Galena Gazette Publications v. The County of Jo Daviess

              Nos. 2--06--0197 & 2--06--0243 cons. Filed: 7-18-07
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IN THE
APPELLATE COURT OF ILLINOIS
SECOND DISTRICT
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GALENA GAZETTE PUBLICATIONS, ) Appeal from the Circuit Court
INC., JOURNAL STANDARD, INC., and ) of Jo Daviess County.
TELEGRAPH HERALD, a Division of )
Woodward Communications, Inc., ))
Plaintiffs-Appellees, ))
v. ) No. 05--CH--15
)
THE COUNTY OF JO DAVIESS, a/k/a The )
Jo Daviess County Board and The Jo Daviess )
Planning and Development Committee, )
MERRI BERLAGE, as Chairperson of the Jo )
Daviess County Board, and THE GALENA )
CITY COUNCIL, ) Honorable
) William A. Kelly,
Defendants-Appellants. ) Judge, Presiding
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PRESIDING JUSTICE GROMETER delivered the opinion of the court:
This is a suit under the Open Meetings Act (Act) (5 ILCS 120/1 et seq. (West 2004)).
Defendants, the County of Jo Daviess (County), also known as the Jo Daviess County Board (County
Board) and the Jo Daviess Planning and Development Committee (PDC); Merri Berlage, as
chairperson of the County Board; and the Galena City Council (City Council), appeal an order
granting the motion of plaintiffs, Galena Gazette Publications, Inc.; Journal Standard, Inc.; and
Telegraph Herald, a division of Woodward Communications, Inc., for summary judgment (see 735
ILCS 5/2--1005(c) (West 2004)), denying defendants' motion for summary judgment, and requiring