The City of Wheaton has recently learned that the Illinois Attorney General’s Office has filed a lawsuit against the Wheaton Historic Preservation Council and its officers. The Wheaton Historic Preservation Council is a private organization that is independent from the City of Wheaton, and the organization is subject to various specialized tax, trust and museum laws. The officers of its board are not now and have never been employees or agents of the City.
The City does not have a legal responsibility to investigate the activities of the Preservation Council or its officers regarding the laws that govern its activities, and the City draws no conclusions regarding the litigation allegations.
The lawsuit recently filed by the Attorney General’s office for an accounting against the Preservation Council and its officers does not include the City as a party because there is no legal or factual basis to do so. The agencies currently involved in the litigation and investigations of the Preservation Council are legally enabled and competent to perform those functions. If requested, the City will cooperate fully with the investigation.