Excerpts from EdgarCountyWatchdogs.com: It was through our work at College of DuPage that we first became aware of the Tri-State Fire Protection District. As we received numerous requests for assistance, we began to dig deeper into the district’s operations. After reviewing a series of investigative reports by the Better Government Association, it became clear that there was more to uncover. The BGA articles revealed serious concerns about the misuse of taxpayer funds, conflicts of interest involving a trustee and her civil union partner, and questionable procurement practices. Based on input from local citizens, we obtained some FOIA documents that raised red flags about a board member's relationship with the purchase of ambulances—both new and used. What we found suggests a possible violation of state ethics laws and the Fire Protection District Act by Mr. Michael Orrico, the board treasurer. In September of last year, Tri-State issued an RFP (not a request for bids) for two new ambulances. Several qualified companies submitted proposals, including Foster Coach at $181,150 per ambulance, Alexis Fire at $161,935, and Fire Services, Inc. at approximately $164,000. However, all of these offers were sent via email and not sealed, which is a major procedural issue. After the RFP was published, Fire Services, Inc. offered a used ambulance for around $170,000, which was later purchased for $167,965. This used ambulance wasn’t part of the original RFP process, yet it cost more than a new one. Only Fire Services, Inc. was considered after initial quotes, despite other competitive bids being submitted. Final offers from Fire Services, Inc. included a 2013 Wheeled Coach ambulance without a Stryker power loader for $166,087 and a 2015 model for $169,702. Notably, the agent for Fire Services, Inc. spoke directly with Mike Orrico in January 2015 about a paint issue on the used ambulance. By early 2015, invoices were issued for both ambulances. On February 20, Fire Services, Inc. billed $162,587 for a 2015 chassis ambulance, and on May 26, another invoice for $166,202 for a second 2015 model. The district also purchased a third, no-bid used ambulance from Fire Services, Inc., despite the RFP being for only two vehicles. What makes this even more troubling is that one of the trustees works for the company that sold the ambulances. Mr. Orrico sells fire equipment for Fire Services, Inc. But when he filed his Economic Disclosure Statement as a trustee, he failed to mention his employment with the company. His statement simply said “N/A†under the section requiring disclosure of any entity with which he had a financial interest. Under Illinois law, failing to disclose such information can result in a Class A misdemeanor. Moreover, Mr. Orrico violated the Illinois Fire Protection District Act, which prohibits any trustee or employee from having a financial interest in contracts or sales paid for by the district. There are exemptions to this rule, but none apply in this case. No vote was taken on the contract, the amount far exceeded $1,000, and there was no public disclosure of his conflict of interest. In fact, Mr. Orrico did not abstain from voting, even though the board didn’t appear to vote on this contract publicly at all. What are the consequences of his actions? Any officer who violates this law could face a Class 4 felony charge and lose their position. It’s unclear how the district’s legal team allowed this to happen, especially since they use the same law firm that represented College of DuPage during Breuders’ tenure. This is just the beginning. More revelations are expected soon. You can review the full paper trail below or download the document. Download (PDF, 1.73MB) Thanks to Dan and Scott for their help. Intelligent Template Sewing Machine Automatic template recognition, Precise sewing, Diversified pattern selection Zhejiang Lejiang Machine Co., Ltd. , https://www.cnlejiang.com