Brown seeks re-election to Geneva council

Geneva 1st Ward Alderman Chuck Brown has decided to run "for one last term" on the city council, according to a prepared statement he released Friday afternoon.

"The future of Geneva's downtown, as the nation pulls out of the recession, must be nurtured carefully by the city council in the next year. I hope to contribute my experience and insight to these decisions," he said.

Two other people said earlier this year they would run for the seat if Brown didn't Esther Barclay, the library board president, and Zac Ploppert, a college student. Barclay said Friday she intends to stay in the race.

"With the upcoming holiday season, the filing period beginning in just a little over two months and the increasing popularity of early voting, it's impossible for me to put off my decision to run," Barclay said in a statement Friday. "I don't think it's fair to the voters to have to wait until the last minute to know who the candidates are, and I don't think they want candidates going door to door during the holidays collecting signatures."

Brown, 69, has served on the council twice. He was first elected in 1987 and served until 1992, when he moved to Washington, D.C. He was appointed to fill a vacancy in 1995, and has served ever since.

He is a scientist at Fermilab, and lives on West Lane.

The election is in April. Candidates can't officially file their nomination petitions until Dec. 13.