Byline: Joseph Ryan Daily Herald Staff Writer
With all the bids now in, elections in Hoffman Estates and Schaumburg are shaping up to draw considerable attention to nearly every post that taxes for services from kindergarten to snow plowing.
The filing period for township, park board, community college board, library board and school board hopefuls ended Tuesday with an almost full lineup of contested elections for the April 5 ballot.
At the same time, candidates for village seats in Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates are kicking off their campaigns for what is expected to be a feisty run for power in both towns.
Those candidates filed in December because the village boards are on different filing schedules that allow for primary elections.
In Hoffman Estates, one-term Mayor Bill McLeod is fighting off a challenge from former friend and political ally Susan Kenley- Rupnow.
Both are backed by their own list of trustee candidates fighting over three open seats. In all, seven candidates want to be trustee, and one will be picked off by voters in the Feb. 22 primary before three winners are chosen in April. The village clerk's race is also contested.
'Are contested races ever uncontentious?' Kenley-Rupnow asked. 'It can't be all sweetness and light.'
In Schaumburg, two vocal critics of the current administration, one of whom has been involved in a lawsuit with the village, are giving three incumbents a challenge.
But the main focus was on other races Tuesday, as filing wrapped up and candidates could take final stock of what the playing field will look like for the two-month campaign season before April's election.
A multitude of incumbents and challengers have filed to run for control over the local schools, parks and libraries, as well as Harper College.
Four newcomers are running against the four incumbents for four open positions on the Palatine Township Elementary District 15 board. District 15 is facing a stormy financial future, and is also asking residents on the Feb. 22 ballot to increase their property taxes to prevent a $12 million budget shortfall.
Laura Crane of Hoffman Estates, Louis Sands of Palatine, and Nancy Carlson and Edward Yung, both of Inverness, all decided to run again for their current positions on the board.
Tim Millar of Palatine, Wendy Rowden of Palatine, Kelly Keenan of Inverness and David J. Sieden of Palatine also decided to throw their hats into the ring.
Harper College is also facing a contested election as it continues to work toward introducing select 4-year degree programs, which would be a first for community colleges statewide.
The Hoffman Estates Park District will see three incumbents and a resident they appointed to a board committee jockey for three open commissioner seats.
The park board is traditionally an active taxing body that has entered into multimillion-dollar projects every few years for the past two decades.
It oversees a large health and fitness center, golf club, aquatic center, several park houses and is officially opening a two-rink ice skating center this week.
Sure to be on the agenda over the next four years is the development of Vogelei Park near Golf and Higgins roads.
Another contested race has cropped up for the Schaumburg Township Library District, where six residents have filed for four open posts.
Three of those running are incumbents.
