10 Aim for Five Aldermanic Seats on St. Charles City Council
A guide to the April 2013 aldermanic races in St. Charles.
There are 10 candidates queued up for St. Charles’ five aldermanic races, although one of those is not a race — 4th Ward Alderwoman Jo Krieger is unopposed in her re-election bid.
But there are contests for the other four seats, and the issues that have been shaping up in the race are diverse. Several are spinoffs from the City Council’s narrow 6-5 vote in January to approve the controversial Lexington Club, as well as anger related to efforts to push through the addition of apartments at the Corporate Reserve, a business park, and simmering tension over over the city’s use of tax-increment financing districts for the First Street Development and other projects, like Lexington.
The bitterness over the Lexington decision has been well-represented in the comments sections on related online news stories and blogs. Much of that has been related to what some have called a lack of responsiveness by the council to the voters. But the bitterness also has fueled discussion of what some say is a lack of transparency in city government and a need for better communication between the city administration and the City Council.
Combined, these issues have created an anti-incumbent sentiment that could work against those aldermen who supported Lexington — 1st Ward Alderman Jon E. Monken and 2nd Ward Aldermen Clifford Carrignan.
Monken faces two opponents on April 9 — former Alderman Ron Silkaitis and political newcomer Justin Osborne. Carrignan is being challenged by another former alderman, Arthur J. Lemke.
The key question these incumbents face is whether the anti-incumbent sentiment is as widespread as the City Council’s critics say it it. The answer to that question may not be evident until the ballots are counted on April 9.
Krieger and 3rd Ward Alderman William Turner and 5th Ward Alderwoman Maureen Lewis voted against Lexington Club and may be less susceptible to anti-incumbent leanings. Turner faces Mario J. VanDerHeyden on April 9, and Lewis faces community activist Kimberly Malay.
The incumbents’ challengers say there is a general dissatisfaction with St. Charles city government that can be remedied only by greater transparency and increased communication between the city staff and the aldermen, there are other issues.
Certainly one that has received prominent council attention is the alcohol-related problems in the downtown area — street brawling, public drunkenness and public urination. Bar and tavern owners are cooperating, but efforts to resolve the problem since the council raised the issue in May 2012 came in fits and starts, and the council has been skeptical of the most recent efforts.
But another issue that sometimes gets collateral attention in the alcohol debate is economic development. There are a lot of empty storefronts in the city, and filling those up would generate tax dollars the city needs.
Candidate Bios, Issues
1st Ward
Jon E. Monken (i)
2nd Ward
3rd Ward
4th Ward
Jo K. Krieger (i)
No other candidate
5th Ward
Maureen Lewis (i)
- Sept. 24, 2012: Malay Runs for St. Charles’ 5th Ward Seat
The ‘Must-Read’ Stories
Election Forums
Downtown alcohol-related problems
- Aug. 21, 2012:St. Charles Mayor Targets Drunken Street Brawls
- Sept. 4, 2012:St. Charles Bars, Restaurants Win Reprieve
- Sept. 6, 2012:Taser Used: Violence May Fuel Debate on St. Charles Bar Hours
- Sept. 25, 2012: Taverns, City Near Accord on St. Charles Bar Hours
- Oct. 29, 2012:St. Charles Fines Two Bars Over Liquor Violations
- Nov. 6, 2012: St. Charles Council Casts Jaundiced Eye on Downtown Bars
- Feb. 6, 2013:Will DUI Crash Fuel Fire for St. Charles Tavern Association?
- Feb. 7, 2013: Blog —Downtown St. Charles Drinking Issue a Thorny One
- Feb. 8, 2013: Blog —City Considers Changes to Liquor License Rules
Lexington Club
- Jan. 7, 2013: St. Charles Shocker: Council OKs Lexington Club
- Jan. 8, 2013: Lexington Club Vote Sparks Anger
- Jan. 29, 2013: St. Charles Aldermen Still Skeptical of Downtown Bars
More Local Election Coverage on Patch
- St. Charles Election Central: A guide to every race that affects residents of St. Charles will be posted by mid-February.
- St. Charles City Council: Catch up on what the City Council has been doing before you vote.
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Seth
2:00 pm on Friday, March 8, 2013
I support Maureen Lewis for Alderman of the 5th Ward - She has been making the decisions as an alderman for the past 31/2 years. She has proven she will vote for what is best for St. Charles, as confirmed in the article above, A St Charles resident for voer 60 years - she is helping to make St. Charles a better place. Vote Maureen!!
Rich Swenson
4:30 pm on Friday, March 8, 2013
Kim Malay has proven her knowledge of, development, resident issues, City procedures and how to represent them for residents. Her committment to not only the west side residents over the past years but her dedication to historic preservation, community service and St. Charles is second to none. Kim has already made more effort reaching out to and being in contact with 5th Ward residents than both of the current Alderman combined and she is simply a resident wanting to help! Kim is also definetly the person who if elected will have no problem asking questions, raise concerns and clearly examine each and every project openly and with open eyes. This will be a welcome change to the lack of real knowledge and fear many members on the council seem to have to "rock the boat" and really express their concerns and stand up for what is best for St. Charles instead of developers. People of the 5th Ward your vote should go to Kim Malay, she has earned it without a doubt! Just ask yourself..Who led the fight 4 years ago stopping Shodeen's Towne Center? Which of the candidates sent out emails to inform Harvest Hills about the Corporate Reserves Apartment project this past fall. It was KIM MALAY not her opponent. Hope you all come out March 14th and ask the tough questions of both candidate to hear for yourselves who really has the knowledge and experience to lead the 5th Ward.
Pete Richards
11:13 pm on Friday, March 8, 2013
Thomas, I agree with you about Kim Malay. I am encouraging all of my friends from around the City to vote for the non incumbents. Aldermen Monken and Carrignan are only on the Council because our outgoing Mayor made a concerted effort to defeat Silkaitis and Lemke because they were free thinkers who could not be bullied into voting the way he wanted the Council to vote. It is time to put back into office, or in the case of Malay simply put into office, Aldermen who are attuned to what the community wants and will not easily be cowed by a Mayor.
Steve Swanson
10:18 pm on Sunday, March 10, 2013
I, personally, have nothing against Lewis. However, she is not as communicative with her constituents as Malay would be, so I am backing Malay in that race.