LA GRANGE, IL – Five La Grange residents are vying for the Village Board seat left vacant by Glenn Thompson, who is moving to Florida for a job.
The applicants are Al Foreman, Justin Hanson, Steve Palmer, Jonathan Robinson and Madonna Walsh.
On Thursday, Village President Mark Kuchler notified the candidates that they will each get five minutes to speak at a special board meeting set for 7 p.m. Wednesday at Village Hall.
Kuchler has the power to nominate trustees to fill vacancies, subject to the board's approval.
In recent times, Foreman and Robinson have closely watched Village Hall and spoken frequently at meetings. Both could be seen as critical of the village government's status quo. Robinson has already announced plans to run for the board in the April election.
Palmer, who long owned Palmer Place restaurant, has received praise from village officials, including Mark Kuchler.
Walsh serves on the village's Environmental Quality Commission. And Hanson ran as an independent write-in candidate in the 3rd Congressional District in 2018, upset over the entrance of a Nazi candidate in the race.
In an email to the applicants, Kuchler said he wanted them to speak at the meeting to explain their interest in serving and discuss their qualifications and anything else they find pertinent.
"This will not be a question-and-answer session," he said. "Out of fairness to everyone, I ask that you remain outside of the auditorium until it is your turn. However, it is a public meeting so you can attend if you like. Jonathan Robinson has indicated that he intends to film and stream the presentations. Since it is a public meeting, he is allowed to do so."
The winning candidate serves until the April election.
Kuchler is allowing a more open process than he has during previous trustee appointments. For most entities in Illinois, the entire process is shrouded in secrecy.
For instance, the Lyons Township High School board keeps its interviews behind closed doors. The public can only find out the names of board member applicants through a public records request.
Other states, including New Mexico, require that deliberations for filling open elected positions be done in public.
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