Clark Co. Park District – the next meeting –

Clark Co., IL. (ECWd) –

This article is to clarify when we believe an elected park district commissioner takes office – or more importantly, ceases to be a commissioner.

<span style="font-family: Courier New; font-size: small;">From the Illinois Park District Code: <em>Commissioners shall serve until their successors are <span id="0.1396971569501403" class="highlight">elected</span> and qualified</em>.</span>..”are “elected” and “qualified”.”

“Elected” happened the instant the County Clerk canvassed the ballots.

“Qualified” happened when they were placed on the ballot, providing they are still a voter, a resident of the district,  are not in arrears of any debt or tax due to the district, and have not committed any disqualifying felony crimes.

The newly elected are now commissioners.

The only remaining item “prior to entering into the duties of a commissioner” is swearing an oath – and any Judge, notary public, or the clerk of the board can attest to the swearing of the oath of office – it need not be in a public meeting. After swearing the oath, that oath must be filed with the clerk of the board.

This is not to be confused with somehow stating the now-former commissioners are still commissioners until the next meeting – that would be a false assumption because they ceased to be commissioners when the county clerk canvassed the votes.

Similar to the College of DuPage Trustees, there is no “Lame-Duck” board when dealing with the Park District Code. Those that either decided not to run for office and those that were defeated at the ballot are no longer commissioners.

The next meeting must be an organizational meeting where the new board elects its officers.