A bad day for Hieronymus

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PRINCETON — “It’s a bad day for the Bureau County Clerk’s office.”

Those were the words spoken late Thursday morning in the LaSalle County Courthouse by Bureau County Clerk Kami Hieronymus, moments after Circuit Judge Joseph Hettel granted a motion to dismiss her third amended complaint against the Bureau County Board. The third amended complaint was dismissed with prejudice, meaning there won’t be a fourth amended complaint.

“I’m disappointed with the judge’s decision,” Hieronymus said. “We have a lot of decisions that we will have to make now. They won’t be fun ones.”

Thursday’s hearing was the fourth time Hieronymus appeared in LaSalle County Court for her complaint against the Bureau County Board. The complaint stemmed from last fall’s board decision to cut her clerk hire line item budget by $18,000. That budget cut meant the reduction of staff, which would prevent her from fulfilling all her state-mandated duties, Hieronymus claimed.

In making his decision on Thursday, Hettel said Hieronymus and her attorney, Bureau County State’s Attorney Patrick Herrmann, failed to give specific examples of how Hieronymus would not be able to meet the state-mandated duties of her office.

Though the county board does have the duty to provide “reasonable and necessary” funds for Hieronymus to run her department, there were not sufficient facts given to back up Hieronymus’ claims that she did not have enough money to operate her office, the judge said.

After making his ruling, Hettel said he hoped both parties would be able to put this complaint behind them and work together for the good of the citizens of Bureau County.

As he left the courtroom, Springfield attorney Gary Smith, representing the Bureau County Board, said he’s glad the case is finally over. The judge made the right decision, Smith said.

“I’m gratified it’s finally over,” Smith said. “It’s been a long process. The clerk has been given the right to replead her complaint four different times, and now it’s finally over.”

Bureau County Board member Loretta Volker also attended Thursday’s 30-minute hearing. She, too, was pleased with the judge’s ruling.

“I’m just sorry this was drug out so long,” Volker said. “All elected officials are charged with wisely using the taxpayers’ money and they also have to pull in the (financial) belt when it has to be. Right now,  we have to pull together for the good of the county.”

As he exited the courtroom with his client, Herrmann said he was obviously disappointed with the judge’s decision.

Hieronymus does have 30 days to file an appeal against Hettel’s decision, Herrmann said. However, it’s too soon to tell if that will be done, he said.

“”We will review what we have, mull it over, and then make a decision,” Herrmann said. “At this point, we don’t know what our next step will be.”

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