BND 2025 Voter Guide: See who’s running in Madison & Clinton County municipal elections

Welcome to the Belleville News-Democrat’s Voter Guide for the municipal races in the April 1 election in Madison and Clinton counties.

The News-Democrat has contacted the candidates running in contested seats and asked them to complete a candidate questionnaire.

While this article has information about candidates in municipal races in Madison and Clinton counties, you can go to this page at bnd.com to get links to read about candidates running for local and school board positions in Belleville and across the metro-east.

2025 BND VOTER GUIDE: Research candidates running in city, school & township elections

Here are the responses from the candidates who have replied: (The candidates are listed alphabetically.)

Madison County

Collinsville City Council

NAME: DONNA GREEN

Age as of April 1, 2025: 61

Campaign website or social media page: FB: Donna Green for City Council

Office seeking: City Council

Are you an incumbent? Yes

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) Yes, City Council 2017 and 2021

Occupation: Self-employed

Education: High school and some college

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: Served as board member, Chamber of Commerce. CMC Rotary, Served on Executive Board GGAR, Served on board for Collinsville Community Foundation. Founding member and served on board of CEO Program, Chairman of Festival of Trees, Founding member of C3 (Collinsville Community Collaboration)

Who are your top three campaign contributors? None - self-funded

Why are you running? Over the past eight years, this council has laid a strong foundation for meaningful progress in our community. Many key initiatives, such as the Neighborhood Improvement Program, the St. Louis Road Revitalization Program, and the Homeless Task Force, are now underway, and I have either helped initiate or have been involved in shaping. A sudden change in leadership could stall or even reverse the trajectory of our future. I am seeking reelection: to ensure continued progress, strengthen our city’s reputation, and make Collinsville the preferred place to live, work and play.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? Thanks to the hard work of this council, which I have had the honor to serve on, we have laid the groundwork for a solid path forward. The biggest challenge we face now is maintaining and building on that progress. If I had to identify one need, it would be new residential development. New family housing options will benefit all residents and are essential for the strength of our school district. Addressing this need will create a ripple effect, positively impacting many other aspects of our community. That will be a top priority for me in the next four years.

Why should people vote for you? Since 2017, I’ve demonstrated my commitment to putting the needs of Collinsville residents first. I have fought for initiatives that were met with opposition from special interest groups because I knew they were the right choices for our community. As your councilwoman, I will remain focused on both the present and the future, ensuring Collinsville continues to grow and thrive. I will continue to be a transparent and positive voice for our community, keeping residents informed about the decisions we make. Together, we can keep the momentum going and build an even stronger Collinsville.

NAME: ERIC M. NAGEL

Age as of April 1, 2025: 48

Campaign website or social media page: Eric Nagel for City Council (Facebook)

Office seeking: Councilman

Are you an incumbent? No

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) No

Occupation: Local 100 Laborer at the Village of Caseyville

Education: High school

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: Former board member and president of the Collinsville Baseball/Softball League (CBSL) and former charter member of the Collinsville Park and Recreation Advisory Commission (PRAC).

Who are your top three campaign contributors? Friends of Eric Nagel for City Council, family and myself.

Why are you running? I worked for the City of Collinsville for 25 years, 13 of them in a leadership role. I have over two decades of institutional knowledge that, if elected, will help me hit the ground running. I have a strong passion for our community’s success and I am committed to keeping our property tax rates low through sales tax and keeping our community safe! One way to keep property taxes low is by expanding our economic base by promoting and expanding our commercial development along 157, Belt Line Road, and 159.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? Community safety is one of my top issues. One way to bolster that is to work with staff and council to dedicate funding for the demolition of abandoned nuisance structures. The longer these structures remain unoccupied and uninhabitable, the more likely they are to become shelter from the elements for our homeless population and attract other criminal elements. Without utilities, these structures are subject to fires from people looking to stay warm and unsanitary living conditions, which pose a safety threat to our community and first responders alike.

Why should people vote for you? I believe we need change. My experience working for the city has given me the knowledge and skill set to be a responsible financial steward with our taxpayers’ hard-earned money. I will always place responsible spending and cutting government waste as a top priority. I am excited for the growth potential this city and its residents deserve and I am deeply committed to it!

NAME: DAVID SEATON

Age as of April 1, 2025: 41

Campaign website or social media page: https://www.facebook.com/Seaton4collinsville

Office seeking: Collinsville City Council

Are you an incumbent? No

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) No

Occupation: Pastor

Education: Bachelor of Arts in religion, masters of theology

Please list highlights of your civic involvement:

• PTA President, treasurer and vice president
• Italian Fest chairman for two years and co-chair for three years and over souvenirs for 4 years
• Coached baseball, wrestling and basketball for youth
• Collinsville Park and Rec advisory board Vice President
• Led a team that gave away over 2 million pounds of food during COVID
• I’ve been working with the city to help and aid the homeless for 7 plus years

Who are your top three campaign contributors? My parents, myself and Bob & Linda Wolfe

Why are you running? I care deeply about the city of Collinsville. I’ve helped in any way I can and in any way I’ve been asked to help. I want to see Collinsville be the best place to live in the whole Metro East. I think that’s possible but it will take leadership and hard work, which I believe I can offer both.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? Residential and commercial development

Why should people vote for you? I’m a proven leader who has helped for years just because it’s the right thing to do. I’ve stepped up to help before there was a campaign and I will step up after the campaign because it’s the right thing to do. I will never just go along with something or someone because it’s the “way it’s always been done” and I will work extremely hard to find the best possible solution to every problem or obstacle Collinsville will face.

NAME: ALONZO J. SKIPPER III

Withdrew from race as of Feb. 28.

Granite City Mayor

NAME: KIM BENDA (write-in)

Age as of April 1, 2025: 58

Campaign website or social media page: www.kimbendaformayor.com

Office seeking: Mayor of Granite City

Are you an incumbent? No

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) Yes, alderman

Occupation: Business owner

Education: Studied nursing at Sanford Brown. Earned an associate degree in business from SWIC. I pursued a bachelor’s degree from SIUE in sociology and psychology. I left prior to graduation due to a very difficult pregnancy.

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: I have served on numerous committees for the real estate board, including scholarships. I have helped numerous homeless people and drug addicted teens. I have also allowed the Granite City Police Department to use vacant properties being rehabbed for training purposes. I currently own Benda Property Solutions, which only hires non-violent felons convicted of drug and alcohol offenses. My goal is by creating jobs and hope, it will help combat homelessness and crime.

Who are your top three campaign contributors? Myself, Greg Austin, and Jeff Beck

Why are you running? I am writing to you today to announce my candidacy as a write-in candidate for Mayor of Granite City. I was removed from the ballot, and we are currently appealing at the Supreme Court. As a longtime resident and business owner of Granite City, I have witnessed firsthand the struggles our community faces. Homelessness, drug addiction, and the dismantling of our city are issues that cannot be ignored. Nepotism and failed audits have plagued our city for far too long. I promise to bring transparency and accountability to our local government, ensuring that all decisions are made in the best interest of our community. Our city is facing numerous challenges, and I believe it is time for a fresh perspective and new leadership to address these issues head-on. I am committed to working tirelessly to find solutions that will benefit all residents.

One of my top priorities is to raise revenue while lowering utilities. By doing so, we can create a more affordable living environment for everyone. Additionally, I am dedicated to creating affordable housing options to ensure that all residents have a safe and secure place to call home. Together, we can build a brighter future for Granite City. I humbly ask for your support and your vote as a write-in candidate for Mayor. Let us work together to create a city we can all be proud of.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? Corruption. I will ensure that no future challenger must endure what we have to represent the over 300 registered voters that demanded a choice in a free and fair election. I have written an ethics proposal that is posted at kimbendaformayor.com.

Why should people vote for you? Our city needs to invest in and seek employers that will be relevant in 2050 rather than longing for the nostalgia of a 1950s economy. I will weed out all types of corruption from nepotism to failures in transparency. I have posted an ethics proposal on my website to address the various types of corruption that hinders our city’s economy.

Granite City Ward 1

NAME: ANGELIA D. GOWER

Age as of April 1, 2025: 57

Campaign website or social media page: Social Media (Angelia Riley Gower)

Office seeking: Granite City Alderman Ward 1

Are you an incumbent? No

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) No

Occupation: System senior director of revenue integrity and chargemaster

Education: BA and MBA health care management

Please list highlights of your civic involvement:

• Pastor - Rivers of Water Worship Center

• President NAACP Madison Branch Unit 3021B covering 62040, 62060, and 62090

• Board Member - Agency of Community Transit (ACT)

• Board member - Joe W Roberts Youth Club

• Executive Director Women of Destiny

(Just to name a few. I am a community health worker advocate and I am very involved in community outreach programs.)

Who are your top three campaign contributors? I financed my campaign

Why are you running? I am a firm believer that we all should be heard, valued and represented. I want to assist in addressing the needs of Ward 1 and the community as a whole. I want to be a voice for others and be involved in creating solutions and also share information with the residents of Ward 1.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? My top priorities that I would like to work on are:

• Be accessible and accountable to all constituents

• Support families and small businesses

• Enhance our senior programs to include education and healthcare resources

• Work with organizations and businesses on dignified dining for those in need (Currency of Caring)

• Create programs to reduce violence among our youth

Why should people vote for you? I have proven over the years that I am trustworthy and honest. Integrity and character are very important to me. The items that I would like to work on are things that I am already working on, and I would like to help more people. I feel that Ward 1 is underrepresented and change is good, especially when it promotes unity and compassion and inspires others to want to step up as well. I believe that change starts with all of us so why not step up and be the change that I want to see in the community that I live in? My dedication and commitment to our community is unwavering and I promise to have an open-door policy to listen to the concerns of the residents and represent their voice.

Granite City Ward 2

NAME: JENNIFER FLORES

Age as of April 1, 2025: 42

Campaign website or social media page: www.jenniferleeflores.com

Office seeking: Ward 2 Alderman in Granite City

Are you an incumbent? No

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) No

Occupation: Software developer

Education: BFA: Washington University in St. Louis; MFA SIUE

Please list highlights of your civic involvement:

• Appointed member of Granite City HARC Board

• Member of the St. Louis Dragonboat Board

• Fundraising for Wings of Hope non-for-profit

• Past mentor- LaunchCode technical bootcamp

• Daughter of retired Army Reserve Nurse

• Mother to a current Guardian in the U.S. Space Force

• Former business owner of Art Park Ost and Gallery 1410 in the Granite City Arts and Entertainment District (2008-2018)

• Former member of the Niedringhaus Small Business Owners group

• Founder and organizer: Granite City Music and Metal Festival

Who are your top three campaign contributors? No monetary contributors — all volunteers; this is a grassroots effort

Why are you running? I am looking to fight the corruption in the current Granite City administration. There has been a recycled group of friends of friends elected to office and their poor, uninformed decision-making has left our city without a municipal water-treatment plant, and our police and firefighters’ pensions depleted. As alderman, I will sit on city council and ask the hard questions and get to the bottom of who has caused this irreversible harm to the citizens of Granite City and work to fix those mistakes.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? I am looking to be a face in the community everyone knows. If elected, I will continue my door to door campaign, staying in touch with my residents, holding in-person neighborhood watch meetings, and maintaining multiple sources of information for our community, including multiple social media outlets and a Ward 2 website. I will be a fixture in this community and show them what a real politician is: a servant leader of the people!

Why should people vote for you? People should vote for me because they know we need change! We need someone from outside of the “old-boys club” to have a seat on city council, and for younger representation to share the voice of the next generation. If elected, I will rescind my alderman paycheck and return that money to the taxpayers of my ward for local improvements and things we need — like a stop sign on the corner of 23rd and Cleveland, and a community garden in one of the empty lots left from the current Mayor’s architectural genocide. Vote for me for change, because there won’t be much left of Granite City with the current administration we have. Vote out the incumbents and vote for change: Jennifer Flores for Ward 2 Alderman.

NAME: JASON M. SMITH

Age as of April 1, 2025: 54

Campaign website or social media page: https://www.facebook.com/alderman.ward2.granitecity.illinois/

Office seeking: Granite City Alderman Ward 2

Are you an incumbent? Yes

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) Not before 4 years ago

Occupation: Site manager

Education: Some college

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: As an alderman, it has been the highlight of my tenure so far in helping the people of my ward with their problems and answering any of their concerns.

Who are your top three campaign contributors? Myself

Why are you running? I am running for reelection to keep the momentum moving forward that the city has realized over the past four years.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? I would say the red tagged homes that are eyesores in not just mine, but every ward in the city. I know for a fact that the current administration has met and tackled this problem head-on by tearing down these homes when we can.

Why should people vote for you? I love being able to help the people of my ward with their problems, and I want to be there for them when they don’t know where to turn. I also love my city. Like I said earlier, I also want to continue to keep the ball moving forward on the progress this city has made during this administration.

Granite City Ward 3

NAME: GREG AUSTIN

Age as of April 1, 2025: 57

Campaign website or social media page: None

Office seeking: Alderman Ward 3

Are you an incumbent? No

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) Alderman Ward 5

Occupation: Retired financial advisor and local business owner

Education: Bachelor’s degree in political science, associate degree in account

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: I have previously been involved in various local charitable organizations.

Who are your top three campaign contributors? None

Why are you running? Our city has been in decline for decades for various reasons, both external and internal. We need to stop using the same playbook that has continued to fail us. We are an industrial town that needs to attract new types of industries that pay workers well and attract new residents. Industries that rely heavily on fossil fuels are unlikely to stay or come to Illinois in our current political environment.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? Our current administration and previous one have tried and failed to create publicly owned businesses that fail to make profits and drain resources from our economy. What has been done needs to be marketed and managed properly to become self-sustaining immediately. This starts with a strong ethics policy and posting all city jobs for a minimum of 30 days to seek well qualified people to necessary positions. Each department should be evaluated for inefficiencies and focused on customer service. If we want to grow we need to be easy to invest in and work with.

Why should people vote for you? I will focus on lowering our cost of living and permanently solving pension solvency issues. We have too much spending on projects that help or improve the lives of too few.

NAME: STEPHANIE BETHEL

Age as of April 1, 2025: 49

Campaign website or social media page: N/A

Office seeking: Alderman of Ward 3 Granite City

Are you an incumbent? No

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) No

Occupation: Business owner of Stephanie’s Spiritual Shop

Education: Associate degree

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: In 2014, I was a co-creator for the Granite City Business Foundry. Have worked alongside the Granite City High School with their entrepreneur program.

Who are your top three campaign contributors? N/A

Why are you running? I feel it’s time for change and to hold our city accountable. To see that every small business in Granite City is treated fairly. Do not understand how city ordinances only apply for some and not others.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? I feel like the city is discriminating against business and other small businesses in Granite City.

Why should people vote for you? Because it’s time for change. As a business owner and an alderman, I will be open to just sitting down with people in one-on-one groups to hear what my community wants to have changed. As a small business owner, we are not heard, let alone as citizens.

NAME: DAN MCDOWELL

Age as of April 1, 2025: 74

Campaign website or social media page: Dan McDowell, Alderman 3rd Ward, Facebook

Office seeking: Third Ward Alderman

Are you an incumbent? Yes

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) I was appointed as an alderman 24 years ago and I have been re-elected ever since.

Occupation: I am a retired respiratory therapist (35 years at Gateway) and currently an occasional substitute teacher at the wonderful Frohardt Elementary School in Granite City.

Education: I have a BS in education from SEMO, elementary certification from SIUE and respiratory therapy certification from BAC.

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: I am a past member of the Granite City Rotary Club, past board member of Solid Granite, past board member of the local Red Cross, Deacon at Unity Baptist Church where I participate in Cornerstone, a Kingdom Community of support and development for those who are disadvantaged by poverty or homelessness. I also coordinate the placement of American flags (over 1,500) in all of Lueders Park Estates as well as Cleveland Boulevard down to the awesome display that the residents of the 2200 block of Cleveland decorate to celebrate the Fourth of July.

Who are your top three campaign contributors? I am self-funded.

Why are you running? I have the experience working with the various city departments to know how to get things done, not only for my ward but also for the city at large.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? For me the top issue is nuisance abatement. By that I mean the everyday issues that cause residents to consider leaving our city. For example, abandoned property next to you, dogs barking constantly, trash in alleys, loud or inconsiderate neighbors, derelict property owners just to name a few. I work closely with the inspection department as well as the police department to address these issues. I encourage people to do better by being persistent until the problem can be rectified as best as I can.

Why should people vote for you? I started out as a volunteer member of the Board of Appeals and I served for 11 years, the last five as chairman. I was then appointed to the city council 24 years ago and have won re-election ever since. There are five wards, and each ward consists of approximately 5,000 residents. As you can imagine, I have a large stack of Post-It notes and files on many issues where I have worked to help solve problems in the third ward as well as the city at large.

I am currently the chairman of the Planning, Zoning, and Inspection committee and have been for the past 20 years. I also serve on the following committees: Finance, The District, Public Works, Insurance and Economic Development.

Besides the city council meetings on the first and third Tuesdays, I also attend the following monthly meetings: Graphic Review Board (LED sign requests for example), Board of Appeals (requests for setback variances for example), Planning Commission (zoning requests, special use permits for example).

I believe this is a great community to live, work, and play, and I want to continue to help make it even better. I think I have demonstrated that I have the knowledge and the passion to work with the residents in my ward and in the city to address the issues that they bring to my attention.

Granite City Ward 5

NAME: RANDY LEMASTER

Age as of April 1, 2025: 56

Campaign website or social media page: Randall LeMaster, Alderman Ward 5 (Facebook)

Office seeking: Alderman, Ward 5

Are you an incumbent? Yes

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) Nothing before alderman in 2021

Occupation: Installation manager

Education: Granite City High School

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: Big Brother program, soccer coach, volunteer for MEMA, OWL (overnight warming location for the homeless), Old Six Mile Museum, founder of the Granite City Business Boosters

Who are your top three campaign contributors? N/A

Why are you running? To continue to be a part of the positive change happening in our city. To be a voice for Ward 5 citizens and the city as a whole. To champion our small businesses.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? I believe the top issue in Ward 5 will be to work with the mayor on infrastructure projects. Now that measures have been taken to address flooding, it is time to move to fixing roads.

Why should people vote for you? I believe I have been very accessible and work quickly to answer the needs of Ward 5 citizens. I answer every call and respond to every concern. I am a supporter of our business owners and volunteer with various nonprofit organizations. Finally, I voted for measures to help bring the city to financial stability.

NAME: MATT WEINHOFFER

Age as of April 1, 2025: 55

Campaign website or social media page: https://www.facebook.com/share/129RTSbGfuo/

Office seeking: Ward 5 alderman

Are you an incumbent? No

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) No

Occupation: Utility Operator

Education: Attended NWOSU

Please list highlights of your civic involvement:

• Former board member Granite City Complex Youth Center
• 20 years with Santa’s Holiday Ave
• Member/Young Adult Ministry Mentor/Children’s Ministry Teacher Grace Church East Campus

Who are your top three campaign contributors? Self-funded

Why are you running? I believe that everyone has a duty to do, whether it is volunteering or in an official capacity. Change cannot happen by sitting on the sideline.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? Economic growth has to be close to the top. The answer to that is looking at other cities and how they have adapted to changing industries.

Why should people vote for you? I’m a team player who wants to win. If I’m elected, I will fight every day to ensure we are taking the best steps forward to ensure a victory for Granite City and its residents.

Highland City Council

NAME: CHRISTOPHER FREIMANN

Withdrew from race as of Feb. 27.

NAME: GARRY N. KLAUS

Age as of April 1, 2025: 74

Campaign website or social media page: N/A

Office seeking: Highland City Council

Are you an incumbent? No

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) 2023 Highland City Council

Occupation: Contractor DoD acquisition explosives system safety specialist, author of self-defense books and martial arts Instructor

Education:

• Advanced Program Management Course, Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, VA
• Professional Certification in Project Management, Florida Institute of Technology, Alexandria, VA
• Level III Acquisition Program Management Certification, Department of The Navy
• Marine Officer School (OCS), The Marine Officer Basic School (TBS), MCB Quantico
• Naval Explosives Safety Managers/Supervisors Orientation, U.S. Army Defense Ammunitions Center, OK CV/ CVN Air launched Weapons Supervisor

Please list highlights of your civic involvement:

• Marine 27 years active duty
• Highland Optimist Member Active since 2016
• Highland Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission Active since 2018

Who are your top three campaign contributors? Self, Self, and Self.

Why are you running?

• I am seeking the city council office of the city of Highland for the same reason I joined the Marine Corps in 1968. “Ask not what your country can do for you...but ask what you can do for your country.” Just change the word country to city.
• Honor and privilege to serve the “hard working, American freedom loving taxpayers” of Highland and pass on my in-depth knowledge, experience, and expertise as a martial arts self-defense instructor / business owner, leader, manager, and supervisor of billion dollar defense programs.
• I do not have a: bone to pick, ax to grind, rock to throw, finger to point.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it?

Try to complete within the first six-month period an onsite visit of all Highland assets to include vehicles, equipment, tools, buildings, vacant lots, and city of Highland employees.

• Discuss with the subject matter experts (SME) what is and what is not working, what is and is not needed, what is nice to have and what is must have

• Find out what the SMEs top three priorities are

• Are there some things we can live without vs must haves

• Delays in procurement usually equal more money down the road

• Currently cost growth is across all line items to include wages

• Need to appreciate each budget line item, value added, study it, understand it…and vote based on my understanding of the issue(s)

Why should people vote for you?

• Honesty, loyalty, integrity, sound judgment, common sense, moral God-fearing principles, strong professional work ethics and respect of others…newborn, young, teenage, middle and senior age citizens

• Marine Active Duty Private (E-1) to Lieutenant Colonel (0-5) June 1968 - May 1995. With duty assignments and experience worldwide as it applies to the need of Marine Aviation Ordnance and explosive safety

• Worldwide experience in martial arts customs and training under Korean, Chinese, Japanese and American native masters. I promoted over 350 black belts. Business owner of: Kingstone Karate Dojo Alexandria VA 2005-2014 and LtCol Klaus Karate Dojo Springfield VA 2012-2016 Business owner with six people on payroll. Author of two books “Teen Self-Defense American Marine Goju” and “American Marine Goju Within Arms Reach Self-Defense”

• DoD management / supervisor of major defense acquisition program requirements from (cradle to grave) 50 plus years to include:

• Risk management

• Statement of work (SOW) to vendors / manufacturers

• Scheduling

• Satisfying the original programmatic requirements

• Financial / budgeting goals

• Engineering requirements: Test plans, test equipment, and engineering change proposals (ECPs)

• Logistics: Training, tools, equipment, shelf life, and disposal

• Satisfying any and all known environment, safety and occupational health issues to include: local, state and federal requirements

Madison City Clerk

NAME: CELENA BROWLEY

Age as of April 1, 2025: 47

Campaign website or social media page: N/A

Office seeking: Madison city clerk

Are you an incumbent? Yes

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) Yes, Madison city clerk and Madison School Board member District 12

Occupation: Operations manager with a global real estate company

Education: High school diploma

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: Supervise the Madison Youth Programs, such as volleyball camp, basketball camp and mentoring programs. Secretary of Madison School Board. I was a member of the Black Professional Affinity Group and Madison NAACP Chapter, the National Diversity Group and Toastmasters.

Who are your top three campaign contributors? N/A

Why are you running? I am running for city clerk of Madison to have a trusted person in office to ensure the upkeeping of the Madison city’s official records and legislation. I am passionate about the city of Madison, having lived here my entire life. It is my goal to maintain the city’s records with integrity and transparency for the public. I intend to continue documenting the minutes of city meetings in a clear and concise manner for citizens to review, as well as ensuring the city budget remains balanced.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? I don’t perceive a significant problem in the city clerk race; however, I will continue to monitor our technology to assess whether we require any extra resources for payroll ledgers or budget limitations.

Why should people vote for you? I believe that people should vote for me because within the past four years, I have served the city of Madison as the city clerk with integrity and honesty. I will continue to ensure all the resolutions, regulations and ordinances passed by the council are certified and recorded in a timely and proper manner. Having grown up in Madison my entire life, I am passionate about the people in our community and I want to keep representing our city in a positive and transparent way.

Madison City Mayor

NAME: DEMARQUE CROCHRELL SR.

Age as of April 1, 2025: 54

Campaign website or social media page: None

Office seeking: Mayor-City of Madison

Are you an incumbent? No

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) Alderman-City of Madison-Ward 2

Occupation: Retired-highway maintainer IDOT

Education: High school graduate

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: My experience as the Venice Township supervisor, city councilman, and 25-year career as an IDOT highway maintainer has enhanced my understanding of the functions of local governments and the responsibilities of city leaders, which include finance and budgeting, accessing various sources of municipal revenues, such as grants and TIFs, as well as understanding the importance of being responsive to residents’ concerns and implementing their ideas.

I have already created new programs for our citizens, which include social service activities and bingo luncheons for seniors, community holiday events such as Christmas parties and toys-for-tots activities, providing warming and cooling centers and care packages for the homeless, increasing access to free tax preparation services, enrollments in homestead exemptions programs, partnering with Land of Lincoln Legal Services to provide expungement opportunities for young residents, and general assistance funding for eligible citizens.

I also continue to serve as a member of Peacekeepers of MLV (Madison-Lovejoy-Venice) Incorporated, which is a local not-for-profit organization, which provides social development programs to underserved youths, and I also serve as the vice president of the Joe W. Roberts Youth Club.

Developing our youths to become productive citizens of our society is why I successfully proposed, and our voters supported, the creation of a youth service tax, which is specifically designed to generate revenue to provide social service programs to our youths. It encourages higher education and positive social development for the community as a whole.

Who are your top three campaign contributors? Self-funded campaign

Why are you running? Running for mayor is the most powerful way for me to be able to make a difference in our community. It will provide me with the opportunity to address local issues, implement policies that can improve the quality of life for our residents and to be a voice for those who might not otherwise be heard. Plus, it can be incredibly rewarding to see the tangible impact of these efforts on the place we call home.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? Here are a few of the key issues that I plan to address:

• Economic development: Balancing economic growth and ensuring opportunities are available for all citizens, including attracting new businesses and supporting local entrepreneurs.

• Infrastructure: Maintaining and upgrading essential infrastructure like roads, bridges, public transportation and utilities to meet the needs of our growing population.

• Housing: Addressing affordable housing shortages and homelessness by creating policies and programs that promote access to safe, affordable housing.

• Public safety: Ensuring the safety of residents by managing police, fire and emergency services, as well as addressing crime rates and community policing.

• Education: Partnering with school districts and educational institutions to improve educational outcomes for students and ensure access to quality education.

• Health and social services: Promoting public health initiatives and providing social services to support vulnerable populations, including mental health resources and addiction treatment programs.

Why should people vote for you? As mayor for the City of Madison, I will bring fresh perspectives and new ideas to the table. These ideas will help address evolving challenges and create ways to adapt to changing times. I will bring innovative solutions and a renewed sense of energy and enthusiasm to our community. Additionally, we can prevent stagnation and ensure that leadership remains dynamic and responsive to the needs of the community. Ultimately, it’s about finding the right balance between experience and innovation to drive progress and positive change.

Madison Ward 1

NAME: VERA L. BROWLEY

Age as of April 1, 2025: 74

Campaign website or social media page: Facebook

Office seeking: Alderwoman Ward 1 City of Madison

Are you an incumbent? Yes

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) Alderwoman Ward 1 City of Madison

Occupation: LIHEAP intake worker for Madison County Community Development

Education: High school graduate of Venice High School, associate science degree SWIC

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: Girl Scout leader, youth program organizer, active in the senior program sponsored by Venice Township

Who are your top three campaign contributors? N/A

Why are you running? To continue making productive changes to benefit our community

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? Utility cost has soared tremendously upward for the citizens of Madison and surrounding communities. I plan on sitting down with the mayor and other alderpersons to come up with a plan that we can present to the utility company to combat some of the cost for the citizens of Madison.

Why should people vote for you? I have fought for changes for almost four years for the citizens of Madison. Some have been implemented, but we still have many more issues to be resolved. They should vote for me because I’m trustworthy, empathetic, long-suffering and I will not give up on matters that will benefit the citizens of Madison.

Maryville Mayor

NAME: WAYNE WHITE

Age as of April 1, 2025: 53

Campaign website or social media page: Facebook Page “Wayne White for Mayor of Maryville”

Office seeking: President/Mayor of Village of Maryville

Are you an incumbent? No

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) I served three full terms on the Collinsville Unit 10 School Board, and I am serving my second term as a village trustee in Maryville.

Occupation: Retired police officer as of February 2025

Education: Bachelors of Science degree from Illinois State University

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: I have dedicated my life to public service. In addition to serving as a law enforcement officer for 30 years, I spent 25 years on the Police Pension Board, including 22 years as its president, overseeing critical financial decisions for officers and their families.

While working full-time as a police officer, I also gave back to my community by volunteering as a local baseball, football and basketball coach. I served 12 years on the Collinsville School Board, an unpaid position, where I helped shape policies and budgets that impacted thousands of students. Additionally, I served for eight years as a commissioner on the Maryville Police and Fire Board.

Beyond public office, I have volunteered hundreds of hours at Maryville events, including the Homecoming, Musicfest, Fall Festival, and Parks and Recreation events. I have also supported numerous fundraisers for the Collinsville Junior Service Club and have been actively involved with Christ Church’s Collinsville-Maryville campus.

Service to my community has always been my passion, and I will continue that commitment as Mayor.

Who are your top three campaign contributors? I have not received any financial contributions.

Why are you running? Running for mayor of Maryville was an easy decision because this village isn’t just where I live — it’s home. For nearly 30 years, my wife, Renee, and I have built our lives here, raising our three children — Brooklynn, Braden, and Chance — in a community that has given us so much. They attended Maryville schools, participated in Girl Scouts and youth sports, and grew up surrounded by the values that make this town special.

Public service has always been my passion. I dedicated 30 years to law enforcement, ensuring the safety and well-being of our neighboring community. My wife and I have also volunteered countless hours at Maryville events, including the Homecoming, Fall Festival, Easter Egg Hunt, and the annual kayaking event at Drost Park. Giving back to Maryville has always been a priority for our family.

When Mayor Short decided not to seek a third term, he and the Board of Trustees encouraged me to run. I’m honored to have their full support. With my experience, leadership, and dedication, I see this role as an opportunity to help Maryville thrive. As Mayor, I will work to ensure our village continues to grow, strengthen, and remain a great place for future generations.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? The need for more retail economic development is the biggest issue facing our town. Maryville is an incredible community with a high quality of life, but like many small towns, we rely too heavily on property taxes to fund our operations. To ensure long-term financial stability, we must actively pursue new retail and commercial developments that will generate additional revenue.

We’ve already taken a major step in the right direction. As a trustee, I proposed restructuring our administration to include a full-time village administrator, whose role is to attract and facilitate new developments. As mayor, I will work closely with our administrator to actively engage with developers, showcase the incentives we offer, and highlight prime locations for new businesses.

This process is already underway. I have initiated conversations with major developers interested in investing in Maryville. As mayor, I will dedicate my time and resources to securing these opportunities, working alongside the Board of Trustees to make strategic decisions that benefit our community. My goal is to make Maryville not just a great place to live, but a destination for businesses and families alike.

Why should people vote for you? I am fully invested in Maryville. My wife, children, and I have proudly called this village home for nearly 30 years. We have built strong relationships and dedicated ourselves to making our community a great place to live. No one cares more about Maryville and its future than I do.

I am the most qualified candidate to serve as mayor. With 18 years of elected public service, I have extensive experience in leadership, governance, and financial oversight. As a Collinsville School Board member, I served as board secretary, vice president and Budget Committee member, making critical decisions that impacted our community. That experience prepared me for my current role as a Maryville trustee, where I have served effectively for the past six years.

As trustee, I have worked with my colleagues to complete major infrastructure projects, expand our Police, Fire, and Public Works Departments, modernize technology, and improve government transparency through livestreamed meetings. We achieved these improvements while lowering Maryville’s tax rate and increasing our fund balances — demonstrating responsible leadership.

I believe in collaboration and teamwork. As a lieutenant with the Glen Carbon Police Department, I successfully led the patrol division for a decade, gaining valuable experience in leadership, problem-solving, and communication. True leadership is about listening, working together, and finding solutions. As mayor, I will maintain open lines of communication, listen to concerns, and put the people of Maryville first.

Above all, I will serve with integrity. My faith guides my decisions, and I am 100% focused on Maryville’s future.

Maryville Village Board

NAME: JULIE CLARK

Age as of April 1, 2025: 66

Campaign website or social media page: None

Office seeking: Maryville IL village trustee

Are you an incumbent? Yes

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) Yes, I have served two terms as Maryville village trustee

Occupation: Recently retired from Allison Bash State Farm

Education: Attended Eastern Illinois University and Western Illinois University as a business major

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: I currently serve as president of the Maryville Kiwanis Club, I am the village liaison for the Parks and Recreation Committee, the Build Maryville Committee, the Maryville Outreach Center and I currently serve as secretary for the Maryville Ministerial Alliance. I am also an active member of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church and currently serve as financial chairperson and usher.

Who are your top three campaign contributors? I have funded my own campaign.

Why are you running? First of all, I love Maryville. I want to see our village move forward. I am excited to work with our newly hired village administrator and the new mayor to achieve growth while maintaining our fiscal solvency and the safety of our residents. As a board, we have prioritized training for our police officers and firefighters who work to keep our community safe. They are the best, and I will continue to support ongoing training for them as well as our department heads and other village employees. I am running because I care. It is plain and simple. As Maya Angelou put it, “When you do nothing you feel overwhelmed and powerless. But when you get involved, you feel the sense of hope and accomplishment that comes from knowing you are working to make things better.”

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? Economic development is the most talked about issue. I believe that the board’s decision to hire a full-time village administrator is key to addressing this issue. Currently, the mayor has a heavy workload just dealing with the daily operations of the village. The newly hired village administrator has the experience and knowledge to seek out development opportunities as well as grants and other options to fund development projects. I look forward to working with her and the newly elected mayor to bring new development projects to fruition.

Why should people vote for you? I am honored to have served the residents of Maryville in this capacity for two terms. I have cast my votes based on how I think the residents would want me to vote for the betterment of the village. I am known as a “get things done” person. People that know me personally will attest that I am a hard worker, organized, punctual, loyal and respectful and open to ideas. Please mark Clark for Maryville Trustee.

NAME: LARRY GULLEDGE

Age as of April 1, 2025: 74

Campaign website or social media page: n/a

Office seeking: Maryville village trustee

Are you an incumbent? No

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) Maryville trustee (1983-1993), Part-time mayor of Maryville (1993-2001) Full-time mayor of Maryville (2001-2017)

Occupation: Retired mayor of Maryville, retired salesman

Education: Attended SIUE

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: My administration built a new firehouse and made renovations to the police station and Village Hall. Widened Route 159 from two lanes to five5, with sidewalks. I am one of the founders of the Khoury League in Maryville. Worked to get major improvements to Drost Park along with many additional improvements to the village of Maryville.

Who are your top three campaign contributors? My campaign is self-funded.

Why are you running? I care deeply about the village of Maryville and its residents. I’d like to return to a role in local government to help Maryville continue to grow and thrive while still being a safe and affordable place to raise a family.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? One of the most challenging issues is maintaining safe and effective management of controlled community growth. A good way to approach this issue is to provide the best assets (financial, educational, etc.) to our department heads, employees and volunteers.

Why should people vote for you? I believe that my knowledge and experience of 34 years as an elected official in Maryville would make me a qualified and valuable asset to the village.

NAME: GARY KUKLA

Age as of April 1, 2025: 71

Campaign website or social media page: None

Office seeking: Trustee

Are you an incumbent? No

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) No

Occupation: Chief of police

Education: B.A. political science with emphasis in legal studies

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: I’ve been in law enforcement since 1978. Sergeant St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (Retired). Instrumental in beginning community-oriented policing for SLMPD. I’m currently the Chief of Police in St. Jacob, IL. I was appointed to the Village of Maryville Community Improvement Board and Maryville Fire and Police Commissioner Board.

Who are your top three campaign contributors? I have not accepted any campaign contributions.

Why are you running? I am seeking the office of Maryville trustee for the same reasons I felt the calling to become a police officer 45 years ago: to protect and serve others and make a positive difference in the community. I have always been the type of person to seek greater challenges and go beyond what is expected. I view problems as opportunities, not obstacles. I wish to be the peoples’ voice in ensuring that the village administration’s decisions are fair, effective and efficient.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? As a newcomer, if fortunate enough to be elected, I harbor no personal agendas or preconceived ideas of what should be done. I believe you are entitled to have a conscientious individual step up to give you a voice because your opinions, point-of-view and perspectives matter, and then work to achieve favorable results with a harmonious and cooperative spirit — a lesson I learned from community-oriented policing. In general, I am in favor of economic growth and effectively controlling costs through economical utilization of personnel, materials and equipment. I would focus on setting realistic cost priorities and demonstrating sound financial discipline. I firmly believe in transparency and accountability.

Why should people vote for you? I would like to express my sincere desire to do my utmost to keep Maryville safe, secure, welcoming and headed in the direction that is most beneficial to the largest number of people possible. I believe that my life experience and lessons have prepared me to arrive at commonsense solutions to complex issues. I have always demonstrated character in my personal and professional life. I have the courage to stand up for what is right and defend others who feel the same way. As a Christian, I have always shown compassion for others less fortunate and those in need of understanding and reassurance.

NAME: ANTHONY “TONY” MOSES

Age as of April 1, 2025: 45

Campaign website or social media page: https://www.facebook.com/anthonytonymoses

Office seeking: Maryville village trustee

Are you an incumbent? No

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) Yes, village trustee

Occupation: Cybersecurity eead

Education: Bachelor of science

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: Maryville Community Improvement board, former Maryville firefighter

Who are your top three campaign contributors? n/a

Why are you running? My family and I have lived here for almost 20 years and I want to continue supporting the small businesses coming to town which bring in tax revenue to help improve the village security, safety and population. Also want to help improve all issues that have been a nuisance within the village that are not being taken care of.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? Keeping small business thriving, help the police department bring in more officers to patrol. The businesses will help bring in revenue to bring in more officers. I will do this by trying to attract more small businesses to build or open in our vacant areas and not try to run them out.

Why should people vote for you? The village deserves new younger board members who will help Maryville push forward and thrive.

Troy Ward 1

NAME: ELIZABETH HELLRUNG

Age as of April 1, 2025: 48

Campaign website or social media page: Citizens for Elizabeth Hellrung (Facebook)

Office seeking: City of Troy - alderman, Ward I

Are you an incumbent? Yes

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) Troy alderman Ward I, Jarvis Township trustee

Occupation: Designated managing broker, trainer and coach at Coldwell Banker Brown REALTORS

Education: BS - elementary education - SIUE, 1994

Please list highlights of your civic involvement:

8 years - Jarvis Township trustee, 8 years - City of Troy Planning Commission (3 as chair), 5 years City of Troy, alderman, Ward I. While alderman, chair of Administrative and Community Services Committee and vice-chair of Finance Committee.

Who are your top three campaign contributors? Did not answer

Why are you running? I live and work in Troy and I am genuinely interested in helping our community grow and develop. We are at a pivotal time where we are seeing single family home growth at a faster rate than our neighbors and we have the opportunity to continue to develop our business areas.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? Maintaining the budget is a significant focus due to rising costs across the board. I will work to monitor spending, ask challenging questions, and play an active role in the budget review process during both budget development and during review of actual spending throughout the year.

Why should people vote for you? I am committed to being a representative that listens, communicates, asks questions, and does the best I can to see all sides of a situation or discussion.

Venice Ward 2

NAME: ORZELLA GREGORY

Age as of April 1, 2025: 72

Campaign website or social media page: Personal Facebook page

Office seeking: Alderman Ward 2

Are you an incumbent? No

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) No

Occupation: Retired Bi-State Transit (Metro)

Education: College

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: NAACP active member, regular attendee of both council and school board meetings

Who are your top three campaign contributors? Self and family

Why are you running? A change is needed to bring growth and prosperity back to the community and if given the chance I can be a part of the team to do that. I have been a member of Ward 2 for over 45 years and sincerely love my community and being a voice for the people.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it?

Improving our streets: Removing derelict and abandoned properties

Safety: Utilizing and promoting organizations giving youth things of interest

Why should people vote for you? I would be a voice for the ward with listening and concern for our elderly as well as our youth. I will strive to do my best. I live here and want only the best.

Clinton County

New Baden Mayor

NAME: RANDY JOE LINTHICUM

Age as of April 1, 2025: 69

Campaign website or social media page: None

Office seeking: New Baden mayor

Are you an incumbent? No

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought)

Served on City Council 2017-2021

Ran for mayor 2021

Occupation: U.S. Navy retired

Education: Aviation maintenance management, SIU Carbondale

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: American Legion Post 321 - Vietnam Veteran Association Chapter 269 - Clinton County CEO serving as a mentor, a board member, and as an investor the last four years - Blue Angel Alumni Association member - New Baden Park Booster member/sponsor from the beginning - volunteer to Clinton County Senior Services (meals-on-wheels) - Supporter of New Baden Lions Club crosswalk project

Who are your top three campaign contributors? none

Why are you running? I believe I can make a difference in our small community. New Baden has gotten to the point where politicians spend other people’s money like it is Monopoly money. They don’t appreciate the fact that every dollar comes from the hard work of every citizen and some people might not be able to afford higher and higher taxes especially in today’s world and economy.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? Spending of course. New Baden has the second highest taxes in Clinton County.

Why should people vote for you? As a former very successful business owner with 20 employees and a fleet of 17 trucks, I have the experience and knowledge on how to manage large operations. I am honest, trustworthy and I have many friends that are experienced in business and government operations. I am very engaged in the community and listen to other people’s views. I would very much appreciate the vote of the citizens of the town I grew up in.

New Baden Village Board

NAME: REBEKAH BRENNAN-SERENA

Age as of April 1, 2025: 31

Campaign website or social media page: n/a

Office seeking: Village trustee

Are you an incumbent? No

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) No

Occupation: Assistant vessel manager

Education: Bachelors of Science in agribusiness

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: n/a

Who are your top three campaign contributors? Self-funded

Why are you running? I wanted to run for an office to get involved in the community and help try and grow New Baden and keep it a family friendly community. In the last couple of years there have been huge strides for that and I want to keep it going.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? One of the main issues I want to address is making sure that the community is aware of where their money is going and that the correct information is being presented in the right away. With social media being huge in this day and age I want people to be getting the correct information from a reliable source and not second hand information.

Why should people vote for you? I grew up in Trenton my whole life. After college I moved up by Chicago for my career. I always wanted to make it back to the area because of my desire to raise children in this area. My family chose New Baden because we felt confident that our family would prosper here and meet new people. We have grown so much by moving to New Baden and I want to help with showing people why New Baden is a great town to live and raise a family in.

NAME: DEBORAH KALMER

Age as of April 1, 2025: 70

Campaign website or social media page: FB

Office seeking: Trustee

Are you an incumbent? No

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) No

Occupation: Self-employed

Education: Some college

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: Donate my time for multiple events, donate financially, participate in development of the town.

Who are your top three campaign contributors? None

Why are you running? Hopefully to make changes to the town’s development plan and to get the townspeople involved for future changes.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? Why and how can we bring new businesses to the area/town. Address current issues with sidewalks/streets and review the current progressive plan for the town and make ways to move this plan forward.

Why should people vote for you? I’ve been a longtime resident of New Baden and haven’t been able to run for office because I lived out of the city limits until three years ago.

Besides being a resident, we’ve been in business for over 45 years as a builder and developer.

I’ve spoken with some residents while getting the required signatures to run for this office and the majority of them and others have voiced the same concerns.

Let’s make things more transparent in the city so residents know what’s going on.

We have a great community of people who love this town and only want what’s best for everyone.

And I’m here to support them, work with them, listen to them and achieve greater things.

Trenton Mayor

NAME: DAVID (DAVE) BRANDMEYER

Age as of April 1, 2025: 57

Campaign website or social media page: Dave Brandmeyer for Mayor on Facebook

Office seeking: Mayor

Are you an incumbent? No

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) Yes, I’m the former mayor of New Baden and served as a village trustee prior to that.

Occupation: Territory leader at State Farm

Education: Bachelor of Science in education

Please list highlights of your civic involvement:

• Trenton Economic Development Committee under previous mayor

• Clinton County CEO Steering Committee ended after program started

• Christian Activity Center, Board of Directors - former member

• Trenton Park Boosters

• Trenton Chamber of Commerce - former member

Who are your top three campaign contributors? None

Why are you running? For over a year, people in the community have been asking me to run. After careful consideration, I decided to run for mayor. I served in public in New Baden for over 12 years. During this time, I thought we made significant progress to help the community develop. I’m a confident servant leader who will help Trenton become the city it’s capable of becoming.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? Most people would say the Tut station is the top issue. I believe the top issue is leadership. Trenton needs a leader who is bold and decisive. Additionally, the leader, even in a small town, needs to be a strong communicator. Those who have served with me would attest that I’m a servant leader who works with others to improve a community.

Why should people vote for you? As noted above, I am a servant leader who knows how to get things done. I believe leadership is everything, even in a town of 2,500. In anything I’ve achieved in my personal life, my public service or professional career, I’ve built up those around me to achieve greater things than we would acting alone. My goal as mayor of Trenton is to engage the talented people who live in Trenton and work together to make Trenton the best small city in Illinois by 2028.

NAME: ANDREW G. WEH

Age as of April 1, 2025: 61

Campaign website or social media page: Facebook: Re-Elect Andy Weh for Trenton Mayor

Office seeking: Mayor of Trenton, IL

Are you an incumbent? Yes

Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought) Yes, I have ran for alderman and won previously and also ran for mayor and won previously

Occupation: Retired corporate manager from Enterprise Holdings LLC

Education: Degree in business management with numerous additional certifications in the insurance/risk management industry

Please list highlights of your civic involvement: Here are the highlights of my volunteer activities. More can be found on my Facebook page.

1. Charter Commander Sons of American Legion Post 778

2. Current Sr. Vice Commander SAL

3. American Legion Baseball chairman past 10 years

4. Executive director for three state legion baseball tournaments in Trenton and numerous district and 5th division tournaments

5. Served on Executive Committee for Veteran’s Day Breakfast

6. 3rd Degree member of Knights of Columbus Post 2932

7. Annual volunteer for yearly Tootsie Roll Drive for Intellectually Disabled

8. 4th Degree Member of Bishop Althoff Assembly

9. Current President of Catholic Fraternal Life Council 8

10. Spearheaded and coordinated the Christmas decorations in the park

11. Chairperson for TrentonFest for 20 years

12. Youth softball/baseball league coordinator for 10 years

13. Director of city league softball/baseball tournament for 10 years

14. Multi year president for Southwestern Illinois Optimist Club

15. Former Board of Director for Marion YMCA

Who are your top three campaign contributors? My campaign is fully self-funded. I have taken no contributions.

Why are you running? My primary goal as mayor is to produce a short-term, intermediate and long-term strategic plan that encompasses infrastructure improvements, economic development and financial strategies to fund all necessary projects without incurring significant public debt. I want to mold the future to promote and advance the city’s flexibility and appeal for our children and grandchildren. My vision is for Trenton to become a more attractive and desirable destination for families seeking long-term residency.

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? Requiring strict adherence to building/maintenance codes and ordinances is one of the more popular issues in this campaign. One of my priorities is to implement and enforce the city’s maintenance/building codes and ordinances. If re-elected, I will continue to apply strict enforcement guidelines. Two of the biggest responsibilities I have as a public official is to protect the taxpayer’s investment in their homes and to ensure safety, health and welfare of the public. I will do this by fully enforcing our building/property maintenance codes and ordinances. We will accomplish this with consistent application and empathy through direct communication with law enforcement efforts. Code compliance will continue to be strictly enforced.

Why should people vote for you? I have successfully managed the city of Trenton as mayor over the course of the last four years. I also managed a large team of professionals as a corporate manager for a Fortune 500 industry leader prior to my retirement. That experience in continuity and leadership will be a vital component to the city’s government as we move forward.

In my first term, I created a significant expense savings by eliminating the city manager’s position netting an annual savings in excess of $150K. As a retiree, I will provide my total focus and full attention to the mayor’s responsibilities with no distractions or interruptions. Providing proactive leadership to the city will be my focal point. The combination of my professional skillset, 36-years of corporate management experience, four-year’s mayoral experience, dedication to excellence and commitment to the citizen’s interests makes me the clear choice to be re-elected as mayor.

Here is a list of several initiatives that I will focus on during my second term.

1. Refinish existing water tower.

2. Construct new water tower on the west end of town.

3. Eliminate reservoir.

4. Transition to a four-year reclaim/chip/oil street maintenance plan.

5. Upgrade storm sewer pipes and drainage infrastructure.

6. Enforce building codes to protect health, safety and welfare of the people and to assure that structures are built to quality standards.

7. Reconstruct drainage system in alley behind Broadway business district.

8. Attract new businesses designed to serve the Citizen’s needs and draw visitors to our City.

9. Market Northwest quadrant of city to attract commercial development and create jobs.

10. Upgrade playground equipment at Nut House Park.

11. Add attractions to our park facilities, such as installation of a dog park, a permanent stage and expansion of the walking trail.

This story was originally published March 13, 2025 at 3:00 AM with the headline "BND 2025 Voter Guide: See who’s running in Madison & Clinton County municipal elections."