Rechenmacher opts for Batavia school board run
Ron Rechenmacher was already leaning toward running for the Batavia school board on Tuesday. On Wednesday morning, he took the full step in that direction by filing papers to withdraw as a candidate for Batavia's 6th Ward city council seat.
In a written statement, Rechenmacher said he first wanted to be sure that the 6th Ward would have solid representation before deciding which public office he would seek. Kane County election officials had already said publicly that Rechenmacher could not serve in both seats at the same as the two taxing bodies face choices that might be at odds.
In an interview Tuesday, Rechenmacher said he would wait to see the results of a ballot position lottery for the city council seat before choosing which race he would stay in. But he also said he'd met with the remaining 6th Ward candidate, Michael Russotto, for a conversation and "amateur investigation" of Russotto. He liked what he heard.
So on Wednesday, Rechenmacher withdrew from the city council race before the lottery, eliminating the need for the lottery to occur.
"I feel comfortable that I can now turn all my attention to the school board," Rechenmacher said.
He will be one of eight candidates seeking three school board seats. Rechenmacher said his plan is to run with a team and sweep all three positions.
Rechenmacher will join Michelle Olache and Bill Gabriel in a slate put together by Batavians for Responsible Government.
"While each of the team's candidates can stand on their own, their individual strengths complement each other to form a phenomenal team," said Sylvia Keppel, a spokeswoman for Batavians for Responsible Government. "One of Ron's strengths is his understanding of procedure and structure. He clearly understands the function of the board and knows the way to effect change is through policy."
The platform of the slate includes lower taxes, more transparency, respect and effective education. Rechenmacher said the school board must do a better job of listening to parents and taxpayers.
"Parents have concerns about the quality of their children's education," Rechenmacher said. "Teachers have concerns about their working environment. The community has concerns about how tax dollars are being spent on education. There needs to be dialogue. That's not happening now."