Fox Valley municipal, school board races spark interest
It wasn't a mad rush, yet a number of candidates vying for seats on village and school boards throughout the Fox Valley turned out Monday for the first day of filing petitions for the April 7 election.
Among the municipal races, Huntley's is already contested with two incumbents and two challengers vying for three, 4-year term seats on the board. Incumbents Niko Kanakaris and Harry Leopold, newcomer Darci Chandler, and former village board member Pam Fender, who ran unsuccessfully for Grafton Township supervisor, so far lead the pack.
Elgin still has the hottest municipal race in Kane County with 11 candidates running for city council seats, and Mayor Dave Kaptain facing challenger Joseph Galvan.
There are no mayoral contests in Algonquin, Cary, Lake in the Hills, Huntley, East Dundee, West Dundee and Carpentersville.
Three village board incumbents filed re-election bids in Algonquin - Debbie Sosine, Jim Steigert and John Spella - with no challengers for the three 4-year term seats.
Incumbents trustees Frank Covone and Russ Ruzanski also filed early in Lake in the Hills, along with newcomer Bill Dustin for three 4-year seats up for election.
The villages of Cary, East and West Dundees and Hampshire each have three open 4-year term seats available, but few candidates filed Monday - Erin Hauck in Cary, Alan Hall in East Dundee, incumbent Michelle Kembitzky in West Dundee, and Toby Koth and incumbent Jan Kraus in Hampshire.
In Carpentersville, incumbent Don Burroway and newcomer Jeffrey Sabbe are vying for spots on the board.
School boards
Elgin U-46
Elgin Area School District U-46 took the lead with five challengers and one incumbent filing for four 4-year terms on the school board.
Early candidates are Jeanette Ward of West Chicago, Phil Costello of Bartlett, Cody Holt of Elgin, Larry Bury of Bartlett, Arisleyda Taylor of Streamwood and incumbent Jennifer Shroder of Elgin. A 2-year term also is available with no candidates at this time.
District 301
The Burlington Central Unit District 301 school board race also has generated interest among newcomers. The field so far is Mitchell Penar of Elgin Township, Janet Marlovits of Campton Township and incumbent Laura Rabe of Elgin.
District 300
In Hampshire-based Community Unit District 300, incumbents Joe Stevens of Dundee Township and Steve Fiorentino of Algonquin Township filed re-election bids. There are four seats available on the District 300 school board, each for a 2-year term.
The last day to file nominating petitions is Dec. 22.