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Tazewell County board freezes county clerk salary for four years after heated debate
Summary
After a contested debate that included accusations about the county clerk's conduct, the Tazewell County Board voted to keep the county clerk and recorder salary unchanged (0% increases) for the next four years; a proposed amendment to add 3% annual raises failed.
The Tazewell County Board voted to set the salary for the county clerk and recorder of deeds at the current level, with no increase for the next four years, after extended debate and a failed amendment to add 3% annual raises.
The amendment to add "3% per year for the next four years" was proposed and seconded for discussion but lost on a roll-call vote. The board then adopted the 0% increase motion.
The debate centered on both process and personnel concerns. Several board members said their objections were about adherence to county HR and personnel procedures, not solely compensation. One member pressed the clerk on whether he would "be willing . . . to work with the administrator, the finance department, and follow the rules that everybody's got to follow," and the clerk replied he would "as long as they're within the guidelines of the county board to make those decisions." The exchange came amid earlier public critiques and an extended statement by the clerk defending his choices.
In his remarks to the board, the clerk disputed accusations made by a fellow board member, saying some items were "taken out of context or many simply lies," and noting that a recent trip to Washington, D.C., had resulted in a nonprofit covering airfare and a $21,000 donation of election equipment to the county. He also defended a prior contract for digitalizing recorder documents as executed from fee fund revenue under his authority.
Several board members said their concerns included the clerk's handling of personnel matters and past decisions that some described as bypassing established processes. One member said those issues had led to a loss of cooperation among county officers and emphasized the need for the clerk to operate "as part of team Tazewell" going forward.
The board took the final vote on the salary setting after the amendment failed. The meeting adjourned and was recessed until June 24, 2026.
Notes: The hearing record contains an extended exchange of claims and denials between board members and the clerk; the board's action was to adopt the 0% salary motion for four years rather than the 3% amendment.
