BROCKHOUSE APPOINTED to Bluffs Village Board

By Editor | October 9, 2025 |

By DAVID CAMPHOUSE

Molly Brockhouse was appointed to the Village of Bluffs Board of Trustees following an executive session vote during the board’s regular meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 1.
Brockhouse fills the vacancy left by Tim Welch, whose resignation was formally accepted earlier in the evening.
The board considered letters of interest from Brockhouse and Rob Chapman before entering closed session for interviews. Upon returning to open session, trustees voted 3–1 in favor of Brockhouse’s appointment, with Aaron Sharrow casting the sole dissenting vote.
Village President Linda Sapp indicated that the decision between the two candidates was not made lightly, and the Village was pleased that two candidates expressed interest in the position.
“We had two excellent candidates for the Board position,” Sapp said. “Molly was selected for her enthusiasm and love of her hometown community.”
Brockhouse, who is an associate insurance agent for Country Financial in Jacksonville, stated that she looked forward to continuing to the work of the Village Board to make improvements in Bluffs.
“I think we’re already headed in the right direction,” Brockhouse said, citing the recent bicycle rodeo grant and the grant to renovate Lewis Park. “Since the Village got the bicycle grant, I’ve already seen more kids riding out in the community. It would be nice to see more adults and older people active in the community, too. So, I’d like to keep building on a good program.”
Brockhouse said that she was encouraged to seek the open board seat by other community members, and she thinks she will have new ideas to contribute to the board.
“I’ve been thinking about it for a while, about how to get more involved in the community,” Brockhouse said. “A couple of people from the community came to me to tell me that I would be good on the board. It never hurts to have a fresh perspective or have ideas from somebody that has moved away and come back.”
In her mayor’s report, Sapp announced progress on the village’s tornado siren installation. IRTC is scheduled to deliver the mounting pole, after which the siren will be installed and connected by an electrician. Donations toward the project include $2,500 from the Fire Department and EMS, and $1,000 from Roger Barnett. Coordination with Scott County 911 Dispatch will follow for testing and operational readiness.
Sapp also shared updates from a recent meeting with Midwest Youth, exploring the formation of a countywide board to support initiatives such as after-school programming and crisis prevention services. The village audit is scheduled for Oct. 21–22.
In other business, the board approved Halloween trick-or-treat hours for Oct. 31 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Village will also host its annual Halloween Walk event on October 29 from 6-8 p.m. This year’s Halloween Walk will take place in Lewis Park, and it will include activities on the newly renovated stage. In addition, there will be a pumpkin carving/painting contest open to different age groups – both adults and children.
Trustees tabled a proposal from Western Illinois University to conduct a community needs assessment and mapping initiative, pending further information.
Preparations continue for the annual “Santa in the Park” event, scheduled for Nov. 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. Planned attractions include a DJ, food truck, horse carriage rides, roasted chestnuts, and gift distribution by Santa Claus. Organizers are seeking additional vendors and programming ideas.
The meeting adjourned at 7:26 p.m. following Brockhouse’s appointment.