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Contested election in Western Springs District 101
Updated: December 28, 2012 4:14PM
WESTERN SPRINGS — An experiment by the Western Springs Caucus may be paying off.
The caucus did not slate candidates this year for the Elementary District 101 Board, and seven candidates filed for the four open positions.
“We decided to try more of a general election to see if we could get broader interest in the process,” said caucus committee chairman Heidi Rudloph. “We feel just the ability for people to know and learn about the School Board would be better.”
Incumbent Karen Gibbs, who successfully ran against caucus endorsed candidates four years ago, is seeking re-election.
Other candidates are Lisa Garvin, Brian Spears, Charles Mudd, Elizabeth Reedy, Mike Johnson, Julie O’Connor.
Rudolph said there often were several people interested in running, but the caucus process sought to choose from each elementary school neighborhood. That meant sometimes several qualified candidates from one neighborhood sought slating, while other neighborhoods had fewer or even nobody running.
The main concern with not slating was several candidates from the same neighborhood would be elected. While she doesn’t know where all the candidates are from, Rudolph said all three neighborhood districts are represented by these candidates.
“We’re a small enough town that hopefully everybody on the board would be representative of the entire area,” Rudolph said.
A candidate forum is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Jan. 23 in the gym at McClure Junior High, 4225 Wolf Road, Western Springs.
