Here’s a look at the 18 candidates among the first to file for Belleville city office
Eighteen people, including Mayor Mark Eckert and his challenger, Patty Gregory, filed their candidate petitions on Monday morning for Belleville city positions for the April 6 municipal elections.
The filing period began Monday for dozens of local and school board seats across the metro-east and will continue until 5 p.m. Dec. 21.
Here’s a rundown in alphabetical order of the Belleville candidates who filed Monday morning:
Mayor
Mark Eckert has been mayor since 2004 and will try for another term.. He previously served on the City Council.
Patty Gregory, a former teacher and founder of Art on Square, officially submitted her petition to challenge Eckert.
Eckert and Gregory previously had announced their intentions to run for mayor.
City Clerk
Jenny Gain Meyer has been the city clerk since 2017 and will seek a second term.
Treasurer
Sarah Biermann works in the sewer collections department overseen by the treasurer.
Dean Hardt, who has been treasurer since 2013, is after another term. He previously served on the City Council.
City Council
The council has eight wards with two aldermen representing each ward. In this election, there is one position available in each ward. Three incumbents, Roger Barfield, Ken Kinsella and Dave Pusa did not file petitions Monday morning.
WARD 1
Three candidates — Teresa Hessel, Lillian Schneider and Bryan Whitaker — filed for the seat currently held by Ken Kinsella, who did not file for reelection.
Schneider previously served on the City Council.
WARD 2
Two people — Mike Buettner and Randy Randolph — filed for the seat currently held by Dave Pusa, who did not file for reelection.
Buettner previously served on the City Council.
WARD 3
Two people filed: Suzanne Pusa and Kent Randle, who is the incumbent alderman.
WARD 4
Johnnie Anthony was the only Ward 4 candidate. He currently serves on the council.
WARD 5
Shelly Schaefer was the only Ward 5 candidate. She currently serves on the council.
WARD 6
Mary Stiehl was the only Ward 6 candidate. She currently serves on the council.
WARD 7
Dennis Weygandt was the only Ward 7 candidate. He currently serves on the council.
WARD 8
Two people — Walter Hood Jr. and Nora Sullivan — filed for the seat currently held by Roger Barfield, who did not file for reelection.
A coin toss will be conducted to determine whose name is listed first on the contested ballots if the candidates were in line at 8 a.m. Monday when the filing period began.
This story was originally published December 14, 2020 at 12:00 AM.
