Pro-Campton Hills slate mostly self-funded

Feb. 5 election candidates seeking Campton Hills offices on a promise to preserve the village are largely funding their campaigns through a new political committee.

The Candidates For Campton Hills committee has reported raising just more than $7,600 since its creation Jan. 7, records show.

According to campaign disclosure filings, all but two contributions were made by the candidates themselves.

Village board incumbents Mike Millette, Jim Kopec and Al Lenkaitis kicked in $1,000, $750 and $250, respectively, while newcomer candidates Susan George and John Strauss each donated $250.

The group also received $750 from outgoing village Trustee Bern Bertsche, who is not seeking election.

Contributions in the form of donated services totaled $4,363.93, of which $3,000 came from a Chicago-based marketing firm. Strauss contributed $650 in services, while candidate Laura Andersen contributed $713.93.

Village President Patsy Smith said many of the in-kind donations had to do with campaign signs. She reiterated that she and several fellow candidates have not individually received enough donations to cross a $3,000 reporting threshold.

The committee is backing four incumbents, including Smith, and four first-time candidates, all of whom are opposed by a slate of eight candidates promising to reverse the village's April incorporation, if elected.

Members of the opposing group, the Stop Campton Hills Public Action Committee, criticized pro-village candidates Wednesday for missing deadlines for filing financial disclosure information with the county.

Candidates For Campton Hills treasurer Kevin Pretet said he filed all paperwork in time with the state board of elections but did not initially know he was supposed to file with the county, as well. He filed the documents there immediately after learning of the mistake, he said.

Meanwhile, Stop Campton Hills chairman Chris Baldwin said his committee plans to submit an amended financial disclosure document naming the sources of $637 in donations previously listed as anonymous, as long as they can locate the donors.

Unless the group can provide a complete record of who donated the money, it must be turned over to the state treasury, officials said.