Winners Take All in Local Elections
Now that city elections have drawn to a close, the creation of a new city council and a new museum births optimism among some Peoria residents.
Citizens have spoken once again, and Peoria is left in the capable hands of local government leaders—new and old. Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis is the first incumbent re-elected to the office since Jim Maloof was elected almost two decades ago in a three-term run from 1985 to 1997. But new faces will appear in two of the five district city council seats, including Timothy Riggenbach for District 3 and Dan Irving for District 5. A new city treasurer, Pat Nichting, will take his place following retiring City Treasurer Reginald Willis.
A Runaway Win
In a race against General John Parker, Incumbent Mayor Ardis ran away with 90.5 percent of the vote (14,873 votes) while Parker finished with 1,563 votes, or 9.5 percent.
Promising to put his best foot forward for the citizens of Peoria, Ardis, 49, ran on a consistent platform of public safety; maintaining, enhancing, and creating job opportunities; and improving opportunities for students in education. Ardis believes Peoria has made significant strides in reducing city crime but also says that more must be done to help the city thrive. Regarding Peoria’s future leaders, the mayor claims the city must cooperate with state and federal officials to make education funding a priority.
While many politicians tout their ability to promote positive change in the district they oversee, Ardis claims the Peoria race was not about change. Instead, a strong record of nearly ten years of public service coupled with a continued willingness to make headway in areas such as the city budget and city growth became the primer of the campaign. Ardis hopes to attract new businesses and encourage the expansion of existing businesses in the area to help create jobs. The mayor supports such projects as the Downtown Museum as well as the Marriott Hotel Project.
Close Call
In what could be one of the most hotly contested races of this year’s district city council elections, Timothy Riggenbach will replace outgoing City Councilman Bob Manning in District 3. Riggenbach defeated former Heart of Peoria Commission chairperson Beth Akeson by a narrow margin, seizing the seat with just 13 votes and carrying a fragile lead with 1,556 votes (50.2 percent) over Akeson’s 1,543 votes (49.8 percent).
Although Riggenbach expected the race to be close, election night results were nothing short of surprising. “We anticipated that it was going to be a tight race, but never by just 13 votes.
An Assistant Vice President at Associated Bank in Downtown Peoria, Riggenbach, 50, will take his place on the Peoria City Council when the new term begins May 5th bringing with him a host of political experience as well as experience on the Finance and Legislative Study Committee on which he served since 2004. Riggenbach claims his experience balancing budgets and working with government funding and finances gave him the edge in a city that is hurting financially.
“If you watch the news, our city has about a $2 million dollar hole in its budget right now,” he says. “I remember several months ago when the economic downturn was just beginning in the country. Someone asked Barack Obama: ‘Are you sure you want to run for president?’ and he said: ‘This is exactly why I want to run for President.’ And I would say that (the financial state of Peoria) is exactly why I want to serve on the city council. I think this is a very critical time in our city, and I want to be there to help and be a part of things.”
Riggenbach carried both sections of Precinct 45, the area where he served on the Peoria County Board since 2002.
He says he is in favor of Build the Block, a Downtown Peoria project that will be constructed on the block created by Washington, Water, Liberty, and Main streets and will include the construction of a new museum.
“We talk a lot about what we need to make our downtown more vibrant,” he says. “I think this museum will be the catalyst that will help make our businesses viable, that will make our retail stores viable. I think it’s just what our city needs.”
Looking ahead to his first day in office, Riggenbach claims he will jumpstart his first council term by reaching out to the community and neighborhood groups in his district.
“Whether they voted for me or not, we need to make sure we are all pulling together for the district and the city,” he says.
While one of Riggenbach’s top priorities is “becoming the voice of financial discipline that Mr. Manning was,” his ultimate goal is to strengthen Peoria.
“I want to continue to challenge us to never stop dreaming about making this city better,” he says. “But that having been said, the (fiscal) reality we’re in right now is going to be the critical part of this puzzle in the coming days and coming months.”
A Landslide Victory
Unlike District 3, the District 5 race ended in a landslide victory with the gold going to Dan Irving. Irving, 40, a Republican with experience serving on the Peoria City Liquor Commission since 1995, easily defeated his opponent, Gloria Cassel-Fitzgerald, 4,821 votes (79.7 percent) to 1,229 votes (20.3 percent), respectively.
“I think we had a very clear message,” Irving says. “We want to continue the constituent services of Pat Nichting, but we were also clear on the basic services we want to provide the district, such as economic growth.”
Irving is pleased the Build the Block referendum passed and calls it “a great opportunity” that will help place Peoria’s economy on the fast track to success.
“It’s gonna put a lot of local people to work, which is very important right now,” says Irving.
Once in office, Irving will work to cut city spending, opposing unnecessary tax increases and working to increase efficiency. He will also work to promote public safety, supporting efforts to fight crime and zeroing in on sufficient levels of police and fire services for the city. Irving says his experience working in the private business sector has helped him learn how to listen and communicate effectively to deliver for his constituency.
“I believe strongly in public service, and this is a way I can become involved as a councilman and engage in constituent service,” he says. “It’s also a problem-solving opportunity and an opportunity to have a positive impact and help the city move forward in a positive direction.”
A Tradition of Excellence
Garnering 1,388 votes (57.6 percent) Incumbent Councilwoman Barbara Van Auken certainly has no reason to complain. She defeated opponent Curphy Smith, vice president of commercial banking at Regions Bank, who took in 1,021 votes or (42.4 percent). Van Auken says her second-term victory is due in large part to the devotion she has shown to the needs of the people in her district.
“The fact that I’ve provided good constituent service over the last four years (is why people continue to vote for me),” she says. “They remember that.”
A University of Illinois law graduate and a recipient of the Rickert Award for Excellence, Van Auken says she will continue to build upon her service record. On a larger scale, she says, she will be working with the council to decide the best way to close the budget shortfall and “making choices about those things that have to be deferred.”
“On a more positive note, I will be making choices about how to use the federal stimulus package money,” she says.
Van Auken says she supports the building of the Downtown museum and was grateful to hear that the city voted in its favor. “I think it’s great,” she says. “It’s a critically important investment in the community.”
Having accumulated experience as an attorney working for eight years for the National Labor Relations Board and as legal council for ten years with Central Illinois Light Company, Van Auken knows the importance of working hard to cooperate and work well with others. “You build up a level of trust and respect . . . as you do your homework and show you’ve looked into issues thoroughly and properly,” she says.
The Lucky Ones
Incumbent Councilman Clyde Gulley of District 1 and Councilman Bill Spears of District 4 were fortunate not to be challenged in the general election this year. During the upcoming term, Gulley plans to work toward developing efficiency within the city. He will also collaborate with the school district and focus on building a new school, new homes, and a new neighborhood. Gulley has served two terms in office.
Bill Spears promises to “continue to be fiscally conservative and grow the city.” He has spent his past twelve years on the council engaged in city projects, such as infrastructure development. He will continue to make headway on such projects during the upcoming term while making decisions in the best interest of the people in his district.
Trading Spaces
Pat Nichting and Gary Shadid. Both big names in the Peoria area. Both well-respected candidates. So how did the former District 5 councilman manage to seize the city treasurer position with 10,107 votes (62 percent) to Shadid’s 6,106 votes (38 percent)?
“A big part of my success I think was organization and getting the message out,” Nichting says. “I think my public record was also a big part. I have twelve years on the city council. Constituents know what I can do. So, I think that was a contributing factor.”
Now that the campaign is over, the real work begins. Nichting will trade his council seat for a full-time position collecting loan payments, fines, and fees. Two days following the election, he was already immersed in a training session for his new job.
“Learning the job will definitely be my big focus for awhile,” he says. “There’s various activities that need to be completed on a monthly basis. It’s just like with any new job. You have to learn it.”
Nichting, 45, received his MBA from Bradley University and has been a small business owner in Peoria’s First District for 26 years. In addition to serving three terms on the city council, Nichting has served 12 years on the County Landfill Committee, ten years on the Peoria Sister City Commission, and has served on the City of Peoria Budget Committee.
The former councilman plans to uphold the city treasurer office with honesty and integrity, as his predecessors, Mary Ulrich and Reginald Willis, have done. He will also bring a “stable, ethical working environment” to the office.
New Blood
Although Laura Petelle is relatively new on the Peoria scene (she moved to the city 5 years ago), her novelty didn’t stop her from seeking—and winning—a seat on the Peoria District 150 school board. The board, which has been dealing with the convoluted budget snafu for months, could benefit from some new blood on the team.
“I think the voters are looking for someone who will talk straight to them and be up front,” says Petelle, “even when it involves something they don’t want to hear. Voters want better communication, and the best way to keep open lines of communication with parents in the district is through social networking or a dedicated blog. We need to make communication constructive.”
Petelle, 31, an attorney and Illinois Central College adjunct professor, garnered 55.3 percent of the vote (4,299 votes) and defeated opponents Lonnie Whisker and Sandy Farkash. Farkash, a former District 150 employee and Manual principal, finished with 2,167 votes, or 27.9 percent, while Whisker, a grant writer for the Tri-County Urban League, earned 1,303 votes, or 16.8 percent.
Looking ahead to her first tem, which begins July 1st, Petelle says she expects her new job will be “very difficult.”
“There’s a lot of anger in the community right now over the school budget and various things,” she says, “so I think it will be—at times—an unpleasant role. But I’m definitely up to the challenge.”
Petelle ran on a platform of honesty and accountability and says the board needs to take fiscal responsibility for its budget. She advocates for an administrative budget cut and the creation of a skilled-trades program.
She will replace outgoing school board member Mary Spangler who has served on the board since July of 2004.
Good luck to all the winners as they begin their new term!
