With Tuesday’s deadline for filing nominating petitions for the April 1 local elections quickly approaching, the races for seats on municipal, school, park district and library boards in the south and southwest suburbs are beginning to come into sharp focus.
So far, hotly contested races for city council and village board seats appear to be on tap in at least three municipalities, Chicago Heights, Matteson and Joliet; three school districts, Plainfield, Dolton and Bremen Township; one library district, New Lenox; and one park district, Chicago Heights.
Perhaps the most interesting race will be the contest for 2nd Ward alderman in Chicago Heights. Frank Perez, who is seeking re-election to a third term, was called to active duty in the Army Reserve this month. Because he is not expected to be home for the primary election scheduled in the suburb on Feb. 25 or the April 1 general election, it will be up to his family and the Bloom Township Democratic Organization, which is endorsing him, to campaign on his behalf.
“I’m counting on the township Democratic organization to get re-elected,” Perez, a sergeant in the Army Reserve, said before his recent deployment to Camp McCoy in Wisconsin, after which he expects to be transferred soon with his unit to the Middle East.
Perez’s absence could make his re-election more difficult because he won’t be there to meet voters face to face, said township Democratic Committeeman David Gonzalez.
“Hopefully, his constituents won’t let him down,” Gonzalez said.
Perez is being challenged for the alderman’s post by Alex Lopez, who is endorsed by the Bloom Township Republican Organization, and 2nd Ward resident Rene Sanchez. The three candidates will square off in the primary, with the top two vote-getters meeting in the general election.
Other ward races
Primary elections are scheduled to be held in every other Chicago Heights ward except the 4th, where only two candidates, Joseph Faso and George Michael, are running to fill the seat being vacated by Ald. David Zerante. Zerante is one of five candidates in Chicago Heights running for mayor.
In the 1st Ward, incumbent Ald. Willie White is facing a challenge from Walter Mosby, Ricky Brand and Jeffrey Daniel. In the 3rd Ward, three candidates, Kevin Perkins, Wanda Rodgers and Bridgett Exton-Stewart, are seeking to succeed Ald. Oliver Alexander, who is not seeking re-election. In the 5th Ward, Ald. Lisa Aprati is being challenged by Brad Linthicum and Debbie Medina. And, in the 6th Ward, Ald. Mike Sabo is running against David Maine and Paul Tieri.
In Matteson, six people, so far, have filed petitions for the three open seats available on the Village Board. They include one incumbent Allan Johnson, and Johnny Taylor, Robert Lanz, Anthony Burdon, Eric Harwell and Emmanuel Imoukhuede.
Council races in Joliet
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In Joliet, contests for City Council seats are on tap in at least four of the city’s five council districts.
In District 1 on the far west side, Councilman Joseph Shetina thus far faces one challenger, Steve Cammack, who works for the Cook County Sheriff’s Department. In District 2 on the near west side, incumbent Timothy Brophy is opposed by Jan Quillman, who serves on the city’s Zoning Board.
In District 3 on the southwest side, incumbent Tony Uremovic is up against Joliet Grade Schools District Board member Glen Marcum and city Zoning Board member Michael Caruthers. And in District 4 on the northeast side, incumbent Alex Ledesma faces challenges from Walter Adamic, the father of a Will County Board member, and Rudy Rodriguez, a union carpenter.
Additional candidates could file before the 5 p.m. Tuesday deadline.
Despite the financial problems plaguing school districts across the state and especially in the south suburbs, plenty of individuals appear willing to take on school funding and other issues as school board members.
In Dolton Elementary School District 149, at least nine candidates so far have filed nominating petitions with four seats up for election April 1 on the school board. They are incumbents Ruby Nelson, Darlene Gray Everett, Sheryl Tillman and Arthur Myers, and newcomers Reginald Smith, Ollie Carter Jr., Brian Wilson, Rosetta Webb and Norman Jones.
Large field in District 228
There are at least nine candidates for the five of seven seats up for election on the Bremen High School District 228 Board. The district serves portions of Tinley Park, Oak Forest, Country Club Hills and Midlothian. Of the five seats, four are for four-year terms and one for a two-year term.
As of last week, incumbent board members Sharon Rybak, Cynthia Walker and Gwendolyn Dean-Green filed for one of the four-year seats, along with newcomers Reid Zohfeld, Joan Sifuentz, Ruth Becker and Michael Fredette.
Incumbent Ida Seebock filed for re-election to a two-year term along with Rybak’s son, Stephen.
Perhaps the most crowded school board race will be in fast-growing Plainfield Consolidated School District 202. School officials there said that at least 20 district residents took out nominating petitions this month to run for one of the three board seats up for election in April.
Although park and library district trustee races usually generate less interest, at least two such districts are attracting an abundance of candidates for their local elections.
In New Lenox, six candidates so far are vying for three open seats, including current board member Cheri Webb; she and newcomer Laura Madison are seeking a two-year term. Incumbents David Poole and Elmer Wilhelm are seeking full six-year terms. Also seeking full terms are newcomers Sherry Drain and Barb Kneynsberg.
In the Chicago Heights Park District, a primary will be held in the city’s 1st District to determine the two candidates who will square off in the April 1 general election. Candidates from the district thus far include Luis Ingram, Raymond Mosby and Sebastian Calvin Ghiles. A primary also will be held in the 4th District, where Timothy Swandon, who was recently appointed to the board to fill a vacancy, is being challenged by Joshua Deabel and Gary Longo.
Joining the primary winners in the district’s general election will be Richard Amadio and Joseph Stanfa, who are running for parks board president, and Gollie Rodgers and Keth Lott, who are running against each other in the 3rd District for the seat vacated by Alex Lopez, who is running for 2nd Ward alderman in Chicago Heights.