SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – A number of proposals introduced in recent months by Sangamon County Board member Sam Cahnman were rejected, in some cases, because they didn’t follow normal board procedures.

With this one, more than the third time was the charm, sort of.

A new version of a proposal by Cahnman has been approved to be moved to the board’s Election Committee, after board action Tuesday.  It would allow a referendum on the April ballot to recall county elected officials, something Cahnman has wanted since the 2024 death of Sonya Massey by a Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy.

“Basically, this was a holding that we, as a county, do have the legal authority under the state Constitution to enact recall, which is the objection that was made by this board when it was turned down,” said Cahnman (D-Dist. 18).

Cahnman is citing recent rulings in Aurors and Kane County regarding similar measures that were fond to not break the Illinois Constitution.  The Kane County ruling, however, is being appealed to the Second District Appellate Court.

“It’s been fully briefed by the Appellate Court in the Second District,” said Cahnman.  “I don’t know what the Second District is going to rule, but I hope they…affirm the trial court.  If that is the case, I think this board should reconsider whether to put recall on the ballot at the April 6 election, since the only objection was whether we had the legal authority to do so.”

There is no word on when the Appellate Court might make a ruling.

Do you want plasticware with that?

Also Tuesday, Cahnman introduced a potential ordinance change that would essentially ban local restaurants from providing plastic utensils with takeout orders, unless they’re asked for.

“Many customers usually take this to-go food home or to the office, where they use their own utensils,” said Cahnman.  This stuff gets thrown out.  There’s 139,000,000 tons of single-use plastic waste was generated in 2021.”

That figure is nationally.

Cahnman claims most people don’t want them, and the proposal was fashioned after others in other Illinois cities.

Cahnman lost his re-election bid to the board in the March primary.  He decided recently to instead run for a seat on the Springfield City Council, an office he held in the past.  Cahnman is an attorney.