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The former Elgin city clerk, originally charged with theft in the alleged misuse of $131,213 in taxpayer money , has been fined $430 after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor offense.

In March 2023, former Elgin City Clerk Rhonda Dales was named in a state audit report that identified $131,213 in improper disbursements by the city and an additional $7,532 in disbursements for which there was no supporting documentation.

The questionable spending cited by the auditor included:

Excess payroll payments to Dales: $60,726.

Unauthorized comp time for Dales: $27,451

Unauthorized paid time off for Dales: $9,863

Improper reimbursement payments to Dales: $19,204

The report noted that much of the qu

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