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JUSTICE MAAG delivered the opinion of the court:

This is a declaratory judgment and injunction proceeding filed by the plaintiff, John Hohnsbehn, Jr., alleging that the defendant, the Board of Trustees of the Police Pension Fund of the City of East Alton, Illinois (Board), does not have the authority to take evidence depositions of witnesses in lieu of live testimony. On March 4, 1999, the circuit court entered an order ruling against the plaintiff. The plaintiff immediately filed a notice of appeal. On March 30, 1999, this court entered an order granting the plaintiff's motion for an accelerated docket.

The Board is an administrative agency having the powers and duties set forth in article 3 of the Illinois Pension Code (Code) (40 ILCS 5/3-101 et seq. (West 1996)). The plaintiff is a recipient of a disability pension from the Board. Pursuant to section 3-115 of the Code (40 ILCS 5/3-115 (West 1996)), the Board has the right to require that the plaintiff be examined in order to verify whether the plaintiff's disability status has changed. Pursuant to this authority, the Board had the plaintiff examined by Dr. Randall Rogalsky and Maureen Ackels, a physical therapist. It is undisputed that the plaintiff was then examined by a doctor of his own choosing, Dr. James Segrist. On August 26, 1997, Dr. Segrist sent a letter to the Board, stating that the plaintiff is totally disabled for law enforcement activities.

On February 26, 1998, the Board sent the plaintiff a letter requesting that the plaintiff stipulate to the taking of Dr. Rogalsky's and Ackels' evidence depositions for presentation to the Board. The Board also indicated that another attorney, Dennis Orsey, might question these individuals on the Board's behalf. The plaintiff responded on March 2, 1998, and objected to the taking of depositions and also to the Board's hiring another attorney to question these individuals. On January 19, 1999, the plaintiff received a letter from attorney Orsey indicating that he had been retained by the Board as special counsel to represent them in the plaintiff's case. Orsey noted that he had scheduled evidence depositions for Dr. Rogalsky and Ackels on March 4, 1999.

The plaintiff filed a complaint on February 1, 1999. He later filed a motion for a preliminary injunction seeking to enjoin the evidence depositions until a ruling by the court on the merits of his complaint. The Board filed a response to the plaintiff's complaint on February 25, 1999. On March 4, 1999, the circuit court denied the plaintiff's complaint for declaratory judgment. The circuit court also denied the plaintiff's motion for a preliminary injunction and his complaint for injunctive relief. The circuit court stated as follows: "The Court is of the opinion that proceeding by way of evidence depositions is permissible for hearings as would occur before the Board of Trustees, the named defendant herein. The Court declines to bar the use of Attorney Orsey as an additional attorney for the Board in any proceedings they may schedule."

It is undisputed that during the telephone hearing, counsel for the Board stated that the evidence depositions were continued to April 29, 1999, since a ruling by this court was not possible before then. The plaintiff requested that this court accelerate the docket for appeal, and on March 30, 1999, the plaintiff's request was granted.

The plaintiff claims that the Board does not have statutory authority to take the evidence depositions of witnesses. We disagree.

The Board is an administrative agency vested with extensive authority, and it exercises quasi-judicial powers. Bowden v. Flannery, 18 Ill. App. 2d 299, 307, 152 N.E.2d 188, 192 (1958). "Quasi-judicial" is the term used to describe boards and agencies that, while not a part of the judiciary, exercise functions of a judicial nature. Bowden, 18 Ill. App. 2d at 307, 152 N.E.2d at 192. An administrative agency is a creature of statute and has no general or common law powers. Business & Professional People for Public Interest v. Illinois Commerce Comm'n, 136 Ill. 2d 192, 243, 555 N.E.2d 693, 717 (1989). Hence, any power or authority claimed by an administrative agency must find its source within the provisions of the statute by which the agency was created. Schalz v. McHenry County Sheriff's Department Merit Comm'n, 113 Ill. 2d 198, 202, 497 N.E.2d 731, 733 (1986). The authority of the Board must either arise from the express language of the Act or devolve by fair implication and intendment from the express provisions of the Act as an incident to achieving the objectives for which the Board was created. See Schalz, 113 Ill. 2d at 202, 497 N.E.2d at 733. An act by an administrative agency in excess of its limited jurisdiction is void. Business & Professional People for Public Interest, 136 Ill. 2d at 243, 555 N.E.2d at 717.

One of the powers granted to the Board in the Code is the power to subpoena witnesses. 40 ILCS 5/3-136 (West 1996). Sections 3-131 and 3-136 state as follows:

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