McCall ready to tackle new duties as Cahokia mayor
Curtis McCall Jr., who was elected Tuesday as the new Cahokia village president, said he is excited about his new opportunity.
McCall, who beat incumbent Mayor Gary Cornwell, expressed relief after what he described as a hard-fought, six-month campaign to the mayor's office. He will be the village’s first African-American mayor,
While he knows he is a first, McCall said, "I am not focusing on that. I am focused on doing the best job I can for all of the residents of Cahokia. I am the mayor for everyone who lives in Cahokia, black or white. We are one. The job of making the community better will be done with all of us working together. I welcome suggestions and ideas from the community. The citizens can expect full transparency, too. My word is my bond.," he said.
Attempts to reach Cornwell for comment since the election have been unsuccessful.
The campaign was marked by much drama and political bickering, including accusations about missing campaign signs. McCall said he has put that behind him.
McCall, 33, is married and a teacher in District 187. He has been on the St. Clair County Board for two years.
"I am excited to get started. I am sincere about making a difference. The residents deserve the very best," Asked about his priorities, McCall said he has lots of them. But, "I will wait until I take office, then I will do an assessment of things and determine what I should tackle first , second and so on," he said.
McCall's inspiration to run for the Cahokia mayor's seat came from one of his students.
"It was two years ago. One of my students asked me after class why there wasn't anything for young people like him to do in Cahokia. And, he asked me why Cahokia looks the way it looks. I literally did not have an answer for the young man. There should be something for everyone to do. And, it shouldn't matter what your race is or what side of Cahokia you live in.”
McCall said he has a good idea of what some of the major needs are in Cahokia. He garnered some of that knowledge while sitting on the St. Clair County Board, he said. To really make a difference, it will have to be Cahokia working together collaboratively with the surrounding communities. And, he said he will reach out to everyone.
McCall’s father is longtime Democratic politician Curtis McCall Sr., who is Centreville Township supervisor. His mother, Yvonne McCall, is a 28-year veteran corrections officer with the St. Clair County Jail. McCall said he grew up in a household with parents who believe in discipline and hard work. He said neither he nor his siblings could get away without doing everyday chores. He said his parents always instilled in him "to do the right thing."
"The taught me to be fair and treat other people the way I want to be treated. So, it doesn't matter what race or gender you are, when you come to the village of Cahokia under my administration, you will be greeted with a smile, receive excellent customer service and above all else, you will be treated fairly," McCall said.
This story was originally published April 10, 2015 at 10:07 AM with the headline "McCall ready to tackle new duties as Cahokia mayor."