Watch now: Bell to continue as Coles County Board chairman CHARLESTON — Brandon Bell will continue as chairman of the Coles County Board, it was decided Tuesday, though a frequent board critic characterized it as a “political move.” The board voted Bell to the chairman’s position after it approved his appointment as the representative of
Watch now: Bell to continue as Coles County Board chairman
CHARLESTON — Brandon Bell will continue as chairman of the Coles County Board, it was decided Tuesday, though a frequent board critic characterized it as a “political move.”
The board voted Bell to the chairman’s position after it approved his appointment as the representative of a different board district than the one from which he resigned last month.
Bell was first appointed chairman in December and said at that time he planned to move within a few months, putting him in a different board district.
With Tuesday’s action, Bell was appointed as representative from board District 2, Charleston, where he now resides. Travis Coffey had represented that district but he also resigned last month.
In turn, the board also voted to appoint Bob Bennett as the District 11 representative, replacing Bell there.
The criticism of the move came from James DiNaso, a member of a group called the Concerned Taxpayers of Coles County, which has long criticized the board about a property reassessment project and other issues.
DiNaso called Bell’s reappointment as chairman “a good political move” and said it “violates the spirit of representation.” Bell didn’t respond, but ultimately stopped DiNaso from speaking, citing the board’s policy on limiting one person’s comments to 3 minutes.
DiNaso also revisited an ongoing issue the Concerned Taxpayers have raised, whether the hiring of the appraiser who conducted the reassessment took place legally.
That and an issue concerning board members receiving county health insurance coverage are subjects of a lawsuit the group filed against the county earlier this year.
Also, Concerned Taxpayers member Robb Perry lamented that the group has addressed the board frequently without receiving a response to its satisfaction. He told the board “we came with solutions” but said “I don’t see anything getting done.”
Group member Charles Stodden, who’s the named plaintiff in the lawsuit, said the two sides “really should have discussions” and stop criticizing one another.
Also addressing the board was Alex Walker, who again criticized State’s Attorney Jesse Danley for the handling of a recent criminal case against Jesse Baird.
Baird was acquitted at trial of battering man he discovered masturbating in front of children.
Citing the time limit Tuesday, Bell stopped Walker during his saying Danley should have prosecuted the man Baird had been accused of attacking. Danley didn’t respond to the comments.
Also, county resident Les Combs told the board he’s still consulting with a lawyer about a possible lawsuit against the county over the end of rural trash program.
Meanwhile, the board’s votes Tuesday included appropriating money from the state’s Rebuild Illinois program to a bridge replacement project in North Okaw Township.
The $40,000 from the state program will help cover the township’s contribution to the project, the cost of which the county and township are sharing.
The board also approved funding agreements with Morgan Township on two culvert replacements near Rardin, with each contributing just more than $12,200.
12 photos of Charleston locations from our archives
Wilb Walker Supermarket
1988: Dyalene Haworth shows the ease of using E-Z Shopper grocery cart at Wilb Walker Supermarket.
Square
1980: Charleston square.
North Park house before renovation
1986: Jean Carpenter of Charleston has received a grant to repair her home. A $350,000 grant from Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs will be used to renovate about 40 homes in the North Park neighborhood.
North Park house after renovation
1986: Jean Carpenter on porch of house after renovations.
Mother’s
1988: At Mother’s in Charleston grandmother winks at the patrons who come to wet their whistle. Mothers is a tavern which is known to just about every Eastern Illinois University student.
Hotel fire
1931: The Jefferies building was gutted by fire late Tuesday night. On left is the Winters’ clothing store store with the Charleston Hotel office next on the north, than a vacant room recently vacated by the Huckleberry jewelry store, wit the Rogers drug store on the corner.
Golf Course
1986: Pat Kaiser plans to open his nine-hole golf course by Memorial Day weekend if Mother nature would cooperate.
Eastern Illinois Artist’s Guild
1941: A permanent exhibit of Paul Turner Sargent’s work has been opened by the Eastern Illinois Artists’ Guild at 809 Jack St. built in 1831 by Dr. Aaron Ferguson it is said to be the oldest house in Charleston.
Downtown
1986: Downtown Charleston has been designated as part of that city’s tax increment financing district within so-called blighted areas of their cities.
Coles County National Bank
1992: Coles County National Bank declared insolvent and sold to the Eagle Bank and Trust Co. The Missouri based trust company owns banks in three other Illinois towns, Sparta, Nashville and Highland.
Charleston Plaza
1978: Osco Drug and Eisner food store soon to open at Charleston Plaza Shopping Center. The two stores will occupy 40,000 square feet in the center. A 2,000 square foot Radio Shack store is already open. Another 2,000 square foot store will be occupied by the Book Emporium to open later this year. A total of 9,000 square feet remains to be leased in the center.
Celotex Corp.
1971: Yearly production estimates for the new Celotex Corp. plant north of Charleston is about 130 million square feet of insulation boards.
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