Hart-Burns keeps her Aurora Ward 7 seat; Woerman nabs at-large spot

Longtime Aurora 7th Ward Alderman Scheketa Hart-Burns defeated challenger Saul Fultz III, according to unofficial vote totals in Kane and DuPage counties.

Hart-Burns, who has been on the council since 1991, had 446 votes, to Fultz's 354.

She cited her record, including being aggressive about having "problem properties" removed by the city, having a ward advisory committee, her service on the council's finance committee and organizing events to help her constituents, such as her annual "Back-to-School Fair."

Fultz grew up in Aurora and left after high school. He served in the military and worked in Mississippi and Wisconsin, including as a minister. He called for developing more programs in the 7th Ward to focus on the needs of youth and senior citizens. He said he wanted to collaborate with the police to bring back programs that he believed had a positive impact on youth, including the DARE program, and wants to establish an advisory board consisting of police, politicians, faith-based leaders, business owners, youth and seniors.

In Ward 10 on the city's southeast side, Shweta Baid defeated Arjun S. Nair, 1,316 votes to 666, for the seat held by Judd Lofchie, who did not seek reelection. Lofchie ran unsuccessfully for mayor.

Baid touted skills developed running her computer consulting business and through her volunteer work with her children's schools and other nonprofit organizations. Nair called for the city to investigate green-energy initiatives, wants all new police and fire department workers to live in the city and favors having some residents elected rather than appointed to the new police civilian review board.

The race for the alderman-at-large seat was bruising, as candidate Raymond Hull tried to get opponent Ron Woerman kicked off the ballot, saying Woerman didn't really live in Aurora.

But Woerman won, with 4,038 votes. Brooke Shanley received 3,870 votes, and Hull 3,343, according to unofficial results from DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will counties.

Woerman admitted, at an electoral board hearing in January, that his wife and children hadn't moved yet to Aurora, and that he had been spending many of his nights at the couple's Oswego residence. Shanley also criticized Woerman over the residency issue.

Hull also criticized Woerman for his membership in the development company that is receiving as much as $3 million from the city to redevelop the former Rush-Copley Hospital site on the city's east side. Woerman, who owns a restaurant and other properties, said he would recuse himself from votes on any projects with which he is involved.

In Ward 4, incumbent William Donnell defeated John Bell, 701 votes to 304. Donnell has been an alderman since 2013.

Second Ward Alderman Juany Garza was unopposed.