Incumbents Schielke, DeWitte facing tough challenges

Will a chapter in Batavia history end Tuesday with the election of somebody besides Jeff Schielke as mayor?

Will the contentious campaign in St. Charles dislodge Mayor Don DeWitte?

And will St. Charles voters go for a school renovation plan?

All this and more, courtesy of Tuesday's Consolidated Election.

St. Charles

Don DeWitte and challenger Jotham Stein have created what is arguably the most contentious race in the area. Stein has won the hearts of at least two of the city's major unions as city officials struggle through a budget proposal that will contain wage freezes at best and layoffs at worst. He's also heaped accusations of conflicts of interest between DeWitte's professional life and his duties as mayor over the past four years. DeWitte has fended off all such accusations and shrugged off the unions endorsing his opponent as having little to do with his job of representing the actual residents of St. Charles.

Stein carries the burden of proving he's more than just a promise of something better, as he's never held elected office, nor has he lived in town very long.

The competition for seats on the St. Charles City Council has been much more mellow. Races in four of five wards are contested. Incumbent Ron Silkaitis faces Jon Monken in the 1st Ward. Incumbent William Turner faces Todd Veyette in the 3rd Ward. Incumbent Jo Krieger faces Darlene Riebe in the 4th. Incumbent David Richards faces Mike Luehr and Christopher Nitsch in the 5th.

St. Charles Unit District 303 voters face a request to issue $114 million in new debt while retiring old bonds so the district can take in more money without a tax rate increase, to rebuild or revamp all three middle schools and Davis Elementary. While approval means no tax rate increase, the rate would also be blocked from decreasing, which would have netted the average homeowner a savings of about $20 on their property tax bill. No matter what happens property taxes will increase if the value of a home increases. The referendum is only part one of what will likely be multiple questions to address building issues at every school. The school board selected these schools for the first round believing they are the buildings most in need of some work that could be accomplished without increasing the tax rate in a down economy.

Batavia

Jeff Schielke, in office since 1981 and the longest-serving mayor in Kane County, faces challenges from Batavia MainStreet director Britta McKenna and Alderman Alan Wolff. It's the first challenge Schielke has faced in at least 12 years.

Two of seven aldermanic races are also contested. In the 1st Ward race to replace Jodie Wollnik, former alderman Stephen Frank faces Michael O'Brien. In the 3rd Ward, Alderman Linnea Miller is challenged by Kyle Hohmann. The name of another candidate, Joanne Gustafson, is also on the ballot, but she has withdrawn from the race and votes for her will not be counted.

Elburn

For the first time in 14 years voters will elect a new village president, as James Willey steps down. Squaring off are community activist Dave Anderson, whose term as Blackberry Township supervisor ends this year, and village trustee and real estate agent Patricia Romke.

On the village board, there are three 4-year openings being sought by seven: challengers Kenneth Anderson Jr., David Gualdoni, Jerry Schmidt, Robert Swartz and Jeffrey Walter, and incumbents Tom Burgholzer and Jeffrey Humm.

Geneva

Mayor Kevin Burns is unopposed. First Ward Alderman Sam Hill is opposed by Michael Olesen. Former alderman Renee Brenner and Richard Marks seek to replace William Barclay in the 2nd Ward; Barclay did not seek re-election. Ralph Dantino, Roger Henry, John Trierweiler and Douglas Warlick want to take over for retiring 20-year Alderman Paul DesCoteaux in the 5th Ward.

At least two new people could be elected to the Geneva school board. The five running for four seats are Matt Henry, Mark Grosso and Lucy Cave, and incumbents Bill Wilson and Tim Moran.

North Aurora

In its first go-round as an elected body, the North Aurora and Countryside Fire Protection District has five seats to fill on its board of trustees and eight candidates on the ballot. The April 7 race is the first since a referendum last year in which voters agreed the fire board should be elected rather than appointed by the Kane County Board chairman. In the running are challengers Steve Gaspardo, Norman Ruth and Dale Steward, and incumbents Gerald Auchstetter, Richard Brackett, Alfred Coppes, Kevin Fatten and Richard Haen.

Three village trustees and one challenger are vying to succeed Village President John Hansen, who is stepping down. They are challenger Mark Vogt and trustees Dale Berman, Max Herwig and Linda Mitchell.

Sugar Grove

Village President Sean Michels faces Perry Clark, the former director of the Sugar Grove Economic Development Corp. And the library district is asking, for the ninth time, for a tax increase to pay for running the library. It has never won.

• Daily Herald staff writer Josh Stockinger contributed to this story.