Kankakee requiring some city workers to sign confidentiality agreements

KANKAKEE, Ill. - A published report says Kankakee is requiring city department heads to sign confidentiality agreements.   

The Daily Journal reports Mayor Chasity Wells-Armstrong emailed department heads in January that they'd have to sign such documents. The newspaper obtained copies of the agreement and email.   

Experts say the move is unusual. Some question whether it's designed to control the flow of information to the City Council. Some neighboring mayors call such agreements unnecessary.   

Wells-Armstrong says in the email that some aldermen were "over-reaching in terms of their jurisdictional responsibilities" and by city code, employees must report requests for information from aldermen.   

City attorney Mike McGrath says no one has refused to sign the agreements which define confidential information as "not generally known or available outside of administration."   

Alderman Dave Crawford says the administration didn't tell the council about the agreements.