Madison County board members voted to appoint the nominees presented by Madison County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler to the three vacant county board positions.
During a special meeting on Jan. 29, Board members voted in favor of appointing Valerie Doucleff to complete Ray Wesley’s term in District 6, Mike Babcock to complete Tom McRae’s term in District 14 and Terry Eaker to complete Chrissy Dutton-Wiley’s term in District 15.
Board members previously rejected Doucleff’s appointment along with the recommendations of Larry Meisenheimer and Dana Brockman to the vacant seats at a meeting on Jan. 20. Prenzler asked the board to reconsider Doucleff’s recommendation at the Jan. 29 meeting and said Babcock and Eaker were nominated at the recommendation of board members who previously held those seats.
McRae resigned after he was elected as Madison County Circuit Clerk. His first order of business was appointing Wesley as his chief deputy, resulting in his resignation.
Dutton-Wiley resigned after she moved outside of her district and into McRae’s district.
In a farewell Facebook post, Dutton-Wiley explained that she moved roughly one mile outside of District 15 after getting married.
“While I am overjoyed to have my big family under one roof in our beautiful new home, I am saddened to be stepping down early from my 4-year term as a county board member. It’s been an amazing experience getting to serve the people of Madison County and to represent District 15, which is made up of towns very dear to me,” she wrote.
She explained that she grew up in Wood River, attended school in Roxana, spent her childhood at her grandparent’s Hartford home and raised her kids in Bethalto.
“I knocked on hundreds of doors in District 15 since 2012, meeting the residents and listening to their concerns,” she wrote. “I know the streets in this district like the back of my hand and it meant the world to me to be elected by the people from these great communities.”
Board members indicated during the Jan. 20 meeting when they rejected Meisenheimer's nomination that they thought it would have been more appropriate to appoint Dutton-Wiley to finish McRae’s term, which would have ended the same time as her term was expected to end in her previous district.
Also during the Jan. 29 meeting, board member Nick Petrillo said he has nothing against Babcock but voted against his appointment because they should give consideration to Dutton-Wiley.
In her Facebook post, Dutton-Wiley wrote, “Having only moved a mile and into the neighboring district with a vacant seat, it seemed as though most everyone believed an elected board member with 2 years left should have been considered for the appointment. However it wasn’t meant to be and while I’m extremely disappointed in how the events transpired, I’m completely overwhelmed by the support I received by so many along the way. I owe a huge thank you to all my fellow board members from both parties who called and sent messages with so many kind words. It was truly humbling that everyone put their party differences aside and went to bat for me, believing I deserved to be appointed. I’ll never forget how hard you all tried to support me and you all will forever have my full respect.”
Dutton-Wiley wrote that she spent her time on the county board by doing what she thought was right despite partisan politics.
“I’d be lying if I said the journey was always wonderful. Politics is an ugly business,” she wrote. “I was probably naive to think it would be easy to be that person who wasn’t a “typical politician,” by committing to do the right thing and to rise above the partisan game-playing. I also wasn’t prepared to encounter such evil and selfish pride that exists behind closed doors, even in people you would presume to be on the same ‘team.’
“I can’t even begin to understand how the hearts and minds of some politicians can be so warped, but I can say I’m walking away with my head held high, a clear conscience, and knowing I served honestly and honorably,” she added. “Beholden to no one I made my own decisions and voted the way I thought was right, and stood up and fought against things I thought were wrong. Not everyone finds that trait endearing and it cost me the opportunity [to] finish my term by filling the vacancy in District 14.”
Dutton-Wiley also congratulated the newly appointed board members.
“To the entire board, I pray you can unite on what’s important, always remembering your seat belongs to the people who put their trust in you to represent them well, not your parties and not other politicians. It’s been an honor to serve alongside you all!” she wrote.
During the Jan. 29 meeting, board member Eric Foster recognized Dutton-Wiley for her service on the board.