East Central Reporter

During a Sauk Village Committee of the Whole meeting on November 4, 2025, Mayor Marva Campbell-Pruitt instructed a resident not to mention the names of village trustees during the public comment period. Despite this directive, the speaker continued to use trustee names. In response, Mayor Campbell-Pruitt went to the back of the room and turned off the microphone before removing it from the lectern.

The mayor also attempted to have the police chief remove the speaker from the meeting.

The Edgar County Watchdogs criticized this action, stating that such conduct violates both First Amendment rights and Section 2.06(g) of Illinois’ Open Meetings Act, which affirms the public’s right to speak at meetings. The law specifically allows members of the public to refer to officials by name during comments.

It has been established in Illinois that residents are permitted to mention public officials and employees by name during public meetings if they choose.

A video of this incident was shared by a local Facebook group called “Sauk Village Lets Talk.”