Du Quoin Incumbents Announce

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Three incumbents on the Du Quoin City Council today announced their candidacies.

A prepared statement on behalf of all three was given to the newspaper on Monday.

Incumbent Du Quoin city commissioners Kathy West, Linda Fronek and Rex Duncan have announced their candidacies to seek four more years in office. For the past six years, West has served as street commissioner and Duncan as water and sewer commissioner. Fronek was appointed in 2008 by Mayor John Rednour to fill the fire and police commissioner seat held by her late husband and longtime Fire Chief Richard Fronek. She was elected to the seat in a special election in 2009.

The three--along with outgoing finance commissioner Cha Hill--have worked well together alongside Mayor Rednour to make progress while still balancing the budget.

West, Fronek and Duncan say they will work together to mutually support each other. "We are good friends and a good team for Du Quoin," said Duncan.

The three point to important infrastructure improvements, particularly to streets and alleys, sanitary sewer sleeving projects, completion of a new wastewater treatment plant, acquisition of a new fire truck, and significant improvements to downtown.

"I spent a whole career teaching high school students how government can and should work," said West, a DHS retiree. "It's not always easy, but it is personally very satisfying to be able to put so much of what I taught into action through this council. I am excited about another four-year term and working with Linda and Rex to continue what we've started."

Fronek echoes West's sentiments. "I try to use good common sense in weighing what needs to be done and how things should be done for Du Quoin," she said. "Kathy and Rex are common sense people also and I think that's why we get along well, support the work of each other well, and even when we don't see eye to eye it's never personal or mean-spirited because we respect each other so much."

They said they have been encouraged by the support shown by the numbers of people who have urged them to run again. Duncan said running isn't an easy decision. "I think all three of us thought about this for quite a while. Sometimes you have to do a reality check to make sure you are comfortable with running again. I know we all appreciate the support that has been shown us."

All said they would be happy to continue to serve in their present assignments or move to different positions, depending on what works best for the city.