A year of transition for the Tazewell County Board has become a bit more unsettled.
Six of 21 board members are either not running for re-election or election.
And now Aaron Phillips, who was appointed to the board in March 2025 to replace Bill Atkins in District 3 and had decided not to run for election to his seat, resigned last month because he moved from Washington to Germantown Hills in Woodford County.
The county board approved Phillips' resignation at its most recent meeting and started the process of appointing a replacement.
Board members Russ Crawford, Mark Goddard, Greg Longfellow, Greg Menold and Max Schneider are not running for re-election in the March 17 primary and Nov. 3 general elections.
Only one of four county board races is contested.
There are five candidates running for four open seats in District 1. The five are incumbents Kim Joesting, Nancy Proehl and Kaden Nelms, and candidates Jerald Stewart Jr. and Brad Donley.
Three candidates – incumbents Nick Graff and Greg Sinn and candidate Ben Ackerman – are running for four open seats in District 2.
Incumbents David Mingus and Tammy Rich Stimson and candidates Eugene Glueck and Jason Magarity are running for four open seats in District 3.
There are no candidates for a two-year term in District 3. Normal terms are four years.
Each board member who is leaving is a Republican. Each incumbent running for re-election and the other candidates are Republicans.
Phillips, a certified public accountant, told board members in his resignation letter that it was an honor and privilege to serve on the board.
"I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have worked alongside such dedicated, intelligent, and good-hearted colleagues, and I deeply appreciate the strong systems and collaborative environment you have built," he wrote.
Atkins resigned after he was named the city attorney in Moline.
Animal & rabies control costs
Also at its most recent meeting, the county board approved having the Tazewell County Animal & Rabies Control Department provide animal and rabies control services for six communities this year. Here are the communities and what they'll be charged:
- Pekin: $69,650.
- Creve Coeur: $11,647.
- Mackinaw: $2,948.
- North Pekin: $2,698.
- South Pekin: $2,343.
- Deer Creek: $906
In other action, the board:
- Awarded a contract to low bidder Ruyle Mechanical Services of Peoria for slightly more than $93,770 to replace the boiler in the McKenzie Building. P.J. Hoerr received the bids and will oversee the project as construction manager as part of its arrangement with the county to provide that service for renovations and improvements at county buildings and properties.
- Approved the purchase of two new tandem axle trucks for about $275,000 each from low bidder Truck Centers of Morton.
- Awarded a contract to low bidder Knapp Concrete Contractors of Goodfield for nearly $57,750 for wingwall reconstruction on Toboggan Avenue.
- Approved paying the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council $75,000 for services in 2026 provided county officials are satisfied with the work done by the GPEDC for the county in each quarter. An initial payment of $18,750 to the GPEDC for the first quarter of 2026 was authorized by the board.
- Approved the re-appointment of Nicole Jones as supervisor of assessments for a four-year term. Also approved were re-appointments of county board members Greg Sinn of Tremont and Joe Woodrow of Green Valley to the Tazewell County Extension Board for one-year terms.
