During a recent Lake County government meeting, significant concerns were raised regarding transparency and accountability related to the use of a key card by Commissioner Hammercek. Public speaker Bridal Kalkowski questioned the commissioner about eight instances in May 2020 when his key card was used to access county local network servers and potentially the Lake County Board of Election servers. Kalkowski emphasized the need for clarity, stating that reasonable questions have been raised about the potential misuse of public servers, especially in light of reports suggesting that the FBI had previously investigated the matter.

Kalkowski urged Hammercek to provide a detailed explanation to the public, expressing frustration over the lack of communication since the incident occurred nearly three years ago. He highlighted the importance of transparency among Republicans, particularly when addressing election integrity issues, and called for all involved officials to come forward with information.

In addition to the public concerns, the meeting proceeded with various resolutions, including the approval of a final estimate for a utilities project and the certification of unpaid water and sewer sums. The commissioners also acknowledged the appointment of Robert E. Carr to the 911 program review committee and Gregory J. Geigerich to the Lake County Senior Citizen Advisory Panel.

The utilities department reported upcoming communications to customers regarding service lines that may contain lead, as part of compliance with new state and federal regulations. The county administrator noted that the budgeting process for 2025 is underway, with a temporary budget expected to be presented after Thanksgiving.

The meeting concluded with a reminder of the next session scheduled for September 10, where further discussions and responses to public inquiries are anticipated.