Tazewell County Board member steps down after being appointed in 2022

Mike Kramer, Pekin Daily Times
·2 min read

Sierra Smith has stepped down from her seat on the Tazewell County Board.

“I am forever grateful for the opportunity to get to serve on the board for the past two years. I am so honored to have been appointed and elected into this position,” Smith wrote in her resignation letter. “This has truly been an unforgettable learning experience for me, and I am thankful for the mentors that poured into me during my time here.”

Smith was appointed in 2022 to fill a vacant District Three seat on the Board at age 20. Tazewell County Board vice chairman Mike Harris announced her resignation at Wednesday’s meeting. The move starts a 60-day period during which a replacement must be appointed.

“Sierra came on the Board and was very level-headed,” Harris said. “She’s done a good job, and I wish she would stay. She will be missed and I hope she’ll do well in the future, wherever she goes.”

Sierra Smith
Sierra Smith

The Board approved a resolution to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Pekin. The city will transfer property on the 300 block of Court Street to the county for public use and development as administrative and judicial offices.

In other business, the Board passed:

  • A resolution authorizing Tazewell County Animal Control to implement a Trap-Neuter-Return program to help manage feral cat populations in Tazewell County.

  • An amended resolution authorizing improvements to the Tazewell County Highway Department’s Shop Building.  The Board also voted to accept an $852,000 bid from GIVSCO Construction Company for.

  • A transportation service agreement with the Tri-County Planning Commission.

  • A $3,019,563 bid from R.A. Cullinan for hot-mix asphalt, milling and resurfacing on just under eight miles of roads throughout Tazewell County.

  • A rezoning request from Stanley and Jennifer Koch for property in Elm Grove Township.

  • Approve amendments to the Tazewell County Board Rules. The amendments allow for the removal of Board members who are frequently absent without reasonable cause, and mandates that Board members seeking reimbursement for travel and miscellaneous expenses submit requests within 60 days.

This article originally appeared on Pekin Daily Times: Smith steps down as Tazewell Board District Three representative