PEKIN, Ill. (WMBD) — A joint press conference was held Thursday morning in front of the Tazewell County Courthouse to launch a ballot question effort for a Medal of Honor Memorial.
Tazewell County Clerk John Ackerman was joined by several veteran post leaders outside the courthouse. They need a minimum of 200 signatures from registered county voters to get it on the ballot for next year’s primary election.
Ackerman doesn’t anticipate the proposal running into any issues.
“$80,000 for a memorial for our veterans, I don’t think that’s too big of an ask and I think it’s something that easily could be done without having to tax Tazewell County taxpayers,” Ackerman said.
He said there are existing reserve funds and $22 million in APRA funding the county has yet to utilize.
The proposed memorial would feature a black granite obelisk and would have biographies and photos of the 3 Tazewell County Medal of Honor recipients, who all served in the Civil War.
Copies of the petition are at the Tazewell County Veterans Assistance office and the County Clerk’s office and must be returned by Nov. 20.
