Meet Lincoln-Way D210 School Board Candidate Joseph Kirkeeng

NEW LENOX, IL — The upcoming election is less than one week away, and early voting has already started. In the Lincoln-Way area, one of the contested local races is the race for District 210 Board of Education. There are four open positions on the board, and Joseph Kirkeeng is one of the six candidates running.

Kirkeeng lives in New Lenox with his wife Julie, and their three children. He has a MBA from Lewis University and works as the president and CEO of First Secure Bank and Trust. Kirkeeng currently serves as president of the board. He has also previously served on the board of education in District 122.

Kirkeeng said he believes the most pressing issue facing the board is financial stability.

"I will work to continue to improve the district's financial stability through expense management, evaluating potential revenue sources, enhanced monitoring and budgeting, and consistent communication," he said.

Kirkeeng said his financial background can assist in helping the district prepare for the future.

"We have created a culture of dialogue and awareness through the past three years. We have addressed tough topics and aggregately moved the district in a positive direction," he said.

For more information, visit his Facebook campaign page.

There are four open positions on the board in the upcoming April 2 election. The other five candidates are newcomers Hugh "Butch" McCorkle, Richard LaCien Jr., William Garrett and Peter Wilkes and incumbent Beth Janus-Doyle.

If you are a candidate in the upcoming April 2 election, you can email andrea.earnest@patch.com for a candidate questionnaire.