Batavia alderman's widower seeks to carry on her work

The husband of the late Batavia Alderman Linnea Miller has applied to fill out the rest of her term.

W.C. "Buzz" Miller is one of four people seeking the 3rd Ward seat, Mayor Jeff Schielke announced Monday night. The other three are Janet Jungels, of Thorsen Lane; Dan Chanzit, of Peebles Court; and Alex Bauman, of Burton Drive.

Miller died Jan. 12. She was an alderman since 1995. The Millers received the Batavia 2009 Citizens of the Year award from the Batavia Chamber of Commerce Jan. 30.

Jungels, 44, is an office manager for a Batavia manufacturer, and a volunteer with Batavia's private Fourth of July fireworks committee and Mutual Ground domestic abuse shelter in Aurora.

Chanzit, 33, is a banker with Chase, out of its Dunham Road branch in St. Charles. Bauman could not be reached for comment Monday.

The person who replaces Linnea Miller will serve until the 2011 municipal election. Then an election will be held for a 2-year term.

The mayor also announced that seven people have applied to take over the term of 5th Ward Alderman Forrest Nelson. He resigned, effective Monday, because he moved to the 6th Ward.

Applying for the 5th Ward are John Ross, of Chestnut Street; Jason Ott, of South Jefferson Street; Francine McGuire-Popeck, of North Jefferson Street; Michael Hanrahan, of South Mallory Avenue; John Davison, of North Lincoln Street; Mark Davis, of South Lincoln; and Lucy Thelin Atac, of North Lincoln.

The person picked will serve until the 2011 municipal election, when Nelson's term would have expired.

Ott, 24, was appointed to the Batavia Environmental Commission in September. He is an information systems analyst for the Batavia school district.

Davis, 54, is a familiar face to the council, for his volunteer work with the city's Emergency Services and Disaster Agency and as the new chairman of the Fourth of July fireworks show. He owns a newspaper printing company.

Ross, 60, is president of Daybreak Communications, and vice president of the board of directors of Wayside Cross Ministries of Aurora. He has lived in Batavia since age 4.

Davison, who gave his age as "over 65," works for H&R Block. He volunteers for a church and for Court-Appointed Special Advocates, an agency that looks after the interests of children involved in court proceedings.

A message was left for McGuire-Popeck, wife of Bob Popeck, a former Batavia police chief, volunteer firefighter and mayoral administrative assistant.

Hanrahan and Atac could not be reached Monday.

The mayor and council plan to interview candidates at 7 p.m. March 4, then make appointments March 15.