Dunstan responds to release; dismisses what he calls "political ploy of candidate for chairman"

EDWARDSVILLE– Madison County Chairman Alan J. Dunstan responded to a release from a Republican candidate for County Board Chairman, Kurt Prenzler.

“The strong action I have taken this week, and going back to October 16 when the issue of improprieties at the Metro East Sanitation District first came to my attention, prove that neither campaign contributions nor political affiliation will have any impact whatsoever on my decisions,” Dunstan said.

“I will always do what is right and what is best for the people of Madison County,” Dunstan emphatically stated. “My actions regarding this issue, as well as other issues that have arisen during my tenure as chairman, disprove any notion otherwise. Campaign contributions have not, nor will they ever, stop me from always doing the right thing.”

Dunstan also said the Madison County Board appoints more than 300 citizens to 46 different boards and commissions, including Fire Protection Districts, Water Districts, Cemetery Districts, and Flood and Drainage Districts. Dunstan said both Democrats and Republicans serve on these boards and recommendations are made to the County Board by both Democratic and Republican County Board members, the taxing districts and, in some cases, the mayors whose communities are served by the district. They are absolutely not made based on politics or political contributions.

The chairman said Prenzler is simply “playing politics” with this issue. “Mr. Prenzler repeatedly attempts to take credit for the actions of others and is trying to score political points by making this some type of election issue against me,” continued Dunstan. ”Mr. Prenzler should agree these matters should not be handled in a political context, especially since he has also been accused of providing political favors to campaign contributors.”

Dunstan added that Prenzler has given $79,000 in taxpayer funded raises to four political appointments in the Treasurer's office. Even more troubling, Prenzler gave two of these employees $10,000 raises within weeks of these employees participating in political events on behalf of Prenzler's re-election campaign.

"It's an abuse of Madison County's working families for Mr. Prenzler to subsidize his campaign with taxpayer money," said Dunstan. “He is engaging in one of the worst examples of pay-to-play politics. As a CPA, Mr. Prenzler should know better."

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