Batavia 1st Ward choices talk abilities, time to devote
The race for alderman in Batavia's 1st Ward features a longtime resident known for examining actions of various local governments, and an incumbent whose passion for city politics started last year.
Alderman Carl Fischer faces Carl Dinwiddie for the four-year term.
Fischer was appointed in the fall of 2014 to replace Garran Sparks, who moved to North Aurora. Fischer has lived in Batavia for 10 years.
Dinwiddie has lived in Batavia 28 years. He, too, had applied for the vacancy in the fall.
Dinwiddie and his wife, Yvonne, routinely attend city council and school and park board meetings. The Dinwiddies don't just observe; they ask questions, do research, and speak up. They fought the school district on the issue of textbook fees, lobbied against a proposal to install speed-measuring cameras, and got a referendum on a 2010 ballot regarding whether the Batavia Park District could borrow money to build a recreation center.
Dinwiddie has made a point of saying he has time and ability to serve the office in person.
He is a retired investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board. While he worked for the federal government, he was prohibited from taking elected office.
Dinwiddie has raised the issue of Fischer's absences from the city council's joint committee meetings. Fischer, a database marketing and digital advertising executive, travels for business every week and has been out of town on Tuesday nights when the committee meetings take place so he attends by phone. The city council interviewed him by Skype when he applied for the 1st Ward vacancy last fall.
"But I'm always there Mondays," Fischer said, referring to council meetings.
Since taking the post, he discovered "a bit of a passion" for it. "It has just grown now that I have a had a little taste of it," said Fischer, a 10-year resident.
One reason he wants to stay on the council is his interest in the city's economic health. "The big thing that kind of got me on board was the whole process of economic development in Batavia," he said. Fischer is particularly interested in encouraging more business, such as restaurants, in the downtown. He also said that more signage is needed along Kirk Road, which is in the 1st Ward, to direct people downtown.
The council and the public's relationship with city administrative staff has come under criticism, with some saying the two are out of sync. Fischer said he thinks communication could be improved, and that the gap was exacerbated by the election of six new aldermen in 2013. "We have a very large group that is new, and communicates differently than the others," he said.
Dinwiddie said he gets along well with city administrators, who he often turns to for help in understanding a matter.
And for those who wonder if he might be influenced by his wife - who speaks publicly more than he does - Dinwiddie said he can assure residents the two don't agree on everything. "We do debate issues and we do have our opinions," he said last fall, when applying for the vacancy.