advertisement

County Clerk Kevin Kern to resign in April to take position with Rep. Enyart

Perry County Clerk Kevin Kern announced Thursday that he will be resigning in late April to take a position as staff assistant to U.S. Congressman Bill Enyart in Belleville.

"I've loved this job for the past 10 years," Kern said, adding that it's time for him to move forward. He will remain in office until after the April 9 consolidated election and to give the Democratic Central Committee a chance to suggest a replacement. He hopes to have time to train his successor.

"You're good at what you do and will do a great job wherever you go," Board Chairman Bobby Kelly said.

In-person absentee voting begins Feb. 28, grace period voting begins March 13 and early voting begins March 25. The Perry County Clerk's office is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The office will also be open Saturday, April 6 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. for early voting and grace period voting.

The Perry County Clerk's office will conduct off-site early voting hours at Du Quoin City Hall from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2.

Mayors, clerks and trustees will be elected in Cutler, Tamaroa and Willisville, local school board will elect about half their members and voters in Cutler and St. Johns will vote on electricity aggregation.

In other business, the board:

• Asked Chairman Kelly to contact the Illinois South Tourism Bureau to verify that there will be no financial obligation to the county if they comply with the bureau's latest request to recognize them and appoint a second member from Perry County to their board. Perry County declined to recognize them shortly after Pinckneyville chose to join the Illinois South Tourism Bureau, but did agree to appoint two members to their board on behalf of the city. One of the people appointed has resigned. Du Quoin has since chosen to join the tourism bureau, as well. If there is no obligation, the county will appoint a person from Du Quoin to serve on the Illinois South Tourism Bureau board.

• re-appointed Brice Harsy and Craig Furry M.D. to the Board of Public Health.

• approved raffle license applications for the PCHS Education Foundation and a benefit for Jeff Kujawa, who was severely injured in an accident.