Simeur closes out 30-year run as Bourbonnais village clerk

BOURBONNAIS – Brian Simeur said at a recent Bourbonnais committee meeting he thought he would be voted out after one term as the village’s clerk.

“Boy, I was wrong,” he said with a laugh.

After 30 years in that role, Simeur will be handing over the duties to Chad Meents, who trustees approved at Monday’s meeting.

Meents will serve two years. He then would have to run for a four-year term in 2027.

Simeur received a framed copy of the proclamation making June 16 Brian Simeur Day.

While speaking about his time as clerk, Simeur became emotional and had to pause.

“Deep breath they tell you when you are on the [pitching] mound … OK, just let me get my thoughts together,” Simeur said.”

“It’s just been a pleasure,” Simeur said of his tenure.

Before he was done, Simeur thanked his wife, Denise. He surprised her with a bouquet of flowers as she joined him before the board.

“I could not have done this without her,” he said.

“I mean, 30 years of coming home and venting about certain things, campaigning with us and knocking on doors. The list goes on and on. The life of a politician is not an easy job either.

“I love you. I just wanted to show my appreciation for you, like these guys have shown for me. I appreciate everybody here, too.”

Simeur’s resignation will become official July 1. He began his clerk duties on May 1, 1975.

He worked at CSL Behring for 35 years in finance. Simeur earned a Bachelor of Science in accounting and finance from Eastern Illinois University.

Simeur and his wife have a son and daughter-in-law.

Next clerk

Meents is employed at CSL. He helps run the plant’s training program.

The 2001 graduate of Herescher High School and his wife, Laura, are the parents of two sons.

The 42-year-old Meents has been involved in the American Legion’s Boys State program for 25 years starting his junior year in high school.

That helped him make the decision to replace Simeur.

The focus of Illinois Boys State is the election of officials to various positions within a mythical 51st state, simulating the experience of city, county, and state level governmental functions during the week-long program, according to illinoisboysstate.org.

“Ever since a young age, specifically [high school] age, I’ve been very civic minded. It really comes down to something simple,” Meents said.

“I finally decided that I’ve been telling these kids for 25 years to go back home, get involved in your communities, join your school boards, join your village boards. I realized I wasn’t doing that myself, and just in a way that felt hypocritical.

“So I finally decided that wasn’t enough. I’ve lived here for a while. I’ve been involved, but I’ve not been involved in the level that I’ve been telling people to. So, I decided to do something about that. I started taking steps towards that goal, and that leads me here today.”

In November 2024, Meents was one of three Republican trustee candidates taken off the ballot for the February primary,

Bourbonnais election board officials ruled, however, Meents, Jacob Alexander-Hildebrand and Ryan Krusinger’s nomination petitions did not have the required minimum 25 registered voters names.

Their petitions were challenged by Bourbonnais residents Chester Maricle and Betty Franks.

Maricle is the husband of Dondi Maricle, who was running for trustee as part of the People’s Choice Party.