HR0843LRB100 20645 MST 36088 r


  
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The Ford Heights Public Library District is 
3located in
the Village of Ford Heights, 15 miles south of the

4southern edge of the City of Chicago; it is considered one of

5the most disadvantaged suburbs in the United States; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, The Ford Heights Public Library closed over  20 
7years ago
and the building was torn down from lack of money for 
8upkeep; in 2009,
the Glenwood-Lynwood Library District 
9terminated its agreement
to allow Ford Heights residents to use 
10its library because of an
alleged $50,000 debt incurred by Ford 
11Heights; and
  
 
12    WHEREAS, In 2013, the Ford Heights Public Library District 
13board
president told the Chicago Tribune that she could find no 
14financial
history for the public library district after taking 
15office; and
  
 
16    WHEREAS, Two years ago, an official with the 
17Glenwood-Lynwood
Public Library told the Chicago Tribune it 
18severed ties with Ford
Heights after discovering financial 
19documents revealing hundreds
of dollars in checks that were 
20allegedly cashed for office
supplies, when, at the time, the 
21Ford Heights Public Library District had no office and no 
22office
personnel; and
 
 
 
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1    WHEREAS, The residents of Ford Heights pay $13,382 a year 
2in
property taxes to the public library district, but there is 
3no
public library and its residents cannot even get a library 
4card; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Libraries provide essential services and 
6resources to
the communities in which they are located; 
7libraries are a place
of learning and fostering community, 
8especially in poor
communities, where public libraries may be 
9the only place to
access computers and the Internet; and
  
 
10    WHEREAS, The residents of Ford Heights deserve 
11transparency and
accountability for every tax dollar that is 
12spent on their
behalf; they deserve access to the wealth of 
13knowledge that is
provided by library books and access to 
14library
computers to search and apply for jobs or to enroll in 
15community
college classes; therefore, be it
  
 
16    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
17HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the 
18Auditor
General is directed to conduct a performance audit of 
19the Ford
Heights Public Library District; and be it further
 
20    RESOLVED, That the audit include but not be limited to the

21following:
 
 
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1        (1) Whether the administrative expenses at the Ford 
2    Heights
Public Library District are justified based on the

3    services provided to the residents of Ford Heights;
4        (2) Whether the Ford Heights Public Library District

5    maintains documentation supporting its administrative

6    expenses;
7        (3) Whether there has been any use of public library 
8    district
funds that is not supported by adequate and 
9    reasonable
documentation; and
10        (4) What services are provided by the Ford Heights 
11    Public
Library District and whether service can be 
12    improved; and
be it further
 
13    RESOLVED, That the Ford Heights Public Library District and 
14any
other agency or entity having information relevant to this 
15audit
cooperate fully and promptly with the Auditor General 
16during
this review; and be it further
  
 
17    RESOLVED, That the Auditor General commence this audit as 
18soon
as possible and report his findings and recommendations 
19upon
completion in accordance with the provisions of Section 
203-14 of
the Illinois State Auditing Act.