Prior to Tuesday’s election, Disclosure is bringing you the coverage we’ve given of the majority of our readership area so you’ll be aware of the contested races. This information is appearing in the current print version on stands right now, so if you need a hard copy of it, hurry and get out to pick one up; the new issue is due to hit the stands beginning April 16 and 17, which means we’ll have a full recap of election results in the new issue. In the interim, we’ve opted to go ahead and post the contents of the current issue’s front-page coverage of the ballots by county, to spur interest and ensure that everyone gets out and VOTES. There may not be many contested races, but that doesn’t mean these offices are not important. The school boards, township officials, aldermen/council seats, mayoral races and other items on the ballot, including ballot questions (such as whether a location should remain ‘dry,’ or whether a public safety tax should be imposed) are the bottom-line basics of public service…and they’re being abused daily in Illinois (and everywhere), so it’s important to PAY ATTENTION TO THEM. And the best “attention” you can pay to them is to show that we can do a better voter turnout locally than something in the teens or 20s.
So here is the ninth of the posts, which will conclude Monday and will be run alphabetically between now and then, continuing with Saline.
Saline County: Trustee races in some villages
A few trustee races are the highlights of the ballots in Saline County; other than that, there’s not a lot of big draws for the various burgs down south.
The big race is in Galatia, where eight candidates are vying for three seats on the village board. David L. Grant, Rickey Cates, C. Larry Kukla, Cheryl Beers Stallings, Brandon Murphy, Eric D. Davis, Raymond E. Hutchison and William Braden are on the ballot for these positions.
A next big ticket for a little village is the race for mayor in Raleigh. Charles Maloney is facing James W. Agin for that seat. Also in the village of Raleigh, four candidates are seeking three seats on the village board: Vince Talkington, Athel Wiseman, Ron Maloney and Jean Ellis are contending for the three spots.
Township races (& one pissed-off cop)
Ol baldy himself, Harrisburg police chief Bob Smith
Townships in Saline County that are seeking challenges for four seats each are Galatia, Raleigh and Harrisburg.
One office in Harrisburg Township that has the dander ruffled on many a voter is that of Township and Road Commissioner.
Democrat Bob Smith (whom, we’ve been told, hates our guts) is challenged by Republican Bob Holmes. Harrisburg residents are aware that Smith, police chief of the city of Harrisburg, doesn’t live within Harrisburg city limits as state statutes require a police chief to do. Two-year mayor Eric Gregg hasn’t rectified the situation yet, by either changing the regulations as to the statute, or forcing Smith to move into town.
These same residents who take issue with Smith’s residential status have a problem with him holding, and even running for, this public office…and are stating that they’re going to get out in force and ensure that Holmes prevails in this particular race, hoping to send a message to others who are abusing the taxpayers’ dollars with such violations.
Other township office, library trustee, school district races
In East Eldorado Twp, a race for road commissioner is between Republican Kevin P. Boulds and Democrat Greg McKinney.
In Raleigh Twp, there’s a road commissioner race: Republican Pervis Ellis faces Dem Dean Hutcheson for the spot.
Harrisburg Public Library District has a trustee race for two seats of three running: Sarah (Sally) Wofford, Jose Durbin and Janet K. Jones compete for those two seats.
Carrier Mills-Stonefort Community Unit School Dist. 2 has three spots open amongst five running: Georgia Cowger and Jeff Parks in Twp 9S Range 5E; Stephen Scott Figg and Randle E. Doty in Twp 10S Range 5E, and Sammy J. Dudley in Twp 10S Range 4E.
Two of three will be selected for a full four-year term on Eldorado Community Unit School District 4‘s board: Larry Parks, Rae Hill Cain and David Bartok compete for those two seats.
In Gallatin County Community Unit School District 7, three will be selected from six: Michael Blain, Robert Y. Prince, Steven J. McGuire, Richard H. Case, Gary Clayton and Rob M. Wood seek those three seats.
Ballot question
A ballot question on ballots for Harrisburg Community Unit School Dist. 3 asks if the district shall be authorized to issue $29,000 general obligation alternate bonds of the district to demolish, reconstruct, renovate, alter, repair and equip all or a portion of the Harrisburg High School buildings and improve the sites thereof, as provided for by the resolution adopted by the Board of Education on September 25, 2012. The bonds are payable from one or more of the following revenue sources: collections distributed to the district from those taxes imposed by Saline County, and general state aid, unless those are insufficient to pay said bonds, in which case property taxes upon all taxable property in the school district without limitation as to rate or amount are authorized to be extended for that purpose.
If the city hadn’t entered into TIF districts—which are coming to a conclusion in April—this question might not even have had to be asked. Voters might hold off approving the sale of bonds, pending what might happen with the TIF district when the agreement ends and taxes get more evenly distributed following its conclusion.