2 new faces for Aurora council, while O’Connor keeps at-large seat

Aurora’s far southeast and far northeast wards will be represented by new faces — Edward Bugg and Lynne Johnson — for the next four years, while Bob O’Connor retained his at-large seat on the city council in unofficial results from Tuesday’s election.

Bugg beat Marge Linnane 393 votes to 313; Johnson topped Judd Lofchie 634 votes to 419; and O’Connor tallied 5,591 votes to top Rick Lawrence, who got 2,714 in unofficial results.

Incumbents Al Lewandowski and Lynda Elmore did not seek re-election to the southeast and northeast ward seats, leaving space for new candidates to join the council. At-large winner O’Connor, however, has been an alderman for 28 years before winning another 4-year term Tuesday.

Newly elected Ward 9 alderman Bugg, a 46-year-old operating manager of a real estate firm, said he will focus on economic development in his southeast side ward, continuing work he started more than six months ago with the South Eola Road Art Project Committee to beautify and promote vacant storefronts.

“I’m going to continue to serve the community,” Bugg said.

A relative newcomer to Aurora, Ward 10 winner Johnson got involved in local politics when residents of her subdivision were concerned about a lack of enclosed parking planned for a nearby development. A 54-year-old substitute teacher, Johnson said she has the time to devote to providing strong leadership in the northeast side ward when Elmore steps down to move out of state.

In the at-large seat he has held for 28 years, O’Connor, a 68-year-old lawyer, said he wants to continue representing the city as a whole to see exciting projects, such as RiverEdge Park, through to completion. He also said the city should focus on addressing problems with vacant properties and holding property taxes in check, as residents throughout the city share concerns on those issues.

“I’m really going to pay attention to what we can do to develop underutilized or vacant properties that need attention,” O’Connor said.

O’Connor, Johnson, Bugg and other newly elected aldermen in Wards 2, 3, 4 and 7 will serve under Mayor Tom Weisner, who ran unopposed for a third term.