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ALTON – The City of Alton is facing fines of over $13,000 from the Illinois Comptroller’s Office over financial reports that were due nearly nine months ago.
The issue was raised by Alderman Michael Velloff, who cited a “Fine Notification” from the Illinois Comptroller’s Office included in the Alton City Council’s meeting packet for June 24, 2026.
The city is currently facing a growing fine of over $13,650 regarding “delinquent Annual Financial Reports” that are more than 250 days past due, according to the notice from the comptroller’s office.
Three such reports for Fiscal Year 2025, which were due in September of the same year, are over 270 days late at the time of this writing. These include reports for “Hunterstown,” “Riverfront,” and “Square Mall,” each carrying a separate $4,550 fee.
Velloff noted that 20 more days had passed since the comptroller’s office sent the notice on June 4, 2026. According to the notice, the daily fee amount increases the longer financial reports remain unfiled.
Reports over 45 days late carry fees of $20 per day for each report past due. With three reports having gone an extra 20 days late, the city has accrued an extra $1,200 in fines since the comptroller’s June 4 notice.
Mayor David Goins said he first became aware of the issue two weeks ago. He said the reports are being prepared for submission shortly, after which the city will ask the Comptroller’s Office to abate the fines.
“The Illinois Office of the Comptroller has the discretion to abate the fines for good cause shown,” the notice from the comptroller’s office states. “Upon compliance, the Local Government Division will provide you with information on how to request an abatement of the fines.”
If the city fails to immediately submit the overdue reports, the previously mentioned fines – along with “additional administrative fees” – will be referred for collection to the Illinois Involuntary Withholding system.
When asked by Velloff why the city had remained non-compliant for over eight months, Goins said the reports were not submitted due to “unforeseen circumstances.” He declined to elaborate further, stating Planning and Development Director Greg Caffey would be better equipped to answer specific questions on the matter; Caffey was not present at the meeting.
Velloff also asked which fund the fee amount would be paid out of; Goins replied that if the abatement is approved, the city will not have to pay the fine. The mayor added city officials will “do our due diligence to make sure that this will not happen again.”
A full recording of the June 24, 2026 Alton City Council meeting is available at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.
