Vacant county board seat attracts five candidates

Posted on July 3, 2019

 

McLean County Government Center
Five people are vying for the vacant District 2 seat on the McLean County Board. (WJBC file photo)

 

By Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON – The McLean County Board’s Executive Committee will interview five people who are interested in filling a vacant county board seat.

The District 2 county board seat opened up last month when Republican Scott Murphy resigned because he moved out of the district, which covers much of southeastern McLean County.

Murphy’s replacement also has to be a Republican until the seat is next up for election.

The candidates are Heyworth farmer William Friedrich, who’s the Bloomington Township Water District chairman, farmer and tax accountant Clarence Thomas from Heyworth, State Farm retiree Ruth Novosad of rural Bloomington, Blue Ridge School Board member Chelsie Leffelman of Bellflower, and retired teacher, letter carrier, and insurance sales person Martin Tipsord of Saybrook.

The executive committee will interview the candidates next Tuesday.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…