Ex-Fox Lake trustee running for mayor

It's been about 12 years since her name was on any ballot, but Alberta Meyer has never lost interest in Fox Lake politics.

Meyer said she's has kept a close eye on the village since moving back to the area six years ago, and decided to run for mayor because she doesn't like what she's seen.

"I just don't like the way the village is running," she said. "When I was a trustee, we were always running in the black. We need to get the budget back."

Village finances are a key early issue in the April 7 election as the weak economy and a sharp downturn in sales tax revenue has forced officials to operate a budget that often borders in the red. The village has been forced to cut some expenditures and programs in the last two years to make ends meet.

The 70-year-old Meyer surfaced as the wild card in what was originally expected to be a tough two-way mayor's race.

Meyer, who joins incumbent Cindy Irwin and Trustee Ed Bender on the ballot, is the only candidate not aligned with a slate.

Bender heads up the Fox Lake Focused Party, which features incumbent clerk Samantha Weeks and trustee hopefuls Kevin Burt, John Mumford and Val Griseta. Irwin leads the Fox Lake United Party, with clerk candidate Bernice Konwent, and trustee candidates incumbent Carol Ulasy, Donald "Donnie" Schmit and Don Otway.

Incumbent trustee Noel Working and newcomer Harry Shippers are also running for the four open trustee positions.

Meyer was a village trustee for 12 years before moving to Arizona in 1998. She also ran an unsuccessful bid for mayor in 1997.

She said her return to politics is not because she opposes Irwin or Bender personally, but because she doesn't like how things are going in the village today.

"Cindy is the mayor and Ed is on the board, so they are both to blame for the problems Fox Lake has," Meyer said.

Neither Bender nor Irwin was shocked it has become a three-way race, but they admitted to being a bit surprised Meyer was the opponent.

"I'm not worried about it. I'm out there hustling and trying to bring in the votes and, in the end, the chips will fall where they may," Bender said.

"I think it's great she wants to be reinvolved in the village she has lived in most of her life," Irwin added.