Farmer City Mayor Cancels Resignation

Mike Jenkins, the mayor of Farmer City has changed his mind about resigning.

Mike Jenkins said in a Sunday Facebook post that that upon reflection, he would not be stepping down after all.

“I have done a lot of reflecting,” wrote Jenkins on the Farmer City Mayoral Page on Facebook. “It’s clear that we as a community need a lot of healing. We need to work together for a better tomorrow. I will not be turning in my official resignation letter to the clerk. I will not be resigning.”

Jenkins had announced his resignation Friday, following a scandal over the DeWitt County town’s now-closed tax increment financing (TIF) district.

The Leroy/Farmer City Press and its parent newspaper, the News-Gazette, report that the TIF district came under scrutiny after city officials approved payments to businesses owned by a council member, Willard McKinley, and a TIF committee member, DeWitt County Board Member Randy Perring. Such payments violate state law, and Jenkins said that State Police was investigating.

Council Member McKinley has returned the money and stepped down from the council. But McKinley said he was coerced into resigning by Mayor Jenkins.

The mayor says he’s now calling for McKinley to be reappointed to his Farmer City council seat. “As per his request, I will call for a council meeting to reappoint Mr. McKinley ASAP,” wrote Jenkins in his Facebook post. “We will work together.”