After spending just a few months as the director of communications with District 87, Matthew Coates is leaving the job.
Coates has been appointed by Gov. JB Pritzker to the Illinois Prisoner Review Board. The appointment requires Coates to resign his position with Bloomington schools as well as his part-time role on the McLean County Board.
“It’s a bittersweet feeling,” Coates said. “I'm very excited about being able to serve the state of Illinois in this way, but sad to leave District 87 (and the) McLean County Board.”
Coates has worked with District 87 since 2018, but just took over as communications director in February. He’s held his seat on the County Board for even less time, having been appointed in March to represent District 4 when Ben Webb stepped down.
“While it's been short, it's been it's been impactful to me,” Coates said of his board tenure.
He and his family will remain in the area, Coates said, and he hopes to continue the work he started on the board in a different capacity.
“I'm going to continuously be a champion for McLean County and continuously work with our board members on just helping McLean County grow,” he said.
If approved by the Illinois Senate, Coates' appointment begins July 1.
According to state records from Oct. 2021, Prisoner Review Board members are paid $89,443 annually.
