Wanted: Committed local residents willing to work long hours on behalf of their communities with little or no monetary compensation. Applicants must be capable of making hard decisions during their term of service, and be prepared to face regular criticism from other members of the community.
Filing begins next week for municipal, school board, park district and community college elections in Homewood and Flossmoor. Candidates for school boards must file petitions and other necessary documents with the Cook County Clerk’s office between Dec. 15 and 22. Candidates for village offices will be filing with their respective villages between Dec. 15 and 22.
The 2015 Consolidated Election is taking place on April 7.
Voters will decide on village board members in Homewood and Flossmoor; board of education members in Homewood School District 153, Flossmoor School District 161 and Homewood-Flossmoor High School District 233; board members at Prairie State College and a Homewood-Flossmoor Park District commissioner.
In Homewood, three four-year village board seats and a two-year village clerk position are at stake. Incumbent trustees are Jay Heiferman, Karen Washington and Lisa Purcell. Incumbent clerk is Marilyn Thomas. Washington was appointed a trustee by Village President Richard Hofeld with the approval of the board in September 2014 when Trustee Tom Kataras resigned. Thomas was then appointed village clerk by Hofeld in October. Voters will have the choice of electing Thomas to serve the remaining two years of the village clerk’s term.
Three Flossmoor trustee positions are up in 2015. Those four-year posts are currently held by Perry Hoag, James Mitros and James Wilder.
Four four-year seats are at stake in HF High School District 233. They are now held by Debbie L. Berman, John Farrell, Jody Scariano and Tim Wenckus.
Four four-year seats are also on the ballot in Homewood District 153. Incumbents are Tom Brabec, Steve Anderson, Alex Bosch and Jim Schmidt.
Three four-year seats are at stake in Flossmoor District 161. They are currently held by Leah Bailey Langston, Gregg Lunceford and John Simmons.
One six-year seat is on the ballot in the HF Park District. Patrick Nevins is the incumbent.
Two six year seats are at stake on the PSC board. Kathleen Doyle and Cynthia Somer are the incumbent trustees.
Documents for the PSC election can be turned in at the college president’s office, 202 S. Halsted Street, Chicago Heights.
School board candidates are filing with the Cook County Clerk’s office for the first time; previously, filing took place at local school district offices. South suburban candidates can file their paperwork at the clerk’s office on the pedway at 60 E. Washington St., Chicago, or at the Tinley Park Convention Center, 18451 Convention Center Drive, Tinley Park.
All school board candidates who are in line at 8 a.m. on December 15 will have their papers stamped with that time. If more than one candidate seeking the same office files at 8 a.m., a lottery will be conducted to determine whose name appears first on the ballot.
School board candidates must present a packet, securely bound along one edge, containing:
- A Statement of Candidacy that is filled-out, signed and notarized.
- Consecutively-numbered petition sheets. Candidates should check with their school districts to see how many signatures are needed. According to the county clerk’s office, at least 50 signatures are needed in all south suburban districts.
- A receipt for filing a Statement of Economic Interest.
Contact Tom Houlihan at [email protected]
