Tazewell County board discusses $73,001.25 for Times Building drawings, moves to executive session on property purchase

Tazewell County commissioners discussed approving $73,001.25 to cover drawings related to the Times Building and voted to move discussion of property purchase into executive session.

The matter surfaced when Speaker 1, a board member, stated, "The cost here is I have it as $73,001.25." Speaker 2 asked, "What what was the cost?" The remarks prompted a point of order that discussion of buying property should not occur in open session. Speaker 3 said, "Can we refrain from talking about purchase of property and open session?" and the board then voted to reconvene in executive session under "5 ILCS 120/2," a statutory reference raised during the meeting.

Why it matters: the drawings and any purchase would affect county expenditures and property holdings. The board’s decision to shift discussion into executive session means details about negotiation or acquisition were to be discussed privately under the cited statute.

Board members debated whether the drawings and the possible purchase were separate issues. One member asked whether the drawings could be postponed to save the $73,001.25 and still proceed with a purchase. The question was interrupted by the point of order about open-session limits. After the motion to enter executive session was made and seconded, the board voted in favor.

The transcript shows the board left for executive session and later returned. The meeting record does not include a subsequent public vote or final decision about purchasing the Times Building or about committing the $73,001.25; those outcomes were not specified in the portions of the meeting provided.