Champaign councilman chooses not to seek reelection

By Hannah Hess

After serving eight years on the Champaign City Council, district representative Ken Pirok confirmed Tuesday that he will not seek another term.

The 39-year-old councilmen said the biggest council accomplishment during his two terms was the economic development of downtown Champaign.

“I made the initial decision to run for the council because I thought they needed some business and financial expertise,” said Pirok, who heads a financial consulting firm.

Pirok said was proud to have used his seat on the council to cast votes that were sometimes not aligned with the popular opinion.

“The biggest controversy was obviously the smoking ban,” Pirok said. Pirok voted in support of the local ban that took effect statewide on Jan. 1.

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Pirok confirmed his reason for not seeking re-election was an imminent move from the Champaign area. Council terms are four years in length, a longer tenure that Pirok expects to maintain residency.