Kankakee County Board appoints two members, declares two vacancies

The Kankakee County Board on Sept. 9 appointed Roger Kerner Jr. and Kenneth Lewellen to fill unexpired county-board terms and later accepted two resignations that will create vacancies. The appointments were offered together and approved by roll call; the board then swore both appointees into office at the meeting. The board also read and accepted a written resignation from Amanda Armour Erpz (District 28) and was told by Peggy Sue Monday that she will resign effective Sept. 10 after moving outside District 21. The board chairman read the appointments into the record and asked for a motion to combine and approve them; members voted “aye” on roll call. After the vote, the chairman administered the oath of office to both Kerner and Lewellen at the front of the room. Board members described the appointees’ backgrounds during discussion before the vote. The chairman said Roger Kerner Jr. is a local business owner, a pilot, and a welding instructor at Kankakee Community College; the chairman said Kenneth Lewellen is retired after 47 years at Panduit Corporation and has served on several local historical and park boards and on a school board. Amanda Armour Erpz submitted a resignation letter dated Sept. 3 saying she is relocating outside the district; the board moved to declare the resulting vacancy by roll call. Peggy Sue Monday handed a resignation letter to the chairman indicating she will move to Aroma Park and will no longer live in District 21; the chair said the letter will be placed on next month’s agenda for vacancy processing. The board scheduled no immediate special elections at the meeting; procedures for filling the vacancies were not described beyond formal declaration of vacancy.