With sudden write-ins, voters choosing between two groups of candidates in Campton Hills

Two candidates' successful write-in campaigns in the February primary took the Campton Hills trustee race from uncontested to a five-way battle for three seats.

Incumbents Jim McKelvie and Michael Millette along with Ed Muncie were alone on the ballot until Timothy Morgan and Kim Weiss successfully earned spots on what's now a crowded April 6 general election ballot.

Morgan and Weiss, through their write-in journey, joined forces while McKelvie, Millette and Muncie did the same.

“Kim and myself far exceeded (the votes) we needed to get on the ballot, by three times the amount,” said Morgan, chief operating officer at Spanesi Americas. “This signals change.”

Muncie, vice president at Curran Group, forged a slate with McKelvie and Millette after they claim they were blocked from posting messages on a community Facebook group page. They realized they share a vision about the village's future.

“Each of us has proven that we generate ideas and useful paths forward to issues presented to the village, rather than complaining about them without providing solutions,” Muncie said.

Weiss, co-owner of the Old Towne Pub in town, said the decision to align with Morgan was based on the write-in campaign but evolved into the mutual opinion that the village needs change.

“Tim and I spent time talking to the people who have been frustrated with the village for years,” Weiss said. “We wanted them to give the village another chance.”

McKelvie, Millette and Muncie say the village has supported local businesses, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. They say they believe in local government control, fiscal responsibility and a semirural environment, and they stand against a municipal tax on residents.

“We're running as a slate because we want to protect what the village was founded to do: preserve our semirural lifestyle,” said Millette, a civil engineer for South Elgin. “We joined together to amplify our individual voices and counter the negative public discourse that had been building in social media.”

Morgan and Weiss aim to make residents more aware of local issues such as zoning ordinances, stormwater management and road maintenance. They both feel the village fails when it comes to communicating with residents.

“Both of us are business owners that understand being proactive, not reactive,” Morgan said. “Planning and carrying out a mission openly and with the goal of those who appoint us. Transparency and openness of public officials is needed now more than ever.”

Working alongside Millette and Muncie, McKelvie, a retired chief franchise officer at Yum! Brands KFC, wants to continue the work the village has done in recent years.

“We see all of the positive and wonderful aspects of this village and how the village board can build upon those things so that we all can continue to enjoy what is so special about this wonderful community,” McKelvie said.