Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office has sent a warning to Mount Vernon city leaders not to conduct public business behind closed doors in the future.  In an email to Mayor Mary Jane Chesley, Madigan’s office says it will not pursue civil penalties against city officials involved in secret meetings, but clearly noted the sale of the municipal water and sewer system was unquestionably a significant matter of public interest, and urged the City Council to refrain from conducting public business without complying with the requirements of OMA.  The letter also states that at the time a citizen filed his complaint, Madigan’s office was only authorized to go back 60 days to review possible Open Meetings Act violations.  But the possible sale of the water and sewer system had been public for six weeks.  So the clock had also run out for the AG’s office to do anything.  However, while the Illinois Attorney General’s Office has closed its case, the investigation by a special prosecutor is just beginning.  The special prosecutor’s investigation has been on-hold while the attorney general’s staff conducted its probe into what happened.  The 60-day clock doesn’t apply to the special prosecutor, and that investigation will look for any criminal violations Mount Vernon leaders committed.  Mayor Chesley and council members ultimately dropped the proposed sale to American Water last spring after citizens and raised questions about the behind-closed-doors dealings with the company.