Late filings set up primary for Elgin council seat

After virtually a week of no activity, a flurry of 10 new candidates put their names in Monday to run for one of four Elgin City Council seats in April.

Of those hopefuls, six are running for a two-year council seat, triggering a Feb. 24 primary to whittle the field down to four candidates for the April 7 election.

Eleven candidates, including all three incumbents, signed up to run for three, four-year council seats. A primary is not needed for these seats.

Candidates for the two-year term offered a variety of reasons for seeking the seat.

Al Fernandez, a suburban police officer, said his background in law enforcement and public administration will help him find ways to control city costs.

Emi Morales, a local attorney, said Elgin has given a lot to her, and serving on the council is an opportunity to give back to the community where she was raised.

Mike Warren, an Elgin Symphony Orchestra trustee, said he is an advocate of fiscal responsibility to make the city a destination for residents and businesses.

Brenda Rodgers, who lost a re-election bid two years ago, said her experience with municipal government will allow her to jump in and make decisions in tough economic times.

Charlene Sligting and Michael Robins also are running for the seat, which was vacated earlier this year when Mike Powers resigned.

Sligting wants to change city laws to fight overcrowding in apartments and homes while Robins wants to limit the time dogs can be kept on leashes.

Longtime council members Robert Gilliam, Juan Figueroa and John Walters are seeking re-election to their four-year seats.

Linda Quezada, Judith Colletti, Lenora Scruggs, John Prigge, Bruce Trego, Brenda Harris Khan and Richard Dunne filed petitions on Monday. Shane Nowak also filed late last week.

Elgin City Clerk Diane Robertson said the spate of filings on deadline day was expected because candidates try to be first or last on the ballot. A lottery will be held this morning to determine which two of Sligting, Robins, Gilliam and Figueroa are first on the ballot. All four filed at the same time last week.