More than 50 local residents are volunteering to spend long hours away from home making critical decisions about Homewood-Flossmoor area schools, parks and municipal government.
They are the declared candidates in the April 4, 2017 Consolidated Election. In the weeks to come they will do their best to persuade their neighbors why they should be elected to the legislative units of local governments that educate children, keep the streets clear of snow and supervise recreational programs on public land.
Filing ended Dec. 19 for the candidates as they finished submitting petitions and other paperwork to Cook County and village clerk offices in our area.
Three persons are seeking the mayor’s position in Flossmoor. They are Paul S. Braun, Jeanne “Gigi” Gummerson and Arnold R. Crater. Braun is the incumbent.
There are three village trustee seats at stake. Candidates in Flossmoor are Beverly Diane Williams, Zena Smith, James Crum, Phillip J. Minga, Keitric Emory, Stephen Kelley, Brian H. Driscoll, Gary Samuel Arthur and Peter K.B. St. Jean. Williams, Crum and Minga are incumbents.
Only one person filed for village clerk in Flossmoor. She is Joni Bradley Scott.
Homewood Mayor Richard Hofeld is running for re-election and is unopposed. Village Clerk Marilyn Thomas, an incumbent, is also unopposed.
Five persons are running for trustee positions on the Homewood Village Board. They are Lawrence Burnson, Anne Colton, Barbara Dawkins, Jennifer “Jen” Sjoblom and Andre Thames. Burnson, Colton and Dawkins are incumbents.
Three board of education seats are at stake in Homewood-Flossmoor High School District 233. Candidates are P. Andrew Lindstrom, Gerald L. Pauling II, Richard T. Lites, Steven R. Anderson, Beth A. Larocca, Annette N. Bannon and Eric D. Grant. Lindstrom, Pauling and Lites are incumbents.
Voters in Homewood School District 153 will elect three school board members. Candidates are Gregory V. Lawrence, Deborah Smith Havighorst and Shelly F. Marks. All are incumbents.
Nine persons are running for four seats on the Flossmoor School District 161 board of education. They are Misha Lynn Blackman, LaCael Palmer Pratt, Melissa Stilts, Stephen Paredes, Carolyn Griggs, Isaac D. Harris, Jadey Ryndak, Kelli Bentley and Cameron Nelson. Paredes is an incumbent. Three other incumbents – Timijanel Boyd Odom, Lisa Harrell and Christine Marks – are not running for re-election.
Two six-year seats are at stake on the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District board. Candidates are Brent Bachus, Terrence F. Wright, Brit G. Volini, Dallas Collins and Dr. Louis C. Rutland. Bachus and Collins are incumbents.
Two persons are running for an unexpired two-year term on the park board. They are Christina L. Farley and Alesia M. Crockett.
There are three four-year seats at stake on the Flossmoor Public Library board. Candidates are Kimberly Mitchell, Nancy Disabato, Leslie Kimmons, Jane Harper, Dominique Bordelon-Bristol and Natasha Bergeron. Disabato, Harper and Bergeron are incumbents.
One unexpired two-year seat is also on the ballot for the Flossmoor library board. Derrick Hayes is the only candidate.
Three six-year terms are on the ballot for the Homewood Public Library board. Candidates are Adrienne River, Jacoba Ward, Percy Harris, Lorea Farley and Andrea Stilts. Harris is an incumbent.
There are also two unexpired terms on the Homewood library board. Patricia Mosley Smith is the only candidate for the four-year term. There are no candidates for the two-year term.