By TESA CULLI
Special to the Times-Leader
INA — Hamilton County resident Kelly Woodrow was seated on the Rend Lake College Board on Tuesday night to fill the position open since the resignation of Dr. Don Mitchell.
“I hope I can do a good job serving on the board,” Woodrow said. “I hope to be able to represent the Hamilton County taxpayers.”
Woodrow will serve the term of Mitchell, another Hamilton County resident who was elected to the RLC Board in November but resigned in January after receiving a letter written by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office stating he could not serve on the college board and the Hamilton County Board at the same time.
Woodrow is no stranger to RLC, having put three children — Justin, Jason and Kelsey — through the college. Woodrow has operated his family farm in Hamilton County for 30 years and continues to operate the family business with his two sons and his wife, Shelley.
He is also no stranger to public service. He served on the Hamilton County Board for eight years, the Southeastern Illinois Regional Planning & Development Commission Board in Harrisburg, the Wabash Area Development Inc. Board of Directors and the Beaver Creek Township Board.
RLC Board Chairman David Edmison said trustees wanted to maintain the representation of Hamilton County on the board, and Woodrow came highly recommended.
Woodrow said he is aware of the financial problems facing all community colleges due to lack of state funding, and looks forward to working with his fellow board members.
“It’s a tough time,” Woodrow said. “With the state not making payments and the college not receiving funds, I want to work to help keep the taxes down for the residents.”
• Tesa Culli is associate editor of the Mt. Vernon Register-News, sister newspaper of the Times-Leader.
