focusing on the alleged wrongdoings of Hulme and Dorman that he said were requested by county board members, whom he would not identify. When pressed on who made the request for resolutions, Gibbons said that the member or members could identify themselves if they chose to, but no one did.
Gibbons said he did not have time to distribute drafts to board members in advance of the special meeting because his office was short-staffed due to the coronavirus. The resolutions also carried 26-1.
The board's action comes more than two years after a special task force made up of several local law enforcement agencies raided offices of the county administration. An ensuing public corruption probe prosecuted by the Illinois Attorney General and presided over by a visiting judge ended in January when the AG's office said there was insufficient evidence to support charges against any of the potential targets.
Affidavits for search warrants unsealed April 6 showed that Hulme and Dorman were investigated for spying on internal emails and attempted data breach, among other things.
Last week and this, county board members were given special briefings by the task force that provided greater detail into the investigation, including a 2018 wiretapped conversation between Hulme and county treasurer Chris Slusser.
Those briefings, though not confirmed by a lead investigator on the task force, Madison County's Capt. David Vucich, may have changed minds on the Republican majority county board. The special meeting held on Thursday came at the request of GOP leaders.
Prenzler, when asked for comment, provided a statement he released before Thursday's special meeting which he said he had sought to postpone. He said there was no need for a "rush to judgment, which could be expensive for the taxpayers."
"My sense is that county board members called for this special meeting in good faith, feeling something must be done," he stated. "I sympathize with that, but we must do it in the right way."
On Wednesday, Prenzler said he received a briefing from the task force on the investigation of Hulme and Dorman and then put them on paid administrative leave while an independent third party administrative review of the investigative file is conducted.
"The review process could return a range of results, up to and including discharge, depending on what the report says," Prenzler stated.
"County policy and best management practice call for me, as the direct supervisor, to initiate this disciplinary process. It has already begun.
"I feel it’s only fair to let you know my thoughts before tonight’s meeting. You are certainly free to disagree, but I fear action tonight is too soon, too quick, and the prudent approach let the appropriate process work."