Candidates file for spring election in Braidwood

By: 
STAFF REPORT

The stage is set for the April 4, 2023 consolidated election, with four of five seats on the Braidwood City Council set to be hotly contested races.

The following residents have filed their petitions to run for City Council in the spring:

• Mayor — Doug Money, Chris Earley, Matthew Beard

• Streets and Alleys — Dale Walsh, Jim Vehrs, Sunny Hassett

• Public Buildings and Property — Warren Wietting, Jeff Saltzman

• Accounts and Finances — Karen Hart, Sue Grygiel

• Public Health and Safety — James Mikel

The city of Braidwood runs on a Commission form of government. That means rather than elect members at large or within geographical districts, as seen with aldermen or trustees, each elected official runs a commission, which oversees a department of the city.

The duties of each commission includes, but are not limited to, the following:

• Mayor — Chief executive officer of the city and commissioner of public affairs as well as liquor commissioner, the mayor appoints, with the advice and consent of the city council, the city clerk, the city attorney, the city administrator, the chief of police, and members of the board of fire and police commissioners, zoning board of appeals, and the planning commission. The mayor also supervises those appointees.

• Commissioner of accounts and finances — Serves as vice president of the Council, hires and supervises the city treasurer/finance department employees, and supervises the financial operations of the city including all tax increment financing districts.

• Commissioner of public health and safety — Supervises the conduct and operation of the police department, emergency dispatching and telecommunications, code enforcement, animal control, and health regulations, and oversees employees who exercise duties for the police department, code enforcement, animal control, and health regulations except those employees under the jurisdiction of the board of fire and police commissioners.

• Commissioner of streets and public improvements — Acts as the superintendent of the street department and all matters pertaining to the city streets, alleys, sidewalks, drainage, storm sewer system, and roadways, and is ex-officio commissioner of public works. Oversees all employees in the streets department, and provides for the annual streets department budget.

• Commissioner of public property — Acts as the superintendent of the department of public property, supervises the conduct of the water and sanitary sewer departments, all real estate, including the city hall, and all personal property which is not used by a specific department, appoints, with the advice and consent of the city council, the water and sewer plant operator, and oversees water/sewer employees.

At the Reed-Custer School District, four candidates have also filed for the three 4-year terms up for election on the 255U Board of Education. Current board members Greg Boyer and Chris Cavanaugh will run to retain their seats, while newcomers Melissa Micklos and John Guistat will also vie for a term.

Each candidate will be provided a candidate questionnaire regarding some of the top issues they will face should they win the election. The results of those questionnaires will be printed closer to election day.