Machesney Park Election Lineup Remains the Same

By Bob Balgemann, REPORTER

 There will be some new faces in the official Village family following the April 2017 municipal election. But the Nov. 21-28 official filing period didn’t bring out anyone other than those who earlier announced their candidacies for six upcoming vacancies. Incumbent Mayor Jerry D. Bolin is trying for a second four-year term as the Village’s President and CEO. He has drawn opposition from Trustee Steve Johnson, who currently represents District 2 on the six-member Village Board. If Johnson wins he will have to appoint his replacement, with the advice and consent of the Board. If he loses, he will remain on the Board at least until his four-year term expires in 2019. Two sets of candidates filed simultaneously, so there was a drawing to determine who was first on the ballot. Those involved were the two Mayoral candidates plus those running in District 1: incumbent Robbin Snodgrass and challenger Joe Seipts. Other than that everything else is pretty much cut and dried.

Incumbent District 3 trustee James Kidd is running again, with opposition from Heather Kelley.

In District 4, incumbent Trustee Aaron Wilson is unopposed. He didn’t have any opposition four years ago when he ran for a first term, but the situation was different than this year. In the 2013 election no one announced to replace the current incumbent who decided not to run again. So Mr. Wilson entered as a write-in candidate. When no one else stepped forward, he won the four-year term without opposition.

Incumbent Village Clerk Lori Mitchell is unopposed. She has been the Clerk since 2005 and is the immediate past President of the Municipal Clerks of Illinois organization.

Bradley Robison, a recent graduate of Harlem High School, also is unopposed and will become the new Village Treasurer. He’s replacing incumbent Tom Yoe, a former Trustee who was appointed Treasurer two years ago. He filled the vacancy created when Trustee Johnson resigned to run for the District 2 Village Board seat. Yoe has decided not to seek election for a full, four-year term as Treasurer.