A brief, but update filled meeting was held by the Randolph County Board of Commissioners on April 30. The updates covered the proposed national park in Prairie du Rocher, election costs, labor contracts and COVID-19.
For the national park update, Chairman Marc Kiehna noted that for more than a year now, the Steering Committee of the Prairie du Rocher/Modoc/Edgar Lakes Levee District, the Community Foundation of Prairie du Rocher, the Randolph County Progress Committee, the Kaskaskia Regional Port District, the Community Foundation of Randolph County and the Randolph County Board of Commissioners have all been working to promote the Prairie du Rocher French Colonial Historic District, in hopes of getting it designated as a national park.
He noted that last year United State Representative Mike Bost took reports for the national park to Washington D.C. “We all thank Congressman Bost for his many efforts on our behalf,” Kiehna stated. Also last year, United States Senator Tammy Duckworth met via Zoom with the group, pledging her support for the project.
“Last week, Senator Duckworth met with Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland to discuss our park proposal,” Kiehna reported. “Speaking for all who have supported this effort, we sincerely thank United States Senator Tammy Duckworth and her staff for their unwavering enthusiasm and support for this project.”
For more from the Board of Commissioners meeting, please see this week’s print edition.