A Lot for Voters to Think About Before April 4 Elections in County

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The Pinckneyville Community Consolidated 204 school district--where teachers have been working for seven months without a contract--has attracted eight candidates for four seats in that district.

Pinckneyville Community Consolidated District 204

Voters will elect four to that board. Incumbents Bernadine Suchomski, Jeff Suchomski and Tom Keith are seeking re-election. Board president Byford Reidelberger will not seek re-election to his seat.

The other five candidates seeking election are Jean Schubert, Mary Jackson, Dennis Ginn, William Moll and Stephanie Waller.

The board and Pinckneyville Education Association met two weeks ago with a federal mediator and apparently remain far apart. Three of the non-incumbents attended the most recent meeting of the board to air their concerns.

Pinckneyville High School District 101

All three incumbents are unopposed for the three seats up for election on this board. They are Nathan Kellerman, Don Craig and Dawn Kellerman

Pinckneyville Grade School and Jr. High Dist. 50

All three incumbents are unopposed for the three seats up for election on this board. They are Gregory Bigham, Craig Lazenby and Brian Kellerman

City of Pinckneyville

Incumbent Pinckneyville Mayor Joe Holder will face three opponents in the April 5 race for mayor. They include current commissioner August Kellerman, Lois Heisner--widow of onetime mayor Kirwan Heisner and Pinckneyville church leader George Culley.

In the race for Commissioner of Accounts and Finance there are two candidates. They include Leonard J. Heisner and Charles R. Dobrinick.

In the race for Commissioner of Public Health and Safety there are three candidates. They include incumbent Kevin Hicks, who was appointed to fill the position of Marty Beltz, who resigned to take a position as assistant state's attorney and James L. Shillinger.

In the race for Commissioner of Public Property there are two candidates. They include David Stone and Sammy Peradotta.

In the race for Commissioner of Streets and Improvements, there are two candidates. They include incumbent Public Safety Commissioner Sam Fulk and Jon Weatherford.

Voters will elect only one for each of those offices.

City of Du Quoin Election

Du Quoin Mayor John Rednour, who has served the city since 1989 and joins Bob Butler of Marion and Ned Mitchell of Sesser as the three longest-tenured mayors in Southern Illinois, will be opposed by former finance commissioner and retired Perry County Housing Authority director Guy Alongi.

Last fall, finance commissioner Cha Hill had expressed an interest in running for mayor after Mayor Rednour said this would be his last term. Hill found out that doing so could impact his retirement. Hill's tenure in public service includes serving as Perry County Treasurer and currently serves as site superintendent at Pyramid State Park.

After Hill received that opinion he decided he would not seek election. Similarly, incumbent commissioner Kathy West had considered running for that position. West is retired and her husband Royce Jackson will retire this summer as director of space rental for the Du Quoin State Fair. Because of the timing, West felt family considerations were more important.

As interest in the position waned, former commissioner Guy Alongi announced that he would seek election and give Du Quoin what he calls "A New Voice and A New Vision." Alongi cites his public service, his fiscal prudence as finance commissioner, his chairmanship of the Illinois Community Colleges Board of Directors and his late father's interest in education and recreation as well as his father's business history in the city.

After that announcement, Mayor Rednour decided that Du Quoin would be better served by his vision and put any health concerns aside to seek re-election.

Rednour stands on his record of being able to monetize Du Quoin's vast capital needs through his political connectivity that began years ago with the Poplar Street overpass, Du Quoin Tourism wastewater treatment plant construction, a new aerial ladder truck, the Southern Illinois Center and the state police headquarters, and continues into 2011 with announced plans for an $800,000 downtown makeover, half-million dollar solar energy park and other projects. He also cites the city's access to nearly $2 million in Champion Communities grants and low interest loans for businesses here.

Five will seek the four commissioner seats on the Du Quoin City Council. They include incumbent street commissioner Kathy West, incumbent police and fire commissioner Linda Fronek and incumbent water commissioner Rex Duncan.

Public service has attracted two non-incumbents to the Du Quoin city council race. They include attorney Yvonne (Morris) Spencer, daughter of Mary Lou Morris and the late Joe Morris, and Josh Downs, elementary school supervisory aide.

Du Quoin Community Unit District 300

There is only one race in Du Quoin Community Unit District 300. In the race for the "in-town" representation seat, incumbent Randy DeMent--Emergency 911 program director and a fireman injured years ago in the line of duty--will face Zach McPherson, son of longtime board member Paul McPherson of Mc Pherson Automotive, who is not seeking re-election.

Three incumbents are unopposed in their race for re-election. They include John "Sam" Vancil, one of Illinois longest-tenured school board members; Paul "Tiny" Brock and board president Larry Valier.

The board presides over a district of about 1,530 students and is currently in the middle of a new Du Quoin High School capital construction program.

It is also a board navigating through a program to bring back a strong vocational education program in the district, return to a seven period day at the high school and--like all districts--navigate through state testing goals and funding shortfalls.

Village of Tamaroa

There are four candidates for three seats for the four-year terms on the village board. Candidates are incumbent Lisa Haycraft and non-incumbents Scott Alvis, William C. Place, Kimberly Stube-Woodside.

Fred Schultz has no opposition in seeking election to the one open seat for the two-year unexpired term.

Tamaroa Grade School District 5

There are no candidates for the unexpired two-year term on the board of education. There are two candidates for the three four-year seats on the board. Candidates are Jennifer Alvis and Diedra Restoff.

Village of St. Johns

Voters will elect three candidates to four-year terms on the board. Candidates are incumbents Dan Uhles, Leroy Knapp, Colton Woodside and Lowell Lee.

Village of Cutler

There are three incumbents unopposed for the three four-year seats on the board. They include Joseph Loucks, Melvin W. Smith and Gloria Jean Caby.

There are no candidates seeking election to one seat for a two-year term.

Village of Willisville

There are four seeking election to three seats on the board. They include Barbara Jaimet, Douglas Vickery II, and incumbents William Vandiver, Jr. and Tina Williams.

Village Clerk Jennifer Ross is seeking re-election to a two-year unexpired term.